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“For the hand is on the Throne of G-d: Hashem maintains a war against Amalek from generation to generation.” (17:16)

Sensitivity to the feelings of others is a given. No decent, upstanding ben Torah would knowingly hurt his fellow Jew. What about our behavior toward Hashem? Are we cognizant of the effect our actions and words have in the Heavenly sphere? While the concept of “feelings” “emotions,” are corporeal and, thus, do not apply in the spiritual dimension – certainly not to Hashem – that should not excuse our thoughtless behavior. The following vignette is an example to what I am alluding. When the Chafetz Chaim, zl, reached an advanced age, his congregants took note of the fact that the…

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“For the hand is on the Throne of G-d: Hashem maintains a war against Amalek from generation to generation.” (17:16)

No people is so reviled by Hashem as Amalek, the archenemy of the Jewish People. Regarding  no other  nation  do we have  a commandment  to  obliterate  their  name (Devarim 25:17-19). Only Amalek has that “distinction.” Why? What is there about Amalek – his hatred of the Jews and everything that they represent – that differentiates him so? I think the answer lies in Amalek’s attack on us. We were leaving Egypt after two centuries of bitter, brutal persecution. We were not bothering anyone. Yet, for some reason, Amalek felt it necessary to attack us. Why? We were not threatening them…

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And he said, “If you will hearken to the voice of Hashem, your G-d… any of the diseases that I placed upon Egypt, I shall not place upon you, for I am Hashem, your Healer.” (15:26)

The Talmud Sanhedrin 101a questions the message of this pasuk. Inasmuch as Hashem has promised that He will not place any disease upon us (i.e. that we never become ill in the first place), then why do we have a need for His healing? The Talmud replies that the pasuk is self-explanatory. If one hearkens to Hashem’s voice and observes His mitzvos, he will not be stricken with disease. However, if he will not listen to Hashem and will not faithfully carry out His mitzvos, then the diseases of Egypt will be placed upon him. There is one “plus”: Hashem…

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“Hashem shall do battle for you, and you shall remain silent.” (14:14)

If one had to suggest the underlying motif of Parashas Beshalach, I think it would be emunah and bitachon, faithful trust in the Almighty. From its very outset, as the nascent Jewish nation left Egypt, until its closing pesukim – describing our triumphant battle over our archenemy, Amalek – the Parshah is replete with instances of emunah and bitachon. Let us focus on a few of these examples. As Klal Yisrael stood at the banks of the Red Sea, the people were overwhelmed by fear, and began to cry. They raised their voices in prayer, entreating Hashem to spare them. Moshe Rabbeinu…

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