Beshalach – Page 4 – Peninim on the Torah

וישאו בני ישראל את עיניהם והנה מצרים נסע אחריהם

Bnei Yisrael raised their eyes and behold! – Egypt was journeying after them. (14:10)

Klal Yisrael saw the united Egyptian Army coming after them. The word nosea, traveling, is written in the singular, rather than in the plural form, nosim. Rashi explains that the Egyptians came after the Jews b’lev echad k’ish echad, “with one heart, like one person.” In a similar exposition in Parshas Yisro, Rashi comments concerning Klal Yisrael’s coming to Har Sinai. Vayichan sham Yisrael, “and Yisrael camped there” (Shemos 9:2). Vayichan is singular, as opposed to vayachanu, which would be the proper plural conjugation form. Rashi expounds, k’ish echad b’lev echad, as one person with one heart. Notably, concerning Klal…

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וירא ישראל את היד הגדולה אשר עשה ד' במצרים

Roberto Szerer In Beshalach, 5778

Yisrael saw the great hand that Hashem inflicted upon Egypt. (14:31)

“Great hand” is explained by the Chafetz Chaim, zl, as far-reaching. At times, years could go by before we see the great hand. Things happen; some (apparently) positive, and others which appear to be negative. We do not understand why, but we maintain our faith that these are not haphazard occurrences. Everything is a piece in Hashem’s Divine Plan; everything has its assigned place. When we will be privy to the complete big picture, we will see with clarity how everything fits neatly into the puzzle of reality. Klal Yisrael suffered cruel and bitter persecution at the hand of the…

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וירא ישראל את היד הגדולה אשר עשה ד' במצרים... ויאמינו בד' ובמשה

Roberto Szerer In Beshalach, 5778

Yisrael saw the great hand that Hashem inflicted upon Egypt… and they had faith in Hashem and in Moshe. (14:31)

Krias Yam Suf, the Splitting of the Red Sea, left an indelible impression of faith in Hashem on the Jewish People. While they had witnessed varied miracles in Egypt, the miracles that accompanied Krias Yam Suf (Yalkut Meam Loaz enumerates fifty miracles) had a compelling effect on the Jewish spiritual mindset. Horav Asher Weiss, Shlita, relates the story of a father and his young son at the Seder table. The father was extolling the miracles connected with the Splitting of the Red Sea, when suddenly, his young, wise son interjected with a question. “Tell me, Father, why are we so…

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תקע בשופר גדול לחרותנו

Roberto Szerer In Beshalach, 5778

– Teka b’Shofar gadol l’cheiruseiu. Sound the great Shofar for our Freedom.

Horav Levi Yitzchak, zl, m’Berditchev, was known as Klal Yisrael’s advocate, their defender who viewed everything through a positive lens. One Rosh Hashanah, following his derashah, lecture, preceding Tekias Shofar, he turned around, his back to the congregation, his face facing the Aron HaKodesh – and he began to cry bitterly. The congregation obviously waited patiently for their Rav – despite his incessant weeping, which seemed to go on and on. No one could think of a reason why specifically now, of all times, he was crying so passionately. Suddenly, he stopped crying and spoke softly to Hashem, like a…

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וד' הולך לפניהם יומם בעמוד ענן... ולילה בעמוד אש... ללכת יומם ולילה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5777

G-d went with them by day in a Pillar of Cloud… and by night in a Pillar of Fire… so that they could travel by day and by night. (13:21)

When Klal Yisrael traveled in the Wilderness, they were protected by miraculous forces with which Hashem provided them. A Pillar of Cloud paved the way for them by day, and a Pillar of Fire lit up the road for them at night. Thus, the Jews were hampered neither by obstacles on the road, nor by the darkness of night. The pesukim seem to underscore the need for the people to travel at night, as opposed to straightforward day travel. On the other hand, the Torah later (ibid 19:5) states: “And I bore them on eagles’ wings, and I brought them…

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ויאמר ד' אל משה מה תצעק אלי דבר אל בני ישראל ויסעו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5777

Hashem said to Moshe, “Why do you cry out to me? Speak to Bnei Yisrael and let them journey forth.” (14:15)

The Talmud Sotah 36 quotes Rabbi Meir who relates that when the tribes stood at the banks of the Red Sea, a debate arose among them concerning who would enter the waters first. Each one vied for the honor of being the rosh, head, leader, who would set the example for the rest of the nation to follow. Rabbi Yehudah disputed this interpretation, asserting that being first was the last thing on their minds. On the contrary, they each eschewed being first, leaving the “honors” for the other tribe. They both agree that it was Nachshon ben Aminadav of the…

