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 opening words of this Parasha point out that
(ultimately) the ruling king is compelled, "willy nilly," to do just
that.1. This is especially so, since we noticed last week that it was incumbent
(legally) for Par’oh to let the Hebrews go, in an act which signified a
divorce-like separation. Right after the "sending" it says that, "Elohim
did not lead them by the way of the
land of the Philistines" (13:17 emphasis added). "Lead" 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 Moshe’s
Song (15:13) he specifies further, saying (literally), "by Your grace you led the people…" (using the same
verb). This root is also used in “satisfaction” or “peace” (e.g.
Pro. 29:9), while the root n.o.ch, which is a related root, means “rest”.
Thus YHVH’s guidance and leading of His people during the entire wilderness
journey, including the events described here, promises to be marked by these
qualities. Interestingly, a potential encounter with the Philistines caused
YHVH to take Yisrael in a round about way, even though they “came up from the
land of Egypt prepared for action [or] in martial array – chamushim”
(14:18b italics added). The root ch.m.sh (chet, mem, shin) also serves the
figure “five” – “chamesh” - which is thought to be the minimal number required for
taking action.
The next phase wherein the Children of Yisrael find themselves 'between a
rock and a hard place' (14:2, 3) forms 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
end there… In the past two Parashot we encountered quite a few times the term “Pharaoh
hardened his heart”. Occasionally the verb used 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. If we look back at the time when Moshe
was first commissioned by YHVH, we discover that his initial response was that
he “was slow of speech and slow of tongue” (4:10), which in
Hebrew is (having) a “heavy mouth” and a “heavy tongue”.
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 title,
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, the root being 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 exhorts 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 is 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" (v. 10, italics added). 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
land, 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", whereas in his song YHVH Himself is the (epitome of) salvation, as well as the very strength and
the song itself, while the “song” is called 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 does not only employ words which echo and amplify the
narrative that precedes it, some terms are also repeated, or contrasted within
the poem itself, and thus 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". 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 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. We are told that at Mara (“mahr” is “bitter”),
after the act of 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 are tried at Mara, in Refidim they "try YHVH" and are also quarreling
with Him, when "there was no water" (17:7). Hence the place is 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 averts 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 regarding His “war with Amalek from generation to generation”
(17:16).5. We have just encountered the “yad” of YHVH (“hand” as distinct from
“arm” – z’roah – and from “right hand or arm” – yamin) in the process of
emerging from Egypt (e.g. 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 us”). If YHVH places His hand on His throne (as in a gesture of making
an oath), He will surely carry out that which He set out to perform.
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.,
2. The Chumash Shmot With The Commentary Daat Mikrah,
Pub. Mossad Harav Kook, Jm. 1991.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
Hebrew Tools for Everyday Use
The act of sending sets off this
Parasha, so let’s look at the verb for “send”. From loftiness, glory, honor (and
heaviness) we will be brought down to earth by a Modern Hebrew usage of rahm
and k.v.d . The “heavenly bread” – mana (or “mahn”) will connect us to the very
common “what”, but not without some “bitter flavoring”.
Elohim sent Moshe
Elohim shalach et Moshe
Noach sent the dove
Noach shalach et ha’yonah
Moshe was the envoy of Elohim
Moshe haya ha-shali’ach shel Elohim
He lifted the heavy thing (lit. “the
thing the heavy”)
Hu herim et ha’davar ha’kaved
She lifted the heavy thing (lit. “the
thing the heavy”)
He herima et ha’davar ha’kaved
Well Done!
Kol HaKavod! (lit. “all the honor”)
What is bitter?
Ma mahr?
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