# TRAVEL (a way)

<div dir="rtl">דֶּרֶךְ</div>

Source: https://ajew.org/reader/sefer-hamidos/1/20


## Segment 1

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מִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לַעֲבֹר עַל הַיָּם, יוֹלִיךְ עִמּוֹ אֵיזֶה צִפּוֹר וְאֵיזֶה דַּג הַיָּם, וְזֶה סְגֻלָּה לַעֲבֹר אֶת הַיָּם בְּשָׁלוֹם.

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1. One who wants to cross the sea, should take with him a bird and an ocean fish, and this is propitious (segulah) to cross the sea peacefully (/safely).


## Segment 2

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וּמִי שֶׁמְּשַׂמֵּחַ אֶת עַצְמוֹ בְּשִׂמְחַת חָתָן וְכַלָּה, כְּשֶׁיוֹצְאִין מִן הַחֻפָּה, אֵינוֹ נִזּוֹק בַּדֶּרֶךְ.

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2. One who cheers himself with the joy of a groom and bride as they exit the marriage canopy, will not be hurt on the way (-his travels).


## Segment 3

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בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבַּעֲלֵי־עֲגָלָה מַטְרִיחִין אֶת עַצְמָן בַּעֲגָלָה וּבְסוּסִים, תִּתְפַּלֵּל תְּפִלַּת הַדֶּרֶךְ.

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3. In the hour that the wagon drivers busy themselves with the carriage and with the horses, say the Wayfarer's Prayer.


## Segment 4

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סְגֻלָּה לְמִי שֶׁהוֹלֵךְ עַל הַיָּם, יִשָּׂא עִמּוֹ סִיד וְיִנָּצֵל.

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4. A segulah (propitious) for someone who is traveling on the sea, he should take plaster (lime) with him, and he will be saved.


## Segment 5

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מִי שֶׁמֵּכִין פַּרְנָסָה לַצַּדִּיקִים, מֻבְטָח שֶׁיִּשְׁמֹר אוֹתוֹ הַשֵּׁם הֵן בַּדֶּרֶךְ הֵן בַּיָּם.

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5. Someone who arranges Parnassa (income or livelihood) for the tzadikim is assured that G-d will protect him, both on the road and on the sea.


## Segment 6

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מִי שֶׁרוֹכֵב עַל סוּס, יוֹלִיךְ עִמּוֹ "הוֹשַׁעְנוֹת".

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6. Someone riding on a horse should take with him Hoshanot (one of the four species taken on Succot).


## Segment 7

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כְּשֶׁתִּרְצֶה לֵילֵךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ, תְּקַשֵּׁר אֶת עַצְמְךָ קֹדֶם בְּמִדַּת הַבִּטָּחוֹן, וְעַל־יְדֵי זֶה לֹא יִגֹּף רַגְלֶךָ.

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7. When you want to travel, bind yourself first with the trait of trust (in G-d), and through this, you will not stumble (lit. your feet will not be smitten).


## Segment 8

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כְּשֶׁתֵּלֵךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ, תִּתֵּן קֹדֶם לִצְדָקָה.

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8. When you set out on a journey, give first to charity.


## Segment 9

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כָּל הַדְּרָכִים שֶׁאָדָם הוֹלֵךְ בָּהֵן הַכֹּל מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וְהֵם רְצוֹן הַשֵּׁם. אֲבָל אֵין לְךָ אָדָם שֶׁיָּבִין אֶת דַּרְכּוֹ אֶלָּא מִי שֶׁהוּא עָנָו.

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9. All the ways that a person traverses, it is all from the blessed G-d and they are the will of G-d. However, there is no one who can understand his way except for someone who is humble.


## Segment 10

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כְּשֶׁתִּשָּׂא אֶצְלְךָ אֲבָנִים הַנִּמְצָאִים עַל־פְּנֵי הַשָּׂדֶה, תִּנָּצֵל מֵחַיּוֹת רָעוֹת.

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10. When you carry with you stones that are found across the field, you will be saved from wild animals.


## Segment 11

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תְּפִלָּה שֶׁל יוֹנָה הַנָּבִיא הִיא סְגֻלָּה לוֹמַר עַל הַיָּם.

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11. The prayer of Yonah the Prophet is propitious (segulah) to say on the sea.


## Segment 12

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עַל־יְדֵי לְוָיָה הָאָדָם נִשְׁמָר מִכָּל הֶזֵּק בַּדֶּרֶךְ.

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12. Through accompanying a guest on his way out, the person (the guest) is protected from all harm on the way.


## Segment 13

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מִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ לְוָיָה, יַעֲסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה.

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13. One who has no one to accompany him (on his journey) should engage in Torah.


## Segment 14

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הָאָדָם קוֹנֶה מְקוֹם הִלּוּכוֹ.

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14. A person acquires the place where he goes.


## Segment 15

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עַל־יְדֵי וִדּוּי דְּבָרִים גּוֹרְמִין, שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא מַזְמִין מְלַמְּדֵי תִּינוֹקוֹת שֶׁלּוֹמְדִים בֶּאֱמוּנָה.

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1. Through confession, one cause that the Holy One Blessed is He brings teachers of small children that teach faithfully.


## Segment 16

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גַּם גּוֹרְמִין שֶׁנִּתְתַּקְּנִים הַדְּרָכִים מִמִּכְשׁוֹלוֹת.

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2. Also one causes the roads to be repaired from stumbling blocks.


## Segment 17

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סַכָּנַת הַדְּרָכִים בָּא עַל־יְדֵי פְּגַם הַבְּרִית, וְסִימָן לַדָּבָר: "אָרְחִי וְרִבְעִי זֵרִיתָ" וְכוּ'.

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3. Danger on the roads comes as a result of sexual impurity (lit. violation of the covenant). A hint for this from the Torah: "my going and resting you have encompassed etc. (alternatively: my seed you have scattered; thus the above contingency) (Tehillim 139:3)."


## Segment 18

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עַל־יְדֵי נְסִיעַת הַדְּרָכִים הָאָדָם נַעֲשָׂה מֵבִין.

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4. Through traveling the ways, a man becomes a person of expert understanding.


## Segment 19

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בְּלַיְלָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְךָ פַּחַד בִּשְׁעַת שֵׁנָה, אַל תֵּלֵךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ בַּיּוֹם.

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5. On a night that you have a nightmare (lit. fear at the time of sleep), do not travel in the day.


## Segment 20

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הַדְּרָכִים מְבִיאִים אֶת הָאָדָם לְלָשׁוֹן הָרָע, עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, גִּלּוּי־עֲרָיוֹת וּשְׁפִיכַת־דָּמִים, וְאֵלּוּ הָעֲבֵרוֹת מַפְסִידִין אֶת הַפַּרְנָסָה.

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6. (Traveling) The roads brings a person to evil speech (lushon hura), idolatry, promiscuity, and spilling blood, and these sins diminish one's livelihood.


## Segment 21

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הַפְּסִיעָה גַסָּה מְבַלְבֶּלֶת אֶת הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה מִלְּעַיֵּן.

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7. Broad steps confuse the intellect from in depth study.