Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice!For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

Yitro Advises Moshe to Appoint Judges

There is a dispute over whether or not the previous section dealing with Yitro joining the Israelites was placed in Chumash in chronological order. Some say that Yitro only joined the Israelites after the giving of the Torah, yet some say he joined before.

Rashi says that regardless of when that last part occurred, this next part concerning Yitro advising Moshe to appoint judges is definitely not chronologically what occurred next in the story. He comes to this conclusion based on the fact that in the last verse of this chapter (Shmos 18:27) Moshe sends Yitro away, yet in the second year of the Israelites' travels, Moshe insists that Yitro does not leave them to return home (Bamidbar 10:11). Since there is no mention of Yitro coming back after he leaves, he must have only left after the second year, i.e. after the giving of the Torah.

So we can assume that the occurrences in this section are all after the giving of the Torah.

To be precise, this section begins on the day after the first Yom Kippur post the giving of the Torah, i.e the day after Moshe descends from the mountain after receiving the second set of tablets.

The way Rashi knows the exact day here is because it begins with Moshe sitting and judging the people. Moshe would not have judged anyone before the giving of the Torah as they didn't have official laws to follow to be judged by. The first tablets were given on the 17th of Tammuz, at which time he broke them, and then the following day ascended back up to Mount Sinai where he remained for 80 days. So this section could not have occurred during those 80 days as Moshe was not present with the people. After those 80 days passed, Moshe returned with the second tablets which he received. This was on Yom Kippur. So it was only after this point that it would make sense that Moshe would sit in judgement over the people. The text reads that this section began on the "morrow", so it must have been on the day after that Yom Kippur when they received the second tablets.

So it was that Moshe is "sitting" in judgement, "all day long"*.

*Side note: Moshe was not actually judging all day long, but rather there is an idea that if a person is engaged in sincere judgement for even a short amount of time, it is as if they are studying Torah all day and are partners with G-d in creation, which happened by way of "it was evening, it was morning etc..", i.e. as if it were all day long.

Yitro observes this scene, of Moshe sitting like a king while he is judging and the Israelites who come to him all stand, and he is displeased. He feels that it is not honorable to Israel for Moshe to sit alone like this with everyone else standing.

Yitro asks Moshe why he is judging in this manner, and Moshe replies that it is because the people who are approaching him are seeking G-d. When they have an argument with one another, they come to Moshe and Moshe meditates between them by teaching them G-d's laws.

Yitro, referred here with the honorable title (by association) of "Moshe's father in law", says that the way that Moshe is acting is not good. Yitro says that it will eventually be too much for Moshe to bear alone and he will wear himself out. Even if he had the assistance of Aaron, Chur* and the seventy elders, this still would not be enough.

*Side note: We know that Yitro is speaking hypothetically about others being involved with the judgement and not that they actually were, by virtue of the fact that he included Chur, who had been killed in trying to prevent the Israelites from worshipping the golden calf - something which occurred before this time.

Yitro tells Moshe to check with G-d to make sure that the advice that he is about to give him is sound.

He says that Moshe should serve as an intermediary between the Israelites and G-d. Moshe is to teach everyone the laws and how they should and should not behave. Moshe should then use the Holy Spirit invested within him to pick out men with specific qualities to serve as judges over the people. These qualities are:

* Rich men - So that they should not feel the need to impress or flatter anyone.

* G-d fearing men

* Truthful men - Men who are trustworthy and people feel confident in.

* Men who despise money - i.e. who are willing to give up their money even if it is rightfully theirs rather than fight it out in court.

Yitro tells Moshe that he should appoint 600 such judges in proportion to the 600,000 adult Israelite men at that time.

These judges will take over judging all of the more minor matters, while Moshe will handle the more major matters.

Yitro says that if after consulting with G-d about this, G-d commands Moshe to follow this system of delegation, Moshe and the elders who had been helping him in judgment would be able to endure it all, and they would arrive at where they were going peacefully. If G-d would not agree to this system and command Moshe to follow it, Yitro says that Moshe and the elders would not endure it all and would wear themselves out.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice!For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

Moshe Reunites With His Family. We Meet Yitro.

Yitro was Moshes's father in law. He was also the priest of Midian.

He was called by seven different names: Reu'el*, Yeter**, Yitro***, Chovav****, Chever, Keini and Putiel.

*Re'uel may have actually been Yitro's father, since in Bamidbar 10:29, Moshes's father in law is called "Chovav, the son of Reu'el". And although earlier in Chumash (Breishis 2:18-21) it seems to indicate that Re'uel and Yitro were the same person, in so far that Tziporah and her sisters call him "father" and then it says that Moshe married "Re'uel"'s daughter Tziporah, Rashi explains this by saying that young children sometimes call their father's father "Father".

**The same Yeter (יתר) literally means "extra", because Moshe explicitly included him in the Torah when he didn't have to, in reference to his methodology with choosing judges.

***Side note: The name Yitro יתרו is like the name Yeter יתר with an added ו'. He took on this name after he converted to Judaism as a sign of him taking on all of the Commandments.

****Literally means "lover", as he loved the Torah.

Yitro had great respect for Moshe and was honored to have him as a son in law. Moshe felt the same towards Yitro.

Yisro hears all about the miracles that have happened to the Israelites: the splitting of the sea, the war with Amalek, the manna, the well that traveled with them and of course the Exodus from Egypt, which was the greatest miracle of all.

