ויכתוב משה את מוצאיהם למסעיהם על פי ה’ ואלה מסעיהם למוצאיהם… (מסעי לג:ב)

The Koznitzer Maggid zt”l repeated in the name of the Rebbe Reb Ber of Mezritch zt”l that the forty-two journeys that the Yidden traveled in the Midbar (desert) had one goal – the Yidden should be מתקן (purify) each location with their good deeds. As it is known that every place in the world contains “ניצוצות הקדושה” – holy sparks – and a Yid can extract these holy sparks by performing good deeds.

The passuk says‘ ויכתוב משה את מוצאיהם למסעיהם על פי השם – that all travels were according to the command of Hashem so that they can be מתקן – extract the good in each place.

Maran Reb Yehoshua of Belz, the Mittler Rav zt”l once traveled by train.  The train passed an underground tunnel that led through a mountain.  Maran placed his hands on his eyes and fervently recited Krias Shema. His fellow travelers wondered about his actions since it was not the time to recite the Shema. 

When Maran concluded his prayers, he explained: “The tunnel which we just passed was chiseled inside a mountain, where no one ever lived.  Until now, no יראי שמים (G-d fearing people) ever traveled through this tunnel (until then, there were no trains; people only traveled by horse and wagon).  Since ניצוצות הקדושה were never rectified in this spot, I said the Shema to be מתקן this place.