Results tagged ‘ Beshalach ’

Beshalach

                             Beshalach
 
The Gemara (Megillah, 10b) relates that after Hashem split the sea that the angels asked Him if they could sing Him a song but He rejected their request as He said that it wasn’t right for them to sing when His precious handiworks were dying (even if they were wicked). However, if the angels weren’t permitted to sing after the splitting of the sea because the Egyptians (part of Hashem’s handiwork) were dying then why were the nation of Israel allowed to sing? 
 
Secondly, the Medresh (Shemos Rabbah, 23;7) relates that the angels actually sang to Hashem after the splitting of the sea while the Egyptians were drowning. However, the Gemara (Megillah, 10b) clearly implies that the angels did not sing while the Egyptians were drowning. How do we resolve this apparent contradiction?
 
Thirdly, the majority of the song “Az Yashir” (chapter 15) is about the Egyptians dying at sea (for example, “a horse and its rider He heaved into the sea”-15;2). Even if the Jews were permitted to sing while the Egyptians were drowning-how could they be permitted to put so much emphasis on the Egyptians dying? The Gemara (Megillah, 10b) states that Hashem didn’t allow the angels to sing just because one shouldn’t rejoice when one of Hashem’s creations dies (regardless of whether or not they were righteous)-therefore, how could the Jews rejoice to Hashem specifically for drowning the Egyptians? It would be understandable if the Jews would have only sung about being saved-however, most of the song is about the Egyptians dying! How could the Jews be permitted to rejoice over the death of Hashem’s creations if that’s the whole reason why the angels were told they couldn’t sing?!?
 
Fourthly, the Gemara (Pesachim, 118a) states that matching people together for marriage is as hard for Hashem as it was for Him to split the sea. However, why was it so difficult for Hashem to split the sea? He controls the whole entire world and is able to do anything He wants!?!
 
Fifthly, Rashi (14;2) relates that Hashem commanded the nation of Israel to turn back to their rear and approach closer to Egypt the entire third day after their departure in order to mislead Pharaoh so that he should say “they are lost in the way” (as he did-14;3) and Pharaoh therefore decided to pursue the nation of Israel (14;4). However, why didn’t Hashem just take the Jews straight out of Egypt if he promised to do so (3;21)? Why did Hashem have to make Pharaoh think the Jews were lost in order so that he would then go chase them with his nation then have them all die? If every creation of Hashem is so precious that the angels were told not to rejoice at the splitting of the sea (Megillah, 10b) then why did Hashem purposely have the Jews leave Egypt in a manner where all the Egyptians would die?
 
Sixthly, the Rambam (Hilchos Yesodei Hatorah, 8;1) states that Hashem doesn’t perform miracles in order to show his greatness. Rather, every miracle which Hashem performs is truly needed. However, what was the need for the great miracle of the sea to split if Hashem could have freed the Jews in many other ways? 
 
Lastly, the Torah (20;2) states: “I am Hashem your G-d who took you out of Egypt.” Rashi (20;2) states that Hashem was telling the nation of Israel that even though He had appeared as a warrior by the splitting of the sea and that he now appeared as an old man, full of mercy He is nevertheless the same G-d. However, would we have really thought that the G-d on Mount Sinai was a different G-d than the one which took us out of Egypt? A person who truly believes in Hashem believes that He is everything and could be both a warrior and full of mercy!?!
 
Rabbi Yochanan Zweig explains that at the splitting of the sea and at Mount Sinai the Jews weren’t merely able to see Hashem’s attributes (e.g. power, mercy), but they were also able to actually see Hashem Himself. For example, after the splitting of the sea the Jews sang (15;2): “This is my G-d” and I shall beautify Him-implying that they were able to actually see Hashem. Meaning, Hashem Himself made an appearance and personally performed the miracle of the splitting of the sea and gave us the Torah at Mount Sinai (instead of just having an angel perform the miracle). Now, what real difference did it make that Hashem personally did the miracle of the splitting of the sea and gave us the Torah? Rabbi Zweig explains that when a person is able to do another person a favor by sending a messenger but they nevertheless do it themselves then they show the other person that they really care and wish to develop a relationship with them. Therefore, by the splitting of the sea and Mount Sinai Hashem personally came Himself as He wanted to be involved in order so that he could build a relationship with us. 
 
Rabbi Zweig therefore explains that the Jews were obligated to sing to Hashem after the splitting of the sea as they had to show Hashem that they loved Him in return. Meaning, singing “Az Yashir” was a way for the Jews to show Hashem that they loved him. Rabbi Zweig explains that the only appropriate response when a person tells you they love you is to show them love in return. The Jews therefore had an obligation to sing to Hashem after the splitting of the sea-even though the Egyptians (Hashem’s creations) were drowning.
 
Now, Rabbi Zweig explains that if one of a person’s friends gets attacked then they will simply seek to free them from pain by separating them from the attacker. If however one’s spouse (in which one has a very close relationship with) gets attacked then they will not only attempt to free their spouse from pain but they will also attempt to exact revenge on the attacker as by exacting revenge they not only succeed in freeing their spouse from pain but they also succeed in properly restoring their spouse’s dignity. Therefore, Hashem purposely freed the nation of Israel through a manner in which He could exact revenge against the Egyptians as by doing so He was able to show us that He truly cares for us like a person truly cares for their spouse. As a result, the Jews were required to sing to Hashem after the splitting of the sea in order to show that they really understood that Hashem loved them (as otherwise it would come out that Hashem killed a bunch of his creations for no reason).
 
