לקוטי שיחות חלק כג - מסעי א

The Torah states, "These are the journeys of the Children of Israel." At first glance, the term "journeys" is difficult to understand, since the verses proceed to list the places where the Jewish people encamped. Seemingly, it should have said, "These are the encampments of the Children of Israel," especially since the purpose is to describe the distinct characteristics of each encampment.

This question is even stronger in light of the teaching of the Baal Shem Tov that the forty-two journeys correspond to forty-two levels of holiness. Even those places where the Jewish people acted contrary to Hashem's will are, in their essential nature, stages within the journey of holiness.

The explanation is that a person must always be in the state of a "traveler" (mehalech)—one who advances in a manner that is beyond all comparison to his previous level. This is the message of the phrase "These are the journeys": a Jew must constantly progress with an immeasurable ascent.

This also explains the verse, "These are the journeys of the Children of Israel who went out of the land of Egypt." Seemingly, why does the Torah speak of "journeys" in the plural, when the Exodus from Egypt was only one departure?

The answer is that every stage becomes its own form of Egypt (Mitzrayim)—a limitation—if it is not followed by another journey that transcends the limits of that level. Every encampment and every spiritual achievement is only a temporary station, not the ultimate goal. One must always continue onward to the next journey.

On an even deeper level, this idea applies even to those places about which the Torah says that Hashem "listed where they angered Me." Even those stations are included among the journeys, because the descent itself ultimately serves as the means for a greater ascent that follows.