Parsha thoughts from Rivkie

Insight on Parshas Beshalach,

The sea was ready to split but was waiting for action from man, and it says in Parshas beshalach " and Moshe stretched out his arm over the water...and the sea split.

Reb Moshe Teitelbaum of Ujhel explains: Hashem performs miracles only after man puts in his own effort.

In program (OA)  we must do the action in order to get the miracle.





Another insight I thought would be appropirate



When Klal Yisrael left Mitzrayim after Pharaoh finally relented, it would have seemed logical for them to take the shortest possible route to reach Eretz Yisrael. For many reasons Hashem took them on a much longer, circuitous route through uninhabited land in the desert. The Netziv in Haamek Davar explains that when Hashem took His beloved children out of bondage, He didn't lead them to their new destination through Eretz Plishtim not because he was afraid they would turn back, Rather, the reasoning was "ki karov hu" because it was too close to their slave experience in Mitzrayim. The journey to Eretz Yisroel via that route would have taken ten days, too short a time span for them to make the leap from their slave mentality to the unique characteristic which would differentiate them from all the other nations of the world-namely, that they would be an "am l'vadad yishkon" (bamidbar 23:9),

a nation separate and apart from all others, worthy recipients of the Torah whose total Emunah in hashem would never waver.

In order for Klal Yisroel to make the necessary inner transformation, Hashem had to re-route them and take them via the long. difficult path through the desert. The desert experience was essential for their spriritual growth, as it provided time and distance from who and where they were when they were redeemed. This presented them with the opportunity to develop a special relationship with Hakadosh Baruch Hu. Only extraordinary experiences and miracles would teach them that Hashem not only saves His followers from destruction, but also sustains them, day in day out, under any and all conditions and circumstances. THis was the purpose of the wandering through the wilderness and the meaning of the detour that Hashem now made them take.

There is an important and timeless lesson to be learned from this. Often we are faced with circumstances that dictate our choices, compelling us to the follow the longer, more difficult route. Our human limitations may not allow us to recognize the benefits of that route as compared with the shorter, easier way. But so often it is only via that route that we can cultivate real trasformation in ourselves and our relationship with Hashem. And we can rest assured that Hashem is with us on our journey, as long as we yearn to do the right thing and place our trust in Him.

From BInah Magazine written by Tzipi Diamond