The Circuitous Route

7 Shevat 5782

“It came to pass when Pharaoh let the people go, that G-d did not lead them [by] way of the land of the Philistines for it was near, because God said, Lest the people reconsider when they see war and return to Egypt” (Shemos 13:17)

Rashi explains why Hashem did not take them by way of the land of the Philistines: “If they had gone on a direct route, they would have returned. Now, if when He led them around in a circuitous route, they said, ‘Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt’ (Bamidbar 14:4), how much more [would they have planned to do this] if He had led them on a direct route?”

Often in our own lives we find that to get to a certain point we cannot take the “straight,” “direct” route. We often have to muddle about, trying from every possible angle, until the most unlikely method surprisingly yields success. We must understand that this is Hashem’s will. Were he to make things straight-forward and easy, they would be lost just as fast as they were gained. The more effort we put into reaching a goal, the more resilient the achievement is to the Satan which eventually comes to dispute it.

“Even the person who has only a limited understanding of G-d’s greatness, and he has no heart to comprehend the greatness of the blessed infinite G-d to produce, through meditation, a fear and love even in his mind and understanding alone yet it is a “very near thing” for him to guard and to practice all the commandments of the Torah, and the study of Torah, which counterbalances them all … This is the hidden love present in the heart of all Jews, which is an inheritance to us from our Patriarchs.” (Lessons in Tanya, Likutei Amarim, beginning of Chapter 18)

One might ask, “Why do we spend so much time meditating, praying, and strengthening ourselves if all we have to do is draw on the hidden love which is already present in our hearts by virtue of our forefathers? Isn’t this more straight-forward and direct of than the intellectual meditation explained before?”

When we read on in Tanya we will see that drawing upon the innate love for Hashem present in every Jew also requires self-awareness, albeit simpler than the more intellectual meditation we talked about so far. The innate love innate in every Jews is extremely potent. It is the reason why, “As a rule, even the most worthless of the worthless and the sinners among Israel sacrifice their lives for the sanctity of G‑d’s Name and suffer harsh torture rather than deny G‑d’s unity” (Tanya, Chapter 18). Drawing on this innate, hidden love requires one to equate, in his mind, the consequences of even a minor transgression with those of bowing down before an idol under extreme duress, “since at the time that he does the forbidden act, he thereby becomes separated from G‑d’s unity just as much as through actual idolatry” (Tanya, Chapter 25). Thus both methods, the intellectual meditation and the unlocking of a Jew’s innate love for Hashem, constitute “circuitous” routes, one more intellectual and one more emotional.

“I put my hope in the L‑rd; He turned to me and heard my cry.” (Tehillim 40:2)

As our sages say, “He who comes to be purified will be helped” (Shabbat 104a). When we go the circuitous route and despite all setbacks continue to “hope in the L‑rd,” Hashem will turn to us and hear our cry. He will lift us up and grant us success, with no logical connection to the previous efforts involved.