Reality slapped him in the face
Reality failed him and prevented him from carrying out his plan. The circumstances of the matter proved to him that he had made a mistake.
(Modern Hebrew).
Translation
Expression (Hebrew)
הַמְּצִיאוּת טָפְחָה עַל פָּנָיו
Definition (Hebrew)
הַמְּצִיאוּת אִכְזְבָה אוֹתוֹ וּמָנְעָה מִמֶּנּוּ לְהַגְשִׁים טָאת תָּכְנִיתוֹ. נְסִבּוֹת הַדְּבָרִים הוֹכִיחוּ לוֹ כִּי טָעָה
(הָעִבְרִית הַחֲדָשָׁה)