Parsha Partner

View/Print the PDF Version of this Parsha Partner

 View/Print a Text Version of this Page

Parsha Perspectives

by RABBI LEIBY BURNHAM

והנה מצרים נסע אחריהם

“And behold Egypt was traveling after them!” (Exodus 14:10)

In this week’s parsha, the exodus story culminates with the splitting of the Reed Sea, the Jews walking through safely, and the Egyptians drowning. However, this only happened after a terrifying ordeal that the Jewish people endured. Before the sea split, the Jews found themselves running from the Egyptians who were chasing them with all their military might. Noting that the verse above describes the Egyptians in the singular tense (“Egypt”) instead of the plural (“the Egyptians”), Rashi comments that the Egyptians were pursuing the Jews “With one heart, like one person.” This comment is interesting because Rashi makes almost the same exact comment in next week’s parsha, when the Torah describes the Jewish people camping at the foot of Mt Sinai. There too, the Torah used the singular tense to describe the Jewish people, “and Israel encamped there opposite the mountain” (Exodus 19:2). On that verse, Rashi describes the powerful unity the Jews felt as they were about to receive the Torah, that they were “Like one person with one heart.”

Rabbi Yitzchak Hutner of blessed memory (1906-1980, Warsaw- NYC), the founder of one of the largest American yeshivas, Yeshivas Rabbi Chaim Berlin, asks why Rashi reverses the order in describing the two phenomena. With regard to the Egyptians, Rashi notes that they were “With one heart, like one person,” whereas with regard to the Jews at Mt. Sinai, the description is “Like one person with one heart.”

Rabbi Hutner answers that there was a fundamental difference between the unity of the Jewish people and the Egyptians. The Jewish people are intrinsically unified as one. It is as if the entire Jewish people are one big human being, in which each person is a different part of that organism. Since we are all one, it goes without saying that our desires should be one, in just the same way that my left hand wants the same things as my right hand, my kidney, or heart wants. Because of this, the primary connection is that we are “Like one person.” What happens to follow that is that we all have one heart, we all want the same thing.

This was not the case with regard to the Egyptians. They were intrinsically a collection of individual people, who were not truly unified. It so happened that when they wanted to get their Jewish slaves back, they were able to unite, but it was not representative of who they were. For that reason Rashi described them as “With one heart, like one person.” In this particular scenario, they had one heart; they all wanted to force the Jewish people back. As a result, they were able to act as one person. The moment they would have finished subjugating the Jews, they would no longer be like one person.

This difference is something we see playing itself out in world politics today. The nations of the world are not unified. There is plenty of squabbling, fighting, and anger between them. Yet somehow, when it comes to criticizing the Jews and our tiny Jewish country, they all unite. Cries come forth from every major capital, the UN passes almost unanimous resolutions against Israel, and even America issues statements condemning our “excessive force.” When they are with one heart, it almost seems like they have the unity of “one person.” However, as soon as the focus is lifted from Israel, the world reverts to its regular disunity. The Shi’ites kill the Sunnis, Russia cuts off natural resources from half of Europe, North Korea makes aggressive moves on South Korea, and genocide continues unfettered in Africa.

As Jews, we truly remain “Like one person with one heart.” Not only in times of crisis or shared interest do we unite, but we remain united at all times. There is a constant flow of support from the Diaspora to Israel. There are countless organizations looking to help any Jew in need, no matter their affiliation, race, country of origin, or economic strata. Partners in Torah is a perfect example of this, an organization whose sole goal is to unite Jews from all over the world in furthering our Jewish identity and Jewish knowledge. So let us continue to follow the praise of Rashi, and always look at ourselves as a nation, “Like one person with one heart!”

Return to top

Parsha Talking Points

by RABBI ELAZAR MEISELS

1. IT’S A NO-GO

“And it was when Pharaoh sent the people out, and G-d did not lead them along the Philistine route, although it was the shorter route…” 13:17

And it was – Anytime the Torah says, ‘Vayechi’ (and it was) it connotes hardship. – Talmud, Tractate Megillah 10b

And it was – Why did the Torah use the word, “Vayechi” to describe what could only have been a wonderfully joyous moment? The key to this lies in the next words of the verse, “when Pharaoh sent the people out.” For whatever reason, the Almighty chose not to release the Jewish people without Pharaoh’s consent. This caused a problem in that Pharaoh now believed that since he was the one who granted us permission he was free to rescind it at will. This false impression is what caused our problems with him later when he decided to order the Jews to return. – Ohr HaChaim (Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar, 1696-1743)

Rabbi Tzaddok HaKohen offers an alternative view of the problem. The Ten Plagues were supposed to implant within the hearts and minds of the Jewish people that the Almighty is in charge of their destiny, and inculcate within them a burning desire for the exodus. Instead, the people found themselves so attached to Egyptian culture that they weren’t terribly interested in actually leaving once the enslavement ended. They only left because “Pharaoh sent the people out.” This lack of enthusiasm was a foreboding of many of the catastrophes that would occur later as a result of their faulty attitude.

