Parashat Beshalach

Dedicated Leilui Nishmat Rachel bat Sarah A’h, Mrs. Shellie Rahmey on Her One Year Yortzeit by Her Children, Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren

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Parashat Beshalach

The Exodus

At the end of last week’s parasha, after Pharaoh reluctantly sent Bnei Yisrael out of Egypt, Moshe instructed the people, “And it shall be when your son will ask you at some future time, ‘What is this?’ You shall say to him, ‘With a strong hand Hashem removed us from Egypt from the house of bondage.’ (13:14)” For the last 3,000 years, every mitzvah we do and every holiday we celebrate serves as a reminder of Hashem saving us from Pharaoh’s grip and redeeming us from slavery with a strong hand!

Every day we read in the Shema, “Ani Hashem Elokechem asher hotzeti etchem me’eretz Mitzrayim leheyot lachem le’Elokim—I am Hashem, your G-d who redeemed you from the land of Egypt to be your G-d.” This text reminds us that we must pass the story of our redemption from generation to generation.

All for the Good

When Yaakov heard that Yosef was in Egypt, he knew from the brit bein ha’besarim that if he would go down to Egypt, his descendants would be enslaved. He accepted Hashem’s judgement and trusted that it would be for the good. As we saw in this week’s and last week’s parasha Bnei Yisrael multiplied, became wealthy and were now ready to receive the Torah.

In this week’s parasha we can see the results of Bnei Yisrael’s faith in Hashem as a nation. After over two hundred years of enslavement the Jews continuously put their trust in the Moshe, the messenger of Hashem to save them even after Pharoah increased their workload and remained firm during the first nine plagues. Bnei Yisrael remain strong in their trust as they followed Moshe out of Egypt’s high security gates in broad daylight. Next, we see that Bnei Yisrael stayed with Moshe even after the Egyptians chased them and trapped them until the Red Sea. Finally, Bnei Yisrael go to war with Amalek where they win with prayer. In all these cases Bnei Yisrael trusted that Hashem had a master plan that would ultimately be for their good.

Bnei Yisrael’s faith was also tested when they received mann and they wanted meat and when there was no water in Marah. In these cases, Bnei Yisrael failed the test and temporarily lost faith in Hashem’s Goodness.

Rabbi Biderman brings down that when something good happens we should say the beracha of “Hatov Ve’Hameitiv,” and when something bad happens we should say, “Baruch Dayan Ha’emet.” Chazal instruct us to say both blessings with same amount of joy.

The Rambam elaborates on this concept saying that since we never know what will ultimately come about from something that happened, we should not be pained by tragedy and not become too joyous when something positive happens (Pirush Ha’Mishnayot, Brachot 9).

Many years ago there was an old man that owned a horse. That horse was his only source of livelihood. One day that horse ran away, and the old man became poor. The people of his town came to comfort him, but the old man replied to them, “Who says this is bad? Perhaps it is for the good.”

The people of the town thought the man was in shock, because how could losing all your wealth be good? Meanwhile, the horse had ran away to the forest where it met other horses, when the old man’s horse became it hungry it returned to its barn with his four new friends. Now the old man became wealthy!

Indeed, something good had happened to the old man, so the village came to congratulate him. But, to their surprise the old man says, “Who says, who says this is for the good?”

Now, the town thought the old man had to be crazy. The man just became rich, why was he not celebrating?

Soon after, the man’s young son went for a ride on one of the horses. He fell off the horse and broke both of his legs. Again, the townsfolk visited the family and their poor soon. “Who says? Who says this is for the bad? Perhaps this is for the good!”

Two weeks later the Russian Czar ordered all young boys to the army. When the soldiers came to get this man’s son they saw the boy laying in bed with many bandages. They decided the boy was unfit for the army, and they let him stay home!

As the weeks past, the townspeople received word that many of their children had been killed in war, and they saw that old man was correct in his saying, “Perhaps this is for the good.”

