This Shabbat we study the Parshah Beshalach, meaning “When he sent” (Exodus 13:17). Here we read about the miracle at the Red Sea and about the hunger and thirst suffered by the Children of Israel in the desert. G-d miraculously sweetens the bitter waters of Marah and later has Moses bring forth water from a rock by striking it with his staff. To feed them, G-d causes manna to rain down from the heavens before dawn each morning and quails to appear in the Israelite camp each evening. In Rephidim, the people are attacked by the Amalekites, who are defeated by Moses’ prayers and an army raised by Joshua.

Chabad.org

‍

Two enemies attack Israel — Pharaoh and Amalek. Though Israel was armed they did not fight Pharaoh — "G-d will do battle for you and you be silent." When Amalek attacked, Moses sent out troops to fight.

‍

Pharaoh and Amalek represent different threats to our people, and Moses' tactics symbolize the defense against these enemies. Pharaoh was the material enemy, the slave-master. Pharaoh seeks mastery over the body of the Jew; he would literally kill the infant boys. Amalek, the spiritual foe, stands between the Jews and Sinai, blocking the path toward the Torah, disparaging the faith of the Jew, deprecating his religion, impeding his observance of Torah precepts. His is a "war against G-d through the generations." He wants to extinguish the spirit of Israel.

‍

Our people seldom had the material means to defend and perpetuate themselves. Mighty empires and powerful legions were (are) pledged to destroy Israel, and for centuries our ancestors didn't even have the swords to raise in their defense. Our very existence today is fulfillment of Moses' assurance that "G-d will do battle for you" against those who seek Israel's destruction.When however, it is not Jewry directly but Judaism that is the target, then the Jew regards himself alone as the guarantor of tomorrow. Nothing may stand between the Jew and Torah. Forced conversion, "painless" gradual assimilation, prison for observing mitzvot, minority status — these are some of the potent forces attempting to keep the Jew from Sinai. In this struggle we must create our own miracles.

‍

G-d's power protects the Jew. The Jew's heroic devotion protects the Torah.

‍

Rabbi Zalman Posne

‍

Freedom is not to the right. Freedom is not to the left. Neither is it at the center.

Any direction you take is just another form of bondage. Only by walking opposite roads at once can you be free.

So if you catch yourself fitting into a definition, contradict it. Never say, “I am this.” Always be leaving the slavery of Egypt.

Yes, it demands the supernatural. You are a divine spark. You are supernatural.

Always be walking through the miraculous splitting of the sea.

‍

Rabbi Tzvi Freeman

‍

A Jew is to remember every day what Amalek did, and we are commanded to “blot out the memory of Amalek” (Ki Teitzei 25:19). Nowadays we cannot identify Amalek as a nation. But there is also a spiritual Amalek lurking in the recesses of our hearts: Of Amalek it is said, “karcha-he made you cool off ” (Ki Teitzei 25:18). That is, he cooled Israel’s fervor and enthusiasm for G-dliness after the exodus from Egypt on their way to Sinai to receive the Torah. This spiritual Amalek is anything that would cool our bond with Torah and mitzvot. It is our task to fend off this spiritual Amalek and clear a path to the revelation of the inner dimension of the Torah that will be manifested by Moshiach, speedily in our days.

Rabbi J. Immanuel Schochet

‍

A story is told of a man who was driving about, desperate to find a parking spot. With no spots available, he called out, “Dear G-d, give me a parking spot and I will pledge a thousand dollars to charity.” Instantaneously a spot became available, and he quickly amended, “Never mind, dear G-d, I found one on my own . . .”

‍

We feel self-reliant as we make our way through life. But when there comes a crisis that we are unequipped to handle, we panic. There is little we, as individuals, can do to save a sinking economy, counter the threat of terror or protect ourselves against natural disasters. Unable to take constructive action, we are left without our usual shield. Exposed and vulnerable, we often panic.

‍

No nation faced odds worse than those faced by Israel at their moment of exodus. Indeed, they had left Egypt, but where could they go? If they would take the most direct route to Israel, they would encounter the fierce Philistines, who were determined to halt the Jewish advance. If they would turn toward the desert, they would venture into an arid and inhospitable environment with little hope for survival. What to do?

‍

Knowing that His children were unequipped to counter the Philistines, G-d turned them toward the wilderness. When G-d turned our ancestors toward the wilderness, He also surrounded them. Imagine a shepherd who comes across a pack of wolves while driving his herd across the range. The first thing he does is ride circles around his herd. As he rides, he forms a protective circle around the herd that enables him to shield them from the wolves. G-d did the same. When He turned the Jews to the desert, He exposed them to terrible dangers, but they remained safe because He surrounded them with a protective circle of miracles.

‍

When the Jews first left Egypt, they did not know how to lean on G-d or trust in Him. For decades they had relied solely on the Egyptians for provisions. Entering the desert was a huge test of faith. For the first time, they would have to discard their protective blanket and put their full trust in G-d. Despite the dangers, they thrived. G-d surrounded them with a chain of miracles that protected and sustained them. First He split the sea and saved them from the Egyptians. Then G-d granted them a cloud canopy to protect them from the desert elements. Then came the manna, food provided from heaven. And finally, He provided a miraculous well that never ran dry.

‍

For forty years G-d provided for our ancestors and protected them from all harm, and thus they learned to lean on Him—that is, to trust Him. After forty years, when such absolute trust became second nature to them, G-d brought them to Israel, where they would finally battle and overcome their powerful enemies.

‍

In many ways, we are raised to depend on ourselves, rather than G-d. When we are young, we are trained to rely on our parents. As we grow older, we are taught to depend on ourselves; and for very large problems, we are taught to rely on our governments. For problems that even governments cannot handle, we have no solution. Our sages sought to lift us to a higher plane by empowering us to believe and stand fast, no matter the danger. Remember, they taught, having done all that you could to help yourself, you may rest easy, secure in the faith that G-d will deliver. Lean on G-d for strength. He is there for you. He surrounds you day and night. You can trust Him.

‍

We pray every day to be spared from trials; no wants to be tested. However, the journey of life is rarely smooth, and is often strewn with troubles. When this happens, we must remember that we are not alone. We are in G-d’s good company and under His protection.

‍

From an article by Rabbi Lazer Gurkow

‍