Beshalach- Stage Director
For this year of Parsha Lesson, I will be focusing on one area of character growth, to think about in the week ahead and the benefits that a person would have from becoming better in that area.
Background
At the beginning of this week’s Parsha, the Torah tells us that Hashem led the Jewish people out of Mitzrayim (Egypt) on a long and complicated path towards Eretz Canaan (Israel). The reason why Hashem did this is because if he would have led the Jewish people along the shortest, most direct path toward Eretz Canaan, it would have been quick and easy for the Jews to return to Mitzrayim. Hashem was concerned that when the Jewish people would come upon a battle against one of the nations of Canaan that they would be frightened and return to Mitzrayim.
Question
So now that Hashem led the Jewish people along a longer and more complicated path they wouldn’t want to return to Mitzrayim when confronted with a battle!? If a battle would frighten them and make them fearful for their lives, that would presumably be enough motivation and impetus for them to run back, even on a long path, to Mitzrayim! How then is Hashem addressing the problem of their becoming frightened and returning to Mitzrayim?
Answer
There really was no reason for the Jewish people to be fearful of battle, Hashem was with them! The concern was only that when they actually confronted a battle they would waiver in their faith in Hashem and reliance on him and become afraid. If the escape option was too difficult and tiresome, this would help them to regain their faith and reliance on Hashem.
Faith in Hashem and reliance on Hashem, are wonderful attainments and very beneficial to the person who has them- and therefore a person’s evil inclination works tirelessly against them. A person’s evil inclination does what it can to rid one of awareness of Hashem. When the evil inclination can take advantage of a person’s fear in order to achieve its aims- it will do so.
Specifically, the Ramchal teaches in the Mesillas Yesharim (Chapter 9), the ability for fear to influence a person’s decision making, and encourage them to do the wrong thing, is often rooted in laziness. Hashem understood that the Jewish people would have a challenge of laziness, presenting itself as fear, which would lead the Jewish people to run back to Mitzrayim. By Hashem making going back to Mitzrayim more difficult, this balanced out the allure of escaping to Mitzrayim and enabled them to more easily have the proper faith in Hashem.
Lesson
What an amazing example of how one must orchestrate the circumstances of their life in a way which sets up the proper framework for one to make the proper choices! Hashem, all-knowing of the inner workings of man, is teaching us how to work with ourselves and those for whom we are responsible, in order to coax and encourage the proper behavior.
The first thing we must realize is that we are the stage directors for our own lives and we need to set the stage properly so that we make the right choices and behave properly. One of my Rebbeim, many years ago, observed that a real ‘baal mussar’ (ethical master, one who has developed their character) will make sure that they get the proper amount of sleep, eat properly, drink their coffee, etc. to ensure that they are in the proper frame of mind to deal with whatever comes their way. In addition to these practical considerations, a person also must be aware to orchestrate things properly so that one’s circustances are stacked on the side of making the right choice.
The goal is to set the stage properly so that one’s animalistic body is helping them succeed in life and not getting in the way. Especially so, when one realizes that so much of one’s challenge in doing the proper thing stems from the evil inclination seducing one’s animalistic body into making the wrong choices- by setting the stage for failure!
Benefits of this…
When a person takes responsibility for their behavior and appreciates the power and necessity of ‘stage directing’ their life correctly, this person will be empowered and on the path to real growth. This person will have the formula to succeed at whatever they set their mind to.
By realizing that one must be ‘wise and crafty in attaining righteousness’ a person can be assured of success and satisfaction in tackling life’s challenges. This is a person who will be enamored and engaged in the greatest test and chess game of all time: living life according to the Torah.
Wishing everyone a wonderful Shabbos!
