The Weekly Sedra – Parashas Beshalach – Who Is Your Moshe?

Two harrowing centuries of exile and slavery have come to a happy end, as a battery of devastating plagues – no less than ten in total – broke the resolve of the Egyptian tormenters – compelling them to release the children of Israel from their evil clutches.

With their sights now set on Mount Sinai and their long awaited rendezvous with G-d, the Israelites were free at last – well on their way to a future of promise and reward. Or so they thought.

But alas, in an unexpected turn of events, the hopes of the fledgling nation were suddenly dashed, as the people found themselves caught between a rock and a hard place, or, more accurately stated, between the extended swords of an advancing army and the choppy waves of a fearsome sea.

Having undergone a total change of heart regarding their decision to release the Israelites from slavery, Pharaoh’s armies – in hot pursuit of their former slaves – were closing-in on them from behind. To add insult to injury, directly ahead lied the unyielding waters of the swiftly approaching Sea of Reeds.

Israel’s brief brush with freedom was rapidly slipping away – even quicker than it had arrived. Egypt was once again a reality; alive and well. How did the newly formed nation react to its first major crisis?

The Midrash tells us that the Jewish people – in what was to become a proverbial Jewish trademark – were divided into four camps. There were those who said, “Let us throw ourselves into the sea.” A second group said, “Let us return to Egypt.” Another faction argued, “Let us wage war upon the Egyptians.” Finally, a fourth camp advocated, “Let us pray to G-d.”

Moshe, the Midrash continues to relate, rejected all four options, saying to the people, “Fear not, stand by and see the salvation of G-d which He will show you today; for as you have seen Egypt this day, you shall not see them again, forever. G-d shall fight for you, and you shall be silent.” (Exodus 14:13)

“Fear not, stand by and see the salvation of G-d,” explains the Midrash, is Moshe’s response to those who had despaired of the Egyptian threat and wanted to plunge into the sea.

“As you have seen Egypt this day, you shall not see them again,” addresses those who advocated surrender and return to Egypt.
“G-d shall fight for you,” is the answer to those who wished to battle the Egyptians.

“And you shall be silent.” is Moshe’s rejection of those who said, “This is all beyond us. All we can do is pray.”

Now, if none of these ideas were correct, what then were the Jewish people to do during this life threatening juncture? Moreover, the majority of the alternatives seem to be quite reasonable – solutions which on one occasion or another proved to be not just acceptable but even prescribed by G-d – yet in this case they were rejected out of hand.

An obvious example of this – one that can hardly be ignored – is Israel’s response to the attack on the part of the Amaleikites, related at the end of our very own Parsha. In that particular situation the Jewish people were commanded to “Go out and do battle with Amaleik” – an idea that was rejected in our situation. Now, if that response was desirable then, why was it so wrong now?
The solutions presented by some of the other camps have also proven to be appropriate on other occasions. Esther, for example asked Mordechai to “Go and gather all the Jewish people and fast for me. . .” Why was fasting and praying the correct response then, but not now?

Neither is martyrdom without precedent in the annals of our saturated history. We are all familiar with the story of the ten martyrs and the famous episode of Massada. In fact, wasn’t the binding of Yitzchok – G-d’s tenth test of Avraham – a call to martyrdom? Why then was the mitzvah of Kiddush Hashem ruled out here?

Moreover, if different responses are required at different times, how are we to know, during any given situation, which is the correct course of action and which is not?

The answer to the aforementioned questions is precisely what this narrative, which occurred at this highly critical historical juncture – the inception of our people-hood – appears to be addressing.

The Jew, in his service of G-d, must not be driven by his own opinions, feelings and motives, he is rather expected to seek-out the true will of G-d in every situation. What was wrong with the suggestions of all the different camps is that they were more concerned with what they thought and the way they felt than what G-d had to say. This is evident by the fact that they never bothered to ask G-d for His opinion.

The Journey from Egypt to Sinai is emblematic of the perpetual voyage from exile to redemption – the ongoing assignment to transform humanity and the very world through Torah ethos and ideals. Judaism, we are taught very early on, is about G-d’s will, not our own outlooks and opinions.

While on the surface the two may seem as though they are one and the same, usually this is because we have not yet learned how to tell the difference – we are novices. As we grow in our understanding and service of G-d, we are likely to discover that distinguishing and extricating our own will from that of G-d’s, takes skill – it can involve a bit of effort and training as well. (In fact, much of Chassidic philosophy is designed to help accomplish this very task).

“Speak to the children of Israel,” G-d says to Moshe, in response to all their fussing and voicing of opinions, tell them “that they should go forward,” i.e., they should follow the directives which have been set forth. In other words: “let Me give the orders while you do the following and not the other way around.”

Now, as then, we are faced with multiple choices at every crossroads in our personal journey from Egypt to Sinai and beyond. And now as then, there are many voices – inner as well as outer – that are eager to share their opinions on when and how we ought to proceed.

The first thing we need to know is that not all voices are those of G-d. This is the lesson of the dramatic episode on the bank of the Red Sea – the premier message to the newborn nation of Israel, upon the onset of its journey. It is, likewise, the premier lesson for every Jew in his personal spiritual journey.

But how are we to know which voice is from G-d and which is from elsewhere? This is perhaps the most essential skill taught by Judaism. It can obviously not be learned while standing on one foot. There is though, one inevitable principle and starting point, without which it is virtually impossible to overcome this obstacle: We must recognize and follow the guidance of Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our teacher). In absence of a Moshe there is no Judaism and there is no knowable G-d. This is a basic reality of Torah.

What this means, in more practical terms, is that a Jew cannot go-it-alone. A Jew cannot rely on himself to determine and decipher the credibility of every voice – he cannot trust himself to navigate every fork in the road. This is precisely what our sages meant when they say: “Make for yourself a teacher and free yourself from doubt.” – Avos 1:16

Making for oneself a teacher, however, should not be confused with “teacher hopping,” or “teacher shopping.” The latter is a common syndrome, which involve people who are new to Torah but refuse to follow an established path in their approach. They rather glean a little here and a little there, and the rest they make up themselves.

For some of these individuals the internet is their Moshe. They consult various websites etc. and pick and choose from each that which they like, and leave that which they don’t.

Now, there is nothing wrong with the Internet as a source of raw knowledge, but by no means does it provide a reliable path and approach to the service of G-d – by no means does it take the place of a teacher and mentor.

As Jews we must always remember the lesson from that fateful experience on the banks of the Red Sea. And G-d said to Moshe. . . speak to the children of Israel, that they should go forward.” We must look to the Moshe in our lives and discern between the voice of G-d and the voices that wish to present themselves as G-d, be it from within or without.