Parshah - Beshalach

The mitzva regarding this Parsha is the first time we hear about Shabbat. Specifically here we have the mitzva as to not traveling??

This is a parsha that talks about freedom, about liberation. It's also about Pharaohs being angry because he let the Israelites go.

By the way this Parsha means: Pharaoh let them go. Meaning, when Pharoh sent the Nation away. Therefore, many commentaries dwell on this nation. Why does it say this?? It seems it gives credentials to Pharaoh instead God, or even Moses.

How does the name of this parsha gives us our mitzvah??? Sages said it can we understood in 2 ways. If we continue reading, the same parsha tells us that God did not take them directly to Israel, because they may want to turn away if they would face war. Due to thus, God take them on a circular route, a different one, confusing them as to the way back to Egypt.

The Medrash tell us that there was a group of jews who calculated wrongly the time of redemption and face war. Midrash says that this are the bones of the tribe of Eprahim, the one that the prophet brought back to life and were killed by their wrong interpretation.

Because of this, the ppl still felt that the own Pharoh, that it was him who let them go. In their mind they still felt it was due to him. So they weren't yet truly free. Ultimately, if the Jewish ppl would go in the direct route, also that would turn Moses a liar. He said he wasn't going away, but that he was going out of Egypt only to worship....therefore, this second reason is giving in order to make their heads, or Moses head clean.

Anyway, we are left with this idea that the Jewish people still had this connection with slavery. They perceived themselves as slaves, they even felt they were there because it was an order from Pharoh himself. They felt they were free as long as Pharoh told them. It is not that they did not believe in him, in God, but their faith was still weak --- that's why at tiniest problem they want to go back.

Once they pass this rock / narrated in the Misdrash, a narrow path/ there, there was freedom. It was at this point, when they saw the army of Pharoh after them that the Jewish started to cry out to God. Their natural default is to PRAY!! When things go wrong, we instantly go back into PRAYER! This, is therefore, the profession of our ancestors. We see this with Abraham, Issac, Jacob, etc.

The see is in front, mountains behind and the army just a breath away. What can this people do?? PRAY. But for Rashi they didnt just pray, it something in their genetics. Genetics says that if something has been done for generation, then children would be predisposed to study Torah. They starting to Doven, pray. The patriarchs develop this genetics.

Why were they praying? Because actually they thought, believed that God could help them.

But God already told them that things were going to work out! They thing was that their faith was still weak!

But them everything changed: The things that this people saw when they were crossing the Red Sea, not even one prophet before Jesus saw. They saw God, they didn't see plagues, or even just Moses, they saw godliness. Of course, this will be nothing in comparison with Mount Sion, but this indeed helped them to increased their faith: THEY BELIEVED IN GOD AND THEY BELIEVED IN MOSES!! Walking through the Red Sea made their faith strong! It is at this point that the Torah says that they believed (Exodus 14:31) first mentioned of this.

They went without a thing to eat. You have to trust God and Moses in order to flee from a country without a thing to eat. Each day, the miracle of feeding the entire nation was amazing!!!! INCREDIBLE!!!

This was a very positive addition, a new level of faith. After, this the parting of the Red Sea, they believed that is going to happen this promise of God of taking us to the promised Land.

The torah says, the NATIONS SAW, everybody sees the same, but when it comes to believing it says THEY BELIEVED! Believing is more personally. How were they moved and affected?? It depends on the person. However, everybody was affected. All of them, according to their own level, were infused by this.

Eveyone sang in UNISOM, they sang together but they said it to the point that it sounded like ONE VOICE.

Moses composed this song and taught it to the Jewish people. All of them responded, all of them said: let us sing to God.

He is the faithful Shepard! Referring to Moses, the Shepard of Faith, he brought about faith.

So we have the Jewish, starting with a weak faith, they pray in moments when there is no reason...and they evolved, passing through the Red Sea and finally, Moses inspiring even more with this amazing Song, that so was pleasing to God that it will be sang again (this or was it Miriams song) at the end of times, when Messiahs comes.

Then...after all this in chapter 16, we find that Israel is again complaining....God says to Moses in verse 16:4 : Ill give you Bread from heaven, and you have to collect it.

REASON FOR THE MANNA: In order for God to test them and see whether or not they will FOLLOW HIS INSTRUCTIONS.

Jews are not eating because they are hungry, but it has to be with testing them. Their strength are being tested, so they can raised themselves up.

Tests serves us, because God wants to see that our inner self is revealed! and our faith is strengthen. You studied a material, now a test. WHAT WAS THIS TEST ABOUT??? Will they follow or obey my Torah!!!! Gosh what and important test they went through.....

To see if they were going to follow the way of the Torah....WOW.....Im scared for this generation, will they follow the instructions....

They had 2 instructions we regard to the Manna:

1) Eat the manna for each day, go an pick it just enough.

2) On the six day collect also for the sabbath.

What's wrong with leaving food over?? What can be wrong with that?? The Sages tell us that the issue was: Do we trust God implicitly?? Leaving food today, meant we got lucky today, leave food just in case tomorrow we are not. It's a matter of faith! It is suggesting we should live that way. The Balshelton lived like a Jew in the desert...trusting God every single day!

Okey, even if food doesn't fall from Heaven today, them we are still called to trust him daily!

The Jewish people became the paradigm for all the future generations as to trusting God. I am truly grateful for the faith!

There were two level to this test:

1) Eat wat is necessary for each day, do not getting extra for tomorrow!

2) On Shabbath we need to rest. Af if we have nothing left to do! Completly surrounded to God.

Holy work counts as a good thing we can do on Shabbath!

It is not enough that we do not collect that day. God wants to do what we do with this day???

Manna represents all the things that come from God to us.

From this we learn how we are supposed to keep the Sabbath today. Many say, if I don't work on Sabbath then i wont make a living, but God says don't! In this we are tested!

The Manna is the mean that becomes what shows us that we trust God. If we keep the Shabbath, the Shabbath keeps us.

The way we have our bread, is commemorating this gathering of the Mana!

When Shabbath comes we REST!!!

When we seat at a Shabbath table, we have 2 loads of bread, representing this, the DOUBLE PORTION! Even if we are not going to eat it all.

When you make a braha we make it over one! and it is one that we cut only. The Midrash tells us that on Shabbath everthing is DOUBLE. It is like having a double vision!