Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, Shmuel Yosef ben Reuven, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
The haftarah for Shabbat Chol HaMoed Pesach consists of the famous passage found in Sefer Yechezkel 37:1-14 that focuses upon the navi’s (prophet’s) vision of the “dry bones” and their subsequent techiyat hameitim — resurrection. The first three pasukim set the stage for this prophetic encounter:

The hand of the L-rd came upon me and carried me out in the spirit of the L-rd and set me down in the midst of the valley, and that was full of bones. And He made me pass by them round about, and lo! They were exceedingly many on the surface of the valley, and lo! They were exceedingly dry. Then He said to me; “Son of man, can these bones become alive?” And I answered, “O L-rd G-d, You [alone] know.” (Verses 1-3, this and all Tanach translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
Our Sages differ regarding the nature of this nevuah (prophecy); does it speak of that which Yechezkel directly witnessed, or was it a mashal — a parable?

…the view that in truth [the story of the resurrection of the dry bones] was [but] a
parable… Rabbi Yehudah said: “It was truth; it was a parable.” Rabbi Nechemiah said to him: “If truth, why a parable; and if a parable, why truth?” — But [say thus]: “In the truth there was but a parable.” Rabbi Eliezer the son of Rabbi Jose the Galilean said: “The dead whom Ezekiel revived went up to Palestine, married wives and begat sons and daughters.” Rabbi Yehudah b. Bathyra rose up and said: “I am one of their descendants, and these are the tefillin which my grandfather left me [as an heirloom] from them.” (Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 92b, translation, The Soncino Talmud)
 
Clearly, these sages maintain different views as to what took place during Yechezkel’s prophetic encounter. One must note that this machloket (dispute) continued long after the close of the Talmud. By way of illustration, in his Moreh HaNevuchim, the Rambam (Maimonides, 1135-1204), in opposition to other Tanach interpreters, maintains that Yechezkel’s vision of the dry bones and their ensuing resurrection was, indeed, a mashal (II:46). Nevertheless, the general concept of techiyat hameitim is universally embraced by all classic Jewish thinkers. Little wonder, then, that the Rambam unequivocally states:

“Techiyat hameitim is a fundamental principle of the Torah of Moshe Rabbeinu. There is no religion of, or connection to, the Jewish people if one does not believe in this…” (Perush HaMishnaiyot, Sanhedrin, Hakdamah l’Perek Chalek, Rabbi Yosef David Kapach edition, page 139, translation my own)  In addition, he categorizes this theological precept among his celebrated 13 Ikkarei Emunah — Principles of Faith (page 142), and codifies its singular import in the Mishneh Torah in his list of 24 types of individuals she’ain lahem chalek l’olam habah — that are denied a portion in the world to come: “The following individuals do not have a portion in the world to come. Rather, their [souls] are cut off and they are judged for their great wickedness and sins, forever...those who deny the resurrection of the dead and the coming of the [Messianic] redeemer.” (Hilchot Teshuvah, III:6, translation, Rabbi Eliyahu Touger)
 
Due to a number of specious criticisms levelled against his formulation of techiyat hameitim, the Rambam wrote a monograph entitled, “Ma’amar Techiyat Hameitim,” to clarify his position. Therein he states: “I have explained to them that techiyat hameitim is a fundamental Torah principle that consists of chazarat hanefesh l’guf — the return of the soul to the body — and that one should not alter this concept in any manner from its direct and basic meaning.” (Rabbi Yosef David Kapach edition, page 79, this and the following translation my own)  As such, basing himself on the earlier-cited passage from Talmud Bavli Sanhedrin, the Rambam maintains:

And it appears to us from these statements, that those people whose souls will return to their bodies [will live life as we know it to be]. They will eat and drink, engage in marital relations and give birth, and ultimately die after a very long time — similar in kind to the days that will be in the times of the Mashiach. (Page 82, brackets my own)
 
In sum, the Rambam asserts techiyat hameitim, one of his 13 Ikkarei Emunah, to be an essential pillar of Torah thought. Moreover, it is to be understood at face value, namely, it literally means chazarat hanefesh l’guf, wherein those that merit this gift from Hashem will live again ba’olam hazeh — in this world.
 
May the time come soon and, in our days, when we will witness the fulfillment of the bracha recited three times daily in the weekday Shemoneh Esrai:

You are mighty forever, my L-rd; You resurrect the dead; You are powerful to save. He causes the wind to blow and the rain to fall. He sustains the living with loving kindness, resurrects the dead with great mercy, supports the falling, heals the sick, releases the bound, and fulfills His trust to those who sleep in the dust. Who is like You, mighty One! And who can be compared to You, King, who brings death and restores life, and causes deliverance to spring forth! You are trustworthy to revive the dead. Blessed are You L-rd, who revives the dead. (Translation, Chabad.org)
 
