1. Art and Diseño

e"dl
glya
dxiy zay
Third decade
Second thousand
6th Motza"Sh intro-verse
1122
d"ryz'd
hay `"i
Jan 30-31 '15
OU Israel Center • 22 Keren HaYesod • POB 37015 • Jerusalem • (02) 560-9100
Important Lesson from the Master of All
B'shalach presents us with two different types of... things (for lack of a better
word), which are maddeningly polar opposites. On the one hand, we have
Y'tzi'at Mitzrayim, the Splitting of the Sea - miracles upon miracles within
miracles, bitter water being sweetened,
Erev
Take a bird
the quail, the Manna, water from a rock.
Shabbat
On the other hand, we find superkvetching, bitter complaining, the people
saying terrible things - Why'd you take
us out of Egypt to kill us in the Midbar?
Not enough graves in Egypt? What are
we supposed to drink?
cont. page 4
to lunch on...
Shira
It's a gesture of
Hakarat HaTov
for the manna-eating
and our use of song
mr²¨dÎz
¨ `¤ | mi¯¦dŸl'¡` aQ©
¥¸ Ie©
...sEqÎm©
® i x­¨Ac§ O¦ d© Kx¬¤
¤C
gi:bi zeny
God therefore made the
people take a roundabout
path, by way of the desert
to the Red Sea...
JERUSALEM in/out times for Shabbat Parshat B'shalach-Shira
Candles 4:36PM • Havdala 5:50PM • Rabbeinu Tam 6:24PM
Pi x
ParshaP
Explanations further on
Last op is Leil TU BiShvat, all night
TUE-WED, February 3-4. Actually, almost all night, i.e. until 5:16am.
This time needs to be adjusted for location. Clarification: The time we
use for last op for KL is halfway between the previous molad and the
upcoming molad. That's 14d 18h 22m. Just as the molad we announce
and use is based on average, so is the midpoint, which is called the
NIGUD - opposition, in English. We follow the opinion that after this
time, one enters into SAFEIK B'RACHA. Some hold that the deadline
can be extended because the Moon still appears to be full.
Candles
Shabbat Parshat B'shalach - Shira Havdala
Yitro
Ranges are 11 days, Wed-Shabbat
4:36
Yerushalayim / Maale Adumim 5:50 4:42 5:56 8-18 Sh'vat • Jan 28 -Feb 7
4:54 Aza area (Netivot, S'deirot, et al) 5:53 5:00 5:59
Earliest Talit & T'filin
5:43-5:37am
4:51
5:51 4:57 5:57
Gush Etzion
Sunrise
6:35-6:28½am
4:51
Raanana / Tel Mond / Herzliya 5:51 4:58 5:57
Sof Z'man K' Sh'ma
9:13-9:10am
4:52
5:51 4:58 5:57 (Magen Avraham: 8:36-8:34am)
Beit Shemesh / RBS
4:51
5:51 4:58 5:57 Sof Z'man T'fila
Netanya
10:06-10:05am
4:51
5:51 4:57 5:57 (Magen Avraham: 9:35-9:34am)
Modi'in / Chashmona'im
4:52
5:52 4:58 5:58 Chatzot
Rehovot
11:52-11:53¼am
(halachic
noon)
4:58
5:58
4:51
5:53
Be'er Sheva / Otniel
12:22-12:24pm
4:36
5:51 4:42 5:57 Mincha Gedola
Petach Tikva
(earliest Mincha)
4:50
5:50 4:57 5:56
Ginot Shomron
Plag Mincha
4:03¼-4:11pm
4:50
5:50 4:56 5:56
Gush Shiloh
5:14¼-5:23¼pm
4:40
5:50 4:47 5:56 Sunset
Haifa / Zichron
(based on sea level:
5:09-5:18¼pm
4:52
5:51 4:58 5:57
Chevron / Kiryat Arba
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CF of Adirim and Chulam
One in double Noa'ch of one Sheim

It takes as much discernment, if
not more, to know when not to
criticize that which is open to
criticism as to know how to
criticize it.
 We never appear without make-up.
 A broad perspective is sometimes
the result of an inability to
distinguish details.
 We must not be so far above
things as to be out of touch with
them.
from "A Candle by Day" by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein z"l
www.createspace.com/4492905
Goes together like a horse and what?
No rhymes necessary
It's before the Torah, but in the Torah, it's before what?
If he is of us
continued from the Front Page
We should have stayed in Egypt
with plenty of food and died by the
Hand of G-d, rather than leaving...
What's with them?!!!
No, that's not a question we have
the right to ask. Do not judge your
fellow until you are in the same
situation he is. So this is NOT a
criticism of that generation.
What this is, is a marveling at
HaKadosh Baruch Hu and how He
related (and relates) to Bnei Yisrael.
No one but G-d could hear so many
complaints and resist the temptation (so to speak) to wipe the people
out. Repeated 'don't worry'. Over and
over, G-d gave us what we needed.
He protected us from the pursuing
Egyptians. He split the Sea so we
could pass on dry land. He confounded the Egyptians and then
closed the sea on them. He gave us
water. He gave us manna. He gave
us water again.
Why did you leave over manna from
one day to the next? You were told
not to. Why did you go out on
Shabbat to collect manna when you
were told that it would not fall on
Shabbat?
And what we read about in Parshat
B'shalach is only the beginning. We
haven't gotten to the golden calf or
to Korach's rebellion or to the Sin of
the Spies. We haven't got to the
complaining again about being
thirsty and hungry.
said. Terrible, terrible things.
But, again, we cannot judge that
generation. Just like we who did not
go through the Holocaust cannot
ever judge the Jews who did.
To be sure, G-d did get angry (so to
speak) and He did punish. But no
where as much as we obviously
deserved.
And the most amazing thing about
it all, is G-d's summary about the
whole Midbar experience for the
Jewish People. Let's look at the
opening p'sukim of Yirmiyahu ch.2.
And the word of G-d came to me,
saying, Go and cry in the ears of
Jerusalem, saying, Thus said
HaShem; I remember you, the
devotion of your youth, your love
like a bride, when you went after me
in the wilderness, in a land that was
not sown. Israel is holy to G-d, and
the first fruits of His produce; all
who devour him shall be held guilty;
evil shall come upon them, said G-d.
And here is the lesson we can and
should learn from G-d. We have
children, grandchildren, spouses,
siblings, parents, friends who sometimes kvetch. Who sometimes are
ungrateful. Who sometimes complain harshly. Who are sometimes
nasty or insensitive. Remember
though, that the basis of the
relationship - as G-d's is with us, is
LOVE. Let us emulate Him.
And it isn't just the complaining. It's
how they complained. What they
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page 4  Shabbat Shira - B'shalach
B'shalach
the People...", G-d leads them along
a circuitous route to prevent them
from panicking and returning to
Egypt. Moshe, in fulfillment of the
promise made to Yosef by his
brothers, takes Yosef's remains out
of Egypt with the People.
16th of 54 sedras; 4th of 11 in Sh'mot
Written on 215.33 lines in a Torah (17th)
14 parshiot; 9 open, 5 closed
116 p'sukim - ranks 23rd (6th in Sh'mot)
1681 words - ranks 19th (4th in Sh'mot)
6423 letters - ranks 18th (4th in Sh'mot)
Higher ranking for lines is definitely due
to the format of the SHIRA HAYAM
column, which have a lot of blank space.
B'SHALACH contains a single mitzva of
the 613, the prohibition of leaving one's
Shabbat boundary - T'CHUM SHABBAT
(T'chum's membership in the family of
Torah mitzvot is disputed - see further)
[P> X:Y (Z)] and [S> X:Y (Z)] indicate start
of a parsha p'tucha or s'tuma. X:Y is
Perek:Pasuk of the beginning of the
parsha; (Z) is the number of p'sukim in the
parsha.
Numbers in [square brackets] are the
Mitzva-count of Sefer HaChinuch AND
Rambam’s Sefer HaMitzvot. A=ASEI;
L=LAV (prohibition). X:Y is the perek and
pasuk from which the mitzva comes.
Kohen - First Aliya
14 p'sukim - 13:17-14:8
[S> 13:17 (6)] "When Par'o sends
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The Midrash tells us that
Yosef's bones had been hidden by
the Egyptians in the Nile in order to
prevent the Israelites from leaving
Egypt. Yosef's coffin miraculously
surfaced just at the right time, so
that the People could take it with
them when they left. We are taught
that Yosef merited being taken out
of Egypt for burial in Eretz Yisrael
because he had arranged for his
father's burial there. Moshe, in turn,
was accorded the highest honor G-d Himself took care of Moshe's
burial, in reward for the attention he
paid to Yosef's remains.
Tradition tells us that the
remains of all of the 'Tribes' (sons of
Yaakov) were brought out of Egypt.
Why was Moshe, from the tribe of
Levi, the one who took care of
ATZMOT YOSEF? It has been
suggested that Moshe was atoning
for and effecting a TIKUN for his
great-grandfather's leading role in
the Sale of Yosef.
(Heard from Rabbi Jeff Bienenfeld in
a 5-minute D'var Torah at 1:15pm,
right before Mincha at the Center.)
