After wandering through a wilderness for 40 years, the Torah lists a travelogue of all the stations. It then punctuates the list with a redundant statement: "And Moshe recorded their stops and their journeys... these were their journeys and stops" (Bamidbar 33:2).
Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (1808-1888, Germany) comments that what began as "stops and journeys" ultimately became "journeys and stops." What is the significance of the shift in language?
Researchers from the Netherlands studied the overall happiness levels of taking a vacation. The largest boost came from the anticipatory act of booking the date with an impact that could last for months. Ironically, the happiness boost from the actual vacation dissipated almost immediately.
Life isn't about the escape it's about appreciating the journey. The Jewish nation emerged from Egypt with a sense of mission and purpose. We were on a "journey" with some "stops." Unfortunately our focus quickly blurred and we suddenly coveted only the stops, failing to realize the importance of day-to-day living.
The greatest happiness boost comes from a sense of mission and purpose. May we enjoy our stops but may the journey in between be our greatest source of fulfillment.
Rabbi Daniel Green
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