פרשת בשלח
This week’s parsha records one of the most miraculous events of all time, how Hashem split the sea for the Jewish people and they walked through the seabed unscathed, while their Egyptian overlords were drowned in the raging waters just after the Jews had successfully stepped onto dry land. When the Jews emerged safely on the other side, they were concerned that perhaps just as they exited on the west side, perhaps the Egyptians got out safely on the east side. In order to allay their fears and to enrich them, Hashem made the Egyptian bodies wash up on the shore, with tremendous riches, as their custom was to go to war with all their golden accoutrements, and Moshe literally had to pull them away from the unimaginable spoils that they had collected during this shopping spree to continue their journey on to Israel.
The Jews’ first stop was called Marah. The Torah tells us that this was really their first test as a nation, because they didn’t have any water to drink, and Hashem wanted to see how they would react to their first uncomfortable situation. Unfortunately, we know that the Jews complained bitterly to Moshe and said that they were better off in Egypt, and they were punished for this protest that they voiced. There are a few points I would like to explain about this episode in the Torah. Firstly, what exactly was the trial, and what would have been the optimal way for the Jews to respond to it? Secondly, why specifically now were they being tested? And finally, the verse says that the Jews were given some laws of the Torah at Marah such as honoring one’s parents and the laws of Shabbos. Why was this necessary to be done at Marah before the rest of the commandments were given at Sinai?
The Malbim explains beautifully that the test for the Jews was an extremely delicate one. We know from the Midrashim that the Jews received a steady supply of water from the Reed Sea while they were crossing it. There was a fountain, so to speak, that came out of the sea walls which were formed in the tunnel through the ocean, and miraculously, the salt water turned to fresh water. The Jews drank thirstily from this fountain. When they arrived at Marah, all of a sudden they realized that not only did they have no more water, but the spring of fresh water which usually flowed at that camp site in Marah had turned bitter and was undrinkable. So the Jews had fallen from receiving fluids miraculously, to not even being able to depend on normal means to quench their thirst. This made them panic and complain. However, the correct response would have been to realize that this unexpected turn of events was only coming from Hashem, and was a reminder for them to strengthen themselves in their spirituality. Had they done this, and turned to Hashem, they would have been answered immediately, and their needs would have been met, but they chose the more negative approach, to complain about their situation. This is also why they were given those commandments at Marah. Hashem wanted to indicate to them that if they would strengthen their faith in Him, and improve their spiritual level, they wouldn’t have reached this bind that they found themselves in. The Netziv takes this lesson to a practical level and says that quite often, we find Torah scholars and upright Jews who will struggle financially, barely being able to make end’s meat, and sometimes, their predicament will reach the point where they can’t even cover their basic costs. The weaker people respond to this situation by complaining and asking Hashem what they did to deserve this, but the lesson we are supposed to cull from Marah is that we should react by intensifying our piety and religious endeavors, and trust wholeheartedly in the notion that Hashem will come through for us.
It is interesting to note that the Torah does not explicitly tell us which commandments were given at Marah, and relies on the Midrash to teach them to us. The Ramban explains that this is because the commandments given were not ratified until the Jews got the Torah at Sinai. Until then, they were merely optional, and not obligatory. Based on what we have said, this makes perfect sense, as these commandments were just there to serve as an instant boost for the Jews’ faith in Hashem. However, the Ramban gives another explanation for this ambiguity. He says that the commandments the Jews received at Marah were those which involved basic human decency, such as being nice to other people, acting modestly in one’s home, treating strangers and guests properly, and so on. R’ Shach asserts from this Ramban that it was absolutely imperative that the Jews be commanded in these basic laws of human decency before the Torah was given in order to symbolize the fact that these good character traits are a prerequisite for being able to receive the Torah. R’ Chaim Vital writes in his book, The Gates of Holiness, that good character traits are not commanded anywhere in the Torah, but they are so elementary in the life of a Jew, that it is self-evident that without them, no Torah can be studied or observed.
I would like to share an interesting incident that happened with the great Mashgiach of the Ponevich Yeshiva, R’ Chaim Friedlander. One day, on a routine visit to the doctor, R’ Chaim was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and the physician told him that his life was literally limited to a number of weeks. As opposed to going for a second opinion, R’ Chaim went straight from the doctor’s office to R’ Shach, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Ponevich Yeshiva. He asked R’ Shach, “What should a person do who knows that his days are quite numbered?” R’ Shach replied that such a person should spend his time working on his character traits, because this is really the foundation for everything. We would do well to remember R’ Shach’s words when considering where to place our emphasis in our service of Hashem.
Similarly, R’ Pam, the Rosh Yeshiva of Torah V’edas was known worldwide for his tremendous piety and holiness. He would spend a great deal of time each day helping the Jewish people grow, and simply talking with the ones who had nobody else to converse with. One day, when R’ Pam was 85 years old, one of his students noticed him taking a small piece of paper out of his pocket. The student inquisitively asked the Rosh Yeshiva what was written on that note. R’ Pam showed him that it had the instructions of the Vilna Gaon, to work on one’s character traits at all times, as this is the primary job of a Jew. R’ Pam explained, “Every time I take this memo out of my pocket, and I look at it, it gives me tremendous encouragement, and helps remind me what I am doing in this world, and I try to live up to it’s instruction.” We see that even at a ripe old age, this giant never forgot how important it was to improve his character traits.
May we all merit to always realize that all our problems come from Hashem, and serve as reminders, and to forever be working to develop our Midos!