[Par-lite] For Shvii shel pesach - additional shiur, re: The Exodus

Sun Mar 31 06:47:43 EDT 2013

*********************************************
****************

        THE TANACH STUDY CENTER
[http://www.tanach.org]

            In Memory of Rabbi Abraham
Leibtag

      Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem
Leibtag

*********************************************
****************

PARSHAT BESHALACH -

for shvii shel Pesach

      We are all so familiar with the story
of the "kriyat Yam Suf" [the splitting of the
Red Sea], that we rarely pay careful
attention to how the Torah tells that story.

    As the Torah reading for 'shvii shel
Pesach' includes that story, in the following
shiur we re-examine its details in attempt to
better understand God's master strategy, and
possibly fulfill the commandment of "in order
that you shall tell your future generations
how I made a mockery of the Egyptians..."
(see Shmot 10:2). 

INTRODUCTION

      According to the 'classic' story of the
Exodus, after the Tenth Plague, Pharaoh sets
Bnei Yisrael free; but only several days
later, he 'changes his mind', gathers his
army and chases after them, only to drown in
the sea during that pursuit.

      The story in the Bible, however, is
much more interesting, especially for those
who enjoy studying 'military strategy'.

    Let's begin our study with what 'really
happened' after the Tenth Plague - to show
how Pharaoh never granted Bnei Yisrael
freedom (nor did Bnei Yisrael ask for
freedom).

THREE DAYS IN THE DESERT

      Recall from our study of the story of
the 'burning bush' in Parshat Shmot - how God
never instructed Moshe to demand freedom for
the Jewish People.  Rather, Moshe was only
supposed to request that Pharaoh allow the
Jewish people to undertake a 'three day
journey' into the desert, where they would
worship their God.  [See Shmot 3:18-20 &
5:1-5.]

      Moshe was also instructed to warn
Pharaoh that, should he refuse this request,
Egypt would be smitten with terrible plagues.

[See Shmot 5:3, as well as the warning to
Pharaoh before Plagues 1,2,4,5,7, & 8  in
7:14-16, 26-27;  8:16-17; 9:1-3, 13-18; and
10:1-4.]

      Therefore, after the Tenth Plague -
Pharaoh is finally 'convinced' that Bnei
Yisrael must worship their God in order to
stop the Plagues:

"And it came to pass at midnight, and God
smote the first born of Egypt...  then
Pharaoh got up and called to Moshe and Aharon
that night saying:

Get up and get out... and GO WORSHIP your God
- "ke-daberchem" - as you (originally / in
5:3) requested!

Even your sheep and cattle take with you, as
you requested (in 10:26), and BLESS ME AS
WELL..."  (see 12:29-33).

      Clearly, Pharaoh only grants Bnei
Yisrael a three-day journey to offer
'korbanot' - after all, that is all that
Moshe ever asked for!  

     This background explains why the entire
Egyptian nation rushes Bnei Yisrael to leave
Egypt as quickly as possible (see 12:33-34) -
so they can sacrifice to their God as soon as
possible to stop the Plagues.

    This also explains why the Egyptians
'LEND' ['va-yish'alu'] Bnei Yisrael their
finest wares, to encourage them to leave as
quickly as possible (see 12:35-36).  As Bnei
Yisrael are only taking a 'holiday leave' to
worship their God, the Egyptians have every
reason to assume they will return - and bring
back what they had 'borrowed'.  

[This topic was discussed in greater detail
in our TSC shiur on Parshat Shmot - see
www.tanach.org/shmot/shmot1.pdf]

PHARAOH'S GREATEST WORRY

      If all that Bnei Yisrael wanted was
'freedom to worship their God', why was
Pharaoh so reluctant to 'let them go'?

      Pharaoh's greatest fear was that Jewish
People would take over his country (either on
their own, or with the help of Egypt's
enemies).  It was for this reason that the
enslavement began in the first place (see
Shmot 1:8-10)!

      Even had he heard 'rumors' that his
Hebrew slaves were plotting to emigrate to
Canaan, he would not have believed them.  

[Such an endeavor would have been almost
suicidal, considering the desert they would
need to cross, and the nations of Canaan that
they would need to defeat (see Shmot 14:12 &
10:10, and Bamidbar 13:31-33).]

