Quick Summary with preliminary questions and selected verses:
- Pharaoh "allows" the nation to leave. The Hebrew differs. Why?
- God sets the route from Egypt - roundabout. The term: wandering?
- God accompanies the nation with a pillar of cloud by day, a pillar of fire by night. What do we learn from this?
- The hardening of Pharaoh’s heart. Questions about free will...
- Pharaoh and his armies are in pursuit. Change of heart? But were promises broken? What was promised?
- The Red Sea splits
- The Israelites cross the sea while the Egyptian army drowns. What is God's response?
- Moses and Miriam lead in joyous song “Az Yashir Moshe”. Why the repetition? Why is Miriam's song shorter than Moses'?
- In the rest of Beshalach, which we do not ready today, there are complaints about a lack of food and drink, which leads to God' sending manna and quail, water from the rock, and the attack by Amalek from behind. Why omit these matters today?
(יז) וַיְהִ֗י בְּשַׁלַּ֣ח פַּרְעֹה֮ אֶת־הָעָם֒ וְלֹא־נָחָ֣ם אֱלֹהִ֗ים דֶּ֚רֶךְ אֶ֣רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים כִּ֥י קָר֖וֹב ה֑וּא כִּ֣י ׀ אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֗ים פֶּֽן־יִנָּחֵ֥ם הָעָ֛ם בִּרְאֹתָ֥ם מִלְחָמָ֖ה וְשָׁ֥בוּ מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃ (יח) וַיַּסֵּ֨ב אֱלֹהִ֧ים ׀ אֶת־הָעָ֛ם דֶּ֥רֶךְ הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר יַם־ס֑וּף וַחֲמֻשִׁ֛ים עָל֥וּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(17) Now when Pharaoh let the people go/sent the people away, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although it was nearer; for God said, “The people may have a change of heart when they see war, and return to Egypt.” (18) So God led the people round about, by way of the wilderness at the Sea of Reeds.Now the Israelites went up armed out of the land of Egypt.
כי אמר אלהים פן ינחם העם בראותם מלחמה ושבו מצרימה (שמות יג, יז). ראה והביטה כמה צריך האדם להתבונן לעשות גדרים וסייגות והרחקות שלא יבא לידי עבירה. הנה הקב"ה בעצמו ובכבודו עשה הרחקה פן ינחם העם וגו', ושלום שלום לרחוק, המרחק עצמו מחשש עבירה ואז הוא קרוב להקב"ה:
כי אמר אלקים פן ינחם העם בראותם מלחמה ושבו מצרימה. ....See and look carefully how much a human needs to contemplate to make fences, safeguards and distancings so that they do not sin. Even G–d Himself made such a "fence" (safeguard) when He decided to let the Israelites travel via an indirect route so as to preclude the people from having second thoughts and wanting to return to Egypt.
דרך המדבר ים סוף שילכו לים סוף דרך המדבר, כי באותו הדרך לא יבאו מגידים ממצרים ולא ידעו ברדיפת פרעה עד שהשיג אותם, כאמרו וישאו בני ישראל את עיניהם, והנה מצרים וכו' ולא היה אז להם תקנה בשובם כי לא יקבלם פרעה וחילו:
דרך המדבר ים סוף, that they should march to the Sea of Reeds via the desert. On that route they would neither encounter travelers headed in the direction of Egypt, nor would they encounter travelers who had come from Egypt who could report that Pharaoh was going to chase them, until Pharaoh would actually catch up with them by which time a “voluntary” return to Egypt and slavery would not be of any advantage to them anymore, as their surrender would not then be acceptable to Pharaoh.
