Divine Direction

In this week's parshah, the Jewish people finally leave Mitzrayim. They were poised to head straight to Eretz Yisrael, but Hashem did not allow them to take the easy, direct route. The pasuk tells us: v'lo nacham Elokim derech eretz Plishtim—Hashem did not lead the Jewish people along the shorter, more direct path. Why? The simple answer is: ki karov hu—because it was too close. This seems counterintuitive—if the shorter path was better, why wasn’t it chosen?

The Midrash provides the answer: had the Jewish people taken the easy route through the land of the Philistines, they would have walked straight into danger. The Amalekim were lying in wait, ready to attack. In His infinite mercy, Hashem diverted their path, guiding them along a more challenging route that ultimately saved their lives.

I recall hearing from my father, Rav Yitzchok Fingerer shlita, that the Sfas Emes teaches us this is a profound life lesson—a blueprint for our own journeys. Often, we believe we know which route is best for us. When things don’t go as expected, we may become frustrated and question Hashem’s guidance. Yet, we must remember that Hashem always knows what is best. His love for us surpasses our understanding, and sometimes the longer, more circuitous route is exactly what we need to reach our ultimate destination.

Consider the story of Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky, zt"l. Before emigrating to America, he applied for a prominent rabbinate position in Europe. The entire community believed he was the ideal candidate. However, to his dismay, a man of much lesser stature was chosen instead. Rav Yaakov was deeply distraught, feeling heartbroken and confused by this unexpected outcome. With no alternative for supporting his family, he moved to America. There, he eventually became a Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshivas Torah Vodaath and emerged as one of the Godolei HaDor.

Many years later, Rav Yaakov gathered his family to share a profound realization. The ‘winning candidate’—the man selected to serve as the town’s Rav—had been tragically killed along with his entire community by the Nazis. Not a single soul survived. In retrospect, Rav Yaakov understood that his initial disappointment was, in fact, a divine intervention. Had he received that prestigious position, he and his family might not have survived.

We never truly grasp Hashem’s plans. In our own lives, when we face hardships or traverse dark, uncertain times, we must remember that Hashem is always with us. The easy path is not always the right one. Trust in His guidance, for even when the path seems difficult, Hashem is leading us exactly where we need to be. His love for us is deeper than we can ever comprehend.

By Aryeh Fingerer