V'chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom, Chag Sameach and may Hashem protect us all.
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:rdbe718@gmail.com.
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh and Jersey City, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Our Haftorah contain two well-known pasukim that conclude both Sefer Malachi and the Nevi’im section of Tanach. Herein, Malachi prophesizes the eventual arrival of Eliyahu the prophet who, according to some opinions of Chazal (our Sages), foreshadows the coming of Mashiach Tzidkanu (the Righteous Messiah):

Lo, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome day of the L-rd, v’hashiv lave avot al banim — that he may turn the heart of the fathers back through the children, v’lave banim al avotom — and the heart of the children back through their fathers… (Sefer Malachi 3:23-24, this and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
The phrases “v’hashiv lave avot al banim” and “v’lave banim al avotom” are difficult to understand, and one feels that they hide more than they reveal. Fortunately, in the context of a discussion of Eliyahu’s task, the Chachamim of the Mishnah suggest the following rationale for these expressions:

[Eliyahu the prophet…is coming for solely one purpose:] la’asot shalom ba’olam — to bring peace to the world. As the text states: “that he may turn the heart of the fathers back through the children, and the heart of the children back through their fathers.” (Mishnah Eduyot 8:7, translation and brackets my own)
 
The Rambam (1135-1204) expands upon this statement in a celebrated passage in the Mishneh Torah:

… a prophet will arise to inspire Israel to be upright and prepare their minds [to serve the Almighty], as the text states: “Behold, I am sending you Elijah.” He will not come to declare the pure, impure, or to declare the impure, pure. He will not dispute the lineage of those presumed to be of proper pedigree, nor will he validate the pedigree of those whose lineage is presumed blemished. Rather, la’sum shalom ba’olam — he will establish peace in the world as the text continues: “He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, [and the heart of the children back through their fathers.”] (Hilchot Melachim 12:2, translation, Rabbi Eliyahu Touger, brackets my own)
 
In sum, the Mishnah and the Rambam interpret the expression “v’hashiv lave” in our verse as la’asot or la’sum shalom ba’olam. What, however, does this mean? In his commentary on the Mishnah, Tifferet Yisrael, Rav Yisrael Lifschitz zatzal (1782-1860) examines the explicit point of focus of our pasukim, namely, fathers and sons, and determines that v’hashiv lave should be interpreted as engendering peace “between man and his fellow man.” In contrast, Rav Yom Tov Lipmann Heller zatzal (1579-1654), in his commentary on the Mishnah entitled Tosafot Yom Tov, interprets la’asot shalom ba’olam in a much wider sense: “In reality, la’asot shalom ba’olam means to make peace between the Jewish people and the other nations of the world…”

Thus far we have seen two approaches to understanding the Mishnah’s phrase, la’asot shalom ba’olam. The first is personal, whereas the second refers to peace between the Jewish people and the rest of the world. In my estimation, Eliyahu’s task can be understood in an even broader manner, namely, to bring peace to all humankind. This interpretation is in consonance with a close reading of the Rambam’s text, “la’sum shalom ba’olam — he will establish peace in the world,” an expression that suggests nothing less than universal peace. This idea was given powerful voice by Yeshayahu in one of his most celebrated prophetic visions: “…and they [the nations of the entire world] shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift the sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” (Sefer Yeshayahu 2:4)
 
As we say in Birkat Hamazon, “May the Merciful One send us Eliyahu the prophet — may he be remembered for good — and may he bring us good tidings, salvation, and comfort,” and may we witness true and everlasting peace, soon and in our days. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:rdbe718@gmail.com.
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Different Jewish ethnicities have varying traditions regarding the proper way a Torah scroll should be written. Yet, vayikra — the first word of our parasha and the namesake of Sefer Vayikra — is universally written with a diminutive aleph as its final letter. In his commentary on the Torah entitled, Ba’al HaTurim, Rabbeinu Yaakov ben Asher zatzal (1270-1340) provides the following explanation as to why vayikra is written in this way:

Moshe was [simultaneously] great and humble. Therefore, he did not want to write “vayikra” (and G-d called), rather, he desired to write “vayikar” (and G-d happened to appear), which is an expression of a purely accidental meeting. By using vayikar, it would be as if Hashem spoke to him in a trance or in a dream, as the Torah states regarding Balaam. [Hashem, however, ruled against this view] and explicitly commanded Moshe to write the aleph [in order to represent his true eminence to the world.] Moshe, however, responded to Hashem— based upon his thoroughgoing humility — and told Him that he would only consent to write a miniature aleph that would be smaller than any other aleph in the Torah; and so he wrote it in this manner. (Translation and brackets my own)
 
According to Rabbeinu Yaakov’s interpretation, there was palpable tension between Hashem and Moshe, as Hashem perceived Moshe in an entirely different manner than Moshe’s view of himself. In the Almighty’s judgment, Moshe was truly great and ever His faithful servant, for with Moshe alone did He: “… speak mouth to mouth; in a [direct] vision and not in riddles.” Moreover, only Moshe, of all the prophets, was able to see marot — visions of the Almighty. (Sefer Bamidbar 12:8, this and all Tanach translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)  Clearly, as Moshe was different than any other human being who has ever lived, Hashem sought to give voice to this idea by writing vayikra as the first word of our parasha.
 
