Torah Commentary - Beshalach
*Commentary courtesy of Menahem Me-Zahav
Shabbat Beshlach/Shabbat Shira
Our Sidrah is named after its beginning: “Va’yehi Beshallach Par’oh et Ha’am” – “And it happened that when Pharaoh allowed to go (Be’Shalach) the people (Israel) – God did not direct them through the Philistinian country (a true short-cut to the Promised Land)”. Knowing that the multitude of free slaves, is not yet prepared, to enter the Promised Land, God made them wander through the desert. We know today that the harsh life in the desert, was actually needed. It shaped them into a free nation, it strengthened their will to survive and finally it also convinced them that they deserve their own land.
The Pursuing Egyptian Army is Totally Destroyed in the Sea.
Pharaoh soon regrets his decision to let the Jewish slaves leave Egypt. It is unbecoming a Pharaoh to acknowledge the superiority of God. He orders his entire army to pursue the Israelites, overpower them and return them as slaves back to Egypt. The Israelites are headed towards the Red Sea. They are much slower than the highly ‘mechanized’ Egyptian army. 3 days pass and the Israelites while camping on the bank of the Red Sea, notice the pursuing Egyptian army closing in on them. They panic, cry out and complain to Moses. They accuse him that by taking them out of Egypt he caused them to be soon slaughtered in the desert. Moses, who never loses his deep faith in God, reassures them that God will undoubtedly save them. They should watch, how God is going to save them: “Hashem Yilachem Lachem Ve'atem Tacharishun” (Exodus 14:14). It means that “God is going to fight for you, and you (may just watch) silently”.
Moses is then told by God to point his “Matteh - Walking Stick” towards the sea. The sea opens up creating a wall of water on either side with a dry pathway in between. The Israelites walk on the dry pathway to the other side of the sea. As soon as the Israelites complete their crossing - the Egyptians, in hot pursuit, arrive at the sea and charge right onto the pathway in the water (which the Israelites have just cleared). Moses by order of God, again points his “Matteh” towards the sea. The sea returns to its original state, thus drowning the entire Egyptian army, in its stormy waters.
The Song of the Sea – Praise and Gratitude.
The Israelites, on the occasion of the miraculous victory, offer a Song full of praises and thanksgivings to God Almighty. It is named “The Song of the Sea” (Shirat Ha’yam). “I am singing to God for He Has gloriously exalted, He Has hurled horse and rider into the sea” (Exodus 15:1).
Miriam, The Prophetess, sister to Moses and Aaron, rises to the occasion. She heads all the women in celebration of the great miracle.” …And Miriam The Prophetess, sister of Aaron, a drum in her hand and all the women following her, were singing and dancing. And Miriam proclaimed: Sing to the Lord, for He Has triumphed gloriously, He Has hurled horse and rider into the sea” (Exodus 15:20-21).
The Song of the Sea - Part of the daily Prayer.
The Song of the Sea is being chanted by us as part of the Shacharit Prayer every day of the year.
It is customary to stand up, whenever the Shirat Ha’yam is been chanted, either when The Torah is been read in the synagogue, and / or at the Shacharit Service.
Israel Believes in God.
Previously, when Moses and Aaron showed up in Egypt for the first time, they performed two miracles in front of the Israelites. (God assigned the miracles to Moses and Aaron in order to help convince the exhausted Jewish slaves that God Has sent them). One of the miracles was the casting of the Matteh to the ground. The Matteh then transformed into a Serpant.
The Torah mentions at that time, “And the people believed and they bowed (Exodus 4:31)”.
From that time on and until now, “Belief (in God)” is not mentioned again. Now, after observing with their very own eyes the Great Miracle of God, that just saved them from certain death, we read that: “And Israel witnessed the wondrous power of God in Egypt and they feared God and they believed in God and in his servant Moses” (Exodus 14:31).
The legend of Nachshon Ben Aminadav.
According to Midrash the Israelites anxious to save themselves, from the pursuing Egyptian army, were impatiently urging each other, to jump first into the sea. As no one seemed to move, the young Nachshon, fearlessly plunged into the water, demonstrating his full trust in God. The sea opened up and all walked through. Nachshon, later assumed the position of head to his tribe Judah.
Nachshon became brother-in-law to Aaron - The Kohen Gadol - who married Nachshon’s sister Elishevah (Exodus 6:23). Nachshon’s 5th generation descendant, was King David.
The name Nachshon, became later synonymous in Jewish folklore, to voluntarism and self-sacrifice.
In Israel’s War of Independence, the pivotal military operation, to open up the road to the besieged Jerusalem - was named: “Mivzah Nachshon” - Operation Nachshon (1948).
Kibbutz Nachshon (West of Jerusalem) was named so by its founders (1950) in commemoration of the successful campaign, to open up the road to Jerusalem.
War Against Amalek (Exodus 17:8-16).
The Sidrah ends with the Amalekites’ attack on Israel, targeting mainly the young and the frail.
God orders Moses to ascend a hill overlooking the battlefield. Moses then keeps his hands raised towards heaven (He is been assisted in keeping his hands raised, by Aaron and Chur). With Moses’ hands raised - the Israelites, headed by Joshua Bin Nun, decisively defeat the Amalekites.
God swears, that He will never forgive Amalek and “God’s war against Amalek will last forever”.
Haftarah: Judges 5:1-31, Page 426
For some 150 years after the settlement of the Promised Land, the Israelites did not have an official governing authority. Invaders took advantage of the situation and grabbed Israeli land. The vacuum in Israeli leadership would then be filled by a ‘Judge’ who would rise to the occasion, assemble a volunteer army and defeat the invading enemy. These ‘Judges’ played such a vital role in our history that the 7th book of the Bible – The Book of Judges - was dedicated to them. In our Haftarah, the Canaanites are threatening Israel’s existence (Circa 1150 BCE). The Israelites meet them in battle at Mount Tabor near the Kishon River. Deborah the Prophetess a heroic Israelite woman and the 4th ‘Judge’ inspires her people, to great courage. She convinces Barak Ben Avino’am to become the military commander. She also helps planning the strategy for the battle. Barak leads the Israelite army to a decisive victory. Deborah and Barack, offer a song of praise to God Almighty and the victorious Israelites. It will be known as “The song of Deborah” - Shirat Dvorah. “Awake, awake, Deborah, awake, awake, and sing a song, arise Barak, and capture your captives, Son of Avinoam” (Judges 5:12).
The linkage to our Sidrah is twofold. In the Sidrah there is a song of victory, dedicated to God. In the Haftarah the song of victory praises God and His triumphant Israelite army. In the Sidrah a heroic woman (Miriam) dominates the celebration on the banks of the Red Sea. In the Haftarah a heroic woman (Deborah) dominates the victory and the celebration, on the banks of the Kishon River.
The Kishon River - Nachal Kishon.
The Biblical Kishon River, has been identified, as a stream, that starts at the western slopes of the Gilboa
Range of Mountains, where it also gets most of its waters from. Flowing through the West Bank, in a North-Westerly direction, it flows into the Mediterranean, not far from Haifa.
Trivia
Q. When will we read again, a major portion of today’s Sidrah?
A. A major portion of today’s Sidrah including the Shirat Hayam, will be read on the 7th day of Pessach (Exodus 13:17 – 15:26).