Similarly, Rabbi Zweig explains that when the Gemara (Megillah, 10b) relates that the angels asked Hashem to sing that they had asked Him before the nation of Israel had begun singing. Once the Jews began singing and showed that they recognized Hashem’s great love for them the angels were then allowed to sing as killing all the Egyptians then turned from a tragedy to a tremendously emotional moment between us and Hashem.  
 
Further, Rabbi Zweig explains that most of the song of Az Yashir speaks about the death of the Egyptians as it was through Hashem taking revenge against them (instead of just freeing us from pain) in which He showed us His great love for us (similar to how a person will not only attempt to free their spouse from pain, but they will also attempt to exact revenge against anyone who tries to hurt them). We therefore had to show appreciation for the fact that He not only freed us from Egypt but that He also destroyed all our enemies at sea.
 
Furthermore, Rabbi Zweig explains that the purpose of the miracle of the splitting of the sea was so that Hashem could drown the Egyptians and show the Jews that he cares for us like a person cares for their spouse-not simply a friend (as for one’s spouse a person is will not only free them from pain when they are attacked-but that they will also exact revenge against the attacker in order to properly restore their spouse’s dignity).
 
Lastly,  Rabbi Zweig explains that the Gemara considers the miracle of the splitting of the sea to be difficult for Hashem-not because it was hard for Him to physically split the sea-but because He had to pay a huge price of drowning thousands of his creations in order to show the nation of Israel His great love for them.

Beshalach

                         Beshalach

 

In this week’s parsha the nation of Israel find themselves running for their lives as Egypt gives chase towards the Sea of Reeds…

 

Rashi (14;10) relates that the nation of Israel adopted the craft of their forefathers (to pray to Hashem for help). However, in the very next pasuk (14;11) the nation of Israel begin complaining to Moshe saying, “Is it because there are not enough graves in Egypt that you took us out to die in the Wilderness?” If the nation really believed in Hashem to save them from the hands of Egypt then why did they immediately begin complaining to Moshe?

 

Additionally, Rashi (14;30) relates that all the dead Egyptians were ejected on the shore. The next pasuk (14;31) then states: ”And they had faith in Hashem.” However, why did the nation only believe in Hashem after they saw the Egyptians dead on shore? They had already experienced many great miracles–including the 10 plagues and the splitting of the sea!?! 

 

Furthermore, Rashi (15;25) relates that Hashem tested the nation by the “Marah” and they failed (for they should have consulted Moshe with gracious language instead of complaining). However, if this was really considered a “test” then why wasn’t it considered a “test” when they complained to Moshe before the sea split instead of using gracious language?

 

I think the answer to these questions lies in the difference between emunah (faith) and bitachon (trust). Simply speaking, emunah is to understand that Hashem controls the world, whereas bitachon means to trust in Hashem that He’ll take care of us.

 

The nation of Israel complained to Moshe right after they prayed to Hashem because they didn’t have complete emunah in Hashem. They didn’t realize that He runs the world. For this reason, the Torah states after the sea split (14;31) “and they had faith (“Vayaminu”) in Hashem.” Meaning, the purpose of the splitting of the sea was to strengthen their emunah in Hashem.

 

Additionally, the nation of Israel didn’t have faith in Hashem until they saw all the Egyptians dead on the shore because real faith (emunah) means to realize that Hashem is the one and only master of the world. Before the nation of Israel saw the Egyptians dead on shore they thought to themselves that perhaps the Egyptians would survive and pursue them further (Rashi: 14;30). For this reason, after Hashem split the sea He needed to perform yet another miracle in order so that the nation of Israel would only fear Him.

 

Furthermore, it was only considered a “test” for the nation of Israel to speak graciously and not complain by the Marah but not the splitting of the sea because the nation of Israel didn’t even have real emunah (faith) in Hashem before the sea split! One first needs complete faith (emunah) in order to have trust (bitachon). Therefore, it was only after the nation of Israel truly had faith in Hashem that He “tested” their faith to see if they had learned how to have bitachon.

 

We can learn the power of emunah (faith) from Avraham…

 

The Torah (Bereishis, 15;6) states “And Avraham had faith in Hashem” after he was told he would beget children. However, the Gemara (Shabbat, 156a) relates that Avraham told Hashem that he had “read” the stars and seen that he would not bear children in the future (for his planet was in the west). Hashem responded by telling Avraham that his planet (Tzedek, Jupiter) would be moved from the “cold west” to the “warm east” in order so that he would be able to have children. We therefore see from here how faith has the power to change the laws of nature. Similarly, Rashi (14;15) states that the nation of Israel’s faith in Hashem when they left Egypt was one of the reasons why they merited the sea to split for them. Thus, we see how even a weak form of faith in Hashem (for the Jews didn’t have complete faith in Hashem before the sea split) has the power to change the laws of nature and cause one to merit tremendous miracles.

 

Summary: When the nation of Israel saw the Egyptians chasing them towards the Sea of Reeds they first prayed to Hashem (Rashi, 14;10) and then they complained (14;11-12). However, how could they complain if they believed in Hashem (as can be seen from their prayers)? The answer is that they didn’t have complete emunah (faith) in Hashem, as can be seen from the fact that the Torah doesn’t tell us they had faith until they saw the Egyptians dead on the shore (14;31)–even with all the great miracles that happened before then (e.g. 10 plagues, splitting of the sea). Now, how great is the power of emunah (faith)? Rashi (14;15) tells us that the nation’s faith when leaving Egypt was one of the reasons for their meriting the miracle of the sea splitting. Thus, we can learn that even a weak form of faith in Hashem has the power to change the laws of nature.

 

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