[FYI] The Gemara teaches us that a
dead body itself - and certainly one
who is defiled to a dead body - is
allowed into the "Levite Camp", and
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is only banned from the Mikdash
area (Machaneh Sh'china). This we
learn from the fact that Moshe took
Yosef's bones "with him". This
halacha has significance today
concerning the halachic permissibility to ascend Har HaBayit in those
areas that are OUTSIDE the place
where the Mikdash and its courtyards MIGHT have been. That part of
Har HaBayit has the status of the
Levite camp (at most), and one may
go there following immersion in a
Mikve to rid oneself of "the
defilement that comes from the
body". (Defilement to a dead body
cannot be removed without the Para
Aduma potion and so today, one
cannot go into the Mikdash part of
Har HaBayit - except for security
reasons.) - and with other restrictions. A person should consult a Rav
with Har HaBayit experience before
going there.
G-d provided an escort for the
People in the form of a pillar of
cloud by day and a pillar of fire at
night.
[P> 14:1 (14)] G-d tells Moshe of
His plan to lead the People in such
a way that Par'o will pursue them
in the misguided hope of bringing
them back to Egypt.
When Par'o is notified (by spies
whom he had sent to accompany
the Israelites) of the People's whereabouts, he (with G-d's help in
making his heart "heavy", i.e.
strong) takes a tremendous force
with him and chases after the
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People of Israel.
"And G-d did not allow them
to go DERECH ERETZ P'LISHTIM.
Literally, they did not take the
straight route to the territory of the
Philistines. One commentator suggests an interesting DRASH based
on a play on words. G-d did not take
the People out of Egypt in DERECH
ERETZ, in the normal, natural way of
things, but in a miraculous way.
Normally, bread comes from the
ground; for the People of Israel, G-d
sent them bread from above.
Normally, water comes from above;
for the People of Israel, G-d provided
water from below, from a rock and
from the miraculous Well that
accompanied them on their journeys, in the merit of Miriam. Not
taking us out in a natural manner,
leaves us with no doubt that it was
indeed G-d Who took us out of
Egypt. This is a crucial foundation
stone of Judaism. Not only did we
get out of Mitzrayim, but it was G-d
Who took us out. Not only did He
take us out, but the people knew
and know it well.
This idea was presented to the
people when Moshe and Aharon
were first sent to Par'o to warn him
about the plagues. In addition to the
promise of V'LAKACHTI, and I (G-d)
will take them to me as a nation,
there was VIDA'TEM, and you will
know that it is I who takes you out
of Egypt.
And, of course, G-d's opening words
at Sinai make the point abundantly
clear.
page 6  Shabbat Shira - B'shalach
why the People are screaming; let
them just move on.
Levi - Second Aliya
6 p'sukim - 14:9-14
The mighty Egyptian army pursues
the People. When the People of
Israel see them coming, they are
greatly frightened because there is
no place to flee. They complain to
Moshe that it would have been
better to have died in Egypt. Moshe
reassures the People, encourages
them not to fear, promises them
that G-d will fight on their behalf,
and tells them that Egypt will soon
cease to exist.
It seems that Par'o actually
thought that he let the People go that he expelled the People from
Egypt. That's even what it seems to
say at the beginning of this week's
sedra (When Par'o sent the people
out...). G-d arranged to have Par'o run
after them. Then the events make it
crystal clear to him - and to us - that
G-d, and only G-d took us out of
Egypt. Without this part of the
Exodus procedure, Par'o and his
people - and probably some Jews as
well, would think that Par'o had a
part in letting us leave Egypt. With
the opening commandment of the
Aseret HaDibrot stating, I am
HaShem, your G-d, Who took you
out of Mitzrayim... this point is
essential.
Shlishi - Third Aliya
11 p'sukim - 14:15-25
[P> 14:15 (11)] G-d "asks" Moshe
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Our Sages teach us that
there are times when prayer is called
for, and other times when action is
the order of the day. Sometimes we
must use long prayers and petitions;
sometimes a quick prayer not only
suffices, but saying more can be
counter-productive. G-d says: MA
TITZ'AK EILAI, why cry out to Me?
MA is spelled MEM-HEI. MEM can
represent the 40 days and 40
nights that Moshe was to spend in
prayer on behalf of the People
following the Sin of the Golden Calf.
MEM represents long prayer. HEI
can stand for the simple but
eloquent 5-word prayer for Miriam's
recovery from Tzora'at which she
contracted in punishment for speaking disrepectfully of Moshe - KEIL
NA R'FA NA LAH. And sometimes,
neither short nor long prayer is
appropriate. At this point of the
Exodus, the order of the day was
decisive action. Move it! There is
another example later in the Torah
of Moshe and Aharon springing into
immediate action to stop a plague
from killing the People. We must
know when to pray and when to act
first, and when to do both.
G-d tells Moshe to raise his hand
over the Sea and split it, so the
People will be able to pass through
it on dry land. G-d informs Moshe
that He will again harden Egypt's
heart so that they will continue
their pursuit. The Egyptians will
finally know G-d's Might. The
page 7  Shabbat Shira - B'shalach
guardian angel (pillar of cloud)
that was leading the People now
was repositioned between the Jews
and the pursuing Egyptian army,
preventing contact.
Moshe raises his hand above the
Sea and G-d causes a powerful
easterly wind to blow all night,
followed by a parting of the waters.
The People of Israel enter the Sea
on dry land, between walls of
water.
Egypt boldly follows, but their
arrogant attitude abruptly changes
to fear and panic as their chariots
lose their wheels and bog down in
the seabed. (This is in sharp
contrast with the perfectly dry land
beneath the feet of Israel.)
Egypt finally (too late) acknowledges G-d, not only now, but
retroactively, as the One Who had
fought for Israel in Egypt.
Why the strong wind blowing
all night? Could not G-d have split
the Sea with the proverbial snap of a
finger? The answer is: Of course He
could. But the night's preparation for
the miracles of the day serves
several purposes. Egypt is lulled into
a false sense of security when
something is happening that they
can explain. They don't want to
accept that the G-d of Israel is
performing miracles for His people.
No doubt, their wizards explained
the desert winds and the effects it
can have. Among the Jews, there are
always individuals who would like
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not to admit to G-d's awesome
powers. They too will have their
"excuse" in the natural components
of the miracle. Perhaps, most
importantly, this wind (and the like)
allows us to relate to and better
appreciate, the miracles themselves.
A snap of the finger brings results
too quickly for us to think about
what is happening. A night to
ponder what was going on, further
enhanced the appreciation of the
Children of Israel for what had
happened, was happening, and was
to happen - what and when!
R'vi'i - Fourth Aliya
32 p'sukim - 14:26-15:26
[P> 14:26 (6)] Moshe is now
instructed by G-d to raise his hand
once more over the Sea so that the
waters may return. He does so and
the Egyptians are drowned. The
People, however, have succeeded in
passing through the Sea and are
ecstatic in their salvation. They
attain true belief and trust in G-d
and in Moshe His servant.
Rambam states that complete, solid,
lasting faith in G-d was attained at
Sinai. Here we must say that the
belief was great, but not yet permanent. One telling hint towards the
tenuousness of belief as a result of
"flashy" miracles alone is the word
UVMOSHE - they believed in G-d
AND IN MOSHE His servant. The
only other occurrence of that word
UVMOSHE is in Bamidbar after
Aharon dies and there was a battle
against Emori, the people were
page 8  Shabbat Shira - B'shalach
disgusted with their wandering and
spoke against G-d and Moshe.
That's the other extreme of belief same word occurs at both extremes.
[P> 15:1 (19)] Next comes the Song
of the Sea. What makes the Song of
the Sea so special is that it is a
direct quote of the People of Israel
that G-d put into His Torah
verbatim. In other words, the rest
of the Torah is written by G-d; we
composed this part. It is an
inspiring passage that has been
incorporated into our daily prayer.
It is written in Sefer HaChareidim that "he who says the Song
of the Sea aloud and with joy, it is as
if he was leaving Egypt at that
moment - and his sins will be
forgiven." In the merit of the Song of
the Sea, G-d split the Sea for the
People and forgave their transgressions.
This 19-pasuk parsha is unique in
the way it is written in a Sefer Torah.
The column that contains the Shira
is wider than any other column in
the Torah. It is a Tradition to start
the column with 5 lines belonging to
the previous parsha, beginning with
the word HABA'IM. Then a line is left
blank and then the first line of AZ
YASHIR is written all the way across
the column. The next line has one
word, a blank space, a group of
words (from 3-5), another blank
space, and then a single word to end
the line. Call this, line pattern A. The
next line starts with a group of
words (2-5), a space, and another
group of words (3-5). Call this, line
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pattern B. After the first line, the rest
of the Shira parsha consists of
another
29
lines,
alternating
patterns A and B, ending with an A.
Then a line is skipped. Five more
"regular" lines of Torah text finish off
the column. The column with the
Shira has many blank spaces and
two blank lines.
[P> 15:20 (2)] Following the Shira
portion is a 2-pasuk parsha
describing Miriam's rallying of the
women to join in the Shira in their
own way.
[S> 15:22 (5)] The People continue
their journey and fail to find water
for three days. When they do find
some, they complain bitterly (pun
intended) of the inability to drink
it. G-d directs Moshe to perform a
miracle by throwing a special piece
of wood into the water whereby
the water becomes sweet.
Aside from the literal meaning of the text, this episode is
considered an allusion to the
primacy of Torah in the life of a Jew.
