Beshalach – Page 13 – Peninim on the Torah

The Bnei Yisrael went on dry land in the midst of the sea.

The Mechilta describes the scenario and the dialogue that took place among the tribes prior to the splitting of the Sea. Bnei Yisrael were standing by the shores of the Red Sea; the Egyptian army was literally breathing down their necks. Suddenly, they began to argue about who should go into the water first. Each tribe vied for the opportunity to enter the Red Sea first. During the negotiations, Nachshon ben Aminadav of the tribe of Yehudah jumped into the threatening waters. The tribe of Yehudah was indeed lauded for this singular act of devotion, as it is stated in…

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Moshe Marcovich In Beshalach, 5758

Hashem said to Moshe: “why do you cry out to Me? Speak unto Bnei Yisrael that they go forward.” (14:15)

Rashi explains Hashem’s response to Moshe as he stood in supplication before Him. Hashem told Moshe, “Now, when Bnei Yisrael are in distress is not the appropriate time to prolong prayer. Let them go forward. The merit of their forefathers and their own emunah, faith, which they have exhibited, are sufficient reason for the Sea to split before them.” This interpretation is enigmatic. Moshe was praying to Hashem during a time of severe crisis. Hashem told Moshe that now, when Bnei Yisrael were teetering on the brink of disaster, was not a time for prayer. There is no more propitious…

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Moshe Marcovich In Beshalach, 5758

And the people revered Hashem, and they believed in Hashem and in Moshe His servant. (14:31)

A Jew should strive to attain such a sublime level of emunah in Hashem that he truly believes with a clarity of vision. Let us explain. People accept the notion that “seeing is believing.” This means that in order to really believe, one must actually see the phenomenon. Hence, belief in a given concept is a step lower than actually seeing it. This is not the Torah perspective. The Chidushei Ha’Rim asserts that as Bnei Yisrael stood at the shores of the Red Sea and experienced unprecedented miracles, they were privy to a revelation of Hashem which was unparalleled. The…

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Moshe Marcovich In Beshalach, 5758

This is the thing that Hashem has commanded, a full omer of it shall be a safekeeping for your generations, so that they will see the food that I fed you in the wilderness. (16:32)

Bnei Yisrael were privy to an unprecedented array of miracles, ranging from the Ten Plagues to the many miracles that occurred during the Exodus, to the splitting of the Red Sea. The Jews clearly saw that Hashem was with them during times of crisis. However, was this the most crucial lesson? Or is there another miracle, which, although less profound in nature, has a more significant message? Horav S.R. Hirsch, zl, observes that Bnei Yisrael were acutely aware that Hashem was close to them during the critical stages of their development. What about their recognition of Hashem’s role in their…

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Moshe Marcovich In Beshalach, 5758

And because of their test of Hashem, saying: “Is Hashem among us or not?” Amalek came and battled Yisrael in Rephidim. (17:7,8)

Klal Yisrael challenged Hashem to the point that a place is named for their contentious behavior. The name implies for all time that Hashem is always with us. Further, the name suggests that we should use prayer for expressing our needs, not complaint and challenge. Rashi explains the juxtaposition of the place that Klal Yisrael questioned Hashem’s presence among them upon the location of the battle with Amalek. When they asked, “Is Hashem among us?”, Hashem sent Amalek as an indication that He was there watching every move, listening to every complaint, responding to every ingratitude. The Midrash analogizes this…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5757

And he turned the sea to damp land, and the water split. (14:21)

The splitting of the Red Sea was a remarkable miracle; is there a parallel in Jewish history? Was it truly the only time that water “deferred” to man? Indeed, in the Talmud Chullin 7a, Chazal recount an incident in which R’ Pinchas ben Yair was on his way to perform the mitzvah of pidyon shevuyim, redeeming Jewish captives. He came to a river that was impassable. He commanded the water to split, so that he could pass through. The river responded, “You are performing the command of your Master, and so am I. You might be successful in your efforts…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5757