וחמושים עלו וגו'. ואולי כי זולת היותם מזויינים בכלי זיין לא יועיל מה שיסב ה' אותם לבל יחזרו בראותם מלחמה כי על כל פנים ישובו מצרימה כיון שאין בידם כלי זיין לערוך עם אויב מלחמה ויראו עצמן אבודים, לזה אמר וחמושים עלו וגו' פירוש מלבד טעם שיסב ה' היו להם גם כן כלי זיין ובהצטרפות שני הטעמים לא ינחם העם בראותם מלחמה וגו':
וחמושים עלו בני ישראל, and the Israelites went up armed, etc. It is possible that if the Israelites had not been armed they would not have listened to Moses' (God's) order to make an about turn away from the land of the Philistines so that they would not face an immediate battle. The Israelites therefore needed two reasons for not returning to Egypt at the slightest danger, i.e. possession of arms and the unlikelihood of having to use these arms. Combining these two factors would result in לא ינחם, that they would not have second thoughts.
וחמושים עלו וכל זה הוצרך לעשות אף על פי שהיו מזויינים, כי עם כל כלי זיינם לא היה להם אומץ לב להלחם במצרים ולהמלט כי לא נסו באלה:
וחמושים עלו, although they had left Egypt fully armed. They did not have the courage to face the Egyptians in combat in spite of their being armed. They felt too inexperienced to face trained warriors.
"So God led the people round about, by way of the wilderness at the Sea of Reeds."
The short route is the long route. The long route is the short route.
תִּינוֹק מַאי הִיא? פַּעַם אַחַת הָיִיתִי מְהַלֵּךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ, וְרָאִיתִי תִּינוֹק יוֹשֵׁב עַל פָּרָשַׁת דְּרָכִים. וְאָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: בְּאֵיזֶה דֶּרֶךְ נֵלֵךְ לָעִיר? אָמַר לִי: זוֹ קְצָרָה וַאֲרוּכָּה, וְזוֹ אֲרוּכָּה וּקְצָרָה. וְהָלַכְתִּי בִּקְצָרָה וַאֲרוּכָּה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגַּעְתִּי לָעִיר מָצָאתִי שֶׁמַּקִּיפִין אוֹתָהּ גַּנּוֹת וּפַרְדֵּיסִין.
What is the incident with a young boy? One time I was walking along the path, and I saw a young boy sitting at the crossroads. And I said to him: On which path shall we walk in order to get to the city? He said to me: This path is short and long, and that path is long and short. I walked on the path that was short and long. When I approached the city I found that gardens and orchards surrounded it, and I did not know the trails leading through them to the city. I went back and met the young boy again and said to him: My son, didn’t you tell me that this way is short? He said to me: And didn’t I tell you that it is also long? I kissed him on his head and said to him: Happy are you, O Israel, for you are all exceedingly wise, from your old to your young.
Relating to Your Own Life
In what ways in your own life have you taken the short route that turned out to be the long route? Or the long route that was the shorter way?
"It is impossible to build a relationship of a good community without patience."
Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe, (1914 - 2005) Mussar master, Alei Shur volume 2, page 214
"How do you climb the rungs of the ladder? As you stand on the bottom rung, you must see if your position is firm, and only then can you continue and climb up to the next rung. So, too, it is regarding the service of God: is it possible to jump to Heaven all at once? One must ascend in stages, rung after rung."
The Kotzker Rebbe (1787 - 1859), Menachem Mendel Morgensztern of Kotzk
וַיִּסְע֖וּ מִסֻּכֹּ֑ת וַיַּחֲנ֣וּ בְאֵתָ֔ם בִּקְצֵ֖ה הַמִּדְבָּֽר׃ וַֽיהֹוָ֡ה הֹלֵךְ֩ לִפְנֵיהֶ֨ם יוֹמָ֜ם בְּעַמּ֤וּד עָנָן֙ לַנְחֹתָ֣ם הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְלַ֛יְלָה בְּעַמּ֥וּד אֵ֖שׁ לְהָאִ֣יר לָהֶ֑ם לָלֶ֖כֶת יוֹמָ֥ם וָלָֽיְלָה׃ לֹֽא־יָמִ֞ישׁ עַמּ֤וּד הֶֽעָנָן֙ יוֹמָ֔ם וְעַמּ֥וּד הָאֵ֖שׁ לָ֑יְלָה לִפְנֵ֖י הָעָֽם׃ {פ}
They set out from Succoth, and encamped at Etham, at the edge of the wilderness. The LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud by day, to guide them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, that they might travel day and night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.