In this world we cannot see everything. We do not know what is ultimately good for us. As it says in Tehillim, “Cast your burden on to Hashem, and He will sustain you (55:23).” With this attitude of humility and total faith we should all merit to see the arrival Mashiach!

The Waters of Israel

This parasha discusses the parting of the Red Sea. There is an interesting feature about Israel’s bodies of water. The Sea of Galilee—also called the Kineret—and the Dead Sea are two seas, or rather lakes, that could not be more different. The Kineret is teeming with life. It is home to 24 species of fish, some of which are not found anywhere else in the world. Its shores have many birds and are lush with vegetation. The Dead Sea, on the other hand, contains no life at all; it’s extremely salty, to the point where it’s toxic and bitter. Yet both are fed from the same source, the Jordan River.

How could two bodies of water that are fed from a single source be so different? The Sea of Galilee receives water from one end and gives out water from the other, while the Dead Sea takes water, but has no outlet. Life is all about give-and-take. If a person just constantly takes but does not give to anyone, that person withers into something salty and bitter. Yet if one concentrates on not only receiving, but also giving, he will be full of life!

A Leap of Faith

As Bnei Yisrael left Egypt, Hashem sent them on a detour to bypass the land of the Philistines. This led them to the shores of the Yam Suf. When they realized that Pharaoh’s army was pursuing them and they were trapped between the sea and the Egyptian army, they began to lose faith that Hashem would not save them again.

They cried out to Hashem, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us to die in the desert?” Hashem responded to Moshe, “Ma tizak Elai — Why do you cry out to Me?” The Ohr Hachaim asks, “Who should they cry out to, if not to Hashem?”

Hashem instructed Moshe, “Speak to Bnei Yisrael and tell them to move forward!” The Ohr Hachaim explains that sometimes tefillah is not enough and we need to take a leap of faith to show our emunah in Hashem! According to the midrash, Nachshon ben Aminadav, a prince of the tribe of Judah, was the first one to take that leap of faith and literally jumped into the Yam Suf.

Rabbenu Bachiya explains that the water didn’t split all at once, and therefore they were not able to see across to the other side. Rather, there was a wall of water in front of them, but with each step that they took, the sea split a bit more. Similarly, we move forward step by step, and as we go through the trials and tribulations of our lives, we overcome our challenges one at a time. It’s only much later in our lives that we can look back and see with clarity how our lives progressed and how we have grown to the point where we are today. We must constantly have emunah and bitachon that Hashem will be there for us and guide us through our lives — if we continue to follow in the derech of Hashem — even though we can’t possibly see what lies ahead of us.

Hashem says to us, “ma tizak Elai—why are you crying out to Me?” Just take that leap of faith and have complete confidence that I am always with you! The splitting of the sea has been compared to shidduchim and parnasah—livelihood. Those things are as difficult as Keriyat Yam Suf – Splitting of the Sea but in retrospect, they seem so obvious and simple!

Mann

“And Moshe said, ‘Eat it today, for today is Shabbat for Hashem, you will not find it (the mann) in the field’ (16:25).” Rashi elaborates: The Jews went out every morning to find and gather mann for their daily consumption needs. They woke up Shabbat morning and asked Moshe whether they should go out to the fields and look for mann, like they had been doing every other day that week. Moshe told them not to go out, but rather to eat what they already had.

Rav Yaakov comments that the question posed to Moshe was whether they should go out to the fields that day or not. The logical answer to that question was “No, don’t go out today. There is no mann in the fields today.” And yet, his answer was “Eat what you have.” Why did Moshe give that answer to the question?

Rav Yaakov answers that they thought that if they did not go out and collect another day’s worth of mann, they wouldn’t have had enough to eat the next day. The mann hadn’t been falling for forty years at this point. This was the first week of the mann phenomenon. If it fell on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, and then on Shabbat there was no mann, what would they eat on Sunday? In their minds they were fearful. If we eat the mann from yesterday’s gathering, what will we have on Sunday? They did not know.

