Parashat Beshallach
Exodus 13:17 - Exodus 17:16

Topics (click on any link)
Synopsis of the Torah portion
Spiritual insights into Parashat Beshallach
Key verses
Creative Midrash for Parashat Beshallach

Synopsis                        return to top of page
Upon leaving Egypt, God did not lead them through the land of the Philistines because He feared that if they saw war they might have a change of heart and return to Egypt. So He led the people through the wilderness at the Sea of Reeds. The Israelites left Egypt well armed. The Lord in a pillar of fire led them at night and a pillar of cloud by day, so that they could travel day and night.

God warned Moses that Pharaoh thinks they are lost in the wilderness. God plans on hardening Pharaoh heart so he well pursue the Israelites and He will exert His authority against Egypt. Moments later Pharaoh and his courtiers realized the foolishness of their decision to let the people go so he ordered his army and six hundred chariots to capture the Israelites. As Pharaoh drew near, the Israelites saw the advancing Egyptians.  They were terrified and protested to Moses fearing that they will die here in the wilderness when they could have stayed in Egypt and served the Egyptians. Moses bid them to have no fear; God will come to your defense and rescue you from the Egyptians.

The Lord commanded the Israelites to go forward. Moses was ordered to raise his staff over the sea until it parts so the Israelites could go through on dry ground. An angel of the Lord followed the procession and the pillar of cloud shifted and came between the army of the Egyptians and the army of Israel. Moses then held out his arm over the sea and the Lord held back the sea. The waters were split and the Israelites traveled through on dry ground. The Egyptians followed them in hot pursuit when God threw the Egyptian army into panic; he locked the wheels of the chariots so they moved forward with great difficulty. God then ordered Moses to hold out his arm again and the Egyptians were hurled into the sea. The waters covered them and not a single Egyptian survived. When the Israelites saw the awesome power of God, the people had faith in the Lord again.

After they safely arrived on the other side, Moses and the Israelites sang the celebrated Song of the Sea, from where we derive the familiar lines of the prayer book, Mi Cha Mochah, Who is like you, O Lord. When they set out from the Sea of Reeds, they came to Marah whose water they could not drink because it was bitter. The people grumbled to Moses that they had nothing to drink, so God instructed Moses to take a piece of wood and throw it in the water. The water became sweet. Then God made a rule for all time: If the Israelites heed His commandments and keep His laws, He will not bring upon them any of the diseases that he brought upon the Egyptians for the Lord is your healer.

After a month of wandering through the desert, the community now lamented their fate of starvation in the wilderness. And God responded by instituting a downpour of bread from the sky (manna); each person will gather each day's supply, but on the sixth day they will receive a double portion. And God spoke to Moses explaining that He has heard the complaints of the people and that He will supply flesh in the evening and bread in the morning so that the people will know that He is the Lord. In the evening quail appeared in the camp and in the morning dew fell. When the frost lifted a fine, flaky substance remained in its place.
When the Israelites asked Moses what it is, he replied that it is the bread, which God has given you to eat. When the Israelites wondered why they received a double portion on the sixth day, Moses explained that the seventh day is a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Cook what you need for today and whatever remains put aside for the Sabbath, for tomorrow there will be no manna from heaven. Some of the people went out the next day to gather manna and the Lord became impatient and complained to Moses that His commandments were not being obeyed. So Moses told the people to keep one omer of manna throughout the ages as a reminder of the bread they were fed in the wilderness.

The Israelites continued on their journey and camped at Rephidim where there was no water for the people to drink. They demanded water and Moses inquired why they quarrel with him and not with God. And they grumbled again complaining that conditions were better in Egypt where they had water.  God instructed Moses to pass before the people and take with you the rod with which you struck the Nile. Strike the rock and water will issue from it. Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. Moses told Joshua to pick some men to defend ourselves against Amalek while Moses would stand on a hill with the rod of God in his hand. The next day in the heat of battle whenever Moses held up his hand Israel prevailed and whenever he lowered his hand from the weight of the rod,  Amalek prevailed. But with support from Aaron and Hur, Moses hands remained steady and the Israelites overwhelmed Amalek with the sword.