Both Torah and water sustain life spiritual and physical. In the same
vein, "three days without water"
resulted in our reading the Torah on
Monday and Thursday, so that in
our wandering in the spiritual desert
of life, we will not go 3 days without
spiritual water. This is but one "use"
of the analogy between Torah and
water. This idea is not just a matter
of DRASH. The last pasuk of this
parsha tells that if we will harken to
G-d's Voice and follow the Torah,
page 9  Shabbat Shira - B'shalach
keep the mitzvot... then all the ills
that befell Egypt will not be put upon
us...
Chamishi 5th Aliya
11 p'sukim - 15:27-16:10
[S> 15:27 (4)] The People next
travel to Eilim and from there to
Midbar Tsin, en route to Sinai. This
time, they complain about the lack
of food.
[S> 16:4 (7)] G-d tells Moshe about
the manna (maan, on)
¨ which He
will soon provide for the People.
Moshe tells the People that they
will soon see how G-d hears and
listens to their complaints. Maan is
not just the food that sustains the
people, it is also a crucial test of the
faith that the people should have in
G-d. The Maan was to fall daily
except for Shabbat, and was not
allowed to be left over night
(except for what fell on Friday).
This
facilitated
a
constant
strengthening of our faith in G-d the need to "trust" Him every single
day.
Shishi - Sixth Aliya
26 p'sukim - 16:11-36
[P> 16:11 (17)] The account of the
Maan continues... Quail miraculously appear in the evening, and
the people eat "meat". On the next
morning, the Maan - protected by
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appears. The People are fascinated
by it and when they question
Moshe, he explains the rules and
procedures set down by G-d.
Nonetheless, there were some who
left over Maan from one day to the
next, and this angered Moshe. And,
despite being told that the Maan
will NOT fall on Shabbat, there
were individuals who went out to
search for it.
[S> 16:28 (9)] G-d "takes note" of
this display of lack of faith and
"asks" how long we will continue to
refuse to keep His commands.
The parsha of the Maan is our first
real introduction to Shabbat. This is
the meaning of the line in DAYEINU,
had You given us the Shabbat and
not brought us near Har Sinai,
DAYEINU, there would be sufficient
reason to thank You... Although
Shabbat is an integral part of
Revelation at Sinai (commandment
#4), it actually preceded Matan
Torah.
From the episode of the Maan we
learn the important lesson that
Shabbat is honored by being prepared for. It is not just a corollary of
the prohibitions of Shabbat that we
prepare our food in advance; it is an
essential feature of Shabbat and the
role of the days of the week.
Included in the instructions about
the Maan is the command not to
"leave our PLACE on the seventh
day (to collect the Maan)". This was
not just a rule for that generation;
page 10  Shabbat Shira - B'shalach
it is a mitzva among the 613 - the
mitzva of T'chum Shabbat [24,
L321 16:29].
Briefly, the point of T'CHUM is not
about how far we may walk on
Shabbat. It is about how far AWAY
FROM HOME we may go. This is
obvious from the halachic details of
T'CHUM. The weekdays are for
going. Shabbat is for staying put (as
defined by halacha) and being able
to "relax", to ponder G-d's Creation
and Mastery over all.
A sample of Maan was stored as a
remembrance for future generations.
It is important to understand that
the prohibition of T’CHUM, be it
from the Torah or from the Sages,
was not meant to put a limit on
physical exertion or the distance a
person may walk on Shabbat. A
person who lives in a house in
yenemsvelt which is located on a
small plot of land with a fence
around it, is restricted to a distance
of about a kilometer outside his
fence. Another person who lives in a
big city can walk from one end to
the other - from Gilo to Ramot and
back again (or Washington Heights
to the Bowery) - miles and miles and not have a problem of T’CHUM
at all. And even the first guy with the
house near no others can walk
around and around his property all
Shabbat long. As long as he does
not go outside his T’CHUM, he’s
okay. (Not really, because he has to
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figure out why he spends all
Shabbat walking in circles around
his home.) The topics of T'CHUM
and EIRUV are complex. This only
touched on a few points.
Sh'VII Seventh Aliya
16 p'sukim - 17:1-16
[P> 17:1 (7)] The People journey to
Refidim and again complain about
the lack of water. (It is not the
complaint itself that "angers" G-d it is the apparent lack of faith and
the doubt in the value of the
Exodus that casts a negative light
on the People.) In response, G-d
tells Moshe to gather the Elders
and People and strike a rock in
their presence with his miraculous
staff. The result is water for the
People.
The final nine
p'sukim, which is also the Torah
reading of Purim morning, tell of
Amalek's attack on the fledgling
nation of Israel. It is the archtypical fight against those who
would seek to destroy us. This
battle repeats itself differently
throughout Jewish History.
[P> 17:8 (6)]
[P> 17:14 (3)] G-d tells Moshe to
write down and tell Yehoshua that
I (G-d) will wipe out the memory
of Amalek... This is not just Israel's
battle, but G-d's as well.
page 11  Shabbat Shira - B'shalach
Haftara 52 p'sukim
Sho-f’tim 4:4-5:31
In the time of the Judges, Bnei
Yisrael found themselves cruelly
oppressed. In the sedra it was Par'o;
in the haftara it is Yavin and his
general, Sisra. Devorah enlists
Barak to lead an army against
them. With the success of the
battle, Devorah sang a song of
praise and thanks to G-d, similar
in nature to that of Moshe and Bnei
Yisrael in the parsha. So too, the
People's faith in G-d had similar
"ups and downs" to those in the
sedra. Devorah was key to restoring a high level of faith in G-d
among the People and in leading
the People to great victories.
S'faradim read just the Song of
Devora as the haftara of B'shalach.
Ashkenazim start earlier and
include in the reading the story of
Sisra's temporary escape from
Barak and his army, only to find
his demise at the hand (and tent
peg) of Yael, wife of Chever
HaKeini.
Shabbat morning to make a liar our
of Moshe. Birds ate up the Mahn
and are credited with saving G-d's
and Moshe's "reputation", so to
speak. We feed them on Erev
Shabbat Shira (feeding birds that
don't belong to you, is problematic
on Shabbat).
The other debt of gratitude to birds
for Song is based upon the fact that
the birds' special talent is singing
(by no means do all birds sing
nicely, but...), and we borrowed it, so
to speak, for the Song of the Sea.
Maybe a more prosaic lesson that is
not restricted to Shabbat Shira, is to
feed birds during the winter when
food is difficult to come by for them.
GIMATRIYA MATCH
:cr¨
«¤e m¬¨lŸrl§ KŸl­ n¦
§ i | 'd¬
This last pasuk of SHIRAT HAYAM and is doubled
because of that (not everyone holds to double it). It is
also translated into Aramaic. In addition to AZ
YASHIR, the pasuk is used earlier in P'sukei d'Zimra
(in Y'hi Ch'vod) and in Uva l'Tziyon, also with
translation.
G-d shall reign forever and ever - He already does for
us, but the whole world will recognize that in the
future. At that time, there will be true SHALOM in
the world. Gimatriya of the pasuk is 376, same as
SHALOM.
Take a Bird to Lunch
That was our reminder on the front
page. The Hakarat HaTov aspect of
this minhag is based upon the
Midrash that says that Datan and
Aviram spread Mahn around the
camp on Friday night, intending to
call it to people's attention on
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page 12  Shabbat Shira - B'shalach
mgpn ixac
Divrei Menachem
[email protected]
When we read stories of courage, of
those who sacrifice themselves to
save others, we are amazed! From
where did these individuals learn
such selflessness and self-sacrifice?
When we look at the Midrash
concerning the miracle of the crossing of the Red Sea, we begin to
understand.
A terrified people are trapped
between the "devil and the deep blue
sea" and only when Nachshon ben
Aminadav jumped into the water did
the waters divide and the people
were saved.
How could it be that Nachshon could
so risk his life? The Lubavitcher
Rebbe posits that Nachshon put aside
all the plaints and prognoses of the
petrified people, and only wished to
speedily fulfill the word of G-d that
the Exodus should lead to the service
of HaShem on the mountain.
Like our forefathers and current
heroes Nachshon never gave a
second's thought to self-sacrifice or
heroism... It appears that our
interpretation of heroism is doing
what a Jew needs to do, regardless
of obstacles, to uphold our deepest
values and to sanctify G-d's name in
our topsy turvy world.
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Vebbe Rebbe
Joining Pieces of Dough
for Hafrashat Challa
Question: If I make cookies and
cupcakes one evening, do the different
pieces of dough combine to form an amount
that obligates hafrashas challa (the removal
of a piece to, in theory, be given to a
kohen)?
Answer: First we should point out
that you appear to be aware of that
which not all know - cookies and cake
may need hafrashat challa. Even
though the Torah refers basically to
bread, cookies and cake made from
the classic types of grain (especially,
wheat) are closely enough related to
the bread family to be obligated in
hafrashat challa if either the dough is
thick or the batter is baked rather than
cooked (Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh
De'ah 329:1).
The Torah describes the giving of
challa as something which is taken
from dough (ARISOTEICHEM Bamidbar 15:21). Classically, the
requisite amount of dough (over 2lbs./
I kilo of flour - we will not get into all
the opinions of the exact amount
needed for hafrasha with and without
a b'racha) is present at the time there
is one dough. One big dough can
indeed be made into many cookies or
loafs of bread afterward without
affecting the obligation. However, we
will briefly see that a big piece of
dough does not always require
hafrashat challa, and many smaller
page 13  Shabbat Shira - B'shalach
pieces of dough are not always
exempt. A lot has to do with the plans
one has for what to do with the dough
in the baking process. For example, if
the big piece of dough was made with
the intention to be given out to
different people before being baked,
each one of which was to be less than
the requisite amount for challa,
hafrasha is not required (Shulchan
Aruch, Yoreh Deah 326:2). On the
other hand, if one makes smaller
amounts of dough at different times
and then brings them together at a
later time, then under certain
circumstances the existence of an
obligation of hafrashat challa is
determined by the combined amount
(ibid. 325:1). What the physical
situation needs to be in order for the
smaller pieces of dough to be joined is
slightly involved (see ibid.). As we
will see, that point is not necessary to
answer your question, which we will
now address.