If one does not know what his family is going to eat on Sunday, he may be inclined to hold back from eating what he has on Shabbat. Moshe Rabbenu corrected them: “Eat what you have!” The lesson of Shabbat is that Ribono shel Olam provides parnasa—livelihood. Therefore, observe Shabbat and keep its halachot. Eat what you want to eat on Shabbat even if you do not know where tomorrow’s meal will be coming from and keep the faith that Hashem will provide.

This was a very real and difficult nisayon—test for Jews living in America in the early part of the twentieth century. There was a time in America when if someone did not come to work on Saturday, he did not come to work on Monday. Rav Yaakov was addressing that very classic situation. People fretted, “If I do not work on Saturday, then how am I going to eat?” The importance of Shabbat is to keep it with emunah that Hashem is the source of our livelihood. That is what Moshe wanted to emphasize to them.

May we all remember to give to others like the Sea of Galilee. May we have emunah in Hashem that He’s always with us throughout our lives, each step of the way, even though we may not yet be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. May we also emulate Nachshon ben Aminadav by having the courage to take that leap of faith! May we cherish Shabbat and keep the faith that Hashem always provides for us!

Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Amram Sananes, written by Jack Rahmey

Discussion Point:

What leaps of faith have we taken in life, and what was the outcome?

This book is a compilation of Divre Torah from the weekly parasha classes from Rabbi Sananes’ teachings over the last 10 years along with my own experiences in those classes which has stimulated my Torah growth. I’ve included many pertinent stories and life lessons to grow from at your Shabbat table. There’s also questions and discussion points at the end of each Parasha to stimulate a Torah conversation at your Shabbat table for the whole family to participate in. Also, included is a holidays section at the end of the book to use for all of our special holidays and Yomiim Toviim.



Now available in all Jewish bookstores and Amazon!

I and Rabbi Sananes look forward to hearing your feedback.

Sincerely, Jack E. Rahmey and Rabbi Amram Sananes

jrahmey@rahmeyfinancial.com (917-226-6276) and AmramSanases@me.com

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Le’ilui Nishmat…

Eliyahu Ben Rachel

Rabbi Shimon Chay Ben Yaasher

Avraham Ben Garaz

Sarah Bat Chanah

Esther Bat Sarah

Avraham Ben Mazal

Shulamit Bat Helaina

Rabbi Meyer Ben Chana

Rahamim Ben Mazal

Batsheva Bat Sarah Esther

Rafael Ben Miriam

Ovadia Ben Esther

Rav Haim Ben Rivka

Moshe Ben Mazal

Moshe Ben Yael

Yitzchak Ben Adele

Avraham Ben Mazal

Meir Ben Latifa

Chanah Bat Esther

Yaakov Ben Rachel

Malka Bat Garaz

Moshe Ben Garaz

Avraham Ben Kami

Yaakov Ben Leah

Mordechai Ben Rachel

Chacham Shaul Rachamim Ben Mazal

Natan Ben Rachel

Saadia Ben Miriam

Eliyah Ben Latifa Simhon

Margalit Bat Mazal

Ovadia Haim Ben Malaky

Rabbi Aharon Chaim Ben Ruchama

Luratte Bat Masouda

Esther Bat Menucha

Uri Ben Rahel

Rivka Bat Dona

Shalom Ben Zahra

Rachel Bat Sarah

Shalom Ben Zahra

Chava Yvette Bat Jamile

Refuah Shelemah…

Rachel Bat Devorah

Anyone interested in dedicating this Divre Torah Le'ilui Nishmat or Refuah Shelemah or In Honor of someone, can email me at

jrahmey@rahmeyfinancial.com. Checks can be made out to “A Life of Torah” for $101 and mailed to 2387 Ocean Ave Suite 1G, Brooklyn, NY 11229 (please put in the memo “Divre Torah”). Anyone interested in past parshiot please go to the website ParashaPerspective.org