B"H

Monday, Shevat 8, 5780 / February 3, 2020

 

This week’s Parsha, B’Shalach, is about some of the great miracles which G-d performed for the Jewish people after leaving Egypt. One of them was the story of the splitting of The Sea.  

 

The water stood like a wall, while the People of Israel crossed through it.  When Pharaoh and his army chased after them into The Sea, the water rushed back to its original form and they drowned.

 

After witnessing this great miracle, Moshe and the People of Israel, sang a song of praise to G-d, called The Shira, praising G-d for this great miracle. Moshe’s sister, Miriam, took a tambourine and led all the women in song and dance praising G-d for the miracle.  

 

Q.   How many days after the Exodus, did the splitting of The Sea take place?

 

A.    On the seventh day after the Exodus.

 

Q.   Passover we celebrate the miracle of the Exodus. Is there a special celebration for the crossing of The Sea?

 

A.  The first day of Passover is a day when work is prohibited (in the Diaspora the first two days), to celebrate the miracle of the Exodus. The seventh day of Passover is again a day when work is prohibited (in the Diaspora the seventh and eighth day). This is to celebrate the miracle of the splitting of The Sea, which took place on the seventh day after leaving Egypt.

 

Q.  Did everyone come out of Egypt at the time of the Exodus?

 

A.  Our sages say that only one fifth came out of Egypt. The other four fifths didn’t want to leave Egypt.  G-d punished them and they died during the plague of darkness and were buried then. The reason G-d punished them during the plague of darkness was so that the Egyptians should not witness it.

 

Q.   Why did Pharaoh chase after them after he himself chased them out of Egypt?

 

A.  Originally, Moshe and Aaron asked Pharaoh to let the people go for three days, in order to pray and serve G-d in the desert.  Pharaoh was sure that after three days they would return. However, when he realized that they were not coming back, he chased after them.

 

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

 

In memory of Jeno Zoldan,  Yitzchak Issac Yehuda Ben Aharon, who is now gone from us  22 years. Yartzeit was Shevat 5. In our thoughts and hearts everyday. May the Neshamah have an aliya.
Andre, Esther, Zachary, Benjamin, Jonah