A deep dive into understanding life's journeys.

The Torah portion of Pekudai culminates the book of Shemot-Exodus.

The book begins by recounting the children of Jacob's descent into Egypt or exile.

Yet this recounting is described by our Sages as an ascent or redemption. 

At the end of the book, the Torah lists the details of the Mishkan-the Tabernacle, with the final words being:

"For over the Tabernacle a cloud of by day, and fire would appear in it by night, in the view of all the houses of Israel throughout their journeys."

Regarding these words, our Sages point out that the pit stops were also part of the journey out of the metamorphic level of Egypt (called Mitzraim or constriction) towards the expansive G-d/self-actualized redemptive parts of ourselves. 

There is a profound lesson that, as much as we do not yearn for or anticipate expansiveness/redemption, is found within the challenge itself, and one of life's great lessons in life is this recognition.