The mishna (Challa 4:1) says that if
two women make loaves of dough of
the same type (i.e., from the same
grain) and each one is not big enough
to require challa taken, then even if
the loaves touch each other, they do
not combine to create an obligation of
hafrashat challa. If one woman owned
the two loaves, then they do combine
to obligate her to give challa. The
Yerushalmi (ad loc.) explains that it is
not the ownership per se that is the
issue, but the feasibility of the two
pieces of dough being combined
without anyone's objection. One
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woman would usually have no issues
about mixing between the two pieces
of dough, whereas regarding two
people, the assumption is that each
one will want to keep that which is
their own. The Yerushalmi goes on to
give examples of when we can expect
that even one owner would not want
to mix the pieces of dough, e.g., if one
piece is from "clean flour" and the
other from unprocessed flour.
Indeed, when the Shulchan Aruch
(Yoreh Deah 326:1) codifies these
concepts, he says that if an individual
does not want the two pieces of dough
to be mixed one with the other, then
they do not combine to be obligated in
challa. Regarding cookies and
cupcakes, it seems self-evident that
one would not want to mix the two, as
they are quite different one from the
other. In fact, it is not really feasible
to do so as the former is dough and
the latter is batter. Therefore, it is
clear that if neither the cookie dough
nor the cupcake batter has a sufficient
amount of volume to be obligated in
challa, then even if you want to
connect them in a manner that would
work for two similar loafs of dough,
in this case there would not be an
obligation of hafrashat challa.
Rav Daniel Mann, Eretz Hemdah Institute
Questions? email [email protected]
page 14  Shabbat Shira - B'shalach
Rabbi Weinreb's Weekly Column:
B'shalach
"Don't Forget the Tambourines"
It is a familiar domestic scene, one
that we have all experienced. The
family is about to leave on a welldeserved long vacation. All the suitcases are packed and ready to go.
Then, someone, usually the mother,
shouts out: "Did we all remember
everything? Once we get started,
we're not turning back!"
Then the cross questioning begins:
"Sally, did you remember your
toothbrush?"
"Sam,
did
you
remember your sneakers?" "Dad,
did you remember your reading
glasses?" And so on.
All is well if the answer to all those
questions is, "Yes!" Things are not
too bad, then, if Sally has forgotten
her toothbrush but rushes upstairs
to fetch it. The real crisis begins
when the family car has progressed
five miles down the road when Dad
suddenly realizes that, although he
did remember his reading glasses,
he forgot to bring along the book
that he had looked forward to
reading on this vacation.
justifies a U-turn depends very
much upon its significance. Toothbrushes and sneakers can easily be
replaced. Reading glasses, less so.
And books? Well, it depends. Some
books are easily replaced; for
others, a U-turn is required.
This
week's
Torah
portion,
B'shalach (Sh'mot 13:17-17:16),
calls this little family drama to mind.
The Jewish people are finally
leaving Egypt. They are packing
their belongings. It is likely that they
limited what they took with them
just to what they could carry. Do we
have any idea what they took and
what they left behind?
They certainly took with them the
gifts that the Egyptians themselves
pressed upon them. As we read in
last week's parsha, "The children of
Israel did according to the word of
Moshe; and they asked of the
Egyptians vessels of silver, and
vessels of gold, and raiment. And
the Lord gave the people favor in
the sight of the Egyptians, so that
they let them have what they
asked" (ibid. 12:35-36).
Now, a decision is called for. Will
the family turn around and return
home? Or is it not important enough
to waste precious vacation time
retrieving Dad's book? After all, one
can always buy another one
somewhere down the road.
Did they take anything else along?
They surely left behind their ragged
clothing, and those tools and
utensils which would only remind
them of their enslavement. But
allow me to demonstrate to you that
several items besides the "vessels
of silver and vessels of gold and
raiment" were carefully included
with their baggage.
Whether or not the forgotten object
One of these "items" is explicitly
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page 15  Shabbat Shira - B'shalach
mentioned in the Torah. "And
Moshe took the bones of Yosef with
him." Moshe faithfully fulfilled the
oath that the Children of Israel
swore to Yosef when he said to
them centuries before: "God will
surely remember you; and you shall
carry out my bones hence with
you."
The Midrash (Sh'mot Rabba 20:19)
sharply contrasts Moshe's "baggage" with the booty that the other
Children of Israel stuffed into their
suitcases. "All of Israel busied
themselves with silver and gold, but
Moshe was preoccupied with
Yosef's bones, to which the Holy
One Blessed is He applied the
verse, 'He who is wise of heart
accepts mitzvot'" (Mishlei 10:7).
From a spiritual perspective, the
silver and gold that the Jews took
with them were not very different
from Sally's toothbrush and Sam's
sneakers. Moshe, however, carefully took along something far more
significant: Yosef's sacred bones.
Did anyone besides Moshe pack
items in their baggage aside from
vessels and clothing? Scripture tells
us nothing in response to this
question. But our Oral Tradition, as
recorded in the Midrash, records
other items that were, in fact, taken
along on the journey.
Later in this week's parsha, we read
the Song of the Red Sea, at the
climax of which "Miriam the
prophetess, the sister of Aaron took
a timbrel in her hand; and all the
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women went out after her with
timbrels and with dances" (Sh'mot
15:20). Where on earth did these
timbrels, an ancient form of tambourine, come from? Tambourines
don't grow on trees, and even if
they did, trees don't grow in in the
desert.
Did it ever occur to you to ask this
question? It never occurred to me
until I encountered it in a collection
of ancient midrashic fragments
(Yalkut Shimoni Sh'mot 253), which
answers that Miriam, and many
other righteous women, left Egypt
fully confident that they would one
day have occasion to sing and
dance. Thus, they brought musical
instruments with them out of their
place of enslavement.
Moshe left Egypt dedicated to
preserving the past history of our
people. So he took with him the
bones of Yosef, and according to
the Talmud, the bones of all of
Yosef's brothers. Miriam and her
companions anticipated a hopeful
future, and took with them the
wherewithal to celebrate it in song
and dance.
Moshe and Miriam were not the
only ones to pack their suitcases
with more than just "vessels of
silver and gold and raiment." Others
did too. For this, we turn to yet
another
midrashic
passage
(B'reishit Rabba 94:4). It comments
upon a verse that we will read
several weeks from now, in Parshat
T'ruma. There the Torah describes
the component parts of the Mishkan
page 16  Shabbat Shira - B'shalach
and the boards of acacia wood
which comprised its walls. One of
these boards was known as the
bari'ach hatichon, the middle bar:
"…and the middle bar in the midst
of the boards, which shall pass
through from end to end" (Sh'mot
26:28).
On this verse, the Midrash asks:
Did acacia wood grow in the
desert? The answer is a fascinating
one. The Midrash maintains that
Yaakov brought these trees out of
Canaan to Egypt, prophesying that
they would be eventually necessary
to help construct the Mishkan. As
they were about to finally depart
from Egypt several of the newly
freed slaves foresaw a time when
those trees would be needed to
help build a house of worship. They
therefore stowed a large haul of
lumber along with their baggage.
The uprooted trees were also
"packed into the suitcase".
Moshe took Yosef's bones, Miriam
carried out tambourines, and some
unnamed Israelites loaded huge
trees onto their wagons. Nothing
essential was forgotten. The family
of Israel could proceed on its
journey with having to make that
unwanted U-turn.
What great symbolic significance
these three items have for our
people today!
Moshe knew how vital it is for us to
revere our ancestry and preserve
our past.
importance of houses of prayer and
study.
With her womanly wisdom, Miriam
grasped what we often forget.
Tradition and ritual are necessary
but not sufficient. The capacity for
joyous celebration must also be
assured.
Let us thank Miriam for "schlepping"
those tambourines into the desert.
Let's credit her for enabling us to
celebrate this coming Shabbat as
Shabbat Shira. 
TORAH MITZION
by Dr. Meir Tamari
Parshat B'shalach with
Religious Zionist Scholars
"'Bnei Yisrael went up armed out of
the land of Egypt' (Sh'mot 13:17), to
inherit Eretz Yisrael" (Rashbam);
"and Israel were departing b'yad rama,
with upraised hand, boldly (Sh'mot
14:8), not as slaves sneaking away but
rather as an armed nation, marching to
freedom in full daylight" (Ibn Ezra).
"They went with flags flying, to the
sound of drums and harps" (Ramban).
And yet, G-d did not lead them out
through the shorter way of the land of
the Philistines. These may battle with
Israel and then perhaps Israel out of
fear would regret leaving Egypt and
return there. This shows the difficulty
of a nation shaking off the bonds of
galut and the habits of a slave
mentality, even after achieving
liberty. Great spiritual efforts and
Those who took the trees knew the
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strengths are needed to overcome the
habitual subjection to oppression and
to the power of the former slaveowners, even when slaves desire and
acquire freedom.
