Beshalach Parsha Lesson- Heartfelt Prayer
For Year 2 of Parsha Lesson, I will be focusing on one practical middah, character trait, to think about in the week ahead and steps we can take to attain it.
Background
The Jewish people had just left Mitzrayim. One week later, Chazal tell us, they crossed the Yam Suf (the famous ‘splitting of the sea’). Shortly after they entered the desert and began their long journey to Eretz Yisroel, the Land of Israel.
However, they did not have water to drink. Instead of asking for water, they started complaining terribly about their lack of water and questioned whether in fact Hashem was with them at all. Hashem then told Moshe to make water come forth from a certain rock which then provided them with water for the duration of their journey through the desert.
Shortly after this incident of the water, the nation of Amalek attacked the Jewish people to try to destroy this young nation at the beginning of their formation as a people. Rashi explains that the attack of Amalek was orchestrated by Hashem in order that the Jewish people should have to turn to Hashem and pray fervently for him to save them.
Question
How is it possible that the Jewish people could question whether or not Hashem was with them? It could not be more obvious! They were receiving special manna from the heavens every morning. Hashem ensconced them in the clouds of glory, which protected them from any animals and the elements. And Hashem escorted them through the desert, personally showing them the way to go.
How is it possible that intelligent people could be in such an environment and experience the splitting of the sea after being freed from Egypt and yet question Hashem’s presence amongst them!?
Answer
R’ Henoch Leibowitz z”l, the longtime Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim, answers that this is the natural result of becoming used to something. A person who takes things for granted can forget about the good he receives.
The Jewish people had become accustomed, even though it was over the course of only a few weeks, to Hashem’s presence. When they were thirsty and put into a difficult situation, their slight lack of gratefulness and awareness of Hashem’s kindness led them to question Hashem.
Hashem then sent Amalek to attack them in order that they turn their full hearts towards Hashem and then appreciate him more fully.
Lesson
If the Jewish people, living with Hashem SO clearly in their lives, could not fully appreciate Hashem and came to forget about it, what hope is there for us who do not live with Hashem’s hand being openly revealed? How are we to be able to appreciate that Hashem runs the world and orchestrates all that is in it?
Hashem showed us the answer: we need to pray to him with our whole heart, we need to turn to him in prayer out of a realization that without him we are hopeless. You see, praying to G-d is not for G-d, it is for the one praying to have a full appreciation that they need G-d. Someone who does not pray, regularly, to Hashem, will not feel that Hashem runs the world. They will not be aware of the presence of Hashem and therefore will not be able to fear him, and follow his commandments.
First Step
The first step in turning to Hashem in a real way of realizing how much we need him and rely on him, is to appreciate how insufficient we are in accomplishing our needs. If we take an honest and hard look at our own lives and those around us, we will see quickly how we are incapable of making decisions as to how our lives can be successful. There are just too many surprises, speed bumps and unknowns along the way for us to really make an ‘informed decision’ to lead to success.
I was one time somewhere where I was trying to calculate how much time it would take me to get to school on time. I calculated exactly how long it would take, factored in getting stuck at a light or two, knew very well what to expect in terms of traffic and then… I got stuck behind a garbage truck and was 10 minutes late. It hit me- if I cannot even properly calculate how to get from point A to point B by car, how can I even hope to to get from point A to point B in life?
Well, if I really need Hashem’s assistance, then I really need to pray to him like my life depends on it. Because it does.
Have a wonderful Shabbos!
Rabbi Eli Meir Kramer
