Overview of the Weekly Reading,
Beshalach Shabbat Shira; Tu
b'Shvat To be read on Shabbat Beshalach - 15 Shvat 5767 /February
3, 2007
Exodus 13:17-17:16;
Haftorah: Judges 4:4-5:31 (Song
of Devorah / Song by the Sea) Beshalach, 4th out of 11 in
Exodus, 16th overall, 17th out of 54 in overall length. Beshalach
opens with the Jews taking Yosef's remains with them upon leaving Egypt. G-d split
the Red Sea for the Jews to pass through, but the waters fell on the Egyptians
drowning them. Moshe and the Jews sang a song of praise to G-d for this miracle.
Also, Miriam and the women sang and played music. In the desert, the Jews reached
a place where the waters were too bitter to drink. G-d showed Moshe a tree which
sweetened the water. The Jews complained that they
didn't have meat to eat. G-d gave the Jews quail and manna to eat. The manna could
not last overnight and on Shabbat it did not fall; instead Friday's portion for
each Jew was double. An urn was filled with manna which would last for all generations.
Again, the Jews complained about lack of water. G-d told Moshe to hit a certain
rock with his staff, and it would bring forth water. The Amalekite nation attacked
the Jews. Yehoshua fought them, and as long as Moshe's arms were raised, the Jews
victory was assured. With G-d's help, the Jews are required to obliterate Amalek.
FROM
THE MASTERS OF KABBALA (K:1667/Beshalach)
From the holy
Zohar, teachings of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai
(Z:1667/Beshalach) Accordingly,
in the spiritual dimension, Shabbat (bina) gives blessing to the "days"
(Zeir Anpin) that follow it. However, on the physical plane, all the days
of the week (corresponding to Zeir Anpin) prepare for Shabbat (which in
our world is malchut) which elevates and sanctifies them. So, in reality,
there is no disagreement between the Talmudic Sages and the Sages of the Zohar For
the full article, click to the "Weekly Holidays" section on our KabbalaOnline
site. * * * * * From
the holy Ari, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria of Safed
(A:1667/Beshalach)
According to the Midrash, it was Joseph's bones
that the sea saw and "fled", i.e. retreated on either side, leaving
a dry path for the Jews to use to cross. It was because Joseph fled when he was
tempted by Potiphar's wife that the sea now fled before him.
(Bereishit Rabbah
87:8) For
the full article, click to the "Weekly Holidays" section on our KabbalaOnline
site. * * * * * From
Rabbi Moshe Alshich (S:1667/Beshalach)
Since
there is a mystical element in the heavenly food manna, the meaning of 'tenth'
is a reference to those mystical properties. Similar considerations underlie the
10 words in Psalms 104:14, describing the process resulting in the production
of bread. Also the 10 words in the benediction recited over bread are based on
the 10 stages of the process. For this reason, we place our 10 fingers on the
bread when reciting the benediction. For
the full article, click to the "Weekly Torah" section on our KabbalaOnline
site.
FROM
THE CHASSIDIC REBBES (V:1667/Beshalach) "See,
G-d has given you Shabbat." (16:29) The joy and happiness that
one feels on Shabbat is in direct proportion to the effort expended in preparation
during the previous six days. For, indeed, it states in the Talmud, "He who
takes pains on Friday will eat on Shabbat." This is what is meant by "G-d
has given you Shabbat" - G-d has given you the ability to determine the amount
of holiness and pleasure you will feel on Shabbat. (Likutei Torah)
(from L'Chaim #806)
A
MYSTICAL CHASSIDIC DISCOURSE from
the Chabad Master series, produced by
Rabbi Yosef Marcus for www.ascentofsafed.com
and www.kabbalaonline.org
MOSHIACH
THIS WEEK (M:1667/Beshalach) Beshalach Our
Sages tell us that the Jewish people will sing a total of ten songs of praise
to G-d. Nine songs have already been sung throughout Jewish history; the tenth
song will be sung when Mashiach comes. For each of the first nine songs, the Torah
uses the feminine form of the word "song" which is "shira."
The song of redemption is referred to in the masculine, "shir."
Why the difference? All previous redemptions were followed by exile once again
they were not permanent. This is like a woman who gives birth. After experiencing
the pain of birth, she finally is rewarded with a child. With her next pregnancy,
she once again labors and is again "rewarded" with a child. So too with
each redemption; the Jewish people suffer and then are redeemed. The final redemption,
however, will be permanent, never to be followed by another exile. At that time
we will sing the tenth song (shir), the song of redemption.
(from Discover
Moshiach) Tu b'Shvat Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai used to
say: "If there is a plant in your hand when they say to you: 'Behold, the
Mashiach!' - go and plant the seedling, and afterward go out to greet him."
