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This
Shabbat is called Shabbat Shira by our rabbis because
of the song which Moses wrote after the crossing of the
Red Sea. The haftarah portion also has Deborah's song,
both of which sing praises to the G-d of Israel.
Our
rabbis argue about the meaning of the word Beshallach
xlsb which they say has a different
connotation and actually means "he expelled them"
(G-d finally has shown Pharaoh who is in control, and
His request to let His people go became a reality!). The
last plague was finally too much for him to bear and he
threw us out. We see however that his heart was still
hardened because he quickly sent 600 of his best chariots
and his army after them. He wanted his Hebrew slaves back.
There could have been about 1800 Egyptians chasing after
them while Israel had 600,000 fully armed men over 20.
There was no way that the Egyptians could have defeated
them so why were they so afraid? Have you ever stopped
to think about all the little things that you are afraid
of? These things represent your personal "Egypt".
How many of us walk as free people in His Name and yet
we live our lives as if we were slaves in Egypt; slaves
to our past?
Why
did G-d choose to take us on a much longer route so that
we would not have to wage war against the Philistines?
It would only have been an eleven day walk. It said that
He did not want us to lose heart. When Pharaoh saw that
we were headed North instead of South, he thought that
we were lost and he saw his chance to recapture his prey.
G-d however wanted to finish Pharaoh off once and for
all to show His power and might to all nations including
Israel.
There
are ten times that Israel complains against G-d in the
parashot with six times occurring in Beshallach. The first
is at the crossing of the Red Sea Exodus 14:10-12 where
G-d miraculously parts the Sea. The second is Exodus 15:
24 where they murmured against Moses because the water
was bitter until Moses throws in a piece of wood. The
third is Exodus 16: 2-3 where they complained that they
would die of hunger and G-d sends them, quail. The fourth
is Exodus 16: 20 when they were disobedient after G-d
told them to gather only enough manna for their family
for one day. Instead many horded and kept it overnight
and it bred worms. The fifth was 16: 27 where G-d orders
us not to gather manna on the Sabbath but to gather a
double portion on Shabbat. Some of the people still disobeyed
and went out on the Shabbat seeking it and found none.
The sixth is found in Exodus 17:2-3 where our people murmured
that there was no water at their camp at Refidim. Here
G-d provides the water from the rock for them.
All
these complaints ending with the 10 spies takes place
in the first year and one half after they left Egypt.
It is within the first three months that Moses receives
the 10 Commandments and the Hebrews sin with the golden
calf. The last straw was the incident with the spies and
it is after this that G-d tells them that this generation
would die in the desert and it is their children that
will enter the Promised Land. G-d was ready to exterminate
them and to build another people from Moses but he intervened
for them begging G-d to save them and erase his name from
the Sefer ha Chaim (the Book of Life). (Ex 33:10ff)
The parashah ends with the war with the Amalekites with
Joshua holding up the arms of Moses. When his arms were
held up, we were winning; when his arms fell, we would
lose. This scenario is similar to the bronze serpent on
the pole later on. These are allegorical teachings that
when we look up to G-d, we will win life's battles and
when we rely on ourselves while fighting our battles,
we will lose.
So
what is the basic teaching in all this? First of all,
we obviously could not save ourselves from Egypt. G-d
did it and didn't ask us how to do it. He never asked
us to approve of his methods. He is also not pleased with
our complaining. If we are blessed to have our spiritual
eyes opened by the Creator of the universe, the least
we can do is have an attitude of gratitude. After we left
Egypt we read the song of Moses which includes "mi
kamocha"…a song of praise saying "who is
like You? Instead of living in fear of tomorrow, give
Him praise and thanksgiving today. He will take care of
our tomorrows.
In
so many ways, our Messiah Yeshua did what Moses did. He
gives us direction in the wilderness of this world and
provides a place for us in the "olam ha bah"
the world to come. Our Mashiach did something new….he
opened the door to the gentiles, the ger who he receives
with open arms. When our people say that they teach the
truth about the G-d of Israel and tell us that the ger
do not need to keep the Torah, only the Noahide laws,
they are changing the Word of G-d. On the other hand,
when gentiles come to believe in Jesus the Jewish Messiah,
they do not have a right to create a new religion and
then try to convert us to that religion.
We
simply are being disobedient when we don't obey the Truth
of Torah. We need to be humble as Moses was before G-d
and be willing to respond to His calling on our lives.
When we stop and listen for His voice and obey, there
is no conflict, no fear.
These
days are similar to the days in the book of Judges when
there was no ruler in Israel. There is no leader and no
one is accountable. These are the days before the return
of the Messiah. In this small community, allow yourself
to belong to the community. Are you ready to allow El
Shaddai to take your fears and to guide you to the Promised
Land?
May
G-d add blessings to His Word!
Rabbi
Percy Johnson
Netanel
ben Yochanan
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©
2008 Use by Permission
Kehilat
She’ar Yashuv
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