2. IDENTITY CRISIS

“And it was told to the king of Egypt that the people had fled. Pharaoh and his servants had a change of heart regarding the people, and they said, ‘What have we done? [How did] we release Israel from serving us?” 14:5

And it was told to the king of Egypt – He sent spies along with them. Once they reached the point of three days journey, which had been fixed for them to go and to return and they saw that they were not returning to Egypt, they came on the fourth day and told Pharaoh. On the fifth and sixth days they pursued them, and on the night of the seventh they went down into the sea. In the morning, they chanted the Song of Praise and that day was the seventh day of Passover. It is for this reason that we read the Torah portion containing the Song of Praise on the seventh day of Passover. – Rashi

This verse refers to Pharaoh first as the king of Egypt and separately by his name. Why the inconsistency, something often found in regard to Pharaoh? Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, shlit”a, opines that perhaps the key factor is whether Pharaoh was acting on behalf of his nation, or for his own selfish purposes. When referring to his “hardened heart,” the name used is usually Pharaoh, since his behavior was motivated purely out of selfishness and obnoxiousness, not for the good of his nation. When instructing the midwives to commit infanticide, the Torah refers to him as king of Egypt, because in that instance he was acting out what he believed was the good of his nation. In this verse, the spies reported to him as official emissaries of the king of Egypt, but he selfishly decided to act in his own self-interest and lead his nation in pursuit, knowing full well that it was nothing short of hazardous to do so. Thus, it begins by referring to him as king of Egypt and continues by calling him by the name Pharaoh.

3. UNSUSTAINABLE EQUALITY

“Then Moses and the Children of Israel sang this Song of Praise to Hashem…” 15:1

Moses and the Children of Israel – The verse equates Moses to the entire nation of Israel, and the entire Nation of Israel to Moses. – Mechilta (one of four volumes of Halachic Midrash)

A maidservant at the time of the parting of the Dead Sea, experienced a Divine revelation even greater than that experienced by the Prophet Yechezkel ben Buzi. - Mechilta

The level of Divine Revelation experienced by even the common Jew at the time of the parting of the Sea was so great, that, as Mechilta explains, the verse equates the Jewish people with Moses, the greatest of prophets, and Moses with the Jewish people. Yet, following the Revelation, Moses ascended to ever greater heights, whereas the Jewish people leveled off and at times, even descended into complaints and insubordination. This, explains Rabbi Boruch Sorotzkin (of blessed memory), was because the people hadn’t ascended in the normal manner, beginning at the bottom and methodically making their way to the top. Instead, via the Ten Plagues and a variety of other miracles, they suddenly were lifted to heights previously unimaginable. Thrilling as it was for the moment, it was unsustainable since they’d never learned what it really takes to achieve such greatness. Moses, on the other hand, grew not in leaps and bounds, but slowly and surely over a period of eighty years before he stood before the burning bush to converse with the Almighty. The parting of the sea was for him, not an anomaly, but another step in his methodical pursuit of greatness. Thus, its effect lasted forever and he continued to build upon it in the days that followed.

Return to top

Partner Talk

WHO SIGNS YOUR PAYCHECK?

by RABBI REUVEN DRUCKER

Dear Rabbi,

My company just fired half the employees in my lab in one day, which one co-worker called a “massacre.” This is just another sign of our weakening economy. I’m very concerned that although I survived this cut, I may be let go in the next round of cuts. My wife and children count on my livelihood and I’m very worried. Can you give me words of encouragement?

Anxiously awaiting,
Stuart

Dear Stuart,

I feel your anxiety and pain and hope that your job remains secure. These turbulent economic times are painful for many, and we all hope that prosperity returns very quickly.

I want to make a couple of points regarding some consequences of this world-wide economic meltdown. The Talmud tells us that one who dreams of a snake is assured of sufficient livelihood, for the original snake which tempted Eve was told that he would forever more crawl on his belly and eat the dust of the earth. Since the dust of the earth is always available and in abundant supply, the snake will never suffer difficulties meeting its needs for food. One of our commentators wonders, then, why this statement to the snake was termed a curse by the Torah, when it appears to be a tremendous blessing. He explains that a snake’s easy access to food is indeed a curse, not a blessing, for someone who is never put in a position to think about the Source of all sustenance is cursed. Only when we are concerned if we will have sufficient provisions will we be motivated to turn our attention to G-d, Who bestows His bounty upon us. Unfortunately, in times of prosperity, it is easy to forget about the true Source of our blessing. Perhaps one lesson we should draw from these trying times is a renewed awareness of G-d’s Hand in our lives.

The next point deals with an important state of mind we learn about from the Torah — tranquility. Tranquility does not have its origins in foolish disregard or obliviousness to the facts around us, but rather emanates from our trust in G-d’s beneficence. In this week’s Torah portion, we read of the Jews who just left Egypt and were being hotly pursued by Pharoah’s fiercest warriors. As they followed their route of escape they hit a dead end. The impassable Sea of Reeds (often erroneously called the Red Sea) was in front of them, which was a barrier to their forward progress. Moses halted and fervently prayed to G-d for salvation, when he was met with the surprising Divine response, “Why are you imploring Me—tell the Jews that they should continue on their way.” Many wonder why G-d was displeased with Moses’ prayer. After all, he was the leader of the people who found themselves in mortal danger and were frightened. Isn’t that precisely the time to implore G-d’s mercy? An answer given by the Ba’alei Mussar (those who focus on developing a Torah character) is that G-d was displeased with Moses’ prayer, because its desperate tone was premature. There were still several more yards of ground between the feet of the Jews and the waters of the Sea. Such an impassioned prayer was out of line when the Jews did not yet reach the true point of desperation. Until that time, Moses, together with the rest of the people, should have felt tranquility, since they still had several yards to go before they were justified in feeling desperation.

The parallel in our times is that it is human nature to worry about the future, even when the future is still somewhat distant. Who knows what will happen with the next round of cuts? However, reliance on G-d is manifest through tranquility of the spirit. One who truly believes that his life circumstances are not a series of random events, but are driven by the Divine, evidences tranquility. The next cut of employees won’t be until the next pay period or the next quarter—so, today I feel what the Psalmist expresses, “The L-rd is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” Besides being a very important religious accomplishment, tranquility can save us from many of our fears that never materialize, and as such, can be a very important emotional acquisition as well.

Tranquility notwithstanding, the Torah also requires that we make our efforts to help preserve the continuity of our income and livelihood. As a result, even a tranquil individual who has experienced what your coworker termed a massacre would be well advised to prepare a resume and search for work with another company. But as we know, there is no more guarantee with the next company than with the one where we are presently employed. Our only true guarantee is with our Guarantor.

May we all grow and prosper through these difficult times,
Rabbi Reuven Drucker

Return to top

Soul Talk

Rabbi Yonasan Eibeshitz, in his Ahavas Yonasan, contrasts the Torah’s words (Shemos 15:1) ‘אָשִׁירָה לַה, “I will sing to Hashem” (describing Moses and the men singing the shirah, or song), and the words (v. 21) שִׁירוּ לַה’, “Let us sing to Hashem” (describing Miriam and the women singing shirah). He asks: Why is the singing of Moses and the men stated in the singular, while the singing of Miriam and the women is stated in the plural?

He explains that only a person who exhibits complete belief and trust in Hashem is able to sing shirah. The Talmud states that the redemption from Egypt came in the merit of the righteous women of that generation, who had exhibited complete trust in Hashem. As such, the singing of the women is described in the plural rather than the singular, because all of them deserved to sing shirah, not just Miriam. On the other hand, the men had not exhibited complete belief and trust in Hashem, and were less deserving of being saved from Egypt. Following the splitting of the sea, Moses, whose trust in Hashem was absolute, burst forth in shirah; however, the men were not equally worthy of singing shirah on their own, and as such could only follow Moses’s lead. That is why the Torah describes their singing using the singular form rather than the plural.

Rabbi Yonasan Eibeshitz says further that the same was true when Devorah sang shirah following the miraculous victory against the forces of Yavin and Sisera. Although the victory was predicated on the Children of Israel having done teshuvah (repentance), it was the power of Devorah’s righteousness and stirring words that had motivated them to do so. She was the righteous woman of that generation, for whom Hashem prepared the salvation. That is why the shirah in this week’s haftarah begins with the words וַתָּשַׁר דְּבוֹרָה, Devorah sang.

Furthermore, the miracle of winning the battle is contrasted with the death of Sisera at the hands of Yael. From a military standpoint, the Canaanites should have won, for they were armed with 900 chariots in addition to their massed archers and infantry; the 10,000 Jews should not have had a chance. Yet, the victory was so complete that the sole survivor of the devastation was the general Sisera. Everyone else was killed fleeing the forces of Barak and Israel. Yet, the completion of the victory, the death of Sisera, was accomplished by Yael, a single righteous woman. [Malbim points out that Yael exhibited exceptional courage and attention to halachic detail when she chose to kill Sisera with a tent stake. Once Sisera had fallen asleep, Yael could easily have taken his sword and killed him, but she considered the sword to be a uniquely male accessory, and therefore forbidden for her to use under the prohibition forbidding women to use male clothing or accessories. Thus, she chose an unconventional weapon, the tent stake, and drove it through Sisera’s skull. This too was a display of complete faith in Hashem and His Torah, deserving of being immortalized in Devorah’s shirah.]

With permission from Artscroll’s Daily Dose

Return to top

Table Talk

FOR DISCUSSION AROUND THE SHABBAT TABLE

by OZER ALPORT

א) The Talmud (Pesachim 118a) teaches that providing a person with his parnassah (sustenance) is as difficult as splitting the Reed Sea. In what way are the two comparable?

ב) Why didn’t the Jewish people sing a song of praise to Hashem immediately upon exiting Egypt instead of waiting to do so at the Sea of Reeds, sometimes referred to as the Red Sea? (Chanukas HaTorah by Rabbi Avrohom Yehoshua Heschel)

Return to top

Parsha Summary

Parsha Summaries are coming soon!