"Chochmat Elokim led them through
the lengthy desert wanderings so they
would learn bravery, become strong
and develop military skills. If not for
their struggles in the desert and the
denial of physical comforts there, they
would never have the strength and
courage to war against their enemies
and conquer Eretz Yisrael" (Rambam
Moreh Nevuchim 4:24). "Rabbi Akiva
holds that Sukkot celebrates our
sojourn in actual flimsy huts and
shelters, basically exposed to the
elements of our desert wanderings,
which accords with the Rambam's
view. The idea that redemption needs
a spirit of bravery, military training
and physical preparedness is appropriate to Rabbi Akiva and thousands
of his disciples who flocked to Bar
Kochva's revolt for Israel's freedom
and future" (Rabbi Yehuda Shaviv,
Ram, Yeshivat Hesder Kfar Etzion).
By the rerouting to Yam Suf, the trials
of the desert wanderings and the 40
year delay in entering Eretz Yisrael,
Hashem prepared Israel to overcome
these difficulties and to allow for a
new generation that would be free of
the distortions, fears and mentality of
galut and slavery. "The women of
Israel who had never despaired of
geula during the years in Mitztrayim,
had no need for this preparation. 'It
was in the merit of the righteous
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women that Israel was redeemed from
Egypt' (Sota 11b). Then at Kri'at Yam
Suf they went out with music, singing
and dancing;' these righteous women
had emunah and bitachon that
Hashem would perform miraculous
salvation, so they prepared drums to
take with them out of Egypt' (Rashi).
Furthermore, all the women joined
Miriam in song, compared to just
'Moshe and Bnei Yisrael sang', some
Bnei Yisrael but not all" (Ephraim
Yair, a founding member of the
religious kibbutz Tirat Tzvi).
There are traumatic and miraculous
events and times that can transform
people, enabling them to overcome
weaknesses and difficulties in a short
time. For Israel the experience at Yam
Suf was such a transformation, one
that empowered them to achieve true
redemption from their galut mentality.
"What you witnessed at the sea
enabled you to divorce yourselves
completely from Egypt and the
Egyptians. Hashem brought them to
chase after you so that you would be
free from them forever by witnessing
their fate at the sea. Not even a tremor
before them would remain" (Or
HaChayim). "You shall not see the
Egyptians again as you have today"
(Sh'mot 14:13) is a prohibition for all
your generations that you shall not
willingly continue to see them"
(Ramban).
The Pesach Hagada makes it clear that
the miracles of Yam Suf were 5 times
as great as all those of the 10 plagues
brought on Egypt. At the sea, nature
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was transformed by the will of
Hashem before the very eyes of all
Israel. There they witnessed all the
powers of heaven and earth actively
made to protect them and assure their
success. "What a maid servant saw at
Yam Suf, even the prophet
Yechezkiel did not witness". Furthermore, implied in Kri'at HaYam is the
message of 'ein b'reira', that there is no
alternative.
African Zionist Federation, whose whole life was
religious Zionism).
"Pharaoh's troops blocked any
possibility of returning to Egypt and
the desert closed them in from the
sides while the sea lay before them.
Some shouted against Moshe, others
cried out to G-d for help, but the only
way to act was that provided by
Hashem's solution. 'Why do you cry
out to Me? Tell Israel to go forward';
when Israel is in great danger, is not
the time for lengthy prayer (Rashi).
Hashem was telling Israel that they
had to plunge into the sea, to enter
even up to their chins, to the outer
limits of human ability. Without
human mesirat nefesh, without great
desire for redemption the power and
salvation of G-d will never be
revealed. Only together with our
efforts and determination does He
give salvation and redemption. That
has brought Atchalta d'Geula which
we see after the destruction of the
holocaust" (Harav Tzefaniah Drori,
Chief Rabbi of Kiryat Sh'mona and
district, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat
Hesder).
Adapted from Ein Eyah vol. II, p. 185
(Adapted from Doresh b'Tzion: in honor of Joe Simon
z"l of Har Nof, past chairman Mizrachi and South
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The following is from
Sapphire from the Land of Israel
A New Light on the Weekly Portion
from the Writings of
Rabbi Abraham Isaac HaKohen Kook
by Rabbi Chanan Morrison
website: ravkooktorah.org
Listening to the Old
Truly Listening
At a place in the desert called
Marah, Moshe sweetened the bitter
waters so the people would have
water to drink. Then he admonished
them that they should listen
carefully - SHAMO'A TISHMA - to
God’s voice (Sh'mot 15:26).
Why is the verb “to listen” repeated?
In Biblical Hebrew, the grammatical
structure of combining the infinitive
with the conjugated verb is used to
place emphasis. Thus SHAMO'A
TISHMA means “you shall listen
carefully”. The Talmud, however,
often infers additional meanings
from this repetition. In this case, the
Sages derived an important lesson
about Torah study:
If SHAMO'A” - if you listen to the old
- then TISHMA - you will merit
listening to the new. But if you turn
away [from the old], you will no
longer hear (B'rachot 40a).
This statement needs clarification.
What is meant by “old” and “new”?
What special promise is hinted in
the
double
verb,
SHAMO'A
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TISHMA?
Love of Torah
There are two reasons why people
are drawn to study Torah. The first
motivation is the natural desire to
satisfy one’s intellectual curiosity,
just as with any other area of study.
However, the proper motivation for
Torah study should be a love for
Torah that is based on an awareness of the Torah’s intrinsic value.
This is called Torah Lishmah - the
study of Torah for its own sake.
Studying Torah Lishmah means that
one is aware of the holiness
inherent in the very act of studying
Torah. This level of Torah study
requires one to see the universal
light that permeates each and every
detail of the Torah, and recognize
the Torah’s ability to elevate the
individual and the entire world with
the light of Divine morality.
We must sense the Godly soul to be
found within the ensemble of the
Torah’s details, perfecting the
universe - in life, in the material and
spiritual realms, for the collective
and the individual. (Orot HaTorah
2:2)
Reviewing the Old
When is the disparity between
different motivations for Torah study
most pronounced? The true test
comes with regard to “the old” when reviewing material previously
learned.
If our principle motive is merely
intellectual curiosity, then such
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study will be unappealing and even
burdensome. Why should one find
reviewing old material to be interesting? If, however, we are studying
the Torah because of its true inner
value, because it is a revelation of
God’s blueprint for perfecting the
world, then the newness of the
material is not important. The value
of Torah study comes from the very
act of assimilating this Divine
revelation, in uniting our thoughts
with the holy concepts revealed in
the Torah.
One who studies Torah Lishmah
internalizes its teachings. Thus, the
Sages taught, one “possesses” the
Torah he has studied, for it has
become an integral part of him (see
Kiddushin 32b). With this level of
identification with the Torah and its
teachings, “he will merit listening to
the new” - he will be able to hear
original Torah thoughts from within
himself.
Rabbi Meir expressed this idea in
Avot 6:1 - All who engage in Torah
study for its own sake merit many
things… The secrets of Torah are
revealed to them. They become like
a spring that flows with everincreasing strength and a stream
that never ceases.
The scholar who studies Torah
Lishmah becomes a fountain of
creativity, contributing his own innovative explanations and insights.
When the Sages taught that this
person “will merit hearing the new”,
this “new” isn’t just new to him, but
new to the entire world.
One who is disinterested in review-
page 20  Shabbat Shira - B'shalach
ing previously learned material, on
the other hand, is demonstrating
that Torah study is only an
intellectual pursuit. This person, the
Sages warned, “will no longer hear”.
Even new ideas will fail to pique his
interest, for he will come to lack
even the normal measure of
curiosity with regard to the Torah’s
wisdom. 
OzTorah
Why did they want to stay?
More than once Moshe had to coax
the people into moving forward. We
know of their mutiny against life in
the wilderness when they wanted to
go back to Egypt. But even earlier
there was a problem. It seems from
Sh'mot 14:15 that they did not want
to budge once they had crossed the
Red Sea and encamped at Sinai.
The Midrash asks what made the
people reluctant to go any further.
Surely they knew they were on the
way to destiny! Surely they wanted
to settle down in the Promised Land
as a nation with its own way of life!
What was the attraction of the
wilderness?
The answer the Midrash offers is to
the people’s credit. They had had a
remarkable emotional and spiritual
experience. Crossing the Red Sea
was exhilarating. Standing at Mount
Sinai was inspiring. They wanted the
great experience never to end.
We are all like that from time to
time. Like Christopher Robin who
wanted to stay six for ever and ever,
we have moments when we are on a
high and wish it would never end.
But the Israelites had to move into
the wilderness, as we have to move
back into day to day living. We all
have to come down from the
mountain top and face life on the
ground. We have to move into the
sometimes harsh world and face its
challenges.
The Vilna Gaon once asked the
Dubner Maggid to tell him his faults.
The maggid at first declined. When
the Gaon pressed him, he at last
spoke somewhat like this:
"Very well. You are the most pious
man of our age. You study day and
night, retired from the world,
surrounded by the rows of your
books, the Holy Ark, the faces of
devout scholars. You have reached
high holiness. How have you
achieved it? Go down in the market
place, Gaon, with the rest of the
Jews. Endure their work, their
strains, their distractions. Mingle in
the world, hear the scepticism and
irreligion they hear, take the blows
they take. Submit to the ordinary
trials of the ordinary Jew. Let us see
then if you will remain the Vilna
Gaon!" They say the Gaon broke
down and wept.
