Journeys From, Journeys To

And they journeyed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the day after the Passover the Children of Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians.       Numbers 33:3

Our verse states “they journeyed,” while verse five states “And the Children of Israel journeyed from Ramses, and encamped in Sukkot.” Initially, they journeyed in disarray, accompanied by the mixed multitude [Exodus 12:38], while in later journeys the verse consistently mentions the Children of Israel, because they removed the mixed multitude from their midst.                                                     Ba’al haTurim

My father commented that distinction between the journey of the mixed multitude and that of the Children of Israel was in the fact that former was interested primarily in escaping from Egypt, hence their journey was in disarray, while the latter journeyed to Mount Sinai and receiving the Torah/ Thus, the Torah states that the Children of Israel encamped in Sukkot, perhaps symbolizing the “Sukkot” with which God made for them, that is, Israel encamped, as it were, in the Divine shade.

Perhaps Ba’al haTurim’s comment can also be understood to mean that as Israel began its journey, it was in disarray, and hence not worthy of being called “the Children of Israel,” however, when the people left “with a high hand,” without fear and realizing that it is God’s hand which took them out of Egypt, they merited being called the Children of Israel. Israel left Egypt in disarray, each concerned only with his/her personal welfare, but the realization that the nation was saved through divine intervention united the Israelites on their journey towards Sinai.