Rabbi Binyamin Yuhanan Parshat Beshalach 1

good evening we're learning really starts um in the previous part bishalak means when Paro sent the Jewish people out but really he sent them out in parashad Bow and in parashad Bow we read on page 3 59 in art scroll that Egypt imposed itself strongly upon the people to hasten to send them out of the land so they said we're all dying so the Egyptians are pushing the Jewish people until now for 210 years they were holding on not letting them go even to bury yaakov who passed away it was such a big deal they had to ask special permission to take the dead body out and for sure Egyptians don't want to let any living person out of of their country and here they're saying leave and they're pushing them and the people picked up their dough before it could become 11 before it became hamez and they went and they took silver and gold utensils and garments from the Egyptians they borrowed them pretending to borrow them and the Egyptians were so afraid and so uh they were they they kept held Jewish people in such esteem by now that they said yes of course it's going to be our honor take everything and The Exodus began the children of Israel journeyed from Ramses to Sukkot the first stop was Sukkot first the Jewish people all of them assembled from the entire Egypt they came to Ramses and some say it was a miraculous uh transport On Eagle's Wings to bring all the Jewish people to Ram says and then they traveled to Sukkot a place called Sukkot six hundred thousand men plus children plus women plus elderly plus babies right now also a mixed multitude went up with them and they animals and the the the [Music] now we come back to the continuation of the story yes they went out from Ram says to Sukkot and then what happened we're on page 367 of the Arsenal kumash it happened when Paro sent out that people that God did not lead them by the way of the land of pillist team of Philistines now here we see how Hashem is orchestrating all the events first of all we read in the last week's Parsha just now that the Jewish people borrowed vessels gold and silver and garments from the Egyptians now Hashem said it for two reasons number one he wants Jewish people to become rich and to be paid for all the hard labor they did for 210 years but there's a second reason and that is so that the Egyptians start regretting why did we let them go and not only we let them go we gave them our gold and silver and precious garments they told us they're gonna borrow it and they're not coming back we want our money back so Hashem wanted the Egyptians to become angry to regret that they sent the Jews and to run after them Hashem wanted it to happen this is the lesson for us that whenever the non-jews attack us it's not by chance it's not because they decided so it's because Hashem arranged it so that they should be inspired to attack the Jews sometimes it is because of the fault of the Jew when the Jew is going away from God so Hashem sends a GOI an angel to chase him back to God but like it happened in this case sometimes a non-jew attacks a Jew in order for the Jew to see that God will protect him to see the greatness of Hashem so Hashem really wants that the Egyptians should run after the Jews because he wants to give them one last Makkah one last hit but the Egyptians are scared they don't want to pursue the Jews they don't want to get hurt so Hashem has to incite them and one way that he incites them is that they give away their money to the Jews and now they regret they want their money back and the second way Hashem inside them is because it says it happened when Paro sent out the people Hashem made Paro think that he led the Jewish people go of his own free choice Paro didn't realize that it was not his choice anymore if he would not let them go he would die in his entire country would perish but Hashem made it look like it was his choice and since he allowed them to go now he can change his mind and bring them back because Paro is thinking that it's not a God who took them out it's me I let them go that's the second way Hashem turns the screws in and in Egyptians brains in order to convince them to pursue the Jews the Third Way Hashem convinces the Egyptians is because Hashem did not lead them by the way of the land of police team because it was near he did not lead them on a straight path from Egypt North through the the sector Gaza all the way into the land of Israel instead Hashem said the second reason perhaps people will reconsider maybe the Jewish people themselves if it's so easy to go up maybe they'll go down the same way when they see a war when they have to fight a single War they might get scared and they will return to Egypt so for these two reasons in order to cause power to um think that the Jewish people are lost that's why they're not going straight they're going zigzag Paro should think that he has a chance to catch them and number two in order to so that the Jewish people should lose their way back they shouldn't find it so easy to come back for these two reasons Verse 18 says God turned the people toward the way of the Wilderness to the Sea of reeds instead of going to Israel Hashem turns them to go to South East you're supposed to go north and you're going south east and he's taking him towards the Sea of reeds the famous sea that is going to split soon why is Hashem taking them towards the Sea of reeds for the same reason Hashem warns the Egyptians to think that they are lost and they can catch them where they will be stuck by the Sea the Egyptian Army is going to come and catch the Jews and the Jews will have no way to run and Hashem is arranging this whole situation to trick Egyptians to think that the Jews are trapped because he really wants to punish the Egyptians and he really wants the Jewish people to see his power and his love for us so the children of Israel were armed when they went up from Egypt now this word in Hebrew ishin if you read in English what you see is what you get they were armed They Carried weapons why does the Torah need to tell us that They Carried weapons for two reasons number one to tell us that even though they had weapons they did not need to use them in the fight against Egyptians because Hashem took care of them the Jewish people did not need to use their own might they could have but they did not need because Hashem took care of our enemies and the second reason we need to know that the Jewish people had weapons is because soon after the splitting