The Avodas Yisroel teaches that the 42 places where the Yidden traveled in the midbar correspond to the 21 days and 21 nights of the Three Weeks. Each day and night is another step in our avodas Hashem.
He gives a mashal. When a king is happy and everything is going well, he does not need his musicians so much. But when things are difficult, he needs music to lift his spirits. So too, when we are in galus, the Shechinah is in pain. Hashem wants us to come close to Him, serve Him with joy and passion, and to say: “Hashem, You are our King, and soon this will be clear to the entire world with the arrival of Moshiach!”
Our avodah now is to bring Hashem comfort and joy by doing His will with simchah and by having complete bitachon that Mashiach will soon come!
#1 What was Bilam doing in Midyan? Didn’t he live in Aram Naharayim?
#2 Why does the Torah count all the travels of the Yidden?
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 89.