One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty one, and one who rules over the spirit [is better] than one who conquers a city. (Mishlei 16:32) - Pirkei Avot
(א) בֶּן זוֹמָא אוֹמֵר, אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם, הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קיט) מִכָּל מְלַמְּדַי הִשְׂכַּלְתִּי כִּי עֵדְוֹתֶיךָ שִׂיחָה לִּי. אֵיזֶהוּ גִבּוֹר, הַכּוֹבֵשׁ אֶת יִצְרוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי טז) טוֹב אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם מִגִּבּוֹר וּמשֵׁל בְּרוּחוֹ מִלֹּכֵד עִיר. אֵיזֶהוּ עָשִׁיר, הַשָּׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קכח) יְגִיעַ כַּפֶּיךָ כִּי תֹאכֵל אַשְׁרֶיךָ וְטוֹב לָךְ. אַשְׁרֶיךָ, בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה. וְטוֹב לָךְ, לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. אֵיזֶהוּ מְכֻבָּד, הַמְכַבֵּד אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל א ב) כִּי מְכַבְּדַי אֲכַבֵּד וּבֹזַי יֵקָלּוּ:
(1) Ben Zoma said: Who is mighty? He who subdues his [evil] inclination, as it is said: “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that rules his spirit than he that takes a city” (Proverbs 16:32).
(ח) וַיְחַזֵּ֣ק יְהֹוָ֗ה אֶת־לֵ֤ב פַּרְעֹה֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיִּרְדֹּ֕ף אַחֲרֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יֹצְאִ֖ים בְּיָ֥ד רָמָֽה׃ נֹסֵ֣עַ אַחֲרֵיהֶ֗ם וַיִּֽירְאוּ֙ מְאֹ֔ד וַיִּצְעֲק֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶל־יְהֹוָֽה׃ (יא) וַיֹּאמְרוּ֮ אֶל־מֹשֶׁה֒ הֲֽמִבְּלִ֤י אֵין־קְבָרִים֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם לְקַחְתָּ֖נוּ לָמ֣וּת בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר מַה־זֹּאת֙ עָשִׂ֣יתָ לָּ֔נוּ לְהוֹצִיאָ֖נוּ מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃ (יב) הֲלֹא־זֶ֣ה הַדָּבָ֗ר אֲשֶׁר֩ דִּבַּ֨רְנוּ אֵלֶ֤יךָ בְמִצְרַ֙יִם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר חֲדַ֥ל מִמֶּ֖נּוּ וְנַֽעַבְדָ֣ה אֶת־מִצְרָ֑יִם כִּ֣י ט֥וֹב לָ֙נוּ֙ עֲבֹ֣ד אֶת־מִצְרַ֔יִם מִמֻּתֵ֖נוּ בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃ (יג) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֣ה אֶל־הָעָם֮ אַל־תִּירָ֒אוּ֒ הִֽתְיַצְּב֗וּ וּרְאוּ֙ אֶת־יְשׁוּעַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה לָכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם כִּ֗י אֲשֶׁ֨ר רְאִיתֶ֤ם אֶת־מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ הַיּ֔וֹם לֹ֥א תֹסִ֛פוּ לִרְאֹתָ֥ם ע֖וֹד עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃ (יד) יְהֹוָ֖ה יִלָּחֵ֣ם לָכֶ֑ם וְאַתֶּ֖ם תַּחֲרִשֽׁוּן׃ {פ}
(6) He ordered his chariot and took his men with him; (7) he took six hundred of his picked chariots, and the rest of the chariots of Egypt, with officers in all of them. (8) The LORD strengthened/hardened/stiffened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he gave chase to the Israelites. As the Israelites were departing defiantly, (9) the Egyptians gave chase to them, and all the chariot horses of Pharaoh, his horsemen, and his warriors overtook them encamped by the sea, near Pi-hahiroth, before Baal-zephon. (10) As Pharaoh drew near, the Israelites caught sight of the Egyptians advancing upon them. Greatly frightened, the Israelites cried out to the LORD. (11) And they said to Moses, “Was it for want of graves in Egypt that you brought us to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us, taking us out of Egypt? (12) Is this not the very thing we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us be, and we will serve the Egyptians, for it is better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness’?” (13) But Moses said to the people, “Have no fear! Stand by, and witness the deliverance which the LORD will work for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you will never see again. (14) The LORD will battle for you; you hold your peace!”