    Instead, Pharaoh assumed that any request
to go to the desert to worship God (or to
emigrate to Canaan) was simply a 'ploy' to
hide the first step of a planned insurgency.
Therefore, he was quite adamant about not
allowing this 'three day journey'.  And even
when he finally granted partial permission
(after some of the plagues) - he made every
effort to keep some safeguard against an
insurgency (like leaving the women & children
behind / see Shmot 10:7-11).  [Clearly,
Pharaoh was also worried about losing his
work force, even for a short amount of time -
but his greatest fear was an insurgency.]

    With this background in mind, let's
follow the events that transpire after the
Exodus, as Bnei Yisrael begin their supposed
'three days journey' into the desert'.

DAY ONE : From Raamses to Succot

    The first day of this journey is clearly
recorded in Sefer Shmot: "And the children of
Israel traveled from Raamses to Succot,
approx. 600,000 men..." (see 12:36).  There,
they baked their dough as 'matza', and
received numerous commandments concerning how
future generations must remember these
events.  [See 12:36 thru 13:16.]

DAY TWO:  From Succot to Eitam

    Parshat Beshalach opens by describing the
direction of their travel (i.e. not towards
Canaan [northeast], but rather towards Yam
Suf [apparently southeast] - towards the
desert as they requested).  See 13:17-18.

    Note however, how the Torah also informs
us that Bnei Yisrael were also armed during
this journey:

    "...v'chamushim yatzu Bnei Yisrael
m'eretz mitzraim"

                                    [see
13:18]

Then, we are informed concerning what
happened on day two:

"And they traveled from Succot and encamped
in Eitam - located at the edge of the
desert."  (see 13:20)

    So far, it seems as this journey is
following Bnei Yisrael's request to travel a
three day distance into the desert.  Days one
and two of this journey, they are still in
Egypt - but marching towards the desert.
After two days, they have reached the border
between Egypt and the desert, and the
assumption is that on day three - they would
continue this journey into the desert, and
find the proper place to worship God.

DAY THREE - A SURPRISE MANEUVER!

    The opening psukim of chapter 14 contain
details that are key to understanding how the
story unfolds; let's read them carefully - as
God suddenly commands Moshe to 'turn around'
and travel back towards Egypt!:

"And God spoke to Moshe saying - Speak to
Bnei Yisrael - instructing them to TURN
AROUND and set up camp in front of
Pi-ha'Chirot, between Migdol and the [Red]
Sea...setting up camp next to the sea..."
(see 14:1)

      This command apparently comes as a
total surprise to Bnei Yisrael (and even to
Moshe) - for instead of continuing into the
desert, as everyone expected, God now
instructs the nation to return towards Egypt!

    Fortunately, God does explain the purpose
of this maneuver (apparently only to Moshe)
in the next pasuk.  As you read 14:2, note
how God is still speaking to Moshe (and not
Pharaoh to his servants!).  In other words,
14:2-3 should be read as a continuation of
the command that began in 14:1:

"[so that] Pharaoh will say about Bnei
Yisrael - "nevuchim heym b'aretz" - they are
'unsettled' in the land, "sagar aleihem
ha'midbar" - the desert has them 'closed in'.
And [thus (or then!)] I will harden Pharaoh's
heart and he will chase after them..."  (see
14:2-3)

[We have translated "navoch" as unsettled,
not as 'lost' - for "navoch", as in "moreh
nevuchim" does not imply someone who is lost,
but rather someone who is 'confused' /
perplexed or unsettled with his thoughts.]

      It is important to pay attention to
every detail in this pasuk, for it explains
the reason for this sudden 'change of plan'.

      God explains (to Moshe) why he wants
Bnei Yisrael to turn around and re-locate
their camp by the sea - in order to entice
Pharaoh to 'change his heart' a chase after
Bnei Yisrael (or basically to declare war).

      Let's explain now how this maneuver
will cause Pharaoh to launch an immediate
(but careless) military attack.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO THE DESERT!

      The first (and primary) affect of this
'turn around' maneuver, is to cause Pharaoh
to conclude that Bnei Yisrael are NOT
continuing into the desert.  In other words,
had Bnei Yisrael continued on day three from
Eitam to the desert, there would have no
reason for him to launch an attack.  Instead
- it is because they don't go to the desert,
but rather stay in Egypt - that he decides to
attack them.

