Beshalach 5636 תרל”ו

תרל”ו

ענין קרי”ס אחר יצ”מ שכ’ במד’ יצ”מ קשה כו’. 

(To explain) the idea that the slitting of the sea came after the exodus from Mitzrayim. The Medrash (Shemos Rabba 22:3) says that the splitting of the sea was more difficult than the exodus 

כי יצ”מ הי’ בנס שלא ע”פ זכות בנ”י. רק ע”י השבועה. והי’ זה הכנה שיוכלו אח”כ בנ”י לתקן במעשיהם עד שזכו בקי”ס לנס ע”פ מעשיהם. 

This is because the exodus was through a miracle that Bne Yisrael were not worthy of, it was only because HaShem had promised (Avraham that He will redeem them). However this was a preparation that they will become so elevated that by the time they reached the splitting of the sea they will have miracles performed from them due to their own merits. (As explained above, this was because the first level of miracle beyond one’s merits does not last). 

ודבר זה נוהג תמיד בכלל ובפרט. שמקודם יש ישועה מהקב”ה. אח”כ צריך להכין עצמו במעשי עצמו. 

This rule applies on an individual level and as on a national level. First one has a salvation from HaShem, and then afterwards one needs to perfect oneself through one’s own deeds.

הגם כי לעולם א”א בלא חסד הש”י. 

Even though the world cannot exist without the kindness of HaShem (So how can one merit with one’s own deeds?)

אבל יש חסד שהוא ע”פ משפט. כענין עם חסיד תתחסד. וז”ש שהיו בנ”י נתונים בדין כו’. והיינו שהי’ צריך להיות הישועה ע”פ משפט מעשיהם. 

However there (are different levels in the kindness of HaShem) there is kindness that comes through the level of judgement (exactness). As it says “With the righteous you do kindness” (Tehillim 18:26). This is why (at the time of the splitting of the sea) Bnei Yisrael were in judgement. For the salvation needed to come through their own actions (on the level of judgement).

והנה בנ”י מסרו נפשם למקום כמאמר הפסוק וייראו מאוד ויצעקו כו’ אל ה’ ויאמרו אל משה המבלי כו’. ולכאורה הם דברים הסותרין. 

Now there is an apparent contradiction. On one hand Bnei Yisrael were very fearful and called out to HaShem, yet on the other hand they said to Moshe “are there not enough burial places in Mitzrayim, that we need to die in the desert?” (Were they acting correctly or incorrectly?)

אבל נראה כי לא היו מצפים לישועה מגודל היראה. והי’ בעיניהם כמס”נ בעת הסתלקות האדם 

However it would seem that Bnei Yisrael were not expecting to be saved. When they were crying out to HaShem this was an act of giving up their lives, just as when a person is about to die and calls out to HaShem (at that stage a person is not expecting to be saved, they are rather expressing all the love and desire to become close to HaShem). 

[רמז לדבר מאוד הוא מיתה כמ”ש חז”ל ע”פ והנה טוב מאוד ע”ש]. 

[We see this hinted to in the pasuk “They were very מאוד fearful”. The same word -מאוד is used by our sages to describe the day of death, “HaShem saw all that He created and it was very מאוד good” (Bereishis Rabbah 9:5)]

ויצעקו לה’ במס”נ. ולמרע”ה אמרו כי הי’ מוטב שימותו במצרים. והי’ תיקון יותר במס”נ כו’. 

Therefore Bnei Yisrael cried out to HaShem they were prepared to give up their lives They therefore said to Moshe it would have been better had we died in Mitzrayim as we would have done more repair to their world if they would have died in Mitzrayim. (****)

לכן אמר מרע”ה התיצבו וראו כו’ כי זה המס”נ הי’ הישועה. 

Therefore Moshe replied to them “Stand and watch the salvation of HaShem”. For the sacrifice of their lives was actually their salvation.

ובנ”י הבינו זה. כי צריכין לתקן ע”פ מעשיהם. ולא הי’ להם כח כמ”ש ואתם תחרישון. 

However Bnei Yisrael knowing that they needed to be meritorious had no more strength left for such elevated deeds, (as we see in Moshe’s words to them) “You shall be quiet”   

ומס”נ נחשב ככל המעש”ט. 

Yet this sacrifice was actually considered as much as having every necessary action. (Because it touches the very core of our connection to HaShem).

ודבר זה אומרים בכל יום. יצ”מ וקי”ס ומס”נ בק”ש. אח”כ ה’ שפתי תפתח. 

This is something we say every day. We mention the exodus and splitting of the sea, and Shema with a readiness to sacrifice ourselves, and then (before Shemona Esrei) we say “HaShem open my lips’ ‘ (you do the miracle).

כי כל זה הי’ הקדמה לקבלת התורה:

This entire process was a necessary precedence for us to receive the Torah.

