22 Jul MATTOT/MASEH: HASHEM PUTS US WHERE WE NEED TO BE

The first section of Parashat
Maseh lists all the different
places where Beneh Yisrael
encamped during the forty
years they spent in the
desert, from the time they left
Egypt through their last
station before crossing into the Land of
Israel.
The first pasuk of the parashah introduces
this section as follows.
Eileh Maseh Beneh Yisrael Asher Yatzu
M’Eretz Mitzrayim…B’yad Moshe
V’Aharon.
These are the journeys of Beneh Yisrael,
who left the land of Egypt…by the hand of
Moshe and Aharon.
We must ask why the pasuk emphasizes
that the people were brought out of Egypt
by Moshe and Aharon – literally, “by the
hand of Moshe and Aharon.” Why does
this need to be said? How is this
significant?
The Ketav Sofer explains that to the
people, it appeared that they left Egypt
B’yad Moshe V’Aharon, because of Moshe
and Aharon. They thought that it was their

leadership that brought them out of slavery
and into the wilderness. Therefore, the next
pasuk says: Moshe recorded the nation’s
journeys “in accordance with Hashem.”
Moshe taught the people that every journey
they took, every place where they
encamped, everywhere they traveled – was
all arranged by Hashem. It was He who
brought them out of Egypt, and it was He
who led them to every station they passed
through on the way to Eretz Yisrael.
The same is true of our journey through
life. Sometimes this journey seems random,
and sometimes it is difficult. But we need
to have emunah and trust that Hashem
brings us precisely to where we need to be
at all times. Whatever situation we find
ourselves in is the situation Hashem
intentionally brought us to for a specific
purpose.
I was once talking to a community member
about an organization I’m involved with,
asking for his assistance. I apologized to
him for taking his time.
“Don’t be sorry,” this fellow said. “Your
organization does amazing work, and it is a
privilege for me to be part of it. Thank you
for including me.”

This man understood that when somebody
asks us for help, when we are invited to a
fundraiser, or when we are given an
opportunity to contribute to a meaningful
cause, it is Hashem – not the person in
need, not the Rabbi who leads the
organization, and not the person running
the event – who is asking for assistance.
Hashem is taking us to that situation so that
we can make an impact, because we have
an important goal to achieve.
Somebody once told me the story of a
certain person in Israel who missed his bus
by just a couple of seconds. He was terribly
upset. He had to call a taxicab, and then
wait for the taxi to come, and pay a lot of
money. He was visibly frustrated.
A person who was there asked him, “Tell
me, if that bus which you were supposed to
be on gets blown up, would you be upset
about missing it?”
“Of course not,” the man said. “I would be
very grateful to Hashem for saving my
life.”
“Well,” the other fellow replied, “why do
all these people have to be killed just for
you to feel happy?!”

This is not just a funny line; it’s truth. If we
live with emunah, then we realize that
Hashem puts us where we need to be, even
if the bus doesn’t blow up…
Whatever is happening, wherever we find
ourselves, whatever situation arises, we
must realize that Hashem brought us there
for a purpose. Even when it seems that our
journey unfolds B’yad Moshe V’Aharon,
as a result of things done by other people,
in truth, everything occurs in accordance
with Hashem. Rather than complain and
feel frustrated and embittered, we should
embrace every circumstance we face,
recognizing that it presents us with an
important mission that Hashem wants us –
and only us – to complete.