Parshat Beshalach
February 6th-7th, 2004
15 Shevat, 5764

[SHABBOS SHIRA/TU’BESHVAT]

Chances are that you yourself have never been pursued by an incensed despot leading an enormous army--including 600 chariots and legions of expert cavalry--with your only avenue of escape blocked by a large body of water (e.g., a sea). (Maybe I’m assuming too much…it’s a crazy world out there nowadays!)

But this was precisely the perilous situation in which the Children of Israel found themselves on the seventh day following their hasty departure from Mitzrayim (Egypt), as we see at the outset of this week’s parsha. They had gone out with the full approval of the stricken Egyptians (after the death of their firstborn), but then Pharaoh and his servants soon came to their senses, or rather, lost (once again) their common sense, and reverted to the path of self-destruction: “…and the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned regarding the people, and they said, ‘What is this that we have done that we have sent away Israel from serving us?’” [Exodus: 14, 5]

Pharaoh himself led the offensive, enthusiastically rallying his countrymen to follow after the Children of Israel: “We have been smitten, and they took our money [note: it was actually given freely to them], and we sent them away” (Rashi). (The Jews committed the injustice, in other words! The Egyptians were blameless…they were the victims!)

It was certainly a terrifying ordeal for our ancestors, and the very existence of this infant nation seemed to be in jeopardy:

“He [Pharaoh] took six hundred select chariots and every chariot of Egypt, and officers over it all…Egypt pursued them and overtook them, encamped by the sea--all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen and army…Pharaoh brought himself close; the Children of Israel raised their eyes and behold!--Egypt was journeying after them, and they were very frightened…” (14, 7 and 9-10)

I don’t want to spoil the ending for you, but the upshot was that the Children of Israel were not destroyed! (Hey, I can’t be sure that everybody out there will actually read the whole portion, so I have to give you the highlights.) The Sea splits, the Jewish people pass through on dry land, the Egyptians are drowned when they pursue after the Jews and the water returns--crashes back!--to its natural state, and Moshe leads the men (and Miriam the women) in the joyous and exalted “song” of prophetic inspiration known as the “shira shel yam,” the song at the sea. (This is why the Shabbos of Parshas Beshalach is known as Shabbos Shira--the Sabbath of the Song.) Before you know it, we are on our way to Mt. Sinai to receive the Torah--while giving Moshe and Aharon a run for their money with our various complaints--and, baruch Hashem, we have lived (and complained), and will live, stubbornly (and eternally) ever after.

But that’s not what I want to focus on for the moment. However unlikely it is that you or I may ever face such a frightening combination of circumstances (chariots, horses, and all the rest), I would argue that the Torah--which we should always remember literally means, instruction--is nonetheless instructing us, you and me, on how to deal with crises of all shapes and sizes. For the peril we faced at the Sea of Reeds could be thought of as the paradigm of all crises.

Let’s see what the Torah says about how our ancestors responded (and how G-d Himself coached). We’ve heard the introduction already, but let’s recap:

“Pharaoh brought himself close; the Children of Israel raised their eyes and behold!--Egypt was journeying after them, and they were very frightened…”

And here’s what comes immediately after:
“…the Children of Israel cried out to Hashem. They said to Moshe, ‘Is it because there are not graves in Egypt that you took us out to die in the wilderness?’…Moshe said to the people, ‘Do not fear! Stand fast and see the salvation of Hashem that He will perform for you today’…Hashem said to Moshe, ‘Why do you cry out to me? Speak to the Children of Israel and let them journey [forward]! And you--lift up your staff and stretch out your arm over the sea and split it…” (14: 10-11, 13 and 15-16; my emphasis)

The way I see it (and this formulation is my own--I didn’t see it laid out precisely this way in any commentaries): There are three basic positive (that is, constructive) responses to the crisis (and to all crises) that are recorded here, one other that is also usually positive (and can sometimes be extremely helpful), and one that is assuredly negative--though characteristic of certain people, and maybe (at least sometimes) of each one of us.

“The Children of Israel cried out to Hashem.” On this clause, Rashi famously comments (in words that are, admittedly, open to different interpretations): “They seized [grabbed on to] the craft of their forefathers.” In other words, they immediately responded to the danger by following in the path of their forefathers (Rashi cites several examples) and pouring out their hearts in heartfelt prayer and supplication to the Almighty. So the first positive response--and arguably the most important--is that we pray to G-d. We have always done so as a people in moments of crisis, and we should continue to do so. Sincere prayer--from the heart--and not lip service.