There are times for high holiness,
but there are times to stand in the
market place and hold onto your
faith, dignity, ethics and honesty
when other forces push and pull you
hither and thither. The Torah is not
for ministering angels in the rarefied
atmosphere of heaven, but for
ordinary people facing dilemmas on
earth. K
Reprinted (with permission) from
Shabbat Shalom
Parsha Booklet (4) by
Rabbi Berel Wein
Victories and triumphs inevitably
are followed by letdowns, frustrations and sometimes even disappointments. The high point of the
story of the Exodus of the Jewish
people from Egypt is recorded in
this week's parsha with the eternal
song of Moshe and Israel at the
Reed Sea.
The exultation of Israel at seeing its
hated oppressors destroyed at its
feet knew no bounds. It is as
though its wildest dreams of
success and achievement were
now fulfilled and realized. However,
almost immediately the people of
Israel, faced with the problems of
the real world which seemingly
never disappear no matter how
great the previous euphoria may
have been, turn sullen and
rebellious.
Food, water, shelter all are lacking.
And even when Moshe provides for
them the necessary miracles that
are required for minimum sustenance in the desert of Sinai, their
mood of foreboding and pessimism
is not easily dispelled.
And this mood is heightened by the
sudden unprovoked attack of
Amalek against the people of Israel.
Again, Amalek is defeated by
Yehoshua and Moshe but the mere
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fact that such an attack occurred so
soon after the events of the Exodus
has a disheartening effect upon the
people.
The moment of absolute physical
triumph is not to be repeated again
in the story of Israel in the Sinai
desert. But physically speaking, the
experience of the desert of Sinai will
hardly be a thrilling one for Israel.
So it is with all human and national
victories. Once the euphoria settles
down, the problems and frustrations
begin.
In relating the miracle of the
sweetening of the waters at Marah,
the Torah teaches us that "there did
the Lord place before them laws
and justice and there did He test
them." There are many interpretations in Midrash, Talmud and
rabbinic literature as to what those
"laws and justice" actually were.
But it is certainly correct to say that
the main "laws and justice" that
were taught to Israel at Marah was
that the problems of life go on even
after miraculous victories and great
achievements. Victories bring high,
if sometimes, unrealistic expectations. Measured realistic response
and realistic assessments are
necessary in order to harvest the
fruits of such victories.
The less grandiose our expectations are, the less painful our disappointments become. The generation
of the descendants of those who
left Egypt, who were now accustomed to the grueling challenges of
page 22  Shabbat Shira - B'shalach
the desert and who had not shared
in the euphoria of the destruction of
the Egyptian oppressor, were much
better equipped to deal with the
realities entailed in conquering the
Land of Israel and establishing Jewish sovereignty and society there.
Our times have also witnessed
great and unforeseen accomplishments here in Israel. But because
of that very success, we are often
given over to disappointment and
frustration at the current unsolved
problems that still face us. We
would all wish to sing a great song
of exultation and triumph over our
enemies and problems.
With God's help we may yet be able
to do so. Yet until then we would be
wise to attempt to deal with our
realities and problems in a moderate, practical and wise fashion. 
TtRiDdLeS
Previous (BO) TTriddles:
[1] 44, 120, 206, 206, 208, 272, 328,
368, 444, 634
These are the gimatriyas of the 10
Plagues. Except we made a mistake
and wrote 434 instead of 634 corrected in the presentation above.
The numbers are presented in
ascending value rather than the
order of the plagues, simply to make
it a bit harder to solve. The lowest
value, however, is the first plague,
Blood: 4+40 = 44. Some of the
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ings. In most cases, we went with
the way they are spelled in the
Torah. Lice is next. 20+50+10+40 =
120. Next come the two anagramplagues - Dever and Hail, which
obviously have the same numeric
value since they are spelled with the
same letters. 4+2+200 = 2+200+4 =
206. Followed closely by Locust =
1+200+2+5 =208, the same gimatriya
as Va'eira, which would be cool if
Arbeh came in that sedra, which
they didn't. Next is Arov at
70+200+2 = 272 (no VAV in the
Torah spelling). Darkness weighs in
at 8+300+20 = 328. And the two
biggies - gimatriya-wise, are Frogs
at 90+80+200+4+70 = 444 and
Firstborns at 2+20+6+200+6+400 =
634. And that's not even using the
word MAKAT which would add
another 460, bringing the gimatriya
for plague number 10 to 1094.
[2] Bo, Naso, and Ki Teitzei
We've used this in past years,
perhaps worded differently. Each of
these sedras begins with a wording
that occurs towards the end of the
previous sedra and can confuse the
BK (Baal Korei or Baal K'ri'a) when
he points to the beginning of the
sedra for the kohen taking the first
Aliya.
[3] CF of Blood, Locust, Darkness
CF is common factor. N'TEI
YADCHA, raise your hand... For
these three plagues, either Moshe or
Aharon was told by G-d, to raise his
hand. Almost the same for Frogs
and Hail where the command is
N'TEI ET YADCHA. Lice was
commanded N'TEI ET MAT'CHA,
page 23  Shabbat Shira - B'shalach
raise your staff. For Boils, Moshe
and Aharon were told to take
handfuls of soot and Moshe was
told to throw the soot heavenward.
Arov, Dever, and the Killing of the
Firstborns were done by HaShem.
[4] Also Eglon, king of Moav
Five times, the Torah says
VAYCHAZEIK HASHEM ET LEIV
PAR'O... And G-d hardened Par'o's
heart. The words VAYCHAZEIK
HASHEM occur only one other time
in Tanach. In the book of Shoftim,
G-d hardens Eglon, king of Moav.
[5] FPTL - Closer- Nasi's intro
We are first intro- duced to the
N'SI'IM of the tribes in Parshat
Bamidbar. The closer-Nasi, that is,
the last to be mentioned, is Naftali's leader. His intro- duction to us is
the pasuk L'NAFTALI ACHIRA ben
EINAN. Numeric value is
30+50+80+400+30+10 (600) +
1+8+10+200+70 (289) + 2+50 (52) +
70+10+50+50 (180) = 1121.
[6] Unexplaineds
In last week's (Bo) ParshaPix, there
were three addi- tional pictograms
(a.k.a. pictograph) all representing
the name of the sedra, Bo. There
was Clara Gordon Bow (1905- 1965),
who was an American actress who
rose to stardom in silent film during
the 1920s. There was (part of) a
violin bow. And there was the bo, a
percussion instrument originating in
China, a type of cymbals.
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Trees R Us
by
Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher
Dean of Students, Diaspora Yeshiva
In various places in Tanach a person
is compared to a tree. "A person is
like the tree of a field…" (D'varim
20:19). "For as the days of the tree
shall be the days of My people"
(Yeshayahu 65:22). "He will be like a
tree planted near water…" (Yirmiyahu
17:8).
What does the tree metaphor
represent? The Maharal explains that
the human body is shaped like a tree.
The body is compared to a tree trunk,
and our limbs are compared to the
tree's branches.
The idea that a person is like a tree is
that unlike an animal that has a fixed,
static nature, we are a product of
cultivation and efforts to shape and
develop our character traits. The tree
is also the Torah's metaphor for
growth, the capability that each one of
us has to become a better person. In
Judaism's view a person is like a tree
that needs cultivation and TLC to
thrive. Torah and Mitzvot are G-d's
program to develop ourselves
spiritually and socially.
This approach brings us to one of the
most unusual days in the Jewish
calendar, known as TU Bishvat. What
is remarkable about this celebration is
that TU Bishvat is neither a Torah
ordained festival nor even a Rabbinic
holiday.
page 24  Shabbat Shira - B'shalach
TU Bishvat's significance is halachic
in nature (Ed. note: pun intended or not?), for
that day delineates a New Year for the
trees regarding the Mitzva of Maaser.
This means that fruit which has
blossomed prior to the 15th of Sh'vat
could not be used as a tithe for fruit
which blossomed after that date.
What relevance does this have for us
in the 21st century (Ed. note: 58th century),
when most of us are not farmers? In
celebrating the trees we are essentially
focusing on the way in which people
are similar to trees. We are saying that
like trees, people are capable of
growth. Babies are born as takers, but
as adults we should become givers.
On TU Bishvat the tree teaches us that
life is all about growing, developing
and progressing.
Our motto in life should be Growing,
Progressing and Developing each day.
This is one of the lessons of TU
Bishvat. Trees are symbols of growth,
and we too should always be looking
to grow into being better people.
MACHON PUAH
The Good Side of Illness
Last week we saw the Ramban's
approach that a person should not go
to doctors but should rather rely on
God and prayer. While the doctor is
permitted to heal, the sick person
should avoid going to doctors.
In the same fashion, Rabbi Chayim of
Vilozhin, in his book Ruach HaChayim,
discusses the value and relevance of
praying for the removal of an illness.
He writes that even though one is
permitted to add a personal plea in
certain places during the prayer service
that God should make him healthy and
remove his illness, this is not the
correct way for the true believer to
behave. How can one really pray to God
to remove his sickness or his suffering
since this suffering and illness has a
cleansing effect on a person's soul?
He brings the parable of a person with
a serious condition that the doctor can
only save him by amputating a limb. By
removing this affected limb the doctor
will be able to heal the entire body, but
left alone the person is in danger of
losing his life. Or in another case when
the doctor needed to administer drugs
that have side effects. Would it be
appropriate for the sick person to beg
the doctor not to amputate the limb or
not to give him medication? Obviously
not, since the sick person only benefits
from this treatment despite the
unwanted, unpleasant consequences.
