I once heard a conversation with the late Shimon Peres when he was President of Israel. During one of his visits, people he met complained that Israel Railways was often delayed, frequently ran late, and certainly wasn't as punctual as the Swiss trains.
Peres listened and replied:
"Look, the Swiss are punctual because they invented the clock. We invented eternity. With eternity, if this train doesn't come now, the next one will."
That stayed with me.
Here's a recommendation:
Take an unplanned journey once in a while. Or at least one that isn't tightly scheduled.
A few times over the past several years (though we really should do it more often), we set out on a short trip with almost no plan. We got into the car and simply drove. We stopped in one town, stayed as long as we felt like staying, then continued. Later we stopped at a roadside hotel or a sleepy little village, lingered there, followed whatever caught our attention, and moved on.
We didn't have an hourly itinerary—only a rough plan by days. We didn't know exactly when we'd arrive somewhere, when we'd leave, or even precisely where we'd end up. The only thing we knew was when we eventually wanted to be back home.
In fact, you don't even need several days.
Sometimes it's enough to leave early in the morning with the intention of reaching a certain destination by evening, and simply let the day unfold. If something interesting appears along the way, stop. If a beautiful view captures your heart, pull over and enjoy it. If you pass a charming little shop or an outlet worth exploring, why not? Park the car, take your time, perhaps have a coffee, and then continue on your way.
Why do I recommend this?
Because, at least for me, it was surprisingly stressful at first not to have everything planned. I think it's healthy to face the things that make us uncomfortable instead of avoiding them.
More importantly, I learned that there's no need to fear the unknown. When you approach the journey with a relaxed spirit and a willingness to go with the flow, everything somehow works out. Every situation contains something beautiful. You stop worrying about the clock because the schedule was never rigid to begin with. And, almost without noticing, you become truly present—in the moment and in the place where you are.
Only later did we realize that it wasn't just another vacation.
It had become a kind of training for the muscle of faith—the understanding that every person and every event has its own journey, its own process, and its own pace. We learned that not everything can be accelerated. And perhaps most importantly, when something doesn't go according to plan, it often turns out to be for the best. It's a shame to lose your good mood over something that may ultimately become part of the blessing.
For Parashat Massei,
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Zalman Wishedski