      The reason why is simple.  The only
reason why Pharaoh allowed them to embark on
this 'three day journey', was so that they
could worship their God in the desert.  By
returning on 'day three' towards Egypt -
Pharaoh will conclude that Bnei Yisrael have
no true intention of going to the desert.
Instead, it will convince him that his
original fear was true - that his Hebrew
slaves are planning to turn around and take
over Egypt - or at least to declare their own
independence in southern Egypt!

[What happens is rather interesting, for it
turns out that Pharaoh chases after Bnei
Yisrael because they don't leave Egypt!]

WHAT CAN PHARAOH DO?

      Faced with this predicament, and
convinced that he has been duped - what can
Pharaoh do?  They longer he would wait, the
more time Bnei Yisrael would have to organize
their army and set up a perimeter defense
around their new [temporary] settlement area.
The sooner Pharaoh could mount an attack, the
better his chances of quelling this
'rebellion'.  

    This explains what God tells Moshe in
14:2.  Not only will Pharaoh and his servants
be convinced (by Bnei Yisrael turning around)
that they have no intention of going to the
desert - but God himself also gives Pharaoh
two good reasons why to launch an immediate
attack:

    1) "nevuchim heym b'aretz" -

They are [still] 'unsettled' in the land (of
Egypt) - implying that soon they will be more
organized - but in the meantime, they are not
yet prepared for battle.

    2) "sagar aleihem ha'midbar" -

            The desert has them 'closed in' -

Hence, from a military point of view, the
Hebrews are in weak military position; they
have nowhere to run away to, and their backs
are to the sea.

      These two additional considerations
cause Pharaoh not only to attack, but more
important to attack immediately (and possibly
carelessly) - falling right into God's trap,
for God wanted to entice Pharaoh (the
'super-power') to enter a war - against a
'supposed enemy' - who had no real intention
of ever attacking.

[This is an example of how God 'hardens
Pharaoh's heart, by giving him a 'tiny
window' - a reason for him to make his own
unwise decision.] 

    To support this interpretation, let's pay
careful attention to what Pharaoh does say
when he first hears about this maneuver:

"And it was told to Pharaoh that the people
ran away, and the heart of Pharaoh and his
servants changed and they said - What have we
done, for we have sent Israel away from
serving us" (see 14:5).

      According to the 'classic' story of the
Exodus, it is almost impossible to explain
this verse, for how could it be that Pharaoh
was told that the people 'ran away' - he
himself sent they away!

    However, according to our explanation,
this verse makes perfect sense, for Pharaoh
was not told that the people 'ran away' from
Egypt.  Rather, he was told that they were
going to the desert not to worship God, as
they promised, but to set up their own camp
within Egypt - and hence they 'ran away from
slavery' - and that's exactly what they say
about Bnei Yisrael in the second half of the
pasuk.

      This also explains the next pasuk:

"And he ordered his chariot, and took his men
with him, then took six hundred of his best
chariots, and ALL the chariots of Egypt, and
officers over all of them..."

      Notice how this pasuk describes a quick
mobilization of the entire Egyptian army, to
launch an immediate attack against Bnei
Yisrael.  Pharaoh falls right into God's
trap.

      Within a short time, Pharaoh will fall
for God's next 'trap', by carelessly
following Bnei Yisrael into the Sea - but
making his own military blunder.

      As we explained in our shiur on Parshat
Shmot - Egypt declares war against Israel.
Egypt loses the battle.  The 'possessions' of
the Egyptian that Bnei Yisrael had borrowed
from Egypt have now become 'nationalized' -
and God has fulfilled yet another stage of
His promise at "brit bein ha'btarim":

    Bnei Yisrael receive their "rechush
gadol."

Egypt  - the nation that enslaved another -
is punished.

     (see Breishit 15:13-14).

      Bnei Yisrael, impressed by the
greatness of their God (and new master), will
now continue on their journey into the desert
- to receive the Torah on Har Sinai.  Those
laws will become their guide for establishing
God's model nation in the land of Canaan.

    It is God's hope that by remembering this
experience, Bnei Yisrael will eternally act
with a higher ethical standard than their
Egyptian oppressors.

                              chag samayach,

                              Menachem

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mail.atlchai.org/pipermail/par-lite/attachments/20130331/eef4dfc7/attachment-0001.html>