In the same way Rabbi Chayim
implores his readers not to pour out
their hearts before God and ask Him to
remove their illness and pain since
these come to atone for his sins and
purify him. The Gemara (Shabbat 55a)
states that there is no suffering
without sin and therefore the suffering
is itself a necessary part of the
atonement process.
According to Rabbi Chayim of
Vilozhin's explanation, illness is
necessary in order to improve the
sufferer and we should not only desist
from going to doctors but we should
not even pray to remove it.
This seems to be an extreme position,
and one that is unique among the
commentators and Jewish writers.
There is a Mishna (Pesachim 4:9) which
praises King Chizkiyahu for storing
away the Book of Remedies. Rabbi
Ovadiah Bartenura explains that the
people relied too much on this Book of
Remedies instead of praying to God
and therefore the King had to store it
away out of sight so that the people
went back to praying.
This Mishna suggests that prayer is
important in such situations and that
we should not embrace illness as was
previously suggested. But this Mishna
does not support going to doctors
either. More on this next week.
Rabbi Gideon Weitzman, Director, Puah Institute
CHIZUK ! IDUD
Divrei Torah from the weekly sedra
with a focus on living in Eretz Yisrael Chizuk for Olim & Idud for not-yet-Olim
Two weeks ago, having just received
the shocking news of the sudden death
of my older brother, Meir Roness z"l in
New York, I found myself immediately
caught up in a whirlwind of preparations in the attempt to catch the next
flight to the U.S. As I sat Shiva in my
brother's home in Crown Heights, the
seat of the Lubavitch movement,
together with his wife and eight adult
children, I encountered some customs I
had not come across before. Thus, for
example, I was unaware that some
require that each of the surviving sons
say Kaddish in their own separate
minyan. Four sons, four minyanim,
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three times every day. Other customs
were more universal and hence much
more familiar. As the steady stream of
consolers, filed in and out, the phrase
“HaMakom Y'nachem Etchem - may
the Almighty comfort you among the
mourners of Jerusalem and Zion”, was
repeated hundreds of times over,
serving as a constant reminder of
Jerusalem, of home.
One of the visitors mentioned the
Lubavitcher Rebbe's analysis of this
famous phrase, as found in a letter of
consolation he sent to the late Ariel
Sharon when he was tragically
mourning the death of his young son.
As part of his attempt to console the
bereaving father, the Rebbe suggested a
three-fold explanation of the significance of the fact that this blessing,
“HaMakom Y'nachem Etchem…” ties
together the private mourning over a
personal loss with the communal
mourning of the Jewish People over the
destruction of Zion and Jerusalem. The
Rebbe explained that this may stem
from the understanding that:
(1) Just as the loss of Jerusalem and
Zion is clearly felt by Jews the world
over, so too, the loss of even a single
Jew is shared by the entire Jewish
People as we are all part of one integral
organism. Klal Yisrael.
(2) In regards to Zion and Jerusalem,
we realize that the Romans were given
dominion over the physical Temple, but
its spiritual essence, which resides in
the hearts and the minds of every Jew,
remains intact. Similarly, with the
physical passing of a loved one, we
believe that their personality and
page 26  Shabbat Shira - B'shalach
spiritual essence remains intact in our
hearts and souls.
(3) Just as the ruins of Zion and
Jerusalem will ultimately be rebuilt, so
too, each individual will be resurrected
as the Moshiach gathers them together
and brings them home.
HaMakom, G-d, who is ever-present in
our moments of joy as well as in our
moments of grief and sadness, stands
alongside the Jewish People when they
mourn the Temple as well as when they
mourn their personal loss.
These thoughts do not easily connect
with the buoyant atmosphere of Parshat
B'shalach, also known as “Shabbat
Shira”. Many follow the custom of
standing for the recital of Shirat
HaYam as an indication of its unique
importance. Why attribute such importance to a song and dance? The
Midrash (Sh'mot Rabba 23:1) claims
that via our singing of this song we
establish Hashem’s Kingdom on Earth:
"Rabbi Berachia, in the name of Rabbi
Abahu, said “Even though you, G-d,
are of old (eternal), your throne was not
established and your name was not
known until your sons pronounced the
Shira. "Nachon kisecha me'az - me'az
yashir”. It is only when Man acknowledges G-d's greatness, and breaks out in
song, that the Divine kingdom is
established.
This idea brings us back to the yearning
for the consolation of Zion and
Jerusalem, and the question of what we
can do in order to bring it one step
closer.
Just as G-d is, in a sense, dependent
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upon our song, the Rabbis taught our
other actions also fulfill a crucial role
in forwarding the Divine plan. Thus,
the Almighty will not enter into the
Heavenly Yerushalayim until we enter
the Earthly One (Ta'anit 5a), establishing the Jewish presence in Jerusalem
and its environs.
If we stand this Shabbat for the reading
of the Shira in recognition of the
immense power and significance of our
words, we must realize the power of
our actions as well.
HaMakom Y'nachem, G-d will console
Zion, but he is waiting for us to take the
first step in the right direction!
Rabbi Yerachmiel Roness, Ramat Shiloh, Beit Shemesh
Portion
TREES
After the splitting of the sea, the
children of Israel traveled in the Shur
Desert for three days and didn't find
any water. Finally they came to
Mara, but couldn't drink the water
there because it was bitter (mara).
The people complained and God
showed Moshe a certain tree, which
he threw into the water making the
water drinkable (15:22-25). The
Rabbis taught that this tree was itself
bitter, but was able to turn the bitter
water sweet. This is a double miracle
- a miracle within a miracle. God
wanted to teach them that His ways
are beyond our comprehension.
What type of tree did God show to
Moshe? Rav Aryeh Kaplan writes
page 27  Shabbat Shira - B'shalach
that according to some it was either
a fig, pomegranate or oleander tree.
The Admor from Alexander says it
was an olive tree. Whatever tree it
was, with TU Bishvat around the
corner, this is a perfect time to talk a
bit about trees.
TU Bishvat - the 15th day of Shvat, is
one of the four "new years" that are
mentioned in the first mishna in Rosh
Hashana. What actually happens on
the 15th of Shvat to justify it being
called the Rosh Hashana - new year
of the trees? Rabbi Elazar says that
the reason is because by that time
most of the yearly rain has fallen
(Rosh Hashana 14a). Rashi there
explains this answer to mean that
since most of the rain has fallen - it
now becomes the time that the sap
in the trees runs freely and the fruit
starts to blossom. Rashi is telling us
that although we might not see any
changes yet in the tree - they might
still be bare - a lot is happening
under the surface. TU Bishvat
celebrates the fruits that will appear
sometime in the future. It is a celebration of the potential in everything.
And what about this year of sh'mita?
Usually people go out to plant trees
or other plants on TU Bishvat. Can
we do that during sh'mita? I was sure
that this would be a simple question.
Of course planting trees during
sh'mita should be prohibited. But I
decided to look this up anyway.
I opened Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon's
English book titled Shmita Halacha
Mimekorah. From the Sources to
Practical Halacha. And I was not
disappointed. I learned something
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new from this 550+ page beautiful
book published by Maggid Books
which is already in its second
printing. It's very clear and easy to
use. Rabbi Rimon makes even
complicated topics understandable
and his excitement about the mitzva
of sh'mita comes through. At the end
of each topic he includes flow charts
that summarize all the opinions that
he has discussed in each specific
chapter.
There wasn't a specific chapter on
TU Bishvat during sh'mita - but I
chose to read the chapter titled "Is
planting of trees forbidden by Torah
law?" p.98. The question isn't
whether we can plant trees during
sh'mita - that is prohibited. The
question actually is whether this
prohibition is d'Oraita - biblical, or
d'Rabanan - rabbinic. In the Torah
the verse states specifically that we
can't prune a tree - that is a biblical
prohibition - but what about planting?
Could it be a rabbinic prohibition
even though pruning is Biblical? Rav
Rimon's chart shows the dispute
between the Rambam and the Rosh
on this matter. The Rambam says
that planting a tree is punished by
lashes rabbinically and the Rash
says that it is forbidden biblically.
One could ask - What is the logic in
the position of the Rambam that
planting is forbidden only by rabbinic
enactment, despite the fact that
pruning is forbidden by Torah law?
Rav Rimmon brings an answer that
he learned from his teacher and
father-in-law, Rav E. Blumenzwieg.
He explains "that the Torah forbids
only those labors that can result in
page 28  Shabbat Shira - B'shalach
produce that can be eaten during the
Sh'mita year. If the labor will not
result in produce that can be eaten
during the Sh'mita year, then it is
forbidden only rabbinically. Therefore, since a person will derive
benefit from planting vegetation and
pruning in the Sh'mita year itself,
these actions are forbidden by Torah
law. Planting trees, on the other
hand, will only provide benefit
several years down the line, after the
tree has grown and the years of orla
are completed, and is therefore only
forbidden by rabbinic enactment."
For the practical halacha as to what
to do in one's own situation, one
should consult with their local
orthodox Rabbi. Learning Rabbi
Rimon's book helps us to appreciate
the mitzva of Sh'mita and to know
what questions to ask.
Since the tree God showed Moshe
was possibly a pomegranate here is
a recipe for a salad with said fruit said recipe is on next page.
