Beshalach: When Pharaoh Let Us Go

This week's portion gives us an account of the series of the miracles that took place as we finally were able to rid ourselves of Pharaoh. These include the splitting of the Sea of Reeds, the pillars of clouds and fire that led the people through the desert, as well as the mannah, spiritual bread the fell from the sky. Constant miracles, which were even greater than the ten plagues discussed last week.

Yet, again, the Torah portion begins with quite enigmatic language. Despite all the miracles in the background, we are told that God did not lead our people in the shortest path to the Promised Land, lest the people see war and decide to go back to Egypt.

How could war make them reconsider? They had God Himself on their side! Their certain victory should have been fairly obvious, no?

As we soon find out, despite all the miracles, when certain challenges presented themselves, the Jewish people doubted God, as well as the leaders He chose. The Talmud (Megillah 10b) notes that the very first word of the portion "Vayehi" is a combination of two negative words, "Vay" and "Hee," which connote distress. Rabbi Immanuel Schochet explains that this distress is related to the future complaints of the Jewish people, which occured despite all the miracles they witnessed. (For audio lessons from Rabbi Schochet, click here).

People forget miracles - it's human nature. Faith is not something that comes naturally. It has to be worked on, developed. That's what God was doing with us in the desert. God was molding our faith. Moshe is called in the Zohar as the "Raya Mehemna," the Faithful Shephard. The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains that this can also be undertsood as the Shepherd of Faith - he helped develop the faith of the Jewish people.

Both the challenges and the subsequent miracles helped develop our faith. There are plenty of examples of this in this portion alone:  the pressure of the Egyptian cavalry and chariots followed by the splitting of the sea; the lack of drinkable water followed by either fresh water coming from a rock or by the sweetening of bitter water with a tree (Torah); the war with Amalek and the subsequent victory thanks to Moshe's raising his arms in prayer; the lack of food, followed by the mannah; and many others.

The mannah is perhaps the best example of God developing our faith. We had to trust God that he would deliver our sustenance every day. We had to learn that on Friday we received two portions, and that on the Sabbath we weren't supposed to even try to collect one. All this "molding" did not come easy, and not without setbacks, but after 40 years in the desert and 2000 years in exile, we Jewish people are proud to be called "Maaminim Bnei Maaminim," believers sons of believers.

Rabbi Natan of Breslov (Likutei Halakhot, Hilchot Pessach 7) explains that the whole idea of the Exodus and the entering of the Promised Land is related to the concept of faith. The very reason for the exile was due to a slight blemish in faith, found in Abraham's question to God, "How will I know that I will inherit [the land]." (Bereishit 15:8) It is only after Abraham asks this question that God tells him that his descendants would be slaves for 400 years. Rabbi Natan goes on to explain that the whole purpose of life is for us to develop faith.

As mentioned last week, we should not be afraid of challenges. Rather we should embrace them as ways to come closer to God. This week we learn that the greatest challenges we face are not when we are slaves, but actually when we are free. Free to grow.

For more information on the life of Rabbi Natan, which was action-packed with extreme challenges and with faithful success, check out "Through Fire and Water." Available at ModernJewishHome.com, here.