Remember that the highest purpose of prayer is not to receive the immediate and miraculous response from Heaven that we desire…though I admit that, perhaps, I don’t always remember that so clearly when I beseech Hashem to give me the winning numbers in Megamillions. The highest purpose, rather, is to deepen our awareness of our own need for Divine assistance, and of G-d’s (limitless) ability to help us in any situation. Thank G-d, the Sea did split for the Children of Israel (and Haman’s plot was overturned, and so on throughout Jewish history), but even in those dark moments when we are not miraculously saved, the spiritual benefit of sincerely crying out to Hashem remains. Prayer in dark moments brings light to our souls, and ideally, a lightening of our burden and psychological distress.

Which brings me to the second constructive response we learn. “Stand fast,” Moshe told the Jewish people, “and [you will] see the salvation of Hashem.” It is certainly not easy to maintain (or even to begin the struggle to gain) our mental equilibrium, or “peace of mind,” in the midst of crisis; it is much easier to give in to the (natural) panic and anxiety that consume us. But calmness of mind (“menuchas ha’nefesh,“ in the phrase used by our great ethical masters) is an important strategy in dealing with crisis--as well as an important character trait to strive to gain in general. Hopefully, prayer itself helps to bring one to that state of greater psychological stability and steadfastness, that inward “standing fast.” In any case, every crisis (we traditionally believe) is sent by G-d for the purpose (among others) of helping us to develop emunah (faith) and steadfastness. So to respond to a crisis by maintaining--working to maintain--that inner equilibrium is a great spiritual triumph…and can, indeed, lead to seeing (as the Children of Israel did at the Sea of Reeds) a salvation sent by Hashem.

“…let them journey…“ The third positive response, or strategy, is absolutely required: journeying forth. Rashi cites the Midrashic teaching that Moshe was davening at length, which G-d told him was an inappropriate action at such a moment of danger: “Why do you cry out to me?” Prayer is needed, yes, but one must also ACT when the moment demands it, and journey forth. Every miraculous salvation from above requires our taking the proper steps and initiatives below to “make it happen.” G-d helps those who help themselves, is the old adage, and there is much truth in it. We have to do what we can, to the furthest extent of our strength and abilities…and then G-d will respond (when it is His Will to do so).

Many times, the steps we must take themselves require very great faith and courage--a leap into the dark, or in this case, into the water! For as the Midrash makes clear, the sea did not split until the Jews (led by Nachson ben Amindadav) actually entered the water. We have to do what we can, even journeying forth against great odds, displaying our faith in Hashem in the process…and then we can hope for salvation.

So we have three indisputably positive responses to crisis: heartfelt prayer, inner calm and trust in G-d, and vigorous action and initiative as necessary.

The fourth is…humor: They said to Moshe, ‘Is it because there are not graves in Egypt that you took us out to die in the wilderness?’ Although this verse could be read as part of the complaining which is the NEGATIVE response to a crisis I mentioned above (and which is more clearly seen in other verses I have left out--see your Chumash for the whole account), Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch acutely points out that there is a characteristic Jewish wit on display here. (Can’t you just hear distinguished Semitic funnymen like Rodney Dangerfield, Jackie Mason, Woody Allen or Jerry Seinfeld uttering that line? Not that Bill Murray couldn‘t deliver it too, but…) A sense of humor, even a dark one, can help us cope with a crisis, and ease the psychological burden a bit…though I’m not sure it really had that effect in the case of the Children of Israel at the sea. And sometimes, surely, humor could have a negative effect if the situation calls for action, rather than making fun. (Note that some commentators argue, based on the Midrash, that the Jewish people were divided into different groups at the Sea: some were praying, some were complaining, some were arguing to push forward, etc.)

Complaining, however, is never productive. (My wife hears a lot of it from me, so she will confirm that.)

As Shabbos is approaching with the speed (if not fury) of 600 chariots, I must sign off. May we all learn these (and other) important lessons from the crisis in which our ancestors found themselves…and may we once again sing joyously, as they did at the Sea, upon (soon, in our days) witnessing the final redemption and the advent of the messianic age!

GOOD SHABBOS.

My e-mail address is yosefe@comcast.net

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Rabbi Yosef Edelstein, Savannah Kollel. Phone: 912-351-0469; fax: 354-9923