When your family goes on a road trip, you all know where your first stop will be. You can’t possibly get too far without paying a visit to the gas station. Now this is certainly not part of the trip, but your adventures wouldn’t be able to begin without this vital stop.

Jacob and his family decided to move down to the country of Egypt. Until now they had been in the Land of Israel, where they lived as shepherds, away from the negative influences of the Egyptian culture. But now they were going to a place that Jacob felt could have a negative influence on him and his family. Jacob decided that there was no way he could arrive at Egypt without an important pit stop first. He stopped at a place called Be’er Sheba, and prayed to G‑d.1

He prayed for success in Egypt. He prayed that his family would remain strong in the new and foreign land. He fueled himself and his family for the big journey ahead. He knew he couldn’t possibly get far without that vital first stop.

When we take journeys, even small ones like taking on a new mitzvah, we need to take a moment to reflect on our journey that lies ahead, and make a prayer to G‑d, asking Him for His blessings and guidance in every part of our journey.

  • What have you done, or plan on doing, that requires some fueling?
  • Can prayer come from the heart, or is there a script I need to follow?
  • What if I can’t read Hebrew?
  • What are some important parts of prayer?