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ONE OF MANY GOLD NUGGETS

The splitting of the Red Sea was a seminal event in the development of Klal Yisroel. Our Sages teach us that even those who were least initiated in the realm of spirituality were exposed to revelations that even our prophet Yechezkel could not see. The Shira that was sung by our ancestors on the banks of the Sea was incorporated into the words of Torah. One cannot properly comprehend what great revelations were seen. We do know that there is much to learn and much to gain.

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MEASURE YOUR FRIEND TO MEASURE YOURSELF

As we read the Parshios of the Torah we discover so many times that our people failed to live up to HaShem’s expectations. It is noteworthy how true the Torah is to the real facts and does not sugarcoat our past. It is nevertheless disappointing to see so many failures. Furthermore, it is difficult to understand how could our people who experienced the Ten Plagues and the Splitting of the Red Sea and received the Torah at Sinai demonstrate such a lack of faith in HaShem?

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QUALITY OF LIFE; OUR CHOICE

In this week’s Parsha, Beshalach, the Torah portrays the value of one moment of life. HaShem has taken His people from Egypt and has punished the Egyptians with the Ten Plagues. These Plagues were the greatest demonstration of HaShem’s continuing maintenance and involvement in His world. However, He was not finished, there was still more to accomplish.

HaShem tells Moshe “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart and he will run after you and I will become glorified through Pharaoh and Egypt will know that I am HaShem.” The stated purpose of having Pharaoh follow us into the Red Sea was two-fold. The first was to make HaShem glorified and the second was that the Egyptians should know that HaShem is the Almighty.

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THE ROAD CONTINUES

In this week’s Parsha, B’shalach, we finally exit Egypt and our journey to become HaShem’s people begins. To go from a nation of slaves to HaShem’s chosen people who will carry His Name throughout history throughout the world in every region through every ism we must be prepared and strengthened. Among the greatest restrictions that bind man from doing what he wants, are the confines that he makes up in his mind. Take for example, the boss who expects his employee to snitch on a co-worker. The employee does not want to snitch but they feel bound to do so; how then stand up to their boss?

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INHERENT SWEETNESS

This week’s Parsha, B’shalach, recounts the first steps that our people took on their journey from Egypt. First, we experienced the great miracle of the splitting of the Red Sea, traveling through the sea followed by the drowning of the Egyptians. We then began the journey to Sinai to receive the Torah. There was much preparation that needed to be done before that moment.

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JUMPING DOWN THE STAIRCASE

In this week’s Parsha, B’shalach, the Jewish people find themselves on the beach of the Red Sea with the entire Egyptian army behind them ready to destroy them. They turn to HaShem in prayer along with Moshe, their leader. HaShem tells Moshe that they prayed enough “Tell the people to travel into the Sea.” The implication was that when they will travel into the Sea they will be saved as in fact happened. The leaders of the people followed by their people literally marched into the sea until they could go no further and then the sea split forming a floor of dry land.