of the sea they will fight amalekites the people of amalek the Evil Nation and it says that they slaughtered them by the edge of the sword most of them at least so we will ask a question the Jewish people were slaves they ran away from Egypt we did the weapons come from and so the Tory informs us yes they took weapons with them but in Hebrew the word hamoshib also comes from the word hamesh and hamushi means fifth and one-fifth of the Jewish people came out of Egypt what does it mean and I would say just say that only one-fifth of the entire Jewish Nation deserved to exit and only one-fifth of the Jewish people wanted to leave 80 percent of the Jews remained in Egypt and died there during the plague of Darkness that means that when we read that there were 600 000 adult males leaving Egypt and together with children and with women and with elderly we estimate about three million people that means it is only one-fifth how many Jews were in Egypt as slaves must be there were 15 million Jews in Egypt that's a huge number this is the same number as the number of Jews now right now according to most estimates there are 15 million Jews in the United States and they were I'm sorry in the entire world six in the United States seven in Israel plus another couple million around the world just like we started with 15 million Jews three and a half thousand years ago we are still with the same 15 million Jews three and a half thousand liter three and a half thousand years later while the Chinese during the same time they went from 15 million to one and a half billion and the Indians from the same number went almost to 1 billion but the Jewish people stayed throughout the entire history of the Jewish Nation they stayed on the same number when we were in Egypt we were 15 million people we lost 80 percent we gained them slowly through the Jewish Commonwealth the the country of the land of Israel then again we lost 10 tribes out of 12. or out of 13 we lost again 80 of our population then again slowly we gained it then again through Inquisition and pogroms we lost many millions and then again we regained it and again through the Holocaust we lost 6 million and now again we regained it and we're back at 15 million and I would say just say and it is painful to repeat that at the end of times when mashir will come how many people will Merit how many people will survive to see mashiach and to go to the land of Israel and see the Redemption they say history will repeat itself and again 80 percent of the Jews around the world including America and including Israel will not survive only 20 of the entire Jewish population Will Survive not only that to make things Fair our sages say that two-thirds of the entire world will also not survive in the war of Gogan Magog only one third of the world will remain it's difficult to say but it's not so hard to imagine anymore with nuclear weapons everything is possible now and even though we have seven or eight billion people we might find Shalom ourselves with only two billion people and surprisingly if we look at potential people who might survive the war of Gogan Magog there's only one criteria and that is whoever wants to survive whoever wants to go to the land of Israel and the land of Israel as opposed to state of Israel land of Israel the land of Torah the land of the sages the land of God the land of Judaism whoever believes in God whoever serves God whoever is committed to God and whoever wants to be redeemed and leave everything he has here and go to the land of Israel will be granted opportunity however whoever doesn't believe in God whoever doesn't keep Torah whoever doesn't want to leave his wealth and go to Israel whoever doesn't believe in mashiach will have to remain which means they will remain and perishu Shalom voluntarily it's their own choice they don't want to go to Israel so they're not going to go and even people who are in Israel but are dreaming to leave and to to come to the United States as we know unfortunately majority of Israelis want to live in America and there are over 1 million Israelis Living in America Israeli citizens they're living in America why so many the truth is that another 5 million Israelis want to move to America because that's their goal to be like all the nations and and the and uh make great wealth but those Jews who love Israel want to stay in Israel will be allowed to so it's a it's a difficult prediction but the prophecy says the just like the Jewish people lost 80 percent by the exodus by the Redemption from Egypt we will also lose 80 percent by the Final Redemption by the war of Google Mago now we are on verse 19 Moshe took the bones of yourself with him because Joseph made the Jewish people promise that when God redeems you take my bones out of Egypt now how did they travel they first we know they travel from Ram says to Sukkot now verse 20 said says they travel from Sukkot and encamped in atam at the edge of the Wilderness now they're by the Wilderness desert they left the inhabited area what's gonna be how are they going to be protected and right away Hashem provides the solution verse 21 Hashem went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them on the way this Cloud was a Divine Cloud it would smoothen the way for them all the ditches and mountains would become flat and smooth like paved and it would kill all the Scorpions and snakes and wild animals on the path and it would protect them on all sides from hot sun and from cold nights and we would also protect them on top it would be a canopy to protect them from sunlight and from rain and by the way it would also show them where to go where the clouds would would move that's where the Jewish people would go and By Night Hashem went before them in a pillar of fire to give them light Pillar of Fire at night to lead them on the way so that they could travel by day and by night now we turn to page 369. Hashem spoke to Moshe saying speak to the children of Israel and let them turn back and in camp at piagirot between McDonald and the Sea of reeds before balsifon that's the name of an idol you should encamp opposite the idol by the sea now the Jewish people are confused what is this we're traveling and now we have to turn back and we have to be next to this Idol between the idol and the Sea what did we forget there we're going to the beach why are we by the sea and Hashem explains verse three Paro will say all the children of Israel they are imprisoned in the land they are locked in the