When Hashem took Bnei Yisrael out of Egypt, He did not lead them through the shortest route, derech Eretz Plishtim “ki karov hu” which was the closest and seemingly easiest route. Instead, He took them on a longer, seemingly roundabout journey to prevent them from wanting to turn back out of fear.

We often seek the shortest, most familiar path in life. Have you ever been driving, and your GPS suggests a longer route when you know a shorter one exists? Sometimes, the GPS sees what we cannot—it knows that the “shorter” way is actually filled with traffic, roadblocks, or detours we don’t anticipate.

Similarly, Hashem guides our journey, even when the path seems unnecessarily difficult or even illogical. We know our destination, but Hashem may take us through challenges and delays that feel like setbacks. At times, it may even seem like we are trapped with no way forward—just as Bnei Yisrael found themselves at the edge of the Yam Suf, with the Egyptian army closing in behind them. It is precisely in these moments of seeming impossibility that Hashem reveals His miracles.

Bnei Yisrael’s journey to Eretz Yisrael took 40 years, with 42 stops along the way, each one recorded in Parshat Masei. The Torah, which never wastes a word, lists each stop. Why? The Baal Shem Tov explains that these 42 journeys reflect the spiritual journey of every soul through life. Chazal further teach that these encampments parallel our experience in galus, as well as the struggles we each face in our personal lives. Often, we do not understand why we face certain challenges or how they are connected.

The Ramchal teaches in Da’at Tevunot that every detour and delay in life is perfectly planned by Hashem. What once seemed confusing and difficult will become crystal clear.

As we continue on our journey—both as individuals and as a nation—we must trust that Hashem, our ultimate “GPS,” knows exactly where He is leading us. Every twist and turn, every struggle and detour, has been mapped out with divine precision. Even when it feels like we are lost, even when the road seems impossibly long, know that we are rounding the last stop of our journey, with the finish line in sight, the Geulah Sheleimah.  May we merit to reach it together, bimheira b’yameinu!