In stark contrast, Moshe was so humble that he described Aharon and himself as, “v’nachnu mah — of what significance are we?” (Sefer Shemot 16:7,8)  Little wonder, then, that the Torah famously teaches us, “V’ha’ish Moshe anav m’ode mi’kol ha’adam asher al p’nai ha’adamah — Now this man Moshe was exceedingly humble, more so than any person on the face of the earth.” (Sefer Bamidbar 12:3)  The last thing Moshe wanted, therefore, was to write vayikra, rather than vayikar. As such, he was faced with a true dilemma: How could he follow the command of the Master of the Universe while remaining existentially true to himself?  Moshe’s solution was an elegant compromise: He wrote vayikra with a tiny aleph as its concluding letter, thereby implementing Hashem’s p’sak (decision) while maintaining his personal integrity.
 
Anivut (humility) unmistakably emerges as one of the driving forces of Moshe’s personality. Based upon a variety of midrashic sources, it appears that this middah (ethical characteristic) was woven into his very being. Most of us, however, need to work at developing this middah. We are fortunate that the Ramban (1194-1270) gives us ready guidance as to how to undertake this process:

Therefore, I will now explain to you how to always behave humbly. Speak gently at all times… with your heart focusing on Hashem… In all your actions, words and thoughts, always regard yourself as standing before Hashem, with His Schechinah [Divine Presence] above you, for His glory fills the whole world. Speak with fear and awe, as a servant standing before his master. Act with restraint in front of everyone. When someone calls you, don’t answer loudly, but gently and softly, as one who stands before his master. (Iggeret HaRamban, translation, with my emendations, http://www.pirchei.com/specials/ramban/ramban.htm, brackets and italics my own)
 
Two salient points emerge in this section of the Iggeret HaRamban that guide us toward the acquisition of anivut: Our encounters with others should embody respect, and our minds and hearts should be focused upon Hashem with the conscious recognition that we ever stand before His Divine Presence.

With the Almighty’s help and our fervent desire, as we follow the Ramban’s roadmap for acquiring anivut, may we fulfill the verse, “And you shall do what is proper and good in the eyes of the L-rd” (Sefer Devarim 6:18).  In so doing, may we choose the path that is “harmonious for the one who does it, and harmonious for all humankind.” (Pirkei Avot II:1)  V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom

Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:rdbe718@gmail.com.
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.
 

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, the Kedoshim of Har Nof and Pittsburgh, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
The final five parshiot of Sefer Shemot describe every conceivable aspect of the construction of the Mishkan, including its kalim —vessels and utensils — and the bigdei kohanim — the garments worn by both the kohanim and the Kohane Gadol. Within this context we find a number of pasukim wherein the kiyor and its base, the copper washstand used by the kohanim to sanctify themselves, are referenced. One of these verses is quite unusual, as it specifies the exact group from whom the copper for constructing the kiyor was sourced — something that is not found regarding other kalim: “And he [Bezalel] made hakiyor of copper and its base of copper from the mirrors of the legions who congregated at the entrance of the tent of meeting. (38:8, this and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) 
 
Chazal teach us that “the legions who congregated at the entrance of the tent of meeting” refers to the Jewish women who responded to Hashem’s command to the Jewish people to donate items for the building of the Mishkan. (25:2)  They sought to fulfill this mitzvah by bringing their highly polished copper mirrors before Moshe. His reaction to their heartfelt offering, however, was anything but positive: “And when Moshe saw these mirrors, he became angry at them [the women] and declared… ‘Of what possible value are these mirrors!’” (Midrash Tanchuma, Parashat Pekudei IX, this and the following translations my own) What accounts for Moshe’s angry response to the women, especially since the mirrors were given b’nidvat leban — from the depths of their hearts?
 
The answer to this question is found in the opening words of our midrash that explain the exponential population growth of our ancestors during the period of their terrible Egyptian servitude:

But as much as they [the Egyptians] would afflict them, so did they [the Jewish people] multiply and so did they gain strength… (1:12)  In the merit of the mirrors; they had mirrors [to beautify themselves] for their husbands in order to encourage them to have intimacy with them — even in the midst of their back-breaking labor. It is from these acts that untold numbers of children sprang forth.
 
In his Commentary on the Torah on our pasuk, Rashi (1040-1105) elaborates upon our midrash and states that, “Moshe was disgusted by the mirrors because they were made for the yetzer harah (that is, lustful purposes).” As such, he viewed their origin and use as antithetical to the kedushah that was to reign supreme in the Mishkan — the dwelling place of Hashem’s presence on earth. Our midrash continues by teaching us that the Holy One blessed be He radically disagreed with Moshe and summarily overruled him:

Moshe — are you [honestly] willing to reject and degrade the singular import of these [mirrors]? Do you not realize that it is precisely these mirrors that brought about the birth of myriads of Jews in Egypt? No! Take these from them [the women] and make from them [the mirrors] the copper kiyor and its base — for it is precisely from them that the kohanim will sanctify themselves.
 