Wilderness has locked them in they don't know where to go this is again to trick power I shall strengthen the heart of Paro and he will pursue them and I will be glorified through Para and his entire Army and Egypt will know that I am Hashem and so they did they listened to Hashem and they put themselves in a vulnerable position the had the sea at their back they cannot retreat they're stuck why did God ask them to encamp opposite of the idol in order for Paro to think that this Idol overpowered God has a shalom and that it kept the Jews from going and now Paro the idol worshiper that he is is going to worship this Idol and ask him to deliver the Jewish people in his hand and because Paro is going to serve the idol he will think that he will succeed and that will give him further courage so that when the sea splits he will blindly go into the sea to be covered so Hashem is carefully arranging everything for the ultimate downfall of paro's arm army it was now the action begins it was told to the king of Egypt that the people had fled six days passed and the Jewish people are not coming back the Jewish people told power we're only going three days there we're gonna serve God and then three days back six days passed then nowhere inside the heart of Paro and his servants became transformed regarding the people they understood that they were tricked that they were taken advantage of they were being lied to and they are upset rightfully so and the Heart of Paro and his servants became transformed regarding the people they said what is this that we have done we have sent away Israel from serving us such a huge nation and as we calculated there were 15 million Jews in Egypt how is it possible there were less Egyptians than 15 million there were no 15 million and some historians say yes that is true there were more slaves in Egypt than there were free people and therefore it makes sense that there were many more Jews in Egypt than Egyptian and that is why Paro got scared the Jewish nation is so nervous if they just Rebel they're gonna overthrow us we cannot control such a mob [Music] because yes there were more Jews in Egypt than Egyptians and that's why Egyptians are saying how foolish can we be why did we let such a good Workforce out of Egypt so power harnessed his chariot and took his people with him by convincing them that I will reward you you will be able to choose from The Spoils of War anything you want now we describe his powerful Army he took 600 Elite chariots and plus all the Chariots of Egypt with officers on all of them he pursued the children of Israel but the children of Israel were going out with an appraised arm our praised arm is a symbol of freedom it is symbol of going out not as slaves humbly trying to run away but as Free People proud and unafraid now verse 9 page 369. Egyptians pursued them and overtook them it took Egyptians or just a single day to catch the Jews who have been traveling for six days already and the Jews were encamped by the Sea they were just relaxing in the camp all the horses and Chariots of power and his Horsemen and army now turn to page 371. Potter approached and the children of Israel raised their eyes and behold Egyptians are journeying towards them and they were very frightened nation of civilians children women Elders with their animals with their possessions not prepared for war they cried out to Hashem and they complained to motion were there no graves in Egypt that you took us out in Wilderness why this whole show and this Escape if we're going back and we're gonna die right now what did you do to us to take us out of Egypt it would be better for us to be slaves in Egypt than to die over here and Moshe said to people do not fear tense strong and see the salvation of Hashem that he will perform for you today for as you have seen Egypt today you shall not see them again from here we derive a negative Commandment that we are not allowed to go to Egypt because Moshe said you're not going to see Egyptians again now some say that this only applied to that generation who actually came from Egypt and some say that this only applied while the ancient Egyptians lived in Egypt nowadays it's not the Egyptians it's the Arabs that live in Egypt and therefore it is permitted to go and Moshe reassures them verse 14. Hashem shall make war for you and you shall remain silent you don't need to do anything don't even pray don't cry just stand patiently quietly and watch what's going to happen and Hashem said to motion why are Jewish people crying to me speak to them and let them Journey everything's taken care of they can just continue on their way through the sea and you lift up your staff and stretch out your arm over the sea and split it and the children of Israel shall come into the midst of the sea on dry land now turn to page 373 and I will be glorified through Power Hashem wants the Jewish people and the entire world to see his power and that is why he is enticing Paro and Egyptians to come into the sea towards their own death now the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them where it was leading them and went behind them which means the pillar of clouds stood between the Egyptians and the Jewish people to protect them the Egyptians started shooting arrows and throwing Spears and they would get stuck in the cloud and some of them would even bounce back and hit Egyptians and there were cloud and darkness on the side of Egyptians because the night came and there was a pillar of cloud on the side of the Jews so they had light but the Egyptians had Darkness while it illuminated the night for the Jews and that's how they spent the night Jews next to the Sea Egyptians on the other side with a cloud in between Egyptians submerged in darkness Jewish people having light verse 21 Moshe stretched out his hand over the sea and Hashem moved the sea with a strong East Wind overnight Hashem did not make an open Miracle the motion stretches his hand and all of a sudden she splits not like the movie but rather he made both the Jews and the Egyptians think that the wind split the sea so that the Jews will be tested will they trust God and go into this sea and the Egyptians will think that it just happened there was a strong wind that split the sea and it's safe to go and they will go in not realizing that it's Hashem who split the sea the children of Israel came within the sea on dry land and the water was a wall for them on their right and on their left they were walking through