Parashat Beshalach

This week’s portion contains many miracles and many tests of faith that the Jewish people endured. All of the miracles teach us to rely on Hashem and follow His directives. After the Jewish people left Egypt, Pharaoh and his army chased them, pinning them against the ocean. The Jewish people were thrown into a state of confusion. Amongst the people there were those who sought to return to Egypt.

Hashem told Moshe to tell the people to go forward.  Nachshon Ben Aminadav, the prince of the Tribe of Yehudah, jumped into the water. Moshe raised his staff, Hashem split the sea, and the Jewish people went through the seabed on dry ground. Thereafter, when the Jewish people left the seabed, the Egyptians pursued. The ocean closed, swallowing them and finally ending the Egyptian threat to the Exodus. Upon witnessing this, Moshe and the Jewish people sang praise to Hashem. The song of praise that they sang is called the “Shirah” (song) of the sea, and is part of the daily prayers. This is the reason why this Shabbat is called Shabbat Shirah, because we read the Shirah of the sea.

Thereafter, the Jewish came to an oasis called Elim. The Torah tells us that there were twelve wells and seventy date palms.  Rashi explains that these paralleled the twelve tribes and the seventy elders. This was a hint from Hashem that our food and water come in the merit of the forefathers and the merit of Torah.

Thereafter the Jewish people lacked bread, and Hashem sent bread from heaven. The bread was sent in a manner to teach them to have faith. Each day there was only sufficient for that day. It was forbidden to save for the next day. Further, however much one tried to gather, he only had enough for one day. This teaches us that to realize that our sustenance comes only from Hashem. If we deserve to receive a certain amount, all of our efforts to make more will be to no avail. The way to attain more is by meriting more in Hashem’s judgment.

Perhaps Yeshua had this in mind when He taught his talmidim how to pray.

He taught “give us this day our daily bread“ (Matt 6:11). Yeshua is the bread of life and daily, we are to ask for our sufficiency of Him day-by-day!

When the Jewish people needed water, two miracles occurred. First, Moshe threw a tree into bitter waters and sweetened them. Later, he hit a rock and water came forth. The tree is symbolic of the Torah, which is called an Eitz Chaim (Tree of Life). The Torah from Moshe teaches us how to reveal the sweetness in the bitter. The water flowing from the rock teaches us that our true source of sustenance is completely hidden from us, just as the water is concealed in the rock.

Of course, as followers of Messiah, we understand that Yeshua is both ‘Tsur Chayeinu (the Rock of Life) as well as our source of living waters. Living waters symbolic of the Spirit of G-d flows through Messiah to nourish and sustain us in our hour of need!

Thereafter, a nation called Amalek rose up against the Jewish people. The war was a miraculous one.  When Moshe’s hands were uplifted, the Jewish people succeeded. When Moshe lowered his hands, Amalek prevailed.

This taught us that all of our success in overcoming evil was dependent upon Moshe. The Targum teaches that the final vanquishing of Amalek will be in the time of Mashiach. Then, will be the ultimate redemption where all that Amalek symbolizes will be crushed before Him! In that day truly, ‘every knee shall bow and tongue confess that Yeshua is Messiah.

Isa 45:23-25

23       I have sworn by Myself; the word has gone out of My mouth in   righteousness, and shall not return, that to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath.

24       He shall say, 'Surely in the LORD I have righteousness and strength. To Him men shall come, and all shall be ashamed who are incensed    against Him.

25       In the LORD all the descendants of Israel shall be justified, and shall  glory.'"

The Hebrew word for ‘justified’ is ‘tsadek’, which means ‘to be cleansed in a forensic and moral sense’.

And we thought that justification by faith was only taught in the new covenant!