“נוסעים אנחנו— We are traveling to the place about which the Lord said, I will give it to you.   לכה אתנו— Come with us and we will be good to you...” 

Yisro was evidently at a pivotal moment in his life. Prior to arriving at Sinai, he had been leading a successful community in Midyan where his family lived. Would he forsake all that he accomplished and put all his assets now with the Jewish nation, or would he opt to return with his new and heightened awareness and relationship with G-d, and instill those values to his followers? 

In what seems like the latter choice, Yisro responds, “ לא אלך— I won’t go, but to my land and my birthplace, אלך— I will go.” 

Was Yisro simply resisting to fully join the destiny of his newfound nation? 

The Kli Yakar suggests that a more profound discussion is taking place here. 

He notes the change of verbs within the same sentence. Moshe describes how they will be נוסעים — ‘traveling’ yet requests of Yisro to merely לכה — ‘go’.

He explains that there is a fundamental difference between נסיעה and הליכה. Traveling connotes leaving one’s past location totally, detaching oneself from any connection to that place. Going, on the other hand, intimates a physical relocation, yet maintaining an emotional attachment to one’s former locale. 

Moshe was describing how the nation was detaching themselves from their previous predicament, leaving behind all its negative connotations and ‘traveling’ to a new and thrilling home.  

Moshe understood Yisro’s affinity and deep bond with his homeland and sensitively merely asks that he ‘go’ and join the journey, knowing full well that Yisro could not easily disconnect from his bond with his former people, and at most could be expected to only ‘go’ with them. 

Yisro is incredulous with the insinuation, emphatically asserting: לא אלך, “I will not be ‘just’ one who ‘goes’ with the Jewish people, for I am a ‘traveler’!  If anything, אלך — I will merely be ‘going’ — not ‘traveling' — to my town to convert my family, for my soul is firmly implanted at Sinai and with the destiny of my people!” 

In life we accumulate experiences. Each new journey adds a layer to our character. The question though is whether it transforms us. Does it change us. Are we still bound to our former attitudes and biases, fueled by nostalgia for the comforts of our past or are we ready to become different? 

Our forefather Avraham is described as a הלוך ונסוע, one who was ‘going and traveling’. What began with latent feelings for his past became a total departure from the past, unshackled from the past that inhibits growth. 

We each initiate our spiritual journeys enmeshed with our past habits, preferences, and familiar territory, striving to grow and shed those instincts that often hold us back from moving forward.   

Perhaps there is an additional lesson in differentiating a ‘going’ from a ‘journey’.  

‘Going’ intimates a specific destination — getting somewhere, whereas journey emphasizes a departure but not necessarily with a specific destination. 

In life we chart our paths with an objective. When the objective is not met, we become frustrated and dejected. But one who focuses on the trip not only as a 'means to an end', but as an end to itself, is assured he will never despair. 

Yisro had a goal — to inspire the masses back home, but Moshe sought to instruct him that sometimes the value of the journey itself eclipses the objective, however noble. Although the journey to the promised land was laden with doubt, especially since as a convert he would not receive a parcel of land, at the end of the day it is the encounter with providence, which inspires life. Often it is when the intended target is not achieved that man can discern in his journey the hand of G-d that is always guiding him.  

I recently returned from a whirlwind three-day trip to the Ukraine, visiting and praying at the kevorim of an ancestor and several holy tzadikim. 

Despite the grueling schedule and unknown interruptions that can develop to hinder man’s best plans, we met all our goals, boruch Hashem. 

But as the Saintly Baal Shem Tov (one of the tzadikim we merited to visit) taught, every encounter in life is precisely orchestrated by G-d to teach us a lesson. 

While in Uman, after reciting the Tikkun Klali at the kever of Reb Nachman, I sat down to learn. A teenager, a Breslov chosid from Beit Shemesh, approached me for help. I inquired as to what he needed. He calmly told me he had traveled to Uman for Shavuos on a one-way ticket and was stuck in Uman and in need of a return ticket. I asked him what he was thinking when he came with a one-way ticket. He said he relied on Hashem to procure the second half. I then queried if that was the case why is he asking me for help? He smiled as I happily gave him forty dollars! G-d does it again!  

He heard that I needed a minyan, and although I never indicated that was my intention of helping him, he happily procured one so I could say kaddish. 

I would not advocate living life this way, but this charming young chosid taught me how valuable it is to sometimes focus on the journey and not get consumed by the objectives alone. 

On the plane back from Warsaw to JFK, I met a remarkable middle-aged chosid, who traveled frequently to visit the holy sites scattered throughout the Ukraine, Poland, Hungary and several more countries. A successful businessman, he is engaged in many worthy causes, and does it in a manner untainted from ego. He shared that he was visiting together with a close friend who brought his son along, as he was a chosson and wanted to enlist as many blessings as he could for success in his future life. Although they went to many towns in Ukraine, they very much desired to visit the burial place of the holy Radishitzer Rebbe who was buried in Poland. They scheduled to travel there on the last day of the trip. Despite their greatest efforts they were turned away at the Polish border twice on some minor detail they were told originally would not impede them. The chosson was dejected. His father’s friend pulled him aside and warmly told that he should not be upset, because in this incident he was being taught the most valuable lesson as he entered marriage and life. Nothing in life is guaranteed. G-d knows exactly what we need for our benefit. Never be disappointed because Hashem always has your back. 

It is not about the objective. It is about knowing Hashem is always there in the journey called life. In that knowledge man can be happy no matter what comes or does not come his way! 

Happy travels! 

באהבה, 

צבי יהודה טייכמאן