Quite often, Rashi’s presentation of a midrash will differ from the original text of the midrash in order to allow him to teach what he deems to be a crucial lesson. Our case follows suit when he reframes Hashem’s response to Moshe in the following manner: “The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Accept [the mirrors], for they are more beloved to Me than anything else that has been brought; for it is because of them that the women were able to bring forth myriads of Jews in Egypt.’”

Rashi’s restatement is an exegetical tour de force that gives him the freedom to teach us that the copper mirrors of the Jewish women of Egypt were more beloved to the Almighty than gold itself. Little wonder, then, that Talmud Bavli, Sotah 11b, famously states: “Because of the reward of the righteous women that were in that generation [the final generation of Egypt bondage], the Jewish people were redeemed from Egypt.” This is a powerful thought, indeed, and one that enhances our understanding of the depth-level spirituality of the Jewish women in Egypt. May they ever serve as a model of devotion to Hashem. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom

Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:rdbe718@gmail.com.
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.
 

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, Shmuel Yosef ben Reuven and the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh and Jersey City, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Parashat Ki Tisa is a multi-themed parasha that includes six pasukim focusing on our people’s singular relationship to Shabbat. I find one of these particularly intriguing: “V’shamru b’nai Yisrael et HaShabbat — The Jewish people shall keep the Shabbat, la’asot et HaShabbat — to make the Shabbat throughout their generations as an eternal covenant.” (31:16)  We are immediately met with a classic exegetical challenge: If the Torah deploys the word “v’shamru,” why does it also need, “la’asot?”
 
The Ibn Ezra (1089-1167) often presents peshat-level (direct) analyses of Torah expressions. He follows suit regarding our pasuk when he explains v’shamru as:

the Jewish people’s obligation to concentrate upon (literally, to guard) the days of the week so that they will not forget which day is Shabbat. In so doing, they will be able to prepare all of its needs — and hone their approach toward keeping Shabbat by the sixth day of the week — in order to guard the integrity of Shabbat and refrain from violating its kedushah — holiness. (Translation my own)
 
For the Ibn Ezra, v’shamru connotes keen focus on the days of the week preceding Shabbat to ensure that we maintain the proper levels of shmirah — watchfulness and preparation — to safeguard its kedushah. Little wonder, then, that he perceives la’asot as a natural extension of v’shamru, and finds its parallel in an earlier pasuk wherein la’asot is used regarding Avraham’s alacrity in preparing a meal for his guests (that is, the three Angels): “And to the cattle did Abraham run, and he took a calf, tender and good, and he gave it to the youth, va’yimahare la’asot oto — and he hastened to prepare it.” (Sefer Bereishit 18:7, translation, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
In his Commentary on the Torah on our verse, Rabbeinu Bachya ben Asher (1255-1340) follows the Ibn Ezra’s general approach regarding the relationship that obtains between v’shamru and la’asot. He does more, however, than merely provide us with a reframe of the Ibn Ezra’s words, and cites a thought-provoking midrashic statement that does not appear in any of our standard collections of Midrashim: la’asot et HaShabbat: “Kol hameshamare — Anyone who guards — the Shabbat in this world k’eilu asah — is as if they have made it — in the Heavens above.” He explains this aphoristic sentence in the following manner:

One who fulfills the mitzvah of Shabbat in this world bears testimony that they recognize and believe that Shabbat’s roots and essence were [eternally] engraved from above [by the Almighty] …This, then, is why the Torah writes, la’asot et HaShabbat. (Translation and brackets my own)
 
Rabbeinu Bachya’s explanation of the midrash teaches us a central lesson, namely, that when the Jewish people guard the integrity of Shabbat — v’shamru — and honor it in this world, we demonstrate our recognition and belief “that Shabbat’s roots and essence were engraved from above.” The ongoing act of la’asot et HaShabbat, therefore, denotes our connection to Shabbat both in our world and the Heavens above, and enables us to bring glory to Hashem’s holy Name.
 
The following deeply insightful midrashic passage discusses the unique link between Shabbat and the Jewish people, and brings our understanding to an entirely new level:

Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai taught: “Shabbat spoke before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the Universe, every other day of the week has a ben zug — corresponding partner — yet, I have no partner!’ The Holy One blessed be He responded to her: ‘Knesset Yisrael [the transhistorical community of the Jewish people] is your ben zugach [and you are, therefore, not alone].’ And when the Jewish people stood before Mount Sinai, the Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘Remember what I told Shabbat [when I created the world] — “Knesset Yisrael is your corresponding partner…’” (Midrash Bereishit Rabbah 11:8, translation and brackets my own)
 
Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai teaches us that Shabbat’s eternal relationship with Knesset Yisrael, and our exclusive connection to her, is built into the very fabric of the Universe. Like the relationship between husband and wife, we are Shabbat’s ben zugach, and she is our ben zug. While the famous words of Shlomo HaMelech (King Solomon) in Shir HaShirim, “ani l’dodi v’dodi li — I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine,” are almost always interpreted as referring to Hashem and the Jewish people, Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai informs us that they can refer as well to the inextricable connection that obtains between Shabbat and the Jewish people. Perhaps a more beautiful and inspiring idea has yet to be found.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:rdbe718@gmail.com.
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, Shmuel Yosef ben Reuven, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Jewish history has many authentic heroes who reached the ultimate heights of spirituality. This special group includes, but is not limited to, the Avot (Patriarchs) Emahot (Matriarchs), Moshe, Aharon, the Nevi’im (Prophets), and Chazal (Torah Sages throughout the ages). These individuals created the foundations of the Jewish world in which we live, and modeled the ethical behavior that we should ideally emulate.
 
In my estimation, one of the truly great heroes of the spirit was the Chasidic Master, Rav Levi Yitzchak ben Meir of Berdichev, Russia (1740-1810). His most famous work, Kedushat Levi, contains Torah analyses that are quite often novel and always thought- provoking. One such example occurs in reference to Parashat Zachor. Rav Levi Yitzchak was challenged by a conceptual and psychological problem regarding Amalek: “How can we maintain such a strong emotional revulsion against a people that no longer exists and whose heinous behavior took place in the 13th century BCE?” After all, according to Mishnah Yadayim 4:4, Sennacherib, the King of Assyria (720-683 BCE approx.), destroyed the ethnic cohesiveness of nearly all the nations of his time. They were decimated, and their members cast to the wind and consequently lost in the sands of time. Since this is the case, why does the Torah instruct us to “Remember what Amalek did to you,” and mandate three separate and eternal mitzvot regarding a people that is no more? How are we to understand this seeming anomaly?
 
In his analysis of these issues, Rav Levi Yitzchak suggests that remembering what Amalek did to us and blotting out his accursed memory are only a part of the obligations that are incumbent upon us. Rather, in an interpretive tour de force, he removes the concept of Amalek from its historical roots and transfers it to the innermost part of our being: “Each and every individual among the Jewish people is mandated to wipe out the evil portion [of his personality] that is called ‘Amalek’ that is hidden in his heart.” (All translations my own)  Suddenly, these three mitzvot are very relevant, since Amalek is no longer a historically bound figure, but a very real psychological challenge that each of us must encounter:
As long as the “seed of Amalek” is found in the world, as man is considered to be a “small world [unto himself],” there therefore exists the reality of Amalek [as the causative element of] the power of evil in each person. This [power ceaselessly] awakens anew to cause a person to sin. This is precisely why the Torah reminds us: [“Remember what Amalek did to you…”]
 
 
Rav Levi Yitzchak further suggests that when we are involved with Torah study and heartfelt prayer, the Amalek that lurks within can do us little harm, for at these holy moments we are surrounded by Hashem’s divine light and holy presence. When, however, we are not immediately engaged in these mitzvot, whereby we experience an overflow of the Almighty’s chane v’chesed v’rachamim (favor, kindness, and mercy), we run the risk of falling under Amalek’s hypnotic spell. Rav Levi Yitzchak therefore teaches us that we must never deviate from the path of serving Hashem, for when we live lives as authentic ovdei Hashem — servants of Hashem — then, and only then, do we have: “a formidable reminder to never allow the great power of Amalek to cause us to err.”
 
May Hashem give us the wisdom to recognize our true Jewish spiritual heroes, and may we develop the heartfelt desire to emulate them in all that we do. Then, too, may He help us recognize the Amalek that resides within, and may we overcome its overwhelmingly pernicious power through Torah study, wholehearted prayer and the joyous fulfillment of Hashem’s holy Torah. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:rdbe718@gmail.com.
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rav Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, Shmuel Yosef ben Reuven, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
The focus of our parasha is the construction of the Mishkan (Portable Desert Sanctuary) and its kalim — the holy vessels contained therein. As the Torah declares: “And they [the Jewish people] shall make Me a sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst.” (Sefer Shemot 25:8, this and all Bible and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach, brackets my own)  Over time, the menorah has emerged as the best-known of the kalim, perhaps because of the Chanukah story and the small amount of oil that miraculously burned for eight days, a nearly universal symbol of light that can dispel even the deepest darkness and offer hope to a suffering world.
 
