Parshas Beshalach:
The Sages Say:
‘And Amalek came and waged war with Yisroel in Rephidim.’ (Shemos 17:8)
[Rashi HaKadosh brings from Mechilta and Gemara Sanhedrin 56b that we were given in Marah three Rules to learn and keep.] But when the Jews were in Rephidim, they loosened their grip from the Torah which they received in Marah, and as a punishment for this, Amalek (YM”S) came and waged war on them. Because for the sin of wasting time instead of learning Torah (bitul Torah), troubles come to the world.
(Mechilta; Gemara Bechoros; quoted by Rabbeinu Bachya zt”l)
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A Helpful Hint:
‘Then Moshe sang (lit. ‘then Moshe will sing’ -- אז ישיר משה)…’ (Shemos 15:1)
Our Rabbis said: From here [we see] a hint to the Techiyas HaMeisim (Revival of the Dead) from the Torah [i.e. because of the fact that אז ישיר משה is in the future tense, ‘then Moshe will sing’ ~~ Sifsei Chachamim HaShaleim].
(Mechilta; Gemara Sanhedrin 91b; brought by Rashi HaKadosh)
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A “Lamdanishe” Insight:
‘And it was when Paroah sent out the People [of Yisroel], and G-d did not lead them the way of the land of the Plishtim for it was close (see Rashi HaKadosh), for G-d said; “Lest the People will reconsider [leaving Egypt] when they see a war, and they will return to Egypt.”’ (Shemos 13:17)
Says Rabbeinu Bachya {ben Asher} zt”l: Rabbeinu Chananel zt”l writes that Hashem led them the way of the Wilderness to multiply His Signs and Wonders, because if He had led them the way of the land of the Plishtim -- the close one -- and He had put in their heart that He would give them permission to cross over the way of their land, and He did not delay them at all, it would have “only” been a “light” Sign. [It would have been a “less dangerous” way, in some manner]. And therefore, Hashem’s Wisdom dictated that they go in a circuitous manner by way of the Wilderness to make the great and many Signs -- the Mon, the Quail, and the bringing of Water out from the Rock [all of which would help them to achieve faith in Him]…
And know, Rabbeinu Bachya explains, that all the topics of Yisroel [the Jews] and their happenings in the Wilderness -- they were a complete test in order to make their Souls greater; the intellect of the levels of Bitachon (trust in Hashem), which is the root of Emunah (faith in Hashem), in order that they would be fit to receive the Torah: The Splitting of the Sea, the waters of Marah, the Mon -- which fell daily as much as was needed for each day, etc. All these things were a complete test, in order to root in their Souls the trait of Bitachon… for the trait of Bitachon is a great main thing (ikkar) and Foundation of the Torah.
(Originally, the Jews would have turned back if they had seen a war -- that, in a way, was a lack of faith in Hashem. With the proper trust in Him, however, they wouldn’t have been afraid.Hashem saw this in us, and He understood that He needed to lead us through the Wilderness in order to root Bitachon in our hearts.)
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Chassidishe Vort:
‘And they [the Jews] came to Marah, and they were not able to drink the water from Marah, because it was bitter (lit. ‘they were bitter’ -- כי מרים הם)…’ (Shemos 15:23)
There is a very famous Chassidishe Vort on this (usually quoted in the name of the Baal Shem Tov zt”l, but I have seen it in the name of the Kotkzer Rebbe -- Rebbe Menachem Mendel of Kotzk zt”l):
What does it mean that ‘they were bitter’? That the Jews were bitter -- that is why the waters tasted bitter. Because when a person is bitter, everything seems bitter to them…
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Mussar Message:
‘And the Bnei Yisroel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.’ (Shemos 15:19)
Says the Noam Elimelech {Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk zt”l}: People are inspired only when they see revealed [i.e. clear] Miracles. They don’t understand, though, that “nature” is itself one big Miracle in which we can regularly see the greatness of the Creator and be inspired from it.
However, when we see a clear Miracle, we begin to believe that also just in “natural and simple life” there is a Supervision and intervention from Above and wondrous Miracles occur, but we are just used to them and so we don’t notice them…
Explains the Rebbe Reb Meilech zt”l; this is what the Torah is saying (in the verse quoted above): ‘And the Bnei Yisroel’ -- since the Jews saw a clear and revealed Miracle, that they were walking on dry land in the middle of the sea, they came to an overall recognition that ‘[they] went on dry land in the midst of the sea’ -- that even when they are going on solid dry land, this is a wondrous Miracle, as if they are going in the middle of the sea…
(Quoted in Maayanah Shel Torah)
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Chazak V’ematz:
‘And the Bnei Yisroel were going out with a high hand.’ (Shemos 14:8)
In any and every trouble and difficult situation, we are not alone. Hashem is there with us. And not only that, but He stretches down His Hand, so to speak, waiting for us to just reach a bit upwards and “grab onto it,” and let Him help to pull us out.
So it was in Egypt -- a very challenging and harsh time, where the Jews had also sunken to a low level: Hashem never abandoned us. Just the opposite: He “stretched down His Hand” for us to grab onto. And indeed, as the verse tells us, we went out with a ‘high hand,’ i.e. we did reach upwards and grab Hashem’s outstretched Hand. And He pulled us out of Egypt.
(Tal U’Matar)
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Maaseh B’Rabbi…
‘For I am Hashem, your Healer.’ (Shemos 15:26)
A very ill chossid once came to Rebbe Mordechai of Neschiz zt”l: He had already consulted many doctors, but they hadn’t been able to help him -- and now he came to the the Rebbe for a blessing and advice. The Rebbe told him to go to a special doctor in the town of Anipoli. He would be able to cure him.
It was a long and harsh trip, but the chossid undertook it, and, Baruch Hashem, made it there safely. And now he began to ask the villagers about the special doctor who lived there. But they told him that they didn’t even have a doctor there! The ill chossid, very sad, journeyed back to the Rebbe, and told him what had transpired.
Then what do these people do, Rebbe Mordechai asked, if, Chas V’Shalom, someone would fall sick? The chossid replied that what could they do? They just would have to have faith in Hashem and ask Him to heal them.
This was exactly the thing which the Rebbe had wanted him to understand, and he told him that He (Hashem) is the doctor Whom he had been referring to. And He Who helps the people of Anipoli would heal him as well. And so it was.
(Related in Sippurei Chassidim)
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A Gut Voch to all!
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