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ויצא העם ולקטו דבר יום ביומו למען אנסנו הילך בתורתי אם לא

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5777

Let the people go out and pick each day’s portion on that day, so that I can test them, whether they will follow My teaching or not. (16:4)

The Manna that descended from Heaven daily like clockwork was a test from Hashem. Would they receive the Manna daily, or would it suddenly stop and leave them without sustenance? Would they not put Manna away for the next day? Would they not seek it on Shabbos? Would a lack of food impede their relationship with Hashem? Would they become so complacent in their food expectancy that they would balk if it did not arrive as usual in a timely fashion? We have become so accustomed to receiving our daily fare that we cannot imagine what it would be like…

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ויסב אלקים את העם דרך המדבר

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5776

So God turned the people toward the way of the wilderness. (13:18)

The Midrash teaches that this pasuk, which relates that Hashem caused the people to journey in a circuitous (va’yaseiv) manner, is the source for the halachah that requires each Jew – even one who is poverty-stricken – to sit at the Seder table, b’haseibah, reclining. Apparently, the only connection between the halachah and the pasuk is the word va’yaseiv; they are related by the root, sov. The question before us is obvious: What is the relationship between reclining on Pesach and the manner in which the Jewish People traveled from Egypt? Horav Zaidel Epstein, zl, suggests a significant principle to…

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ויצעקו בני ישראל אל ד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5776

And Bnei Yisrael cried out to Hashem. (14:10)

Rashi cites Yalkut Shimoni who comments: Tafsu umnos Avosam, “They adopted the craft of their Forefathers.” The Avos HaKedoshim, holy Patriarchs, conversed with Hashem through the medium of prayer. Apparently, what was good for the Avos was good for their offspring. Horav Nosson Wachtfogel, zl, derives a powerful lesson from the Yalkut. A craft is one’s trade,his vocation, the medium by which he earns a living. Prayer is our trade, our umnos. One who has a profession must be serious about it, or his work will be for naught. Someone who has studied a trade, mastered a course, and received…

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ויבואו בני ישראל בתוך הים ביבשה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5776

And Bnei Yisrael shall come into the midst of the sea on dry land. (14:16)

The Tosefta Berachos 4:16 teaches that when the Shevatim, Tribes, came to the banks of the Red Sea, they stopped; a discussion ensued concerning which one was not going in first. Each tribe pushed the “honors” of entering the water onto someone else. Finally, Shevet Yehudah took the initiative by rising to the occasion and jumping in. They all followed after him. We wonder why the people refused to enter the water. Am Yisrael is a nation in which mesiras nefesh, self-sacrifice for Hashem, is part of their DNA. Throughout the generations, we have never restrained ourselves from a willingness…

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וישאו בני ישראל את עיניהם והנה מצרים נסע אחריהם

Bnei Yisrael raised their eyes and behold! – Egypt was journeying after them. (14:10)

וירא ישראל את היד הגדולה אשר עשה ד' במצרים

Yisrael saw the great hand that Hashem inflicted upon Egypt. (14:31)

וירא ישראל את היד הגדולה אשר עשה ד' במצרים... ויאמינו בד' ובמשה

Yisrael saw the great hand that Hashem inflicted upon Egypt… and they had faith in Hashem and in Moshe. (14:31)

תקע בשופר גדול לחרותנו

– Teka b’Shofar gadol l’cheiruseiu. Sound the great Shofar for our Freedom.

וד' הולך לפניהם יומם בעמוד ענן... ולילה בעמוד אש... ללכת יומם ולילה

G-d went with them by day in a Pillar of Cloud… and by night in a Pillar of Fire… so that they could travel by day and by night. (13:21)

ויאמר ד' אל משה מה תצעק אלי דבר אל בני ישראל ויסעו

Hashem said to Moshe, “Why do you cry out to me? Speak to Bnei Yisrael and let them journey forth.” (14:15)

ויצא העם ולקטו דבר יום ביומו למען אנסנו הילך בתורתי אם לא

Let the people go out and pick each day’s portion on that day, so that I can test them, whether they will follow My teaching or not. (16:4)

ויסב אלקים את העם דרך המדבר

So God turned the people toward the way of the wilderness. (13:18)

ויצעקו בני ישראל אל ד'

And Bnei Yisrael cried out to Hashem. (14:10)

ויבואו בני ישראל בתוך הים ביבשה

And Bnei Yisrael shall come into the midst of the sea on dry land. (14:16)

YEARS

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