“These are the journeys of the children of Israel, who departed from the land of Egypt according to their hosts, at the hand of Moses and Aaron” (Numbers 33:1). Halakha – one who is being pursued by gentiles or by robbers, what is the ruling; may he desecrate Shabbat? This is what our Rabbis taught: One who is being pursued by gentiles or by robbers may desecrate Shabbat in order to save his life.
So we find regarding David when Saul sought to kill him; he fled from him and escaped.1The Etz Yosef cites a source that says that David fled on Shabbat. Our Rabbis said: There was an incident where evil edicts from the empire came to the prominent leaders of Tzippori.2On Shabbat. They went and said to Rabbi Elazar ben Parta: Rabbi, evil edicts have come to us from the empire. What do you say; shall we flee?
He was afraid to say to them: Flee, so he said it to them as an allusion: ‘Are you asking me? Go and ask Jacob, Moses, and David. What is written regarding Jacob? “Jacob fled” (Hosea 12:13); and likewise regarding Moses: “Moses fled” (Exodus 2:15); and likewise regarding David: “David fled and escaped” (I Samuel 19:18).
Likewise it says: “Go, my people, enter your chambers [and close your door behind you; hide for a brief moment, until fury passes]”’ (Isaiah 26:20). The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘All the prominent leaders of the world feared and fled from their enemies. All those forty years that you spent in the wilderness, I did not allow you to flee, but rather, I would topple your enemies before you by virtue of My accompanying you.
Moreover, how many serpents, fiery serpents, and scorpions were there, as it is stated: “Serpent, fiery serpent, and scorpion” (Deuteronomy 8:15), but I did not allow them to harm you.’ Therefore, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Write the journeys that Israel traveled in the wilderness, so that they will know what miracles I performed on their behalf.’ From where is it derived? It is from what we read regarding the matter of: “These are the journeys.”