Bostoner Torah Insights: Bostoner ‘Chassidus’ in Hebrew and English: Parshas Beshalach – 17 Shvat 5784
Bostoner Torah Insights - Yerushalayim
Bostoner Torah Insights
Bostoner ‘Chassidus’ in English
Parshas Beshalach – 17 Shvat 5784
Bostoner Rebbe shlit”a – Yerushalayim
Secretariat Email: bosto...@gmail.com
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The Parsha begins, “It happened when Paro sent out the people that Elokim did not lead them by way of the land of the Plishtim, because it was close, for Elokim said, ‘Perhaps the people will regret when they see war and they will want to return to Mitzrayim’. So Elokim turned the people toward the Midbar Yam Suf…” (Shemos 13:17-18). Although Paro believed he was sending Klal Yisroel for a three day journey to serve Hashem in the desert and that they would return to Mitzrayim, the Torah attests that everything was being orchestrated by Hashem that Bnei Yisroel were headed to Eretz Yisroel, only that instead of traveling the most direct route, they would travel the long way around.
It is curious why this detail should be mentioned here so early in their journey. Yes, they had travelled from Raamsais to Sukkot, but it would appear they were still within the borders of Greater Mitzrayim. It would seem to make more sense to bring this detail up after Kriyas Yam Suf or after they had already received the Torah. However, it is clear from the Pesukim that Paro was getting reports about Bnei Yisroel’s movement and the Midrashim state explicitly that Paro sent officers to escort Bnei Yisroel.
Perhaps, the Torah is revealing that even though it was never part of the plan to return to Mitzrayim, Paro would have been suspicious that there was no plan to return if they went the direct route along the Mediterranean Sea towards Eretz Yisroel and as a consequence Paro would have chased after Bnei Yisroel to soon in their journey. Since Hashem’s masterplan was the drowning of the Egyptians in the Yam Suf to punish them measure for measure, it was necessary to take a roundabout path, which included ‘turning back’ to Pi HaChirot, in the vicinity of the idol Baal Tzaphon, by the sea. This way, when Paro would finally get the report that ‘the people had fled’ (Shemos 14:5) and had no intention of returning, it would lead him and his nation right into the trap that Hashem had prepared for them.
There are several more Pesukim in Parshas Beshalach that seem out of place or more specifically anachronistic. For example, even before we received the Torah and built an Aron to house it, Moshe instructs Aharon, “Take one jar and put a full Omer of Mann into it, place before Hashem for safekeeping for generations” (Shemos 16:33). In the next Pasuk, the Torah states that Aharon place the jar of Mann before the ‘Testimony’ for safekeeping. Moreover, the next Pasuk says that Bnei Yisroel ate Mann for 40 years until they came to the Land, which is a quite glaring, considering that this decree to wander the desert as a result of the Sin of the Meraglim will not be revealed until Parshas Shelach, about five months from now.
Another example is the mentioning of Yehoshua in the battle of Amalek, even though it would seem that his name was only changed from Hoshea to Yehoshua immediately prior to him being dispatched as a spy, also in Parshas Shlach. One final example in the Song by the Sea, “the Sanctuary, Hashem, that Your hands established” in past tense, even though the Mishkan and Beis HaMikdash have not yet come into being. Similarly, אז ישיר משה ‘Az Yashir Moshe’, in the future tense, as Rashi explains, alludes to Techiyas HaMasim when Moshe will sing in the future.
It is clear from Parshas Beshalach that the Torah is not a storybook sprinkled with several hundred laws and rules. There is no concern of ‘spoiler alerts’ or ruined plot twists or suspected errors by the author. The Torah Sh’Bichtav is not a play, or a film, or anything else other than the Torah Sh’Bichtav whose purpose is to be used together with Torah Sh’B’Al Peh to provide us with Emunah in Hashem and an understanding of how Hashem wants us to serve him here in Olam HaZeh.
One final thought I would like to share is from the Beis Yisroel who cites R’ Simcha Bunim of Peshischa. The Pasuk states, “Miriam spoke to them, ‘Sing to Hashem for He is exalted above the arrogant’…” (Shemos 15:21). Rashi tells us that Moshe led the song for the men and Miriam led the song for the women, however, the Torah uses the masculine להם ‘Lahem’ to refer to the women that Miriam spoke to. The Beis Yisroel explains that at Yam Suf the men and women were all on the same equal level of prophecy and one should not think that there was a difference between the levels of spirituality and prophecy reached by each member of Klal Yisroel.
May it be the will of Hashem that the time will speedily come when Moshe will once again lead us in song with the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeynu.
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