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B"H

 

Tuesday, Shevat 6, 5785 / February 4, 2025

 

This week’s Parsha, B’shalach, begins with the words, “Vayehi B’shalach Pharaoh et ha’am.” Translation: “And it came to be when Pharaoh sent out the people.”  “B’shalach” means “to send out.”

 

In the Parsha we read about some of the miracles which G-d performed for the Jewish people as they left Egypt on the way to Mount Sinai. Two special miracles stand out in the Parsha. One is the splitting of the Sea, so the Jewish people can pass through while the Egyptians, who chased after them, drowned. 

 

The other miracle recorded in the Parsha is the manna from heaven which G-d gave them each day of the week, except on Shabbat. Every day they received an exact portion of manna – a measurement of one omer for each person. On Friday they would receive a double portion, for Friday and for Shabbat.

 

The miracle of the splitting of the sea lasted one night. The miracle of the manna from heaven continued forty years, beginning one month after the Exodus and lasted throughout their forty-year stay in the desert.

 

Q.   Did every Jew leave Egypt at the time of the Exodus?

 

A.   The Torah tells us that 600, 000 men between the ages of 20 to 60 left Egypt, plus women and men older than 60 and younger than 20.  The Torah tells us in this Parsha that they went out of Egypt “chamushim” which can be translated as, “one fifth.”  This means that only one fifth of the Jewish people who were enslaved in Egypt came out.  The other four fifths refused to leave.  G-d punished them for this, they died and were buried in Egypt during the plague of darkness.

 

Q.   Why did they die during the plague of darkness?

 

A.  G-d didn’t want to make this known to the Egyptians, so it all happened while the Egyptians experienced the plague of darkness and couldn’t witness it. 

 

Q.   How much after the Exodus was the miracle of the splitting of the sea?

 

A.   The Exodus took place on the 15th day of Nissan and the crossing of the sea took place seven days later.  This is why the Torah reading for the seventh day of Pesach (Passover) is about the miracle of the splitting of the sea, which took place that day.

 

Q.  When the plague of the first-born hit, Pharaoh chased the people out of Egypt. Why did he now have a change of heart and chased after them?

 

A.  The Torah tells us that, “G-d hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he gave chase after the children of Israel.”  G-d wanted to remove any fear which the Jewish people may still have had of Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Thus, he made them drown and the Jewish people realized that they were gone forever.

 

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY & CHODESH TOV

 

OUR HEARTS ARE WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY - MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW