Parashat Beshalach – Shabbat Shirah

Are we pioneers or latecomers? Commitment to Hashem or flaky belief?

(From the teachings of Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef ztvk”l)(written by his grandson HaRav Yaakov Sasson Shlit”a)(translated by our dear friend Rav Daniel Levy Shlit”a, Leeds, United Kingdom)

Parashat Beshalach – Shabbat Shirah

In our Parashah, we find two similar pesukim. One, “Am Yisrael entered the sea bed on dry land. The water was on their right and left like [two] walls” (Shemot 14:22). Meaning that the water functioned as a wall on both sides as a passageway for the Bnei Yisrael. Here we see in the pasuk that the Hebrew word “chomah” – “wall” is spelt with the letter vav. But in the continuation of the passage, “Meanwhile, Am Yisrael were walking in the midst of the sea on dry land. The water was on their right and on their left like [two] walls” (ibid. 14:29), the Hebrew word for wall is written without the letter vav and thereby may also be read as “cheimah”. Our Chachamim elaborate in the Midrash that the water became for them “cheimah”, meaning it was “angry” and was annoyed with them, for some reason.

Our Chachamim explain that each of the nations of the world has a minister representing them in heaven. Just like here in this world each country has a representative in the United Nations. Likewise in heaven, each nation has an officer that protects its interests. When the sea split for the Bnei Yisrael, the Egyptian minister, who was called Uza, stood and came to prosecute the Bnei Yisrael. He said to HaKadosh Baruch Hu, “Ribbono she Olam! Why do you do like this and like that! Indeed there is no tangible difference between Yisrael and Egypt, these ones worship idols and these ones worship idols! [See Shemot Rabbah 21:7 and Zohar vol. 2 page 170b.] This is evident because at the moment Moshe told Am Yisrael to offer the Pesach sacrifice, he said to them, “…and get yourselves [lit. withdraw yourselves] sheep for your families, so that you will be able to slaughter the Pesach sacrifice” (ibid. 12:21). His intention when he said “withdraw and get” was to withdraw your hands from idolatry as you used to worship sheep, and now take the sheep and slaughter it for the purpose of the Pesach sacrifice [see Shemot Rabbah 16:2]. If so, Moshe, the teacher of Am Yisrael, admits that they worship idols, if so why are You performing a miracle just for Am Yisrael?

The minister representing Am Yisrael then came, he was the angel Gavriel. He took a child which the Egyptians had crushed in the bricks [see Sanhedrin 101b], which the Bnei Yisrael were forced to build with, and he said, “Ribbono she Olam, this is how the wicked Egyptians made sport with your children!” HaKadosh Baruch Hu scolded Uza, the Egyptian minister, and retorted to him, “You wish to treat those who sin under duress as the same as those who are wilful transgressors? Don’t you know the difference between wilful idol worship and coerced idol worship, which the Egyptians forced Am Yisrael into?”

Despite this defence, the weight of justice was stretched over Am Yisrael. Therefore one time it states the Hebrew word for wall without the letter vav. However, we need to understand why in one case the Hebrew “chomah” - “wall” is written with a vav and another time “cheimah” without, meaning anger? There is a difference between the two pesukim. In the first pasuk it states, “Am Yisrael entered the sea bed on dry land,” in the beginning the sea bed was full of water, and HaKadosh Baruch Hu said to Moshe Rabbenu, “Speak to Am Yisrael, and let them start moving” (ibid. 14:15). Am Yisrael were afraid to enter the sea as there was water everywhere and the waves were electrifying and turbulent, and each one of Am Yisrael said to their fellow, “With respect, you go first.” But their fellow replied to them, “No, with respect, you go first.” And so it continued, until one Nachshon ben Aminadav leapt into the water. After him the whole of the tribe of Binyamin launched into the water and with that all the leaders and their tribes entered. Nachshon was the first into the water, entering until it reached his nose and was almost drowned, at that point he cried out in pray “Save me, O Hashem, for the waters have reached until the soul” (Tehillim 69:2), and then the water divided.

All of these “Nachshonim” – pioneers and trailblazers, who entered “into the sea on dry land” [note the order, the sea and then dry land!], for them the water was literally a wall in a protective form and for them Hashem made miracles and wonders. Trees sprouted for them with lush fruits.

However, in contrast, there were still amongst Am Yisrael recalcitrant, lazy people, latecomers, who held their babies in their arms and cried by the riverbank. They were petrified to enter the water because their belief in Hashem wasn’t that strong. They only entered when they witnessed the sea splitting in two. Then they entered a path which was formed between the two halves of the sea. About them it states in “dry land in the sea” [note the order, dry land and then the sea!] indicating that only after the sea morphed into dry land did they enter and not like it states with the first group that they entered “into the sea on dry land”.

Therefore concerning those who were reluctant and didn’t enter immediately, it states for them the sea was “angry” on their right and on their left, because the wall wasn’t shaped in its fullest design and sometimes it splashed water on their faces, because they didn’t sufficiently believe in Hashem Yitbarach.

All this comes to teach us that if a person commits themselves to HaKadosh Baruch Hu’s honour, HaKadosh Baruch Hu will not forsake them. He will continue to give them more and more so that they will have eternal joy. In contrast to a person whose faith isn’t as firm, one time they flake this was another time the other way, likewise Hashem mirrors them in the same vein. We found this with Charan, Lot’s father. When they asked everyone, who agrees with Avraham that Hashem created the world, he was silent. He said in his heart, if Avraham enters the furnace and emerges alive, then I too will enter like him. However, if he will be burnt to death, I will believe in Nimrod. The outcome was that Avraham entered the furnace and emerged alive and only then did Charan say that he agreed with Avraham. They threw him into the furnace and he was burnt alive, as it states, “Charan died during the lifetime of his father Terach” (Bereshit 11:28). All this was because at the time it was challenging and self-sacrifice was required, Charan didn’t fully believe in Hashem, therefore he wasn’t worthy of a miracle.

Consequently, every person should appreciate, even when things are difficult, to strive with all their might to fulfil the mitzvot, to study Torah and to give tzedakah, and not just when they feel like it and only when everything goes easily. A person who behaves so when times are tough pursuing mitzvot, HaKadosh Baruch Hu always helps them, as it states, “One who pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honour” (Mishlei 21:21). Amen ken yehi ratzon.

Shabbat Shalom u’mevorach!

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