(from L'Chaim #806)
An
essay from Rabbi Shaul Yosef Leiter, director of Ascent
(for a free weekly email subscription, click
here) (W:1667/Beshalach)
"In the third month after
the departure of the children of Israel from the land of Egypt, on this day, they
arrived in the desert of Sinai." (Ex.20:13) Rashi asks why the
verse emphasizes "this day". "This" teaches that the
Torah should be new for us each day, as though given to us now. Rabbi Hillel of
Paritch asks how we can do this, answering with the Rambam's question: Why did
Moses write the Torah in 3rd person - "And G-d said to Moses", as opposed
to "And I [G-d] said to Moses"? It appears that neither G-d nor
Moses is relaying the Torah. So who is? In truth, G-d is doing the telling, but
at a level that supercedes any of His names. A name implies a relationship
with someone else. The name "G-d" refers to His relationship with us
and the world. Yet there is a level of G-d, His Essence, that is higher even than
any name. This is the Source of all. It is a level that we know of but cannot
describe. The Torah emanates from this lofty level of G-dliness. For this reason
the Torah was written in 3rd person. From that perspective, the Divine Essence
speaks about a lower divine level called "G-d". When we constantly
remind ourselves that the ultimate source of the Torah is higher than the world,
then it will always be fresh to us. When we are learning Torah or even choosing
a teacher or a school for our children, our real question should be: "Will
our children come out not only knowing Torah, but knowing Who gave it also?"
The Rebbe Rayatz wrote that the giving of the Torah is connected to fire,
as it says, "...the Lord descended upon it with fire" (Ex. 19:18).
This teaches us that we can and must imbue every aspect of Jewish life with warmth
and enthusiasm. Rebbe Yechiel Michel of Zlotchov explains this verse in
a different way: The Hebrew word for "month", "chodesh",
can also be understood as the word for "renewal", "chadash".
The term for"land of Egypt", "eretz Mitzrayim" can
be translated as "narrow land", "eretz metzarim", referring
to our evil inclination. The word "day" refers to a positive intellectual
orientation, as opposed to night, which is darkness and ignorance. Jews
have three means of expressing their connection to G-d: thought, speech, and most
importantly, deed. Now the verse can be read: When we "renew" our "third"
faculty, action, by fulfilling the commandments, we redeem ourselves out of a
personal Egypt which is the Evil Inclination, and create a positive intellectual
attitude to help us arrive at Sinai to receive the Torah - in the present! Today
people go on vacations all over the world. (One family vacationed in a space shuttle,
but the mother-in-law complained the entire time that there was no atmosphere...).
In Europe, a Chassid customarily traveled to his Rebbe at holidays for extended
periods of time to reinvigorate and revitalize his connection to Judaism. A
famous Chassid, R' Yechiel Meir returned home after a long Shavuos sojourn in
Kotzk at his Rebbe. His father-in-law, who was not of the Chassidic persuasion,
critically asked him, 'You Chassidim, did you receive the Torah in a different
way then all the rest of us Jews?' R' Yechiel Meir answered, 'Of course. I will
give you an example. How do you understand the 8th commandment, 'Do not steal'
(20/13)?' His father-in-law answered, 'Don't steal from others'. R' Yechiel Meir
responded that in Kotzk they explain it as, 'Do not steal from yourself'.'
Don't fool yourself by imagining you are on a level higher than you really are.
'And G-d came down onto Mt. Sinai' ( 19/20). The Medrash says that
Mt. Sinai was the chosen location for giving the Torah because it was the smallest
of all mountains. The Kotzker Rebbe says that, in this case, 'small' refers to
humility and not actual physical stature. But if being humble is so laudable,
why not give the Torah in a valley? Yet a valley symbolizes someone with no good
attributes, and therefore has nothing to admire or be haughty about. The real
challenge is to be a mountain--have good characteristics--and despite this remain
small--humble. 'Remember the day of Shabbos and sanctify it' (20/8). Rashi
writes that to 'remember' means that when we obtain a special delicacy during
the week, we should save it for Shabbos. The Rebbe explains that every day we
are obligated to remember Shabbos and to begin our Shabbos preparations even from
Sunday. The era of Mashiach is also called 'Shabbos' as it says, 'An eternal day
that is all Shabbos and rest'. Just as we are prepare for Shabbos from Sunday,
so too is it incumbent upon us during these last days of the exile, to constantly
remember and prepare for the redemption. Start preparing for Mashiach's arrival
by increasing in acts of goodness and kindness-TODAY! Shabbat Shalom,
Shaul P.S. Please also read my weekly Shabbat Law,
below.
(for a free weekly email subscription, click
here)
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