(טו) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה מַה־תִּצְעַ֖ק אֵלָ֑י דַּבֵּ֥ר אֶל־בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וְיִסָּֽעוּ׃
(15) Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry out to Me? Tell the Israelites to go forward.
(טז) וְאַתָּ֞ה הָרֵ֣ם אֶֽת־מַטְּךָ֗ וּנְטֵ֧ה אֶת־יָדְךָ֛ עַל־הַיָּ֖ם וּבְקָעֵ֑הוּ וְיָבֹ֧אוּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל בְּת֥וֹךְ הַיָּ֖ם בַּיַּבָּשָֽׁה׃ (יז) וַאֲנִ֗י הִנְנִ֤י מְחַזֵּק֙ אֶת־לֵ֣ב מִצְרַ֔יִם וְיָבֹ֖אוּ אַחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם וְאִכָּבְדָ֤ה בְּפַרְעֹה֙ וּבְכׇל־חֵיל֔וֹ בְּרִכְבּ֖וֹ וּבְפָרָשָֽׁיו׃ (יח) וְיָדְע֥וּ מִצְרַ֖יִם כִּי־אֲנִ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה בְּהִכָּבְדִ֣י בְּפַרְעֹ֔ה בְּרִכְבּ֖וֹ וּבְפָרָשָֽׁיו׃
(16) And you lift up your rod and hold out your arm over the sea and split it, so that the Israelites may march into the sea on dry ground. (17) And I will stiffen the hearts of the Egyptians so that they go in after them; and I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his warriors, his chariots, and his horsemen. (18) Let the Egyptians know that I am the LORD, when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”
(ל) וַיּ֨וֹשַׁע ה' בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֛וּא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִיַּ֣ד מִצְרָ֑יִם וַיַּ֤רְא יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶת־מִצְרַ֔יִם מֵ֖ת עַל־שְׂפַ֥ת הַיָּֽם׃ (לא) וַיַּ֨רְא יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶת־הַיָּ֣ד הַגְּדֹלָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֤ה ה' בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם וַיִּֽירְא֥וּ הָעָ֖ם אֶת־ה' וַיַּֽאֲמִ֙ינוּ֙ בַּֽה' וּבְמֹשֶׁ֖ה עַבְדּֽוֹ׃ {פ}
(30) Thus ה' delivered Israel that day from the Egyptians/Egypt. Israel saw the Egyptians/Egypt dead on the shore of the sea. (31) And when Israel saw the wondrous power which ה' had wielded against the Egyptians/Egypt, the people were in awe of ה'; they had trust in ה' and in God’s servant Moses.
From Rabbi Richard Moline: I heard an interesting take on the parting of the Sea of Reeds at a shiur given by Rabbi Meir Goldwicht. The text says וירא ישראל את מצרים מת על שפת הים – which we generally read as "the Israelites saw the Egyptians die on the shore of the sea."
While the Hebrew words for “Egypt” and “Egyptians” are spelled the same, they are pronounced differently. In liturgy, we pronounce the word as if saying "Egypt", not "Egyptians." We have this image of Pharoah’s soldiers in their chariots drowning in the sea (which is one reason we only say partial Hallel most days of Pesach, since we do not rejoice in their deaths). Why do we prounce it as “Egypt” and not as “Egyptians?”
Rabbi Goldwicht suggests the liturgy's pronunciation is correct. What the Israelites saw die at the shore of the sea was not the Egyptian army. It was everything Egypt stood for. Israel was becoming a new people, exiting the narrowness of Egypt; becoming a society which values freedom, justice and mercy. Their former lives were no more. They were an "am chofshi," a free people.
