CHOCHMAS NASHIM: B’SHALACH: #EMUNAHGORERETEMUNAH
By: Suri Davis
The Jews exit Eypt in last week’s torah portion. They are now approach the Red Sea and the Egyptians are chasing after them. Moshe tells them to stand there and see G-d’s miracle, but there was a disconnect, which G-d clarified by saying “Moshe, why are you standing there, move forward towards the water.” This is not the time to stand still, this is the time to act. This is an act of faith. Move forward as commanded. They were reluctant to move forward until Caleb jumped into the water and revealed to the Israelites that the sea would split for them (after Moshe touched it with his staff). Test of faith…
After the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, the waters came and drowned the Egyptians, and the Israelites sang praise to G-d, which starts with the statement that “they believed in G-d and in Moses his servant.” Didn’t the Jews show their faith in G-d by taking a lamb, the G-d of the Egyptians and tying it to their bed, cooking it in open spits, eating it and placing the blood on their doorposts in anticipation of redemption? Yes they did, but their faith was not secure until they saw the method in which G-d drowned the Egyptians, i.e., those who were kinder to the Jews had a quick painless death, while those who tortured the Jews had a slow painful death. When the Jews recognized this differentiation, they believed in G-ds omniscience and omnipotence, which sealed their faith, or so it seemed.
Miriam and the women were so confident in G-d’s redemption, they brought with them from Egypt, musical instruments so they could dance in praise of G-d’s miracles.
G-d creates this miraculous food in the desert, Mon. The Jews were directed to have faith and collect a double portion of Mon on Fridays so they could have for Shabbos. Spoiler: they tried collecting mon on Shabbos, and the birds at the mon, to prevent the Jews from sinning. So much for faith. AS A RESULT, this Friday, we have a custom of feeding the birds before Shabbos.
The Jews complain about water, they get it.
The nation of Amalek start war against the Jews, Moshe puts his hands up to remind the battling Jews to look up to heaven, have faith in G-d, so they can win their battle. They do.
The challenges of faith/Emunah are summarized in one word during the battle of Amalek.
וִידֵ֤י מֹשֶׁה֙ כְּבֵדִ֔ים וַיִּקְחוּ־אֶ֛בֶן וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ תַחְתָּ֖יו וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב עָלֶ֑יהָ וְאַהֲרֹ֨ן וְח֜וּר תָּֽמְכ֣וּ בְיָדָ֗יו מִזֶּ֤ה אֶחָד֙ וּמִזֶּ֣ה אֶחָ֔ד וַיְהִ֥י יָדָ֛יו אֱמוּנָ֖ה עַד־בֹּ֥א הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃
But Moses’ hands grew heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur, one on each side, supported his hands; thus his hands remained steady until the sun set.
The hands of Moshe were Emunah, translated as steady, but we know the word emunah generally is defined as faith. The hands grew heavy, and were supported heavenward to remind the Jews to look to heaven for salvation.
This is a major transitional point in ur history. As I wrote last week, the Torah does not explicitly reveal to us the torture the Jews underwent during their centuries of slavery. Everything they ate, was by their own hand, and everything they built was by their own hand.
Then G-d’s hand took them out of Egypt, with great miracles they left slavery, and for forty years G-d fed them, gave them water, protected them in war. A move from their own hands and grit, to a pendulum swing of total reliance on G-d for sustenance in the desert. Towards the goal of getting the laws of the Torah on Mt. Sinai and ultimately balancing life as farmers and G-d’s servants, a partnership, in Israel, our homeland
This week, millions watched the Superbowl. The 49ers scored first with 3 points, Then the score became 10-0 49ers. Then 20-10 49ers at half time. Kansas City came back in the second half with 20 points and beat the 49ers 30-20. When the Kansas City quarterback was asked how he did this feat against a great team, he said one word, faith.
I have coined a new phrase, based on a famous Jewish phrase. My new motto is Emunah Goreret Emunah/Faith Begets Faith, i.e., that when we view life through the prism of G-d’s hand, and we recognize all, whether it appears good or bad, is from G-d, then he reveals more miracles to us and more, in our daily lives, we just have to see them through our faith prism.
As to challenges in life, I went to a rabbi this week with a friend of mine who was getting a brachah. The brachah he gave to her was Samchenu Kiymot Enetanu/G-d should give us joy in the same measure as he gives us pain. (Psalms 90). It is our hope and our faith that as we have been in exile for thousands of years, G-d brings us Moshiach/Messiah and returns us to His homeland and provides us with joy in at least the measure of our pain of exile.
Shabbat shalom.
-Suri