Earlier in Chumash, before the Exodus, when Moshe meets Tziporah in Midian, G-d tells Moshe to return to Egypt. He does so, and Aaron goes out to greet him on the "Mountain of G-d". When he sees that Moshe is not alone, he asks him who the others are. Moshe replies that these are his wife and sons. Aaron exclaims, "We see already grieving over our people currently in Egypt and you want to bring more people there?!" Moshe concurs and tells his wife and sons to return to her father's home.

There was a certain stigma amongst the Israelites attached to the fact that Moshe married the daughter of Yitro, a formerly idolotrous priest.

Yitro was currently living very honorably, however he humbled himself to go out into the desert to hear words of Torah. He also wanted to remove the stigma attached to his family.

He sends a messenger to Moshe, trying to get Moshe to come out to greet Yitro, Tziporah and Moshes's two sons*.

*One of the sons is named Gershom, rooted in the word "ger", meaning "stranger", so named for Moshe being a "stranger" in a strange land. The other is named Eliezer, from the root "to help", in commemoration of G-d helping Moshe by saving him from Pharaoh's sword**.

** When the exocutioner hit Moshes's neck with his sword, Moshes's neck became as hard as marble, protecting the sword from cutting him.

In bringing with him Moshes's entire family, he is pleading with Moshe that if Moshe was indeed embarrassed about Yitro's past, at least he should come out on Tziporah's behalf, showing that he was not ashamed to be married to her in spite of her upbringing. And if even this was not something Moshe was comfortable with, hopefully he would at least come greet them on behalf of his sons, to remove any stigma people might have attached to their heritage.

After all of that, not only does Moshe make it a point to go out to greet Yitro for Yitro's sake, he brings a whole procession in his honor: First Aaron, Nadav, Avihu and then when everyone saw all of these leaders going, they joined as well.

Moshe bows and kisses Yitro and they ask one another how they are doing and then they go to Moshe's tent.

Although Yitro already knows about the exodus from Egypt, Moshe recaps the entire story of what G-d did to the Egyptians, how the Israelites has suffered, and how G-d saved them. Moshe was hoping thereby to bring Yitro closer to Torah.

Yitro became overjoyed from all of the goodness that G-d did for Israel, specifically the manna and the well and the Torah. All things that involved just good without destruction. There is an opinion that in hearing about the suffering of the Egyptians, he got goosebumps, not from joy, but rather out of sorrow. Rashi relates a teaching in this regard about how one should never speak negatively about a non Jew in the presence of a convert or from a family of converts from up to 10 years back.

Yitro blesses G-d for saving the Israelites from 3 "hands":

1- The hand of slavery, i.e having the status of slaves under Egypt, a harsh nation

2- The hand of slavery under Pharaoh, a harsh king, i.e. having to be subservient to Pharaoh.

3 -The hand* of tyranny in the form of labor

*Side note, whereas for the first two hands Yitro words his blessing such that G-d saved "you", for the third, he says "the people". This is because Moshe and Aaron were from the tribe of Levi who were exempt from performing labor in Egypt, however they still had the status of slaves and were under Pharaoh's dominion. Thus Yitro was acknowledging that all of the Israelites, Moshe and Aaron included, were rescued from the first two "hands", whereas the rescue from the third "hand" of the tyranny of labor did not apply to them, but rather to the "Israelites" as a group.

Yitro had studied all of the different religions of the world, and had already renounced idolatry at this point, however after hearing firsthand from Moshe about everything that had occurred, he deepened his appreciation of it all. He says that this deeper appreciation came about through seeing how the Egyptians "made their own beds" so to speak. They plotted to get rid of the Israelites with water, and water was the cause of their own destruction (in drowning in the sea).

Yitro makes two sacrifices to G-d:

1- An Olah offering - which is an offering which gets entirely consumed by fire on the alter

2- A Peace offering - which gets partially consumed and then partially given to the Cohanim to eat.

Yitro then sits down to eat a meal with Aaron and all of the elders. Moshe is at the meal but rather than eat with them, out of respect for Yitro, he serves them.

The text says that they ate this meal "before G-d". From here we learn that when a person attends a meal with Torah scholars (i.e. Aaron and the elders), it is as if one is basking in the delight of the Divine Presence itself.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice!For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

Manna from Heaven

G-d tells Moshe that He will heed the complaints of the Israelites and will send meat to them in the afternoon and bread in the morning and thus they will know that He is G-d.

So evening comes and a flock of quails come and cover their camp. And then in the morning, there was a layer of dew surrounding the camp. The dew evaporated, revealing a layer of a very fine substance underneath it, underneath which lied another layer of dew, so that it came down as if wrapped up in a box.

The Israelites call this substance "manna", etymologically related to the word "prepared", as in this was food which was "prepared" for them.

Moshe affirms that indeed this is the food which G-d has given them to eat, and that each person should take in accordance with the size of their household, such that each person would get one omer (a biblical unit of measurement) amount of the manna.

So the Israelites gathered the manna, and miraculously, even though some gathered too much for their household and some too little, when they arrived home, everyone saw that they had taken exactly enough for each person to have one omer amount.

Moshe tells them not to leave any manna over for the following day. Datan and Aviram disobey him however and did, and their leftover manna becomes spoiled and worm infested. Moshe gets angry at them.

So every morning they go to gather the manna