Beshalach – Page 5 – Peninim on the Torah

ויסב אלקים את העם דרך המדבר

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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אז ישיר משה ובני ישראל את השירה הזאת לד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5776

Then Moshe and Bnei Yisrael chose to sing this song to Hashem. (15:1)

The Shabbos during which the Shirah is read is unique. Indeed, it is called Shabbos Shirah – the Shabbos of the Song. Horav Yitzchak, zl, m’Varka once asked the Chidushei HaRim why the Shabbos on which we read the Shirah has become Shabbos Shirah, when this phenomenon does not occur on any other Shabbos. We do not refer to the Shabbos on which we read Parashas Yisro (which records Kabbolas HaTorah) as Shabbos Mattan Torah. Likewise, other Shabbosos do not derive their name from the contents of the parsha that we read on that particular week. The Chidushei HaRim replied…

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וידי משה כבדים ויקחו אבן וישמו תחתיו וישב עליה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5776

Moshe’s hands grew heavy, so they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. (17:12)

Moshe Rabbeinu’s hands grew heavy from fatigue. Therefore, Aharon HaKohen and Chur supported his arms. Moshe sat on a stone, rather than on a pillow, because he was not about to sit on a soft pillow while his people were in danger and suffering. The Talmud Brachos 54a enumerates a list of places in which miracles occurred, stating that if one were to see any of these places, he would be required to offer praise to Hashem. One of these places is the stone upon which Moshe sat. The Maharsha wonders why the stone upon which Moshe sat retains such…

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ויהי בשלח פרעה את העם ולא נחם אלקים דרך ארץ פלשתים...

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5775

And it came to be when Pharaoh sent out the people that G-d did not lead them by the land of the Plishtim. (13:17)

Developing a relationship/bond with Hashem is a process. It does not just happen. There are ups and downs and challenges to our faith which we must overcome. Some do so successfully; others do not. In an inspirational and informative thesis, Horav Tzadok HaKohen, zl, (Pri Tzaddik) elucidates an insightful comment made by the Zohar HaKadosh concerning the opening pesukim of this parsha. Parashas Beshalach begins with the word Vayehi, “And it came to be.” Chazal teach that this word imparts a fundamental lesson in Biblical exegesis. Whenever the word vayehi appears in the Torah it conveys a message of sorrow….

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וחמושים עלו בני ישראל מארץ מצרים

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5775

Bnei Yisrael were armed when they went up from Egypt. (13:18)

Rashi defines chamushim as armed. Taking a journey through the wilderness is not like a walk in the park. One can encounter pernicious challenges at almost every step of the way. Additionally, the pagan nations inhabiting Eretz Yisrael would certainly not take kindly to the idea of being displaced by the Jewish People. The fact that G-d promised the Land to the Jews had very little bearing on the pagan mindset. On the other hand, the Jews were not a warrior nation. For the past 210 years, their primary vocation had been slavery. Thus, the people took along weapons as…

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

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5775

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

Hashem told Moshe Rabbeinu that there was a time to pray and a time to move on to take action. Apparently, this was not the time for prayer. The Divrei Chaim renders this pasuk homiletically, lending us an insight into the demands of leadership, and the need for a strong leader to determine the appropriate response to a given situation and how best to rally the people behind him. Moshe Rabbeinu was well known for his unusual humility. Anav mikol adam; “he was the most humble person on the earth.” Indeed, the word mah, “what” (as in V’nachnu mah, “And…

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נטית ימינך תבלעמו ארץ

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5775

You stretched out Your right hand – the earth swallowed them. (15:12)

Rashi explains this pasuk as sort of a reward for the Egyptians, because they had acknowledged Hashem’s justice, when (ibid 9:27) they proclaimed, Hashem HaTzaddik, “Hashem is righteous.” He showed His infinite mercy by allowing them to be buried following their ordeal. This is the meaning of, tivlaeimo aretz, “The earth swallowed them up.” A powerful lesson may be derived from here. Regardless of who a person is, his previous negative actions notwithstanding, when he acts appropriately, when he performs a positive act that either serves as a vehicle for glorifying Hashem or assisting a (fellow) Jew – he will…

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וכל בכור אדם בבניך תפדה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Beshalach, 5775

And you shall redeem every human first born among your sons. (13:13)

The mitzvah of Pidyon HaBen is a rite of passage mitzvah in which the firstborn son is redeemed for five silver coins. This is an important mitzvah, in that the child/b’chor/firstborn is like a Kohen, since the priesthood was once the domain of the firstborn. They lost it, and it was transferred over to Shevet/Tribe of Levi, of which the Kohanim became the replacement b’chorim. Thus, every firstborn harbors a degree of sanctity which must be redeemed, since he cannot use it. In the following incident, we see exactly how important the mitzvah of Pidyon HaBen really is. Rav Meir…

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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)

אז ישיר משה ובני ישראל את השירה הזאת לד'

Then Moshe and Bnei Yisrael chose to sing this song to Hashem. (15:1)

וידי משה כבדים ויקחו אבן וישמו תחתיו וישב עליה

Moshe’s hands grew heavy, so they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. (17:12)

ויהי בשלח פרעה את העם ולא נחם אלקים דרך ארץ פלשתים...

And it came to be when Pharaoh sent out the people that G-d did not lead them by the land of the Plishtim. (13:17)

וחמושים עלו בני ישראל מארץ מצרים

Bnei Yisrael were armed when they went up from Egypt. (13:18)

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)

נטית ימינך תבלעמו ארץ

You stretched out Your right hand – the earth swallowed them. (15:12)

וכל בכור אדם בבניך תפדה

And you shall redeem every human first born among your sons. (13:13)

YEARS

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