POMEGRANATE BULGUR SALAD
1 cup bulgur
1 tspsalt
1 cup boiling water
4 scallions, thinly sliced
½ cup each parsley and mint
leaves, chopped
1/3 cup golden raisins or chopped
dates
1 cup pomegranate seeds
black pepper
Combine bulgur and salt. Top with
boiling water, cover until water is
absorbed, 30 minutes. Toss with
scallions, parsley, mint, raisins,
pomegranate seeds, lemon juice,
and olive oil, and season to taste
with salt and pepper.
Maharal on the Sedra
The Healer
Sh'mot 15:26 - And He said, "If
tishma [you will hear, you will
accept] the voice of Hashem your
God, and do what is right in His
eyes, and hearken to His commandments, and guard all His decrees,
(then) all the machala [illness,
punishment] that I put upon Egypt I
will not put upon you, for I am
Hashem rof'echa [your healer, Who
heals you]."
Rashi: If I must punish you with
machala, it will be as if I had not, for
I, Hashem, am your Healer. The
simple explanation is that as your
healer I will teach you Torah and
commandments that will avert
illness and punishment. It is like a
doctor would say, "Don't eat such
and such food lest you come to
have such and such illness." Thus
"it shall be a healing to your navel"
[Mishlei 3:8] is interpreted [Eruvin
54a] to mean "study Torah and you
will prevent stomach ache."
Gur Arye - In contrast to the usual
meaning of "healer", one who
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
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page 29  Shabbat Shira - B'shalach
removes an existing malady, Rashi
here broadly defines healer to
include one who advises how to
prevent the malady. Healer, a noun,
is an occupation that deals with
maladies, in a preventive as well as
a curative sense. The verse cited in
Proverbs seems to mean that
Hashem's healing is superior to
other healing in that it extends to
completely preventing the malady.
Hashem is the healer of Israel, Who
teaches them how not to become ill.
Mechilta [halachic midrash on
Sh'mot] treats ROF'ECHA as a verb
- I am Hashem Who heals you.
Hashem said to Moshe, "Tell Israel
that the Torah I gave them is life for
them, healing for them, as it says
[Mishlei 4:22], 'They [the words of
Torah] are life for them and all their
flesh is healed.'" This seems to say
Torah is healing, not prevention.
Ramban also questions Rashi, that
the straightforward reading of the
verse fits the verb better than the
noun.
It seems to me, the proper interpretation of the Mechilta considers
separately
the
two
different
concepts in the two parts of the
verse. There are "maladies I placed
upon Egypt", the plagues, which
were unnatural and not according
to the normal conduct of the world.
"If you hearken … I will not afflict
you with these." Other maladies
arise in accord with natural events
and are not the direct result of
Hashem's will. About these it is said
[Bava Metzi'a 107b] "All is in
Hashem's hand except cold and
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hot", referring to natural events. "If
you hearken … I will heal you", even
from these maladies that arise from
natural events. Here ROF'ECHA is a
verb dealing with already existing
maladies. By way of the Torah,
Hashem heals us of existing
illnesses, for at the time of the
giving of the Torah, all the maladies
of Israel were healed.
MDK Every morning we bless
Hashem "who forms light and
creates all", based on Yeshayahu
[45:7], "who forms light and creates
evil." It could be argued that this
"evil" is either a direct manifestation
of Hashem's will or the result of the
intentional withdrawal of His
Dominion. We say [Selichot, Ten
Days of Penitence], "He causes
sickness and He heals, He causes
death and He resurrects". Is this
direct Will, or was His Will to create
Nature and withdraw, only to
intercede by miracles? Maharal
seems to say, quoting the gemara,
that Nature [hot and cold], without
divine, supernatural intervention, is
"beyond the hand of heaven". Or,
Hashem continuously conducts
nature via the straight line flow of
His light [providence, blessing,
energy] to the lower world. "Hot and
cold are opposite extremes that are
outliers with respect to the line
[kav] that influence the lower world
without His guidance. Even these
He has the power to reverse, for He
is "Hashem who heals you".
Column prepared by Dr. Moshe Kuhr
page 30  Shabbat Shira - B'shalach
Upper-left are the Pillar of Cloud by day • and
the Pillar of Fire by night • Below them is the
Davka Judaica Clipart scene of the splitting of
the sea • The tambourine in the middle is
TOF MIRIAM • The tire with a blowout
represents the wheels of the Egyptian
chariots that fell off and caused the chariots
to become bogged down in the sea bed. Part
of the destruction of Egypt took place when
their supreme arrogance turned to shock and
panic at that moment. Soon thereafter, the
waters of the Sea drowned them, but the
demoralizing effect of their wheel-losing
experience was part of their punishment •
Upper-middle is the water coming from a rock
that Moshe struck with the Staff (this time as he was told to do) • The bird under the
stream of water is a quail, as in quail - S'LAV,
that preceded the manna • The two challot
to the left of the quail is/are LECHEM
MISHNEH, which commemorates the double
portion of manna that fell on Friday in order
to provide for Shabbat. We not only USE
double challot on Shabbat to remember the
manna, but we cover them top and bottom to
remind us of the two layers of dew that
protected the manna • The Shabbat candle
sticks (top-middle) acknowledge the introduction of Shabbat to the soon-to-be nation of
Israel that is presented in Parshat B'shalach •
The worm ate the leftover manna - there
should not have been any leftovers (the worm
is smiling, happy to do G-d's bidding) • Three
facets of the battle against Amalek
(bottom-left): Moshe's upraised hands,
Yehoshua's sword, and the pen with which
the account of the battle was written down •
Mid-bottom is the representations of the
Haftara. The singing bee is Dvora •
Thunderbolt = BARAK, Devorah's associate •
Milk that Yael gave to Sisra • and the tent
peg with which she killed him when he fell
asleep • The piece of a brick wall represents
the brick pattern of words in the Torah for AZ
YASHIR • The upside-down heart refers to
the phrase VAYEIHAFEICH L'VAV ... Par'o had a
change of heart... again (lit. overturned his
heart) • The stop sign with the word Shabbat
is found at the limit of T'chum Shabbat,
Shabbat boundary, which Rambam holds is
D'ORAITA (at a distance of 24,000 amot,
rabbinic at 2000 amot) and according to
Ramban is completely D'RABANAN • Between
the pillar of fire and the cloud is a lead sinker,
the kind found in a fisherman's tackle box. Its
significance for B'shalach is the description in
the Song of the Sea, referring to some of the
Egyptians, ...TZA-L'LU KA-OFERET B'MAYIM
(ADIRIM). "...they sank as lead in the (mighty)
waters." • At the top-right is a toy soldier
armed with a bazooka. Below it are four pale
silhouettes of the same figure of the soldier.
Together, they represent the description of
the Jews coming out of Egypt, CHAMUSHIM,
which, according to Rashi's main explanation
means "armed" (hence the bazooka).
However, Rashi also says DAVAR ACHEIR,
another thing, another explanation to the
word CHAMUSHIM means a fifth - the fraction
of the people that actually left Egypt meaning that 4/5 of the Jewish population did
not survive the Exodus • The shofar with a C
coming out of it represents the 100 (C=100 in
Roman numerals) blasts we traditionally blow
on Rosh HaShana. That number is connected
to the lament of Sisra's mother in the haftara
• Grogger for the Amalek parsha read on
Purim morning • Challa cover for the layer of
dew that protected the manna • The
characters from the Wizard of Oz singing - AZ
YASHIR • Pictured in the ParshaPix is the tee
used to support the ball that a kid hits off of it
with a bat, without his having to yet swing at
pitches. That piece of equipment can be called
a Tee-pole, as in TIPOL ALEIHEM EIMATA
VAFACHAD... from Sh'mot 15:16 in AZ YASHIR
• Macabi logo for MI CHAMOCHA... from Az
Yashir • Tofu (looks like halva but it isn't), the
people were told that which TOFU... which
you bake... • The seeds - which look like
pistachio, but aren't - are coriander, which
some commentaries say is ZERA GAD, as the
manna is described • the flower that the
worm seems to be sniffing is a POPPY. In
Yiddish, mahn, with the obvious connection to
the manna.
A TU BiShvat Bracha Riddle: You have before
you raisins, dried apricot, and banana chips
and you plan on eating them all. Your favorite
among the three is apricot. Second favorite
are the banana chips. You are about to
partake when you realize the problem.
Apricots have priority over banana chips
because of CHAVIV (you like them better).
Banana chips have priority over raisins
because you like them better and the brachot
are different. Raisins have priority over
apricots because of 7 Species within same
bracha. So what do you do?
Enx§r¤
¤p
This is a rare word indeed from the
perspective of which syllable gets
accented.
Just about any multiple syllable
word in Hebrew is either accented
on the last syllable (MILRA) or the
next-to-the-last syllable (MIL-EIL)
This word is accented on the third
syllable from the ende. You will be
hard put to find another such word.
This word is MIL-EIL D'MIL- EIL.
Furthermore, the word should be
MILRA, but the following word
MAYIM results in a double NASOG
ACHOR for NE'ERMU. 
In B'shalach - HAMAN, the manna.
In Megilat Esther, HAMAN (the
wicked, wicked man). Ashkenazim
read them as Ha-Mawn and
Hawmawn. With S'faradit pronunciation they sound the same.
However, in the first there is a
DAGESH in the MEM, which
should be stressed to distinguish.