Yonah's D'var Torah - Parshas Beshalach

This is a D'var Torah that Yonah delivered to his yeshiva, Ohr Yerushalayim, in 2002.

Good Shabbos. In this week’s Parsha, we find Bnei Israel, just freed from Egypt, situated by the Red Sea with Paroah rapidly approaching. Thinking the inevitable, Bnei Israel panicks and immediately divides into four different groups, each one with their own idea how to handle the situation.

The first group felt that life was all over and they were going to jump into the Red Sea and commit suicide. Rather die quickly than a tortured death.

The second group felt that they should go back to Egypt. They might be tortured for their deed, but at least they will live.

The third group wanted to go out and fight Egypt. If we are going to die, at least we could yell out “Freedom” and go down fighting.

The fourth group just started yelling and screaming because maybe, just maybe, somebody stronger than Egypt would save them.

So Moshe Rabainu answers all of these groups with (Chapter 14, Verse 13 and 14), “Don’t Fear!”

Moshe answers the first group, who wanted to commit suicide, “Stand fast and see the salvation of Hashem.”

To the second group, who wanted to go back to Egypt, he replies, “For as you see Egypt today, you shall not see them every again!”

To the third group that wanted to fight, “Hashem will do battle for you.”

And to the fourth group that was yelling for somebody to help them, “And you shall remain silent.”

Rabbi Elie Munk compares these groups to the Jews of today.

The first group think is there is no hope for us. Let us jump into the sea of the world and assimilate.

The second group thinks that it is our destiny to be persecuted and there is nothing we can do.

The third group always says that violence is the answer.

And the fourth group cried out to the bigger and stringer nations for help against our enemies.

To each of these groups Moshe is telling them STOP! Have emunah in Hashem! There is hope! We are not condemned to be persecuted! Violence is not always the answer! Stop crying out to the other nations and cry out to Hashem for help.

We need to follow Moshe’s advice to fight off our enemies. We need to stand united, faith in the one above, to receive our redemption. With this advice, we should merit in the end of our exile speedily in our days. Amen!