LEAD TIDBIT
As He does, so should we
Let's take a different overview of Parshat B'shalach - one that is not very pleasant, but one that can teach us a very important lesson.

For many months, the children of Israel had heard G-d's promises from the mouth of Moshe Rabeinu, and for many months they witnessed the terrible but awe-inspiring plagues rained down upon the Egyptians. Everything they saw confirmed the power of G-d and the truth in the prophecies and promises of redemption. And then they witnessed the tenth plague, the illogical generosity of the Egyptians. And they witnessed - no, more - they participated in Y'tzi'at Mitzrayim, the great Exodus of millions of Jews from the land of their bondage.

A few days later, Par'o and an elite army pursue them towards the Sea. And the people panicked. Are there in- sufficient graves in Egypt? We told you we'd rather stay in Egypt than die in the wilderness.

Terrible. How could they say something like that? Leave it; we cannot judge.

But let us focus on G-d's reaction. He stayed with us. He did not reject us as ingrates. We remained His people in spite of our behavior.

Then the people witnessed even greater miracles at the Sea than they had in Egypt. And for a while - an embarrassingly short while - the people seemed to be filled with Belief, faith, and trust. Three days after the Splitting of the Sea, the people complained they were thirsty. Reasonable, on the one hand, but perhaps lacking the faith they professed at the Sea. Another short time later, bitter complaints for food, in a very harsh and insulting way. But G-d stuck with us.

And again, and again, and again. But the point here is not to berate Bnei Yisrael, but rather to marvel at G-d's keeping us unto Him. And we must learn exactly that! Not to despair of and reject our fellow Jews or this Land. Unfortunately, what has been happening lately can cause one to be disenchanted. With some of our fellow Jews. With the State of Israel. But remember - if anyone had the right to be disenchanted with anyone, it would have been G-d with us. But He wasn't! Maybe that's a lesson from B'shalach. We have to fight hard to improve the State and the people (ourselves included). Not with cinder- blocks and not with police batons. But with the values of Torah and love of G-d, Torah, His People, and His Land.