2

בפסוק ראו כו ה’ נתן לכם השבת כו’. 

“See HaShem has given you the Shabbos” (Shemos 16:29)

דכ’ ושמרו בנ”י את השבת. 

It also says that “Bnei Yisrael will guard the Shabbos” (Shemos 31:16). (The Shabbos is given to us to guard)

פי’ שהתגלות הקדושה בש”ק הוא בעבור ישראל. לכן צריכין לשמור הארת השבת. 

This means that the revelation of holiness that is revealed on Shabbos, is specifically for Bnei Yisrael, therefore it is up to them to protect the Shabbos.

והוא פריסת סוכת שלום עלינו. פי’ שבנ”י נכנסין תחת זאת הפריסה. 

This is the spreading of the Sukkah of Shalom on us, where Bnei Yisrael come under the spreading of HaShem

והם עצמם המחיצה להבדיל בין הקודש כו’. 

Now they actually become the separation between to separate between holy and profane

כמ”ש במד’ גוי ששבת חייב מיתה. וכמ”ש במ”א פי’ בנ”י יהי’ בן זוגך שהם מיוחדים לקבל השפעת קדושת השבת שלא תתפשט החוצה:

As it says that a gentile that keeps the Shabbos deservs the death penalty. As we have written elsewhere (See Yisro תרל”ה 3) when HaShem says to the Shabbos that Bnei Yisrael will be her partner, this means that Bnei Yisrael will protect the holiness of Shabbos that it should not spread out into the wrong forces. 

3

הנני ממטיר כו’ ויצא העם ולקטו דבר יום ביומו כו’. 

“I am showering bread from Heaven…the nation will go out and collect for each day”

כי הי’ זה הכנה לקבלת התורה. כמ”ש למען אנסנו הילך בתורתי. 

This (receiving the manna) was a preparation for us to be able to receive the Torah. As it says in the pasuk “So that I shall test that they walk in the path of my Torah”

פי’ דאיתא לא ניתנה תורה רק לאוכלי המן. 

To understand this, it says that the Torah was only given to those that ate manna

פי’ ע”פ מ”ש סדר המעלות האכילנו המן. נתן לנו השבת. קרבנו להר סיני. ונתן לנו התורה כו’. שכל אלה. מדרגות זא”ז היו הכנה שיתקדשו גופות בנ”י במאכל שמה”ש אוכלין. 

Meaning (that there were stages of growth) as it says (in the Haggadah) “He gave us the man (then) He gave us the Shabbos (then) He brought us to Har Sinai (and finally) He gave us the Torah”. For these are levels one following the other, as a preparation to purify the bodies of Bnei Yisrael who ate the food that the angels eat.

ופי’ לחם מן השמים. כי וודאי כל השפעות מזון וחיים לכל חי בא משמים לשורש נשמתו. רק שבעוה”ז א”י לקבל רק עפ”י צמצומים רבים בצמיחת האדמה ותיקון המאכל. אבל אותם אשר המה מקודשים כראוי יכולין לקבל הלחם מן השמים כמו שהוא. 

The idea of “bread from Heaven” (is as follows). For there is no doubt that all food that sustains creatures comes from Heaven down to the source of one’s soul. However in this (physical) world, one can only receive this (life force) through many layers of hiddenness in nature, through growing from the ground and preparing the food. However people that are really properly sanctified can actually eat bread directly fromHeaven as is.

וזה הי’ עדות שהם מוכנים לקבל התורה מזה שהיו יכולין לקבל מזון זה. 

Their ability to eat this food as it was (in it’s spiritual state) testified to their level that they were able to receive the Torah.

מ”מ עתה צריכין לתקן הכל בגשמיות ממש. 

Nevertheless we now need to prepare food in an absolute physical state (for we are so removed from that level)

רק נתינת התורה לא הי’ באפשרי רק ע”י התגברות הקדושה כמה”ש ממש. וז”ש לא ניתנה תורה דוקא כנ”ל. 

However (then) to receive the Torah it was only possible through the holiness overcoming (all physicality) just as the angels. Therefore it says “the Torah was only given to ones who ate the manna” (no one else could receive it because of their physical interference).

ויצא הוא יציאה מעוה”ז שיצאו מהתלבשות החומריות בעוה”ז. 

“The nation will go out” this going out is referring to going out of this world, to separate from the physicality of this world.

דבר יום ביומו הוא התדבקות כל ההנהגות בשורש העליון שהוא מנהיג הכל. וכל יום מנהיג כל הדברים הנעשים בו. והם קשרו הנהגות כל יום בשורשו. וזה דבר יום ביומו. והבן:

“Every day דבר יום” refers to connecting every action דבר (connected to the word דבר leader) to its source Above Who guides everything. In everyday life the person guides everything that one does (by the word of HaShem). So too they connected all their actions to their source. This is the meaning of “דבר every day”.