The peculiarities
characterizing the relationship of a graceful, sustaining and forgiving Elohim
with a people, who are marked by vacillation and unbelief, are very evident in
Parashat B’shalach. This makes the current Parasha a most suitable introduction
to this relationship, foreshadowing that which will continue to transpire for
many generations to come. The opening words, referring to Par’oh's release of
the Israelites, without attributing it to YHVH, have been called into question.
However, since in the process of negotiating with Par’oh the term "let
go" ("sh.l.ch",
literally to “send or send off") is used time and
again (seven, to be exact) and to no avail, the wording used at the opening of
the parasha is meant to point out that (ultimately) the ruling king is
compelled, "willy nilly," to do just that.1. Right after this
"sending," we read that "Elohim did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines" (13:17
emphasis added). "Led" here is "nacham," of the
root n.ch.h (noon, chet, hey). The
same verb is used again, in verse 21, where it says that, "YHVH was going
before them, in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them ["lan'chotam"] on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night." In Moses’
Song (15:13) he specifies further, saying (literally), "by Your grace
you led the people…" (using the
same verb). This root also means “satisfaction,” while n.o.ch (noon,
vav, chet), which is a related root, means “rest,” (and is seen in
16:34, where it is translated “laid it up”). It is this type of guidance and
leading which sets the stage for the entire wilderness journey, including the
events described here. Another related verb, which appears frequently in the
Parasha is “to camp”, ch.n.h (chet, noon, hey) – in 13:20, 14:2 (twice), 14:9
and 17:1. Thus, with YHVH being in the lead, Yisrael could be assured of peace
and rest in their “going” and in the “camping,” as 13:21 puts it: “And YHVH went before
them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a
pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night.” Interestingly, a potential encounter with the Philistines
caused YHVH to take Yisrael in a roundabout way, even though they “came up from
the land of Egypt “prepared for action,” or “in martial array” – chamushim”
(13:18b). The root ch.m.sh (chet, mem, shin), used here, also serves the figure
“five” – “chamesh,” since the latter is thought to be the minimum number required
for ‘taking action.’
The next phase, wherein the Children of Yisrael
find themselves 'between a rock and a hard place' (see 14:3), is an inseparable
part of YHVH's plan for them. YHVH intends to be "honored – ve’eka’veda’
- through Pharaoh" (ref. 14:4). "Honor"
(and "glory" too) here, and in most other places, is "kavod," meaning "weightiness"
or "heaviness." In verses 17 and 18, YHVH
repeats the principle: "then the Egyptians will know that I am YHVH, when
I am honored - ve’eka’veda - through
Pharaoh, through his chariots and his horsemen" (emphasis added). A little
later YHVH "caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive
with difficulty…" literally
"with heaviness" - "bich'vedoot"
(v. 25, emphasis added). This is indeed an intriguing usage of the figurative
and literal manifestation of the "glory" and "honor" of the
Elohim of Yisrael, who is to be honored even through the heaviness of His
enemies’ chariots! But the divine irony does not stop there… In the past two
Parashot we encountered quite a few times the term “Pharaoh hardened his heart.”
The verb used some of the time was “hach’bed” – made heavy
(i.e. harden), such as in Sh’mot (Exodus) 8:28. Thus, it was the very
“heaviness” of Par’oh’s heart (and also, proverbially, of his chariots), which
brought about “high esteem” – kavod – to the Elohim who used the enemy’s ploys
for the sake of His name. Another instance when YHVH’s honor/glory was
vindicated occurred when Elohim “rained bread from heaven” (ref. 16:4, cf. John
6:32-33), which the people had to go out and collect. It was in relation to
this episode that YHVH’s “kavod” (glory) appeared before them (vs. 7, 10).
Much of the description of the scene of the mighty
deliverance (chapter 14) is echoed in chapter 15, by what is typically known as
the "Song of Moses," or in Hebrew “Shirat Ha’Yam” – the Song of the
Sea, rendering this Shabbat’s name, the Shabbat of the Song - Shabbat Shira.
The "six hundred select
chariots" and the "officers
in command" of 14:7 become in 15:4, "the choicest of his officers"
(when describing their drowning). "Select" and "choicest"
are denoted by the same word "b.ch.r"
(bet, chet, resh), and the "officers" (in both references) are "shalishim," which is of the root "three," "shalosh," making them (possibly) third in command. In 14:8 we are told
that "the sons of Israel
When the Israelites saw the Egyptians drawing
close, they became very fearful
("vayir'u", root y.r.a
– yod, resh, alef), and cried out to
YHVH (ref. 14:10). Moshe exhorted them:
"Do not fear
("tir'oo", again y.r.a),
stand and watch (literally: "see," "look at," “observe”)
the salvation of YHVH" (v. 13). Moreover, while it was only the
"midbar" (desert, v. 3) and the Egyptians that their eyes were looking at and seeing (v. 10),
Moshe assured them that they would “never see
the Egyptians again" (v. 13, emphasis added). "YHVH will fight for
you while you keep silent"
(v. 14 italics added) is stated in contradistinction to their "crying out" in verse 10 above. And thus YHVH responds to Moshe:
"Why are you crying out to Me?" (v. 15,
italics and emphasis added). Finally, after crossing the sea and walking on dry
ground, the "seeing" and the "fear" are transformed -
"Israel saw the great power
which YHVH had used against the Egyptians, and the people feared YHVH, and they believed in YHVH and in His servant Moses"
(14:31, emphases added).
