PARSHAT BESHALACH/SHABBAT SHIRA - HAVE TO BE IN FOR THE LONG HAUL

[TorahZionist]

BS"D

YESHIVAT HARA'AYON HAYEHUDI
Jerusalem, Israel
HaRav Yehuda Kreuser SHLIT"A, Rosh Yeshiva

PARSHAT BESHALACH/SHABBAT SHIRA
12 Shvat 5768/18-19January 2008


HAVE TO BE IN FOR THE LONG HAUL

Now, finally, after being in Egypt 210 years, enslaved some 85 years -
under totally unspeakable conditions - the Jewish people were leaving.
Daily, the Jews cried out to their G-d to save them from the hand of
Pharaoh, daily Jewish children were slaughtered in front of their horrified
parents, daily the Jews were crushed under the yoke of Egypt. From early
morning to late at night the Jews buckled under the heavy hand of the
non-stop work. But now it was all over, the Egyptians were crushed, their
economy ruined and tens of thousands were left dead after the latest plague.

Finally, the long awaited redemption was at hand. The Jews were marching
out; soon they would be coming to the Holy Land The redemption that was
handed down from tradition from the earliest of times, promised to Abraham,
to his son Isaac and latter to Jacob and his children, now was at hand.
Every day, the Jewish people would raise their eyes heavenward saying: We
believe in perfect faith in Hashem, that He will redeem the Jewish people,
and now it was finally here.

But, lo and behold, the Jewish people, loaded down with more gold and
silver than they could carry, began to return to Egypt, the very place that
they wanted to leave! "Hashem spoke to Moses saying, Speak to the Children
of Israel and let them turn back and encamp before Pi-hahiroth.". This was
done to throw off Pharaoh and company into thinking that the Jews had lost
their way, and caused him to chase after the Jewish people. But at this
point, the Jews did not know this and could not understand why, after
leaving Egypt, they were heading back.

Finally, the redemption process continues, and after having one of the
greatest miracles of all time happen - the splitting of the Reed Sea - the
Jews were busy picking up the precious stones and gold spit out by the sea,
which in fact, were worth more than all the gold and silver that they took
when they left Egypt. Things could not have looked any better! Soon, they
would be in the complete redemption in the Promised Land.

But, lo and behold - once again, a major setback. Just three days after
this great miracle, there is no water to drink. The entire congregation of
Israel was in grave danger. Who can live without water, how long could they
survive? Just when things were looking so good and the Holy Land was within
reach, there's no water to drink.

And still the process goes on. After journeying for a few weeks, another
major crisis arises - no food. All the food which they had taken out of
Egypt was finally eaten up. And now, just when things where looking so good
and the complete redemption process was within their grasp - now this - a
food shortage.

And so it went time and time again. The Jews who left Egypt might have
thought they would, by some magic carpet, be picked up and taken to the Land
of Israel. But this was not to be, not the way of Hashem in the redemption
process, but rather, a well-traveled road, with many obstacles along the
way.

So, too, in our days, in the Redemption process that we are in the midst
of. Some mistakenly believe that it will be a process of the "magic carpet
ride", when all of our problems will disappear in a moment. Not so, as the
process that we are in today testifies. It is a road full of turbulence, of
turns and uncertainties. Of ups and downs - all of this is the way of the
natural Redemption process that we are in. The Gra writes that in this
process, there must be difficulties in order to proceed. The Rambam adds
that there is no difference between Redemption times and regular times,
except having our own rule. This means that all known laws will continue as
before.

This, then, must be the lesson of the redemption from Egypt: Not to
despair of the long road ahead of us. Know that it will be a road full of
trials and tribulations, but it is the only road open for the Jewish people,
and the ones who are waiting for the magic carpet, had better just roll it
up and head for higher ground.

With love of Israel,
Levi Chazen


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