Special thanks to community member Elizabeth Danziger, founder of Worktalk Communications Consulting, for assisting in transforming this sermon from 2009 into an essay for this year.
Splitting of the Sea and Doling Out Sustenance
Beshalach 2009
The most seminal event in world history occurs in this week’s parsha. The Jewish people leave the clutches of the evil Egyptian empire. After ten punishing plagues are rained down upon the Egyptians, the Jewish people are finally free. Their relief is short-lived, however, as they are caught between the proverbial rock and hard place. On one side they are met with the raging waters of the Yam Suf, which is known as the Red Sea. Even worse, rapidly approaching them is an angry Egyptian army. The Egyptians want revenge for the ten plagues as well as the return of the slaves whom they wish to un-emancipate.
Thus the stage is set for a monumental salvation from GD. GD commands Moshe to stretch his staff over the raging waters. Miraculously, the waters split, peeling back to reveal dry land upon which the Jews escape safely. As the Egyptians follow suit, the waters come crashing down upon them and they are killed in the Yam Suf – maybe that’s why it’s called the Red Sea.
While the Jews were walking through the Yam Suf the waters had formed a wall on either side of them. The Midrashim tell us the wonders that GD provided within these walls. If one was hungry one could just raise up one’s hand and grab a delicious fruit to eat!
To be sure, the crossing of the Red Sea, was some kind of display of GD’s power and control over his world. We base our emunah (faith) very much on this idea. When we analyze the event we understand that to us it seems incredible to split a sea but in truth it was no big deal for GD. GD can do anything.
Which leaves us to wonder and try and understand the following section from the Talmud. The Talmud in Pesachim 118A tells us: For GD, the splitting of the sea was as difficult as providing sustenance to mankind. What we see here are two noteworthy things. Firstly that somehow the splitting of the sea measured high on degree of difficulty and secondly that the splitting of the sea is just as difficult (whatever that means) as the apportionment of each person’s financial needs!
Rabbi Shimon Schwab talks about how the hand of GD is more manifested and clearer in water than it is on land. The weather changes more quickly and in general the rules of nature are more immediately manifest on the high seas. Thus the Talmud teaches us in Kiddushin that “seafarers are mostly righteous”. The idea is that someone who sees a more stunning display of GDliness cannot help but see the hand of GD.
Rabbi Schwab also brings the Midrashic source, the Mechilta in our parsha, that says that when Moshe raised his hand over the water, the angel of the seas did not wish to allow the seas to split. [Often an angel refers to the spiritual minister over a force, here it was the angel that ministered over the sea.] When he saw Moshe’s staff in his hand, the angel acquiesced. This is because the job of the angel of the seas is to ensure that GD’s hand is visible on the seas. If Moshe were to turn sea into land then the “seas would cease” and the hand of GD would be only as visible as it is on land – not very visible at all. The angel of the seas could not let this happen. So GD responded to the angel that it was worth a momentary lapse in divine revelation for the enduring divine revelation and fame of the splitting of the sea. The angel relented and the rest is history.
We have a balancing act between the commonly found divine revelation on the seas and the more intense divine revelation that occurred after the seas relented to the land.
This is something to which we can attach the word “Koshi” difficulty. Since there is an element of pulling back and a loss off the permanent fixed divine revelation in order to have a greater divine revelation we could call splitting the sea difficult.
This difficulty is the same as when we ask Hashem for parnassah – sustenance. While we are praying to GD there is a tremendous increase in Kavod Shamayim, Heavenly Honor. We are putting our trust in Him and we are showing a very high level of emunah (faith) in Hashem. When we put ourselves out there for Hashem to judge us and give us what we are asking for, we are placing our selves at a risk for a negative response. We say whatever GD wants for us good and just. This is a great sanctification of GD’s name, or Kiddush Hashem. We are creating honor for GD by praying properly. We recognize a profound dichotomy through prayer. In one breath we say Poseyach es Yadecha, “He opens His hand”, and in the other breath we say Tzadik Hashem b’chol dracahav, “righteous is GD in all His ways”. We ask for sustenance and we understand that it is in GD’s hands.
Therefore, for Hashem to provide for us and answer our prayers he is foregoing some of His honor, His Kavod Shamayim. As GD is forgoing that dichotomy which we recognize when we pray properly. In its stead it is our task to replace that Kavod Shamayim with the new and even greater Kavod Shamayim of serving GD with the sustenance He has provided us. Now that Hashem has provided you with wealth it is your job to use that wealth for more Kavod Shamayim. Therefore, Hashem is willing to forego the beauty of the one who is praying asking for sustenance and provide for him because ultimately, more of Hashem’s honor will fill the world. .
This is what is meant by comparing the difficulty of providing sustenance is like the difficulty of the splitting of the sea. There is more. The Gemara tells us that making a shidduch, a marriage match, is as difficult as the splitting of the sea. The Gemara in Sota teaches us that this refers to a second marriage. How is this to be explained?
According to what we are saying it makes a lot of sense. This fellow had experienced marriage and the beauty of a loving relationship. Now, he is missing all the beauty and intimacy of marriage in the hopes that Hashem will lead him to his true soul mate. He prays that GD will connect him with his true match. This prayer is a great Kiddush Hashem! It is “difficult” for Hashem to forgo this beautiful display of Kiddush Hashem. But Hashem does so to provide the opportunity for an even greater Kiddush Hashem when this fellow meets and marries his true love. The marriage will bring greater Kavod Shamayim than the prayers of a single person.
The lessons of this idea are many and profound in their own ways. Firstly we are reminded in these difficult financial times of the role that Hashem plays in our sustenance,.and that no matter the result we accept His will. When we are rewarded with wealth and sustenance we have the responsibility to at the least match our spirituality that we accomplished as we prayed for that very sustenance.
On a practical level we are also reminded that all our actions reflect GD’s glory. We need to bear this in mind and be conscious in our efforts to increase GD’s glory in this world.
We are blessed with this opportunity very often. The more we are able to expose our neighbors to the beauty of Hashem’s Torah the greater the Divine light will shine for them and for us.
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