The Torah introduces the construction of the menorah in the following words: “And you shall make a menorah of pure gold. Mikshah tei’aseh hamenorah — The menorah shall be made of hammered work; its base and its stem, its goblets, its knobs, and its flowers shall [all] be [one piece] with it.” (25:31)  In his Commentary on the Torah on our pasuk, the Ibn Ezra (1089-1167) notes that the word “tei’aseh” can be spelled with or without the letter yud, and that “if it does have a yud it is a milah zarah —a highly unusual word.” This observation is preceded by the following fascinating observation:

I have seen Torah scrolls that were meticulously checked by the Sages of Tiberius. 15 of their sages have sworn they have carefully reviewed every word and every vowel as well as every full and incomplete spelling within them. They attest that there is a yud in the word, “tei’aseh.” I have never found this before in the scrolls of Spain and France and in those from ma’avare hayam — over the sea. (Translation and brackets my own)
 
Clearly, at this point in the middle of the 12th century, there were spelling variations of the word tei’aseh in the Torah scrolls in different geographically based communities as to whether it was spelled maleh — with a yud, or chaser — without a yud. The eighth or ninth century work, Midrash Tanchuma, Parashat Beha’alotecha III, however, deploys the maleh form and presents the following fascinating drasha based upon this spelling:

When [Hashem] recognized that the menorah was too difficult [for Moshe] to construct, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moshe: “Take a talent [sixty four pounds] of gold and toss it into the fire and bring it out therefrom — and it [the menorah] will be created by itself...” [Once Moshe removed it from the fire, Hashem said to him:] “And now, you are to strike it with a hammer, and it will be created by itself.” This is the reason why the Torah states: “Mikshah tei’aseh hamenorah,” with a yud so that the spelling of tei’aseh is maleh, rather than chaser without a yud...This teaches us that the total menorah [with all of its parts] was created by itself. (Translation and brackets my own)
 
Rashi (1040-1105) apparently knew our midrashic passage and synopsized it in his Commentary on the Torah on our verse in the following manner:

the menorah shall be made: By itself. Since Moses found difficulty with it [that is, how to form the menorah], the Holy One, blessed is He, said to him, “Cast the talent [of gold] into the fire, and it will be made by itself.” Therefore, it is not written ta’aseh [without a yud], but tei’aseh [with a yud]. (Underlining and emendations my own)
 
In my view, Rashi’s summation of our midrash leaves out a crucial part of its text, namely, “And now [said Hashem], you are to strike it [that is, the talent of gold] with a hammer, and it will be created by itself.” This leads us to ask a classic exegetical question: “If Hashem was going to perform a great miracle with the talent of gold so that the menorah would be created by itself, why did Moshe need to do anything at all — let alone strike the gold with a hammer?”

I believe that Moshe striking the gold and its subsequent transformation into the menorah is similar in kind to what transpired at Kriyat Yam Suf — the Splitting of the Sea of Reeds: “The L-rd said to Moses, Why do you cry out to Me? Speak to the children of Israel and let them travel. And you raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and split it, and the children of Israel shall come in the midst of the sea on dry land.” (Sefer Shemot 14:15-16)  It certainly seems that Hashem, and Hashem alone, was to split the Yam Suf. Yet, as the midrashic tradition repeatedly attests, this wondrous event did not transpire until Nachshon ben Aminadav courageously jumped into the roiling waters: “And Nachshon was the first to jump up and go into the Sea. In so doing, he sanctified His great Name in the eyes of all. [As a result,] under the Tribe of Yehudah’s leadership [that was led by Nachshon], the entire Jewish people followed their lead and entered the Sea.” (Midrash Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer, Chapter 22, translation my own)  Clearly, Nachshon’s courageous act of kiddush Hashem was the “trigger” for Kriyat Yam Suf.
 
In my estimation, we can learn a crucial lesson from Nachshon’s literal leap of faith and Moshe’s seemingly minor act of striking the talent of gold: While in both instances a Nature-defying deed was planned and executed by the Almighty, He nonetheless waited patiently for a spiritually-infused individual to join Him in the performance of the miracle. In sum, the Master of the Universe split the Yam Suf and created the Menorah — but not before Nachshon and Moshe became His beloved partners in His holy task.
 
We are not on the level of Nachshon and Moshe; nonetheless, each of us, in our own unique manner, can become partners with Hashem. While this requires great effort and unceasing dedication on our part, we must always remember the stirring words of Ben Hei Hei in Pirkei Avot, “l’fum tza’ara agra — According to the effort is the reward.” (V:21)  May we ever strive to partner with the Almighty to be metakane ha’olam b’malchut Sha-dai — improve and perfect the world under His sovereignty . With Hashem’s help and our fervent desire, may this be so. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:rdbe718@gmail.com.
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, Shmuel Yosef ben Reuven, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Na’aseh v’nishmah —We will do, and we will hear and understand — are two of the most celebrated words that appear in Parashat Mishpatim. (24:7)  In some ways, this phrase builds upon an earlier expression found in Parashat Yitro: “All that Hashem has spoken na’aseh —we will do,” that is preceded by the introductory statement, “And all the people replied yachdov — in unison…” (19:8)  This leads us to ask a classic exegetical question: “Why does the Torah utilize the term, ‘yachdov’ in reference to ‘na’aseh,’ but refrain from doing so when it states our forebears proclaimed, ‘na’aseh v’nishmah in our parasha?’”
 
