Shabbos Parshas Beshallach - 5778

Shabbos Parshas Beshallach - 5778 Rabbi Hal Miller

It happened when Pharaoh sent the people that G-d did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, because it was near, for G-d said, "Perhaps the people will reconsider when they see a war, and they will return to Egypt." [Shemos 13:17]

I hope you studied. This is a parshah full of tests. Some were passed, some not. The tests were mostly for the Children of Israel, but some were specifically for Moshe Rabbeinu, and there is even one for HaKadosh Baruch Hu Himself!

What is a "test" in this context? In the words of HaKesav VeHaKabalah, "a trial forces one to make active use of inner strengths that have lain dormant, in order to overcome one's weaknesses." We know from Avraham's story that a test is a way for G-d to teach us a lesson. He knows, obviously, whether we will pass or not. He knows what we are capable of doing, and only gives us trials that are within our individual and national abilities, although always designed to stretch us in ways we didn't think we could manage.

Abarbanel asks, "In what way was G-d testing them by giving them a daily portion of food? This was no test, but an act of kindness." Nachshoni then explains, "At first glance, this does not seem such a difficult question.

Sometimes kindness can be a trial as well, when it tests whether the recipient knows how to use kindness offered him for the proper purpose." This category covers the manna and quail, and the sweetening of the waters at Marah. All these were kindnesses from G-d, for which the nation was required to show gratitude and faith in His power.

Another category of test involves the taking of action, based on faith. Stepping out into the Sea of Reeds, and then into the Wilderness, were of this group. All that they "knew" was behind them, nothing ahead fit into their comfort zones, but G-d commanded them to go, so go they did.

How can we humans "test" G-d? Does this even make sense? In 17:2, the Children of Israel put Him to trial, specifically to see whether He was going to stick by them. The Torah seems to consider this a valid action. Obviously, G-d will "pass" any test. It thus makes sense to re-cast the situation: the Children of Israel were uncertain whether they still warranted G-d's protection, after they had failed under the burdens He had been giving them in the earlier tests. In fact, here the people were really testing their own faith.

Interestingly, our pasuk here covers a "non-test", if you will. G-d decided NOT to put the nation to trial in this way, knowing as He does what the result would be. This is perhaps the first proof in the Torah that He will not give us a test that we cannot pass. The important lesson to be learned from this is that no matter how difficult things may appear in front of us, He gave us this situation for us to grow from, and that it is entirely within our ability to proceed through to learn the lesson. On pasuk 17:2, Rav Hirsch says, "A man can only do, and is only to do his part, i.e., all that G-d expects him to do for this object, and is to depend on G-d for the result being a sufficiency."

Rav Hirsch continues, "Nisa means either to test, prove, examine somebody or something, or to habituate, to practice. All practicing, all habituating is nothing but the 'trying out' of a force to accomplish something which up to the present has not, or has not efficiently been accomplished."

This coming week we celebrate Tu B'Shevat. It is also Shabbos Shira. At the end of the sidra we read Parshas Amalek (describing the dastardly attack by Amalek and his nation against the weak of the Jews) plus the commandment to destroy completely Amalek wherever we may find him. What do these mean, and how do they tie in to the idea of tests and trials?

Yaakov had planted cedars along the road as he relocated to Egypt. Now these trees were available, in the desert, to his descendants. Apparently the road Yaakov had traveled did not follow the shortest route, through Philistia, but mirrored the path that G-d would eventually lead the nation along. The trees provided shade, and materials, during the journey that forged the nation. All they needed, G-d provided, ensuring the people would be able to pass the test, even if they didn't understand it at first. Where possible, He provides without "miracles", thus He provided Yaakov.

The "shira" was sung after the miracle of the splitting of sea but just BEFORE the nation stepped off into the desert. They knew at this point that there was no going back. They knew the road ahead went into the vast expanse of "nothingness", yet with a demonstration of faith in G-d, they sang of their gratitude, then moved ahead.

Most commentators tie our pasuk with the last portion of this week's sidra, the battle with Amalek. They describe the emotional state of the nation as they left Egypt as being incapable of standing up to a war. Ramban differentiates, referring to our pasuk as involving Israel bringing war to other nations, but Amalek bringing war to Israel. In the former case, the people would prefer to return to Egypt, but in the latter, since Amalek acted out of pure hatred, the Israelites would have been pursued right into Egypt and killed there--no getting away, so return was useless. The test now involved whether the people would maintain their faith and confront Amalek. Would they trust in Him to do battle, or give in, thinking they had no chance against the stronger enemy?

When faced with "unnecessary" war, would we have the strength to carry through today? Conversely, when faced with war we cannot avoid, is there any question about our willingness to tackle it? The choice is the death or slavery pressed upon us, or faith in G-d and pursuing our real path. This applies to all the tests in life. He gives us the means to succeed.