B"H

Friday, Shevat 12, 5776 / January 22, 2016 – HAKHEL YEAR

This week’s Parsha, B’Shalach, is about one of the great miracles which G-d performed for the Jewish people after leaving Egypt - The splitting of the sea.  

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

In the Parsha we also read about the “Shira,” the song of praise, which Moshe and the Jewish men sang, after crossing the sea, praising G-d for this great miracle. Moshe’s sister, Miriam, took a tambourine and led all the women, who followed her with their tambourines and with dancing.   

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 eight day). This is to celebrate the miracle of the splitting of the sea, which took place on the seventh day after leaving Egypt.

Q.  How many people came out of Egypt at the time of the Exodus?

A.  The Torah says that about 600,000 men left Egypt. This number takes into account men between the ages of 20-60. In addition, there were men younger than 20 and older than 60. There were also women and children. In total, there were a few million people who left 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.  But when he realized that they were not coming back, he chased after them.

SHABBAT SHALOM

Montrealcandle lighting time: 4:28 / Shabbat ends: 5:36