Ex. 13:17-17:16
Précis: And when Pharaoh “had
let them go” (b’shalach), the story of the Exodus from Egypt is almost
concluded. Carrying with them the bones of Joseph and the “spoils
of Egypt,” Moses leads the Israelites by way of the Red (or Reed) Sea. They
cross the sea ahead of Pharaoh’s pursuing army, which subsequently drowns in
the returning waters. Moses sings his triumphant Song of the Sea, and Miriam’s
song of joy follows. The Israelites begin to murmur against Moses and Aaron
because of a lack of food and water. God provides heavenly “manna” to eat and
provides water as well. The Shabbat is introduced as a day of rest, even before
it appears in the Ten Commandments. In their first battle, led by Joshua
against Amalek, the Israelites are successful as long as Moses’ hands remain in
the air, and with the help of Aaron and Hur (who support Moses’ arms), they
prevail.
Ex. 13:17-18 “Now when Pharaoh let the
people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines,
although it was nearer....so God led the people round-about, by way of the
wilderness...”
JTS Chancellor Arnold Eisen has made note of a
connection between this week’s opening verse and Revelation at Sinai, which we
will encounter next week. (JTS, 1/30/15).
God did not take the direct route, lest the People lose courage. God accommodates human needs, perceptions, and fears. The connection between
divine strategy and human foibles is underlined by the similar sound of the two
key words in the passage: God naham (led them) lest Israel yinahem (regret, change heart
[Gen. 13:17]).
The Sages had much to say about this notion of divine accommodation. The very
language of our Torah accommodates human understanding through human metaphors
which describe God. God by definition is outside of our understanding. Heschel
taught that the most common words of Torah, “God said” and “God spoke” are the
most difficult words for humans to understand.
The Sages developed a most significant principle: “Torah is written in human
language.” The language of Torah must be understood by indirect means, in
roundabout methods, just like the Israelites leaving Egypt.
This parasha presents some of the most difficult theological issues with which
we, as Jews, must wrestle. God has given imperfect human beings free will, and
even dominion over nature. We are not puppets on God’s strings. Yet, the Torah
insists that God is directly involved in history, perhaps no more notably than
in this week’s reading of crossing the Sea. On another hand, God’s
intervention in human affairs is incomplete and unpredictable. We are commanded
to seek justice, but He also recognizes our weaknesses.
As Eisen notes, God may lead with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night,
but the Israelites must do the walking, and have human guides to show them the
route. The cloud and the fire pillar are necessary, but not sufficient. Eisen
further suggests that what makes our continued existence possible is (1)
tradition, so that we need not reinvent everything in each generation, and (2)
the concept of covenant, which requires human beings who have earned the right
to make promises by keeping them.
It is a mystical partnership and ultimately a matter of faith.