Spiritual Insights into Parashat Beshallach                        return to top of page
Beshallach tells the extraordinary tale of the parting of the sea. As soon as the Israelites left Egypt, Pharaoh had another change of heart, illustrating his incredibly stubborn nature, he sent his troops in hot pursuit of the Israelites in order to return them to bondage.  As the Egyptian forces drew near, the Israelites became fearful that they would be killed in the wilderness. Here's a classic case of the kind misunderstanding that we're all guilty of at times: Pharaoh wanted them back in servitude for the slave labor they provided, while the Israelites were afraid they were being pursued to be killed.

With the Egyptian threat falling quickly upon them and the people immobilized with fear, Moses said to the people, "Have no fear. Stand by, and witness the deliverance, which the Lord will work for you today. (Ex. 14:13). Can you imagine the courage it took to stand before the onslaught of the Egyptians with nothing more than a staff to direct the outcome. But God then told Moses to lead the people into the sea and He caused the waters to part. How do you deal with fear? The Torah here is clearly teaching us the antidote to fear--have faith in God. Can you have the faith necessary to overcome fear? In one sense the Torah is prejudging us since it knows that the Israelites will eventually learn to have faith, and so can we.

Key Verses                         return to top of page
This page is not a commentary on the text, but a chance for you to express your own comments and feelings in order to gain deeper insight into your own life.

Exodus 13:17
Now when Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although it was nearer; for God said, "The people may have a change of heart when they see war, and return to Egypt".
Food for thought:
1. How would you describe the mind-set of the Israelites, considering that they may have a change of heart if they see war?
2. Why would returning to Egypt be a better alternative to the Israelites than war?
3. If you had the opportunity to step out into uncharted territory, to new experiences, a new status, would you be as fragile as the Israelites?

Exodus 14:4
Then I will stiffen Pharaoh's heart and he will pursue them, that I may assert My authority against Pharaoh and all his host; and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.
Food for thought:
1. Why does it seem so important for God to impress the Egyptians with His authority?
2. After the death of the Egyptian first-born, and having let the people go, why would God stiffen Pharaoh's heart again?
3. If God is always in the drivers seat, what reason could He have for having the Egyptians pursue the Israelites?
4. Who stiffens your heart? Is it yourself or God?

Exodus 14:10
As Pharaoh drew near, the Israelites caught sight of the Egyptians advancing upon them. Greatly frightened the Israelites cried out to the Lord.
Food for thought:
1. Moses told them that God would deliver them from the Egyptians. Why would the Israelites still be terrified?
2. How would you behave if some threat were looming before you, especially if you were told not to worry?
3. What character traits did the Israelites lack that caused them to be so frightened?

Exodus 14:21-22
Then Moses held out his arm over the sea and the Lord drove back the sea with a strong east wind all that night, and turned the sea into dry ground. The waters were split, and the Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.
Food for thought:
1. This is the ultimate episode that transformed the slaves into free people. Why do you think water was the transforming element?
2. The Egyptian army was not so lucky; they all perished.  Why do you think water can redeem and water can destroy?
3. Why do you think water was chosen as the medium of transformation?
4. Where else in the Torah does water transform or destroy?

Exodus 15:26
He said, "If you will heed the Lord your God diligently, doing what is upright in his sight, giving ear to His commandments and keeping all his laws, then I will not bring upon you any of the diseases that I brought upon the Egyptians, for I the Lord am your healer.
Food for thought:
1. What quality do you think there is about God, that he can heal?
2. Is it supernatural magic or is there some attribute of His that actually heals?
3. What kind of diseases did God bring upon the Egyptians? Is the Torah talking about physical diseases, spiritual diseases or the ten plagues?
4. Do you believe that "giving ear to His commandments and keeping all his laws" we will heal?