One very beautiful answer to our question is offered by the Chortkover Rebbe zatzal, as summarized by Rabbi Yaakov Neuberger, a rosh yeshiva at Yeshivat Rabbi Yitzchak Elchanan Theological Seminary:

The [Chortkover Rebbe] suggests that when it comes to performing mitzvos, simply na’aseh, we seem unified and in fact do all the same activities. Yet we differ in the way that we understand the mitzvos and in the manner in which they impact upon us and inspire us. Thus, the “na’aseh” of Torah is “yachdov” but the “nishmah” of Torah will be as different as our hearts, minds and souls are from each other. (Personalized vs. Standardized Observance of Mitzvot, Parashat Mishpatim, 2010, Torahweb.org, underlining my own)
 
In sum, the Chortkover Rebbe differentiates between ma’aseh hamitzvah (performance of the mitzvah) and havanat hamitzvah (comprehension of the mitzvah). Since na’aseh, the ma’aseh hamitzvah, is universal in nature, the Torah uses yachdov to indicate that all Jews perform the mitzvot in nearly the same manner. Nishmah, or havanat hamitzvah, is an entirely different matter, as it reflects our differentiated cognitive abilities and the degree of emotional and spiritual engagement that we have with the mitzvah. Therefore, yachdov is not used in reference to nishmah, since the act of understanding is unique to each individual.
 
The change from na’aseh b’yachdov in Parashat Yitro to na’aseh v’nishmah without yachdov in our parasha may now be viewed as a positive transformation, rather than a loss of achdut — unity. It represents our nascent spiritual development as a nation comprised of very different people — all searching for Hashem and performing His mitzvot in their own individual manner. As Rav Neuberger suggests:

We then realized how differently we perceived the very same facts, how they touched us distinctively and inspired us idiosyncratically. Through the appreciation of meaningful Torah study [that is, nishmah], we allowed ourselves to cede the “yachdov” and embrace, through the practice of the very same mitzvot, a depth that was private and personal.
 
With Hashem’s help and our fervent desire, may we ever sound the clarion call of na’aseh v’nishmah as we stand as new links in the great chain of Jewish being forged so long ago, and forevermore, on Mount Sinai. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:rdbe718@gmail.com.
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh and Jersey City, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Our parasha contains one of the three places in the Torah where the phrase, “atem ra’eitem — you have seen,” is found. (Sefer Shemot 20:19)  The other instances are Sefer Shemot 19:4 and Sefer Devarim 29:1. One of the essential principles of Torah analysis is the singular import of every word and verse in the Torah’s text. This is particularly the case when a word or phrase, such as, “atem ra’eitem,” is repeated, which almost always indicates its crucial significance.
 
In our parasha, Hashem deploys atem ra’eitem to urge Moshe to remind the Jewish people that He had spoken to them from the heights of Heaven. The verse, and the usage of this expression, is a natural prologue to the prohibition of creating golden or silver images of other gods. To paraphrase: Since I, Hashem, directly communicated with you (the Jewish people) during the Revelation on Mount Sinai, you are thereby proscribed from making idolatrous silver or gold images of other gods:

The L-rd said to Moses, “So shall you say to the children of Israel, ‘Atem ra’eitem that from the heavens I have spoken with you. You shall not make [images of anything that is] with Me. Gods of silver or gods of gold you shall not make for yourselves.’” (20:19-20, this and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
Sefer Shemot 19:4 and Sefer Devarim 29:1 utilize atem ra’eitem as a reminder of the wonders and miracles that Hashem performed for us in Egypt: “Atem ra’eitem what I did to the Egyptians, and [how] I bore you on eagles' wings, and I brought you to Me…And Moses called all of Israel and said to them, ‘Atem ra’eitem all that the L-rd did before your very eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, to all his servants, and to all his land.’”
 
As we have seen, our three pasukim (verses) each use atem ra’eitem to refer to two different actions of Hashem that were witnessed by our entire nation, namely, the Holy One’s verbal communication with the Jewish people during the Revelation at Mount Sinai, and the eser makkot (Ten Plagues) against Pharaoh and his people. Why did the Torah specifically choose this expression to reference these pivotal events in our nation’s history? We are fortunate that in his Commentary on the Torah on Sefer Shemot 19:4, Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch zatzal (1808-1888) addresses this very question. He begins by noting: “Atem Ra’eitem — The basis of your knowledge of G-d and of yourself does not rest on belief, which can, after all, allow an element of doubt. It rests solidly on the evidence of your own senses, on what you have seen with your own eyes, have yourselves experienced.” (This and the following quotations, The Pentateuch Translated and Explained by Samson Raphael Hirsh, translated from German by Isaac Levy, 2nd edition, The Judaica Press, New York, 1971.)
 
In Rav Hirsch’s view, undeniable experiential knowledge of the Exodus and the Revelation ensures that the Jewish people will forever recognize the unquestionable historical truth of these two pivotal events:

The two fundamental truths on which the whole of Judaism rests, the Exodus from Egypt [in part predicated upon the eser makkot] and the Lawgiving on Sinai, stand firmly on the actual evidence of your senses, and as they were seen, heard, felt, and experienced simultaneously by so many hundreds of thousands of people, every possibility of deception is ruled out.
 
