There’s a comedian who jokes about the sheer chaos of getting out the door with kids. Last minute scrambling for lost shoes, zippers that don’t close, snacks that must be had in the car, and then, when all are finally in the car, someone must go to the bathroom. It’s stressful, messy, and somehow takes an extra hour. Sound familiar?
Leaving the house is the first step of a journey. You may not be on the highway yet, or even know exactly how long the trip will take. Yet, once you step out the front door, you’re no longer at home. You’ve started moving.
When the Jewish people left Egypt, that moment, just stepping out, meant they were no longer slaves. They hadn’t reached the Promised Land, but something had fundamentally shifted.
The same is true in our lives.
When you’re in an emotional, spiritual, or mental funk, and you take that first small action: playing uplifting music, calling a friend, learning something inspiring… you’re already on your way out. You haven’t “arrived” yet, but you’re no longer where you were.
No matter how far you’ve fallen, it only takes one step to start rising. One moment of connection can shift your whole direction.
“These are the journeys of the Israelites” is how the Torah begins talking about the journey into the desert. Although it took only one journey to leave Egypt, it refers to it as journeys, teaching us a powerful lesson. No matter what level you grow to, what was yesterday’s destination, is a new constricting experience for today. No matter how far you’ve come, you haven’t “arrived.” Growth is in the journey, not a destination.
Wherever you are, don’t get think you are so great, and don’t let yourself sink too low. Life is a series of steps. Just take the next one.
Are you ready to go?
Have a good Shabbos,
Rabbi Kushi Schusterman