Exodus 16:4
And the Lord said to Moses, "I will rain down bread for you from the sky, and the people shall go out and gather each day that day's portion--that I may this test them, to see whether they will follow My instructions or not.
Food for thought:
1. What kind of bread is this? What did the Israelites call this?
2. Why does God need to design a test to prove the Israelites obedience?
3. Why would the test revolve around the command about gathering bread?
4. Do you follow God's commands? Do you need to be tested?

Exodus 16:32
This is what the Lord has commanded: Let one omer of it be kept throughout the ages, in order that you may see the bread that I fed you in the wilderness when I brought you out from the land of Egypt.
Food for thought:
1. Why is bread the object of consecration?
2. How was the bread remembered in the days of the Temple?
3. What rituals do we perform today to remember the bread?

Exodus 17:5-6
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Pass before the people; take with you some of the elders of Israel, and take along the rod with which you struck the Nile, and set out. I will be standing there before you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock and water will issue from it, and the people will drink.
Food for thought:
1. Does that rod that Moses used to strike the Nile contain any special powers? Or are the powers just in Moses' head?
2. Does this make you believe that God available to fulfill any need at any time?
3. The people were grumbling that they had no water. Do we have to grumble in order to have God hear us? Are there other ways?

Exodus 17:11
Then whenever Moses held up his hand (holding the rod of God), Israel prevailed; but whenever Moses let down his hand (when his hand got tired), Amalek prevailed.
Food for thought:
1. Does this mean that it's really God who fights and wins battles? Is it God who makes all the military decisions?
2. Amalek attacked Israel right after they left Egypt?  Who is this Amalek? Does he represent a real life enemy or is he symbolic of another kind of enemy? What kind?
3. Why can't we listen to God today to deliver our enemies as he did in biblical times? Is God capable of making peace in the Middle East? What do you think is more effective, spiritual might or military might?

Additional questions to ponder:
1. What is it about the story, a verse, a word that seems to resonate with some aspect of your life?
2. Is there something about the story that rings a bell?
3. Can you recall experiences in your life when you have experienced something similar to this story?
4. How would you describe the characters in the story? Who do you know who's like them?
5. Can you personally identify with any one of the characters in the story? Which one?
6. Can you find a similarity between yourself and all the characters in the story?
 

Reflections:
The Rabbis of old would meditate on such questions, sometimes for weeks at a time, to help find deeper meaning in the verses. You may wish to contemplate just one or a few of these questions at a time, rather than tackling them all.
In what ways we any of your responses to the questions personally meaningful?

Suggestion:
Some of the questions here are of a personal nature which in some cases could be emotionally upsetting. If so, try relaxing your body as much as possible and takes long slow breaths of air. That usually helps to relieve anxiety.

We would like to know if you find this method of Torah study particularly helpful to you. Click here to let us know
 
 

Creative Midrash on Parashat Beshallach                         return to top of page
 

Exodus 17:22-23
22On the sixth day they gathered double the amount of food, two omers for each; and when all the chieftains of the assembly came and told Moses, 23he said to them, "This is what the Lord meant: Tomorrow is a day of rest, a holy sabbath of the Lord. Bake what you would bake and boil what you would boil; and all that is left put aside to be kept until morning".

The Rabbis of old would create parables, stories and narrative connections around such selected verses. What do you see between the lines, the sentences and the letters. The following questions can provide a launch pad upon which to create your own meanings of the Torah.

Why do these rules for the Sabbath take place right after leaving Egypt? How come they gather two portions of bread on the sixth day? Why must they do the baking and boiling on the sixth day? Why must they keep the leftovers till the next day? How can you interpret these early commandments into the laws of Shabbat today? Since the sixth day is the last day of creation, how does creation play a role at the beginning of the wanderings in the desert? How does the sixth day play a role in Shabbat? How to we commemorate the the double omers today?
 

Spend some time thinking about these questions. After you mentally process them for a day or two, it could be helpful to record your conclusions in a journal. It's not important to have correct answers; it's more important to wrestle with the narrative. In time this process can teach you to change many of your unproductive thoughts and beliefs for new ones that work more effectively.