Now, finally, after being in Egypt 210 years, enslaved some 85 years - under totally unspeakable conditions - the Jewish people were leaving. Daily, the Jews cried out to their G-d to save them from the hand of Pharaoh, daily Jewish children were slaughtered in front of their horrified parents, daily the Jews were crushed under the yoke of Egypt. From early morning to late at night, the Jews buckled under the heavy hand of the non-

Just when things were looking so good and the Holy Land was within reach, there's no water to drink.

stop work. But now it was all over, the Egyptians were crushed, their economy ruined and tens of thousands were left dead after the latest plague.
Finally, the long-awaited redemption was at hand. The Jews were marching out; soon they would be coming to the Holy Land. The redemption that was handed down from tradition from the earliest of times, promised to Abraham, to his son Isaac, and later to Jacob and his children, now was at hand. Every day, the Jewish people would raise their eyes heavenward saying: We believe in perfect faith in HaShem, that He will redeem the Jewish people, and now it was finally here.
But, lo and behold, the Jewish people, loaded down with more gold and silver than they could carry, began to return to Egypt, the very place that they wanted to leave! "HaShem spoke to Moses saying, 'Speak to the Children of Israel and let them turn back and encamp before Pi-hahiroth.'" This was done to throw off Pharaoh and company into thinking that the Jews had lost their way, and caused him to chase after the Jewish people. But at this point, the Jews did not know this and could not understand why, after leaving Egypt, they were heading back.
Finally, the redemption process continues, and after having one of the greatest miracles of all time happen - the splitting of the Reed Sea - the Jews were busy picking up the precious stones and gold spit out by the sea, which, in fact, were worth more than all the gold and silver that they took when they left Egypt. Things could not have looked any better. Soon, they would be in the complete redemption in the Promised Land.
But, lo and behold - once again, a major setback. Just three days after this great miracle, there is no water to drink. The entire congregation of Israel was in grave danger. Who can live without water, how long could they survive? Just when things were looking so good and the Holy Land was within reach, there's no water to drink.
And still the process goes on. After journeying for a few weeks, another major crisis arises - no food. All the food they had taken out of Egypt was finally eaten up. And now, just when things where looking so good and the complete redemption process was within their grasp - now this - a food shortage.
And so it went time and time again. The Jews who left Egypt might have thought they would, by some magic carpet, be picked up and taken to the Land of Israel. But this was

It is a road full of turbulence, of turns and uncertainties.

not to be, not the way of HaShem in the redemption process, but rather, a well-traveled road, with many obstacles along the way.
So, too, in our days, in the Redemption process that we are in the midst of. Some mistakenly believe that it will be a process of the "magic carpet ride," when all of our problems will disappear in a moment. Not so, as the process that we are in today testifies. It is a road full of turbulence, of turns and uncertainties. Of ups and downs - all of this is the way of the natural Redemption process that we are in. The Vilna Gaon writes that in this process, there must be difficulties in order to proceed. The Rambam adds that there is no difference between Redemption times and regular times, except having our own rule. This means that all known laws will continue as before.
 
This, then, must be the lesson of the redemption from Egypt: not to despair of the long road ahead of us. Know that it will be a road full of trials and tribulations, but it is the only road open for the Jewish people, and the ones who are waiting for the magic carpet, had better just roll it up and head for higher ground.