When Moshe addressed the people in 14:13, he
referred to "the salvation – ‘yeshu-ah’ - of YHVH," while in his song YHVH Himself is the (epitome of) salvation, as
well as the very strength and the song itself. He thus names the “song,”
zimrah (15:2). The latter reference to the song is reminiscent of the
word used by Ya'acov in B’resheet (Genesis) 43:11, where the "produce of
the land" was described. Although "zemer" is “song” and the verb
"le'za'mer" is to sing, another form of this verb is "lizmor,"
denoting "cutting" or
"pruning" (ref. Lev.
25:3). This led some of the commentators to explain that "zimrah" is used here not as a
song, but rather as a "cutting off" (of the enemy).2
The Song not only employs words
which echo and amplify the narrative that proceeds it, some terms are also
repeated, or contrasted within the poem itself, with the purpose of
underscoring them, as for example in "this is my Elohim and I will glorify
Him…" (15:2). "I will glorify" is "an'vehu" of the root n.v.h.
(noon, vav, hey), which means "beautiful"
or "adorn." Hence if read literally, it
would be: "I will beautify [or adorn] YHVH," presumably with praises.
But since "naveh" also
means "an abode and home" (e.g. Ps. 68:12) or "pasture" (e.g. Amos 1:2), this verse could also mean "I
will become an abode for Him"
(emphasis added). In verse 13 we read "You guided them [the People] to
Your holy abode" - "n'veh kodshecha." This is seen as
either a reference to Mount Sinai, the land
of Yisrael , the future Temple in Yerushalayim (Jerusalem
The enemies of Yisrael, Egypt, as well as
Philistia, the "chiefs of Edom," "heads of Mo'ab" and the
“inhabitants of Canaan” are likened to "lead" and "stone,"
sinking into the depths and also to a "still stone" (15: 5, 10, 16).
In verse 10, “they [sink] like lead in the mighty waters.” “Mighty” is “adirim,”
plural for “adir” of the root a.d.r
(alef, dalet, resh), which also stands for "majestic." It
is repeated two more times here, both of them in connection with YHVH:
"Your right hand YHVH is majestic
in power" (v. 6); and, "who is like You, majestic in holiness" (v.11). It is the majesty and might of
YHVH which lends these very properties to the “waters” (of the sea) when used
by Him for His purposes.
In 15:1 Moshe and Yisrael sing, "I will
sing to YHVH because He is highly exalted…
‘ga'o ga'a.’" Verse 7 also
mentions "Your exaltedness” - ge'on'cha,” again of the root g.a.h
(gimel, alef, hey). Verse 7 continues:
"You send forth Your wrath and it consumes
them [the enemy] like stubble" (emphasis added). YHVH's wrath is compared
to a consuming fire, while the next verse says: "With the blast of your nostrils
the waters were heaped up… the depths froze
up" (emphasis added). According to the Daat Mikrah commentary, this text
may be interpreted as two opposite actions performed by the wind at YHVH’s
command: burning on one hand, and freezing on the other.4
In the course of the brief time covered by our
Parasha, the Children of Yisrael find four occasions to complain. At Mara
(from “mar” - “bitter”), after causing the water to become sweet by
casting a tree or a stick, which YHVH pointed out to Moshe, "He made a
statute and an ordinance and there He tried
them" (15: 25b). But whereas the Israelites were tried at Mara, in Refidim they "try YHVH" and are also quarreling
with Him, when "there was no water" (17:7). Hence, the place was
named Masa (of "nisayon" - "to try")
and Meriva (from "riv" which is "quarrel").
In between these two episodes they demand food, and thus obtain the quail meat
for the evening meal and "manna" for the morning (ref. chapter 16).
Since the shape and texture of the manna was unfamiliar to them, "they
asked each other: 'mah'n hu?'"
or "what is it?" (16:15). Mah'n
is the Aramaic form of the Hebrew "mah," meaning "what."
Although
at the beginning of the Parasha YHVH averted the Israelites from the path of
war, by the end of the narrative they find themselves in a battle with Amalek,
a descendant of Esav (Gen. 36:12). Again, YHVH's miraculous intervention on their
behalf is evident, coupled with faith
(ref. Hebrews 4:2), symbolized by Moshe's "steadily" held arms. The Hebrew word for steady here is "emuna," literally "faith" (17:12), thus causing
Yehoshua (Joshua) to "weaken Amalek" (v. 13). Moshe’s arms are denoted
by the word “yad” (also “hand”). In the final verse of our Parasha Moshe
makes a proclamation about another “yad,” a “yad” which is “on Yah’s throne,”
pointing to YHVH’s oath, because He is at “war with Amalek from generation to generation” (17:16).5. The “yad”
of YHVH (“hand” as distinct from “arm” – z’roah – and from “right hand or arm”
– yamin) is seen in the process of the emergence from Egypt such as in 14:8,
“yad ramah” – a lifted up hand; 14:31 – “yad g’dola” – “great/mighty hand”;
15:17 “kone’nu yade’cha” – “your hands have established.” Here the placing of
His hand on His throne (as in a gesture of making an oath), denotes that YHVH
will surely carry out that which He has set out to do.
Our Parasha is
characterized by the contrast between the manifest Presence and Glory of YHVH
and the Israelites' total focus on their immediate needs and fears, blinding
them to the greatness and might displayed before them - so much so that even at
the end (just before the battle with Amalek) they dare ponder, “Is YHVH among
us, or not?" (17:7b).
1. New
Studies in Shmot Part 1, Nechama Leibowitz, trans. Aryeh Newman. Eliner
Library, Department for Torah Education and
Culture in the Diaspora. Hemed
Books Inc., Brooklyn , N.Y.
2. The
Chumash Shmot With The Commentary Daat
Mikrah, Pub. Mossad Harav
Kook, Jm. 1991.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
