A Long and Short Path (A Short and Long Path)
There is a path that is long in length but is actually shorter in effect because it is comfortable, fast, and without obstacles (and there is a path that appears short but is full of difficulties or obstacles and therefore is essentially long).
("Once I was walking along the road, and I saw a baby sitting on a crossroad. And I said to him: Which way do we go to the city? He said to me: This one is short and long, and this one is long and short. And I went along the short and long way, until when I reached the city I found it surrounded by gardens and orchards. I turned back. I said To him: My son, did you not tell me a short one? - He said to me: And I did not tell you a long one! - I kissed him on the head, and I said to him: Blessed are you, O Israel, for all of you are great wise men, from your greatest to your least" - Erubin 55b)
Translation
Expression (Hebrew)
דֶּרֶךְ אֲרֻכָּה וּקְצָרָה (דֶּרֶךְ קְצָרָה וַאֲרֻכָּה)
Definition (Hebrew)
יֵשׁ דֶּרֶךְ שֶׁהִיא אֲרֻכָּה אַךְ הִיא לְמַעֲשֶׂה קְצָרָה יוֹתֵר כִּי הִיא נוֹחָה, מְהִירָה לְלֹא מִכְשׁוֹלִים (וְיֵשׁ דֶּרֶךְ שֶׁנִּרְאֵית קְצָרָה אַךְ הִיא מְלֵאַת קְשָׁיִים אוֹ מִכְשׁוֹלִים לָכֵן הִיא בְּעֶצֶם אֲרֻכָּה).
("פַּעַם אַחַת הָיִיתִי מְהַלֵּךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ, וְרָאִיתִי תִּינוֹק יוֹשֵׁב עַל פָּרָשַׁת דְּרָכִים. וְאָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: בְּאֵיזֶה דֶּרֶךְ נֵלֵךְ לָעִיר? אָמַר לִי: זוֹ קְצָרָה וַאֲרֻכָּה וְזוֹ אֲרֻכָּה וּקְצָרָה. וְהָלַכְתִּי בִּקְצָרָה וַאֲרֻכָּה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגַּעְתִּי לָעִיר מָצָאתִי שֶׁמַּקִּיפִין אוֹתָהּ גַּנּוֹת וּפַרְדֵּסִין, חָזַרְתִּי לַאֲחוֹרַי. אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: בְּנִי, הֲלֹא אָמַרְתָּ לִי קְצָרָה? - אָמַר לִי: וְלֹא אָמַרְתִּי לְךָ אֲרֻכָּה! - נְשַׁקְתִּיו עַל רֹאשׁוֹ, וְאָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: אַשְׁרֵיכֶם יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁכֻּלְּכֶם חֲכָמִים גְּדוֹלִים אַתֶּם, מִגְּדָלְכֶם וְעַד קְטַנְכֶם"- עֵרוּבִין נג ע"ב)