For Rav Hirsch, the very foundation of authentic Judaism is built upon the incontrovertible knowledge that the Exodus and the Revelation were witnessed by multitudes of our ancestors in both Egypt and at Mount Sinai. As Rav Hirsch emphasizes:
Both these fundamental truths accordingly share the highest degree of certainty, are completely out of the realm of mere believing or thinking, are within the bounds of what we know with certainty, and are, accordingly, irrefutable facts which must serve as the starting-point of all our other knowledge with the same certainty as our own existence and the existence of the material world we see about us.
 
In sum, these shared transformative events, and the experiential knowledge they endow, are the shared legacy of the entire people that reverberates until our own historical moment. With Hashem’s help and our fervent desire, may this legacy infuse our thoughts and actions forevermore. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom

Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:rdbe718@gmail.com.
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, the Kedoshim of Har Nof and Pittsburgh, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
This Shabbat is called “Shabbat Shirah,” as our parasha contains the 21-verse song of exaltation sung by our forebears in response to the miracle of Kriyat Yam Suf (Splitting of the Sea of Reeds):

And the waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, the entire force of Pharaoh coming after them into the sea; not even one of them survived. But the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea, and the water was to them like a wall from their right and from their left. Az Yashir — Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the L-rd, and they spoke, saying, “I will sing to the L-rd, for very exalted is He; a horse and its rider He cast into the sea.” (Sefer Shemot 14:28-29, 15:1, these and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) 
 
Fascinatingly, our ancestors did not sing a single verse of praise following Yetziat Mitzrayim (The Exodus from Egypt). This notable difference led my rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, to ask the following question:

…strangely at the time that the Jews left Egypt, neither Moses nor the people sang hymns of praise for the amazing miracle they had experienced. Only seven days later, after the splitting of the Red Sea, did Moses and the people sing Az Yashir. Why did Israel wait a week to give thanks? (Derashot HaRav: Selected Lectures of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, summarized and annotated by Arnold Lustiger, p.171, brackets and underlining my own)
 
According to the Rav, the answer to this question is to be found in the very different nature of these two nissim (miracles). Yetziat Mitzrayim was performed solely by Hashem and banned our people’s participation: “…and you shall not go out, any man from the entrance of his house until morning. The L-rd will pass to smite the Egyptians…” (12:22-23)  This idea is famously elaborated upon in Midrash Sifrei, Ki Tavo and emphasized in the Haggadah: “I [Hashem] and not an angel, I and not a seraph, it is only Me and no other.” The Rav labels such a miracle, wherein Hashem acts exclusively on His own, a “yeshuah — an act of deliverance,” and observes; “The paradigmatic historical event signifying yeshuah was the Exodus from Egypt. No one — not an angel, not man — abetted G-d on the wondrous ‘night of watching.’” Our role on this amazing evening was severely circumscribed; we remained in our homes, ate the Korban Pesach (Paschal Lamb) and passively watched the unfolding of this miracle and the fulfillment of the Holy One’s promise.
 
The miracle of Kriyat Yam Suf stands in stark contradistinction to Yetziat Mitzrayim. Now, the entire Jewish people actively worked to save themselves from Pharaoh’s chariots and horsemen, and the Almighty joined them in achieving this great goal. The Rav conceptualizes this type of nase (miracle) as “ezrah — help from the Master of the Universe.” As such, Kriyat Yam Suf was a time when:

…the Creator offered the Israelites a role in their own redemption. He required a leap of faith: a jump into the water prior to the parting of the sea (Sotah 36-37a). The shock of cold water, the fear of drowning thus became Israel’s minute “contribution” to the miracle. At that moment they became partners with G-d, and as a result Moses and the people full-throatedly sang the majestic Az Yashir in gratitude. (Page 171, underlining my own)
 
Rav Soloveitchik notes that, on the surface, “one would assume that Hashem should be thanked more for yeshuah [herein, Yetziat Mitzrayim] than for ezrah [herein, Kriyat Yam Sum],” since in the former He, and He alone, brought about the nase. Scaffolding on this line of thinking, we should have had our “Az Yashir moment” when we left Egypt, rather than at the Yam Suf! Nothing, however, could be further from the truth:

We nonetheless arrive at the opposite conclusion: the more man participates in the effort needed [to achieve the Torah-sanctioned goal], the more he must thank the Creator. Our gratitude is increased in the case of ezrah [Kriyat Yam Suf], because we must bless G-d for the privilege of allowing us to be His partner. (Page 170, brackets and underlining my own)
 
In sum, when we are privileged to join the Master of the Universe as His partners in bringing forth a nase, we have the greatest obligation to praise and extol Him. This, then, is why we sang Az Yashir at Kriyat Yam Suf, rather than something similar-in-kind following Yetziat Mitzrayim. May it be Hashem’s will and our fervent desire to ever be His partners, as we continue on the grand march of Jewish history toward the time of the Mashiach and our ultimate redemption. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom

Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:rdbe718@gmail.com.
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.