first on daf 95 it says that Sancheriv traveled in one day what would normally take 10 days. Then, at the bottom of the page it quotes a Beraisa that 3 people experienced Kefitzas ha'Derech, but Sancheriv is not listed among the 3? Did he not experience it? or was it something else that he experienced? Thanks and an easy fast on Tisha B'av
harvey, los angeles- golus
(1) I would like to suggest that there is a difference between Kefitzas ha'Derech and between Kefitzas ha'Aretz. The Beraisa at the bottom of the page does not in fact say that these 3 people experienced Kefitzas ha'Derech, but rather it refers to Kefitzas ha'Aretz, whilst we can argue that Sancheriv experienced Kefitzas ha'Derech. I will attempt to explain the difference.
(2) Rashi DH Koftzo (describing what happened to Avishai) writes that the land became "short" and this way Avishai was able to reach the land of Pelishtim speedily. It seems that the land itself shrank. This can be compared to what Rashi writes in Bereshis 28:17 that the Mount of Moriah was uprooted from its place and came to meet Ya'akov Avinu. Rashi writes that this is what the Gemara means when it talks here about Kefitzas ha'Aretz:- that the Beis Ha'Mikdash moved from its place and came to meet Ya'akov. This is termed Kefitzas ha'Aretz :- that the ground moved underneath Ya'akov and Avishai.
(3) In contrast, Sancheriv experienced no miracle in that something unusual happened to the Land. Rather, his body suddenly travelled very swiftly indeed. In other words, Sancheriv moved miraculously quickly and experienced a miracle on his own body. This is termed Kefitzas ha'Derech because the travellers time of traveling becomes so much shorter. But since the land did not jump, it is not called Kefitzas ha'Aretz.
[See Ramban Bereshis 28:17 who disagrees with Rashi. However, I think that with the help of your observation about Sancheriv, we can now answer Ramban's challenge on Rashi and make the distinction between Eliezer, Ya'akov and Avishai who experienced Kefitzas ha'Aretz, and between Sancheriv, who experienced Kefitzas ha'Derech]
We are Davening that we will not have to fast on Tisha b'Av, because the Mashi'ach will come before then ,and Tisha b'Av will turn into a Yom Tov and everyone will come here from the Golus!
Behatzlacah Rabbah
Dovid Bloom
Here is a different answer to your question:
The Gemara at the end of 95a only lists examples of Kefitzas ha'Derech which are a merit for Klal Yisroel. Eliezer, Yaakov Avinu and Avishai all deserved being rewarded by Hash-m, and consequently they merited that their journey became miraculously shorter.
In contrast, the Kefitzas ha'Derech that Sancheriv experienced was a punishment to the Jewish People. The Gemara did not want to list this kind of Kefitzas ha'Derech, which emphasizes the debts that Yisroel owe Hash-m. The Gemara is interested in telling us about the meritorious Kefitzas ha'Derech, so that we should realize what kind of effect our Mitzos can have even on natural world.
Ketivah vaChatima Tovah
Dovid Bloom