Relating to our own lives
When have we had to or been able to leave behind certain ways of being or acting in the world in order to continue to live into the future?
(א) אָ֣ז יָשִֽׁיר־מֹשֶׁה֩ וּבְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶת־הַשִּׁירָ֤ה הַזֹּאת֙ לַֽה' וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ לֵאמֹ֑ר {ס}
אָשִׁ֤ירָה לַֽה' כִּֽי־גָאֹ֣ה גָּאָ֔ה {ס}
ס֥וּס וְרֹכְב֖וֹ רָמָ֥ה בַיָּֽם׃ {ס}
(ב) עָזִּ֤י וְזִמְרָת֙ יָ֔הּ וַֽיְהִי־לִ֖י לִֽישׁוּעָ֑ה {ס}
זֶ֤ה אֵלִי֙ וְאַנְוֵ֔הוּ {ס}
אֱלֹקֵ֥י אָבִ֖י וַאֲרֹמְמֶֽנְהוּ׃ {ס}
(1) Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD. They said: I will sing to the LORD, for God has triumphed gloriously; Horse and driver God has hurled into the sea. (2) The LORD is my strength and might; God is become my deliverance. This is my God and I will enshrine God; The God of my ancestor, and I will exalt God.
(כ) וַתִּקַּח֩ מִרְיָ֨ם הַנְּבִיאָ֜ה אֲח֧וֹת אַהֲרֹ֛ן אֶת־הַתֹּ֖ף בְּיָדָ֑הּ וַתֵּצֶ֤אןָ כׇֽל־הַנָּשִׁים֙ אַחֲרֶ֔יהָ בְּתֻפִּ֖ים וּבִמְחֹלֹֽת׃ (כא) וַתַּ֥עַן לָהֶ֖ם מִרְיָ֑ם שִׁ֤ירוּ לַֽיהֹוָה֙ כִּֽי־גָאֹ֣ה גָּאָ֔ה ס֥וּס וְרֹכְב֖וֹ רָמָ֥ה בַיָּֽם׃ {ס}
(20) Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her in dance with timbrels. (21) And Miriam chanted for them:Sing to the LORD, for God has triumphed gloriously; Horse and driver God has hurled into the sea.
מרים הנביאה בעלת דברי השבח כמו ואהרן אחיך יהיה נביאך.
מרים הנביאה, “Miriam the prophetess;” the word “prophetess” is used here to describe Miriam’s extraordinary ability to use words to express her feelings. According to Rash’bam, the word is also used as describing someone who preaches to people to behave morally and ethically correctly. Compare when God told Moses that his brother Aaron would be נביאך, which can hardly mean: “your prophet,” as Moses outclassed him in that department.
וע"ד המדרש הנביאה אחות אהרן, ולא אחות משה, אלא מלמד שהתנבאה בזמן שהיתה אחות אהרן עתידה אמי שתלד בן שיושיע את ישראל ע"כ.
A Midrashic approach (Sotah 12-13): the Torah links Miriam as a prophetess to her brother Aaron rather than to her brother Moses. The Torah’s message is that she demonstrated her prophetic gift while she was a sister of Aaron, before Moses had been born. In fact, her prophecy concerned Moses. She predicted that her mother would give birth to the redeemer of the Jewish people.
A teaching from Rav Kook
(1865 - 1935), first Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi of British Mandated Palestine)
There are two types of love for God. appreciation the natural love of God corresponding to the Divine name El is an appreciation for God as our Creator and Provider - like being inherently drawn to our source, the love is like our innate feelings of love and respect for a parent. God, the Source of all life, sustains us every moment of our lives. The word El is in the singular, reflecting an appreciation for God as the only true power and the ultimate reality of the universe.
A second, higher form of love for God is acquired by reflecting on God’s rule of the universe. As we uncover God’s guiding hand in history, and we recognize the underlying Divine providence in the world, we experience a higher love of God. This love corresponds to the name Elokim — in the plural — referring to the myriad causes and forces that God utilizes to govern the universe.
There has been much grumbling and discontent by B'nai Yisrael directed against Moses. Why not complain to God?