On that day Hashem saved Yisrael from the hand of Egypt. And The Bnei Yisrael went on dry land in the midst of the sea…. (14:29, 30) And Bnei Yisrael ate the manna for forty years, until their arrival in an inhabited land. (16:35)

One miraculous occurrence followed another; is there a relationship between the two? Chazal seem to think so. They say in the Talmud Pesachim 118a: “A man’s sustenance is as difficult as the splitting of the Red Sea.” Simply, put, providing man with sustenance is as great a feat as Krias Yam Suf. The Zohar Ha’kadosh questions Chazal’s statement. Is there any act that is difficult for Hashem to perform? Was Krias Yam Suf difficult for Hashem? Is it difficult for Hashem to sustain a person? A number of explanations address this Chazal. The Chozeh M’Lublin, z”l, suggests a profound insight….

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5757

This is my G-d and I will glorify Him. (15:2)

The Midrash explains that Klal Yisrael were privy to remarkable spiritual revelations as they stood by the shores of the Red Sea. Indeed, Chazal tell us that a common maidservant was able to perceive greater revelations of the Shechinah than Yechezkel Ha’navi! This is derived from the word “zeh,” “this,” of the phrase “Zeh Keli V’anveihu,” “This is my G-d and I will beautify Him.” The Jews were able to point with their finger to the awesome sights they were experiencing. Yet, as Horav Shalom Shwadron, shlita, notes, the maidservant remained a simple maidservant despite her exposure to such heightened…

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Sruly Schnair In Beshalach, 5756

“And the water was a wall for them, on their right and on their left.” (14:29)

The Midrash, cited by the Daas Zekeinim, comments that when Bnei Yisrael approached the Red Sea, menacing waters confronted them. There seemed to be no hope. The Angel Gavriel came forth and declared, “Let the waters in front of Bnei Yisrael move aside in deference to the nation who perform the Bris Milah. The waters which are to the right of Bnei Yisrael should likewise defer to the nation that accepted the Torah from Hashem’s ‘right Hand.’ The waters to the left should submit to the nation that puts tefillin on the left arm, and the waters behind them should…

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Sruly Schnair In Beshalach, 5756

“And in the morning you will see the glory of Hashem, as He listens to the complaints against Hashem, and what are we that you should incite complaints against us?” (16:7)

The Talmud in Chullin 89 notes that Moshe’s and Aharon’s level of humility surpasses even that of Avraham Avinu. The Patriarch compared himself to lowly dust (rptu rpg hfbtu), while Moshe and Aharon claimed they were nothing (vn ubjbu). This motivated Rava to declare that the world is sustained only in the merit of Moshe’s and Aharon’s humility, as it is stated, vnhkc kg .rt vk,, “He hangs the earth on nothing (Iyov 26:7). This refers to vn ubjb, “What are we?” the words with which Moshe and Aharon described themselves. Chazal apparently imply that Moshe’s and Aharon’s statement was…

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The Bnei Yisrael went on dry land in the midst of the sea.

Hashem said to Moshe: “why do you cry out to Me? Speak unto Bnei Yisrael that they go forward.” (14:15)

And the people revered Hashem, and they believed in Hashem and in Moshe His servant. (14:31)

This is the thing that Hashem has commanded, a full omer of it shall be a safekeeping for your generations, so that they will see the food that I fed you in the wilderness. (16:32)

And because of their test of Hashem, saying: “Is Hashem among us or not?” Amalek came and battled Yisrael in Rephidim. (17:7,8)

And he turned the sea to damp land, and the water split. (14:21)

On that day Hashem saved Yisrael from the hand of Egypt. And The Bnei Yisrael went on dry land in the midst of the sea…. (14:29, 30) And Bnei Yisrael ate the manna for forty years, until their arrival in an inhabited land. (16:35)

This is my G-d and I will glorify Him. (15:2)

“And the water was a wall for them, on their right and on their left.” (14:29)

“And in the morning you will see the glory of Hashem, as He listens to the complaints against Hashem, and what are we that you should incite complaints against us?” (16:7)

YEARS

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