Parshsat B'shalach - פרשת בשלח

"היה רבי מאיר אומר, כשעמדו ישראל על הים, היו שבטים מנצחים זה עם זה. זה אומר: אני יורד תחילה לים וזה אומר: אני יורד תחילה לים. מתוך שהיו עומדים וצווחים - קפץ שבטו של בנימין וירד לים תחילה. אמר לו רבי יהודה: לא כך היה מעשה, אלא זה אומר אין אני יורד תחילה לים וזה אומר אין אני יורד תחילה לים. מתוך שהיו עומדין ונוטלין עצה אלו באלו קפץ נחשון בן עמינדב וירד לים תחילה"

(סוטה ל"ו - ל"ז)

"Rebbe Meir would say, when Israel stood on [the edge of] the sea, the tribes argued amongst themselves. One would say, "I will enter [the waters] first", and another would say "I will go in to the sea first". While they were arguing, the tribe of Binyamin jumped and went down first into the sea. As it is stated: "There is Binyamin, the youngest, ruling them. Rabbi Yehuda said to him: It did not happen this way, but rather this one said, "I will not go down first into the sea", and this one said, "I will not go down first into the sea." But while they were standing there seeking each other's advice, Nachshon the son of Aminadav jumped and went down first into the sea." (Gemara Sotah 36b-37a)

***

In this week's parsha, the Bnei Yisrael, escaping Egypt, find themselves trapped. The Egyptians are hard on their heels, they camp on the edge of the Red Sea. The harsh desert surrounds them. Whichever way they go, there is no refuge. The situation is desperate.

At this point, we read of how the people split into four distinct groups. The first group is described as saying: "וַיֹּאמְרוּ, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, הֲמִבְּלִי אֵין-קְבָרִים בְּמִצְרַיִם, לְקַחְתָּנוּ לָמוּת בַּמִּדְבָּר: מַה-זֹּאת עָשִׂיתָ לָּנוּ, לְהוֹצִיאָנוּ מִמִּצְרָיִם. - 'And they said to Moshe: 'Were there no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Wherefore do you deal with us, to bring us forth out of Egypt?''"

Overcome with fatalism, this group sees no future for their people other than death. The next group is recorded as resigning themselves to the impossibility of escape and so instead suggests to return to their former status as slaves. ( הֲלֹא-זֶה הַדָּבָר, אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְנוּ אֵלֶיךָ בְמִצְרַיִם לֵאמֹר, חֲדַל מִמֶּנּוּ, וְנַעַבְדָה אֶת-מִצְרָיִם: כִּי טוֹב לָנוּ עֲבֹד אֶת-מִצְרַיִם, מִמֻּתֵנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר.)

The next two groups are alluded to in Moshe's response. He tells the people not to fear, that they will never see the Egyptians again, that Hashem will battle on the Jews behalf and that they should remain silent. ( וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל-הָעָם, אַל-תִּירָאוּ--הִתְיַצְּבוּ וּרְאוּ אֶת-יְשׁוּעַת יְהוָה, אֲשֶׁר-יַעֲשֶׂה לָכֶם הַיּוֹם: כִּי, אֲשֶׁר רְאִיתֶם אֶת-מִצְרַיִם הַיּוֹם--לֹא תֹסִפוּ לִרְאֹתָם עוֹד, עַד-עוֹלָם. יְהוָה, יִלָּחֵם לָכֶם; וְאַתֶּם, תַּחֲרִשׁוּן.) The third group, evidently, wanted to put up a fair fight. And the fourth sought to find political reconciliation with the Egyptians. Moshe gave short shrift to both factions.

It is important to note that not all of Klal Yisrael was included in these four groups. In a fascinating D'var Torah I read online by Rav A. Leib Scheinbaum. There he notes a claim by Rav Hirshovitz that others took the appropriate action and prayed to Hashem. "They shut their ears to the warriors and to the spineless, to the assimilationists and the politicians" writes Rav Scheinbaum. Even though the four misguided groups existed, the majority of the people stayed faithful to Hashem.

And then while all of this was happening, one person decided to take action. After a failed attempt to enter the sea as Hashem had commanded, the Midrash tell us that Nachson ben Aminadav determined to make his move. Intriguingly, the famous story is not actually recorded in the text. But his bold, brave decision is nonetheless well-known.

Thinking this over, I think (credit to my roommate, Adam Nathan, for the inspiration), that we can compare the people at this time to the four groups of people alluded to by the Four Species waved at Sukkot. The Lulav, Etrog, Hadasim and Aravot are all said to represent a specific type of Jew. The Etrog represents the Jew who is commited to Torah and mitzvot, for it both tastes and smells pleasant. The Aravot, which has neither taste nor scent, represent those who do not engage in either Torah or Mitzvot. The Lulav, which has a pleasant taste, represents those who learn Torah. And finally the aromatic Hadasim are supposed to be a symbol for those who are kind and engage in good deeds.

In our Parsha, I believe we can safely equate Moshe (and his true followers) to be the Etrog. They balanced their observance of mitzvot with study of the Torah. The Aravot can be said to symbolise the Eruv Rav (interesting to note that ערבות and ערוב רב have the same root); that quarreling, provocative element who sought to complain and went about things the wrong way. And then the great majority of the people were those who stayed faithful to Hashem, but were not pro-active.

It is amongst this backdrop that Nachson ben Amindav acted. We don't know much about this man; this was his defining moment. Nachshon jumped in. A true Hadas. He lets his actions speak louder than his words and demonstrated real Mesirut Nefesh. Overcoming his hesitance, he demonstrated the power of committed, devoted action in the name of God. Nachson showed the power of action while others were rationalising and hesitating. Just as all the Arba Minim are needed in order to fulfill the mitzva of Netilat Lulav, so we see all four groups of Jews here in our story. And yet it is not the Etrog - Moshe Rabbeinu - who saves the day. Instead, it is a man of the people who makes the decisive move.

Not every Jew can be learned. Not every Jew has it in them to perform acts of kindness and bravery. Some have neither quality. And only few possess both. The most important thing is to recognise that we all have our role to play.

Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom :)








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