“And Moshe wrote their going forth to their journeys… and these are their journeys to their going forth.” Why does the pasuk start by saying “Motza’ayhem LiMasayhem” and then at the end of the pasuk in the reverse “Masayhem L’Motza’ayhem”?
Kli Yakar explains, Klal Yisroel traveled 42 journeys during their 40 yrs in the Midbar. Most of them where traveling forward in the direction from Mitzrayim towards Eretz Yisroel. However there were times that Klal Yisroel sinned and set out to head back in the opposite direction, towards Mitzrayim. The term “Motza’ayhem” in the pasuk is referring to leaving their place of origin – Mitzrayim. And the term “LiMasayhem” is referring to the place of their destination – Eretz Yisroel.
The pasuk starts by saying , these were their journeys – “Motza’ayhem LiMasayhem” – which most of them were going in the direction from their place of origin – Mitzrayim (“Motza’ayhem), to “LiMasayhem” their destinantion – Eretz Yisroel. This was all “Al Pi Hashem” (as the pasuk says). However, when they sinned, they went backwards – “Masayhem L’Motza’ayhem” – going in the direction from Eretz Yisroel back to Mitzrayim. – This was not “Al Pi Hashem”, therefore the pasuk does not write it.
Hashem wants us to always go forward and keep growing and never drop back and head back to where we were before!!
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