Summary Beshalach 5762
This Shabbat is known as Shabbat Shirah - the Shabbat of Song, referring to the song of thanksgiving sung by the Jewish People following the successful crossing of the Red Sea. The Haftarah also contains a song celebrating the victory of Deborah and Barak over Sisera and his people.

Brief Summary:
Pharaoh regretted freeing the Israelites and gave chase, reaching them at the shores of the Red Sea. G-d split the sea and the Israelites travelled safely across, but the Egyptians drowned.

The spiritual 'high' reached at this event quickly dissipated. Just three days later, the only water available to drink was bitter and the people complained to Moses (15:24). G-d commanded Moses to throw a branch into the waters and they became sweet. A month after the Exodus the food ran out and the people complained to Moses again (16: 2-3). This time G-d sent them manna from Heaven, which fell every morning. He also instructed them to collect a double portion on Friday and forbade them to collect manna on Shabbat. But for some people this wasn't enough and they went in search of manna on Shabbat (16:27).

Then the people ran out of water, and complained again to Moses: "Why did you take us out of Egypt to kill us with thirst!" (17: 2-3) G-d provided them with water by asking Moses to hit a certain rock.

Finally, the people were attacked by Amalek (17: 8-16). Moses instructed Joshua to form an army and fight. Amalek was beaten, and the sedra ends with G-d declaring a perpetual war against Amalek.

Points to Ponder:

1. Poetic Justice.

Pharaoh had earlier said to Moses 'I don't know G-d, and I am not going to send (the Children of) Israel away'(5:2). This week's sedra begins with a hint of poetic justice: 'and it came to pass when Pharaoh sent the people away...'.

2. How can it be, that after so many miracles, the Israelites seem to complain at the slightest provocation? If we all saw miracles, wouldn't that inspire us to become better people and even to keep all the Torah's commandments?

Breaking Slave Mentality is extremely difficult. It was easier to take the Jews out of Egypt than to take Egypt out of the Jews. They had not listened to G-d's original call because of their 'crushed spirits and hard labour." (6:9). The strain and fatigue of their prolonged bondage and daily routine had drained them of all spirituality and made them instinctively dependent upon their Egyptian masters. Therefore, before they could become G-d's servants, they had to first transfer their dependence on Egypt to a spiritual dependence on G-d. They had to undergo a change in character and learn to act and think like free men.

A change of character usually occurs in one of two ways:

• A traumatic experience - which may facilitate a sudden change.
  
• A change of daily routine - which slowly changes instinctive behaviour.
  

G-d employed both approaches.

Splitting the Red Sea may be understood as a traumatic experience that helped Bnei Yisrael break their instinctive dependence on Egypt.

This becomes clear in the light of the Israelites' reaction to the threat of the approaching Egyptian army: "and they complained to Moses saying... What have you done to us by taking us out of Egypt? Is this not the very thing we told you in Egypt: let us be and we will serve the Egyptians, for it is better for us to serve the Egyptians than die in the desert?!" (14:11-12)

G-d responded by saying: "Do not fear, stand upright and watch G-d's salvation... for the manner in which you see Egypt today - you will never see them again." Never again should they fear the Egyptians as they did at that moment.

Upon seeing the drowning of the Egyptians in the sea, the Torah says: "...and Yisrael recognized His great Hand.. and the people feared G-d and believed in G-d and Moshe His servant." (14: 30-31).

But it didn't have a lasting effect, because it is hard to change. At the waters of Marah, where the waters became sweet, the Torah says that G-d gave them a statute and commandment (15:25). Our sages say that He commanded them to keep Shabbat, the Red Heifer and some of the civil laws.

Observance of these laws was required to bring about a slow but steady change in their belief systems. The fall of the manna on a daily basis was calculated to deepen the feelings of dependency on G-d even further.

The next incident regarding the lack of water was also very instructive. The rock that Moses was told to hit was actually at Mount Sinai. The Torah uses the word Horev (17:6), which is identical with Mount Sinai. Water, as we know, is the key to physical life. The Torah is the key to spiritual life. They both come from the same source. This is a tough lesson to learn, both then and now.

Shabbat Shalom