D'var Torah By: Rabbi Peter S. Knobel; Reprinted from ReformJudaism.org
Experiencing God’s Miracles: Being Ready to Act
Each year, when we reach Parashat B'shalach, I try to imagine how frightening it must have been for our ancestors to reach the Red Sea and to know that the Egyptian army was closing in on them. Was freedom only an illusion? They must have thought it was a mistake to believe that they could escape from the great Egyptian military power. How foolish they had been to believe Moses who spoke for an invisible God!
We read in Exodus 14:10-12:
As Pharaoh drew near, the Israelites caught sight of the Egyptians advancing upon them. Greatly frightened the Israelites cried out to the Eternal. And they said to Moses, "Was it for the want of graves in Egypt that you brought us to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us, taking us out of Egypt? Is this not the very thing that we told you in Egypt, saying, 'Let us be, and we will serve the Egyptians, for it is better for us to serve the Egyptians, than to die in the wilderness?' "
What was Moses thinking with the Reed Sea in front of them and Pharaoh's army behind them? As a good leader he tried to reassure them.
"But Moses said to the people, Have no fear! Stand by, and witness the deliverance which the Eternal will work for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you will never see again. The Eternal will battle for you; you hold your peace!" (Exodus 14:13-14).
God's response is somewhat enigmatic.
"Then the Eternal One said to Moses, 'Why do you cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to go forward. And you lift up your rod and hold out your arm over the sea and split it, so that the Israelites may march into the sea on dry ground.' " (Exodus 14:15-16).
God seems to be saying do not pray – or perhaps do not whine – just act to save this people. God seems angry that Moses is either lacking in faith or perhaps, more importantly, wisdom. Has Moses learned nothing? As much as God has been present in this Torah portion, and as much as God has seemed to control the situation, the real lesson is that God cannot accomplish God's purpose without human beings. God relies on us to do what is necessary. With all of the power that God demonstrates in this Torah portion, why does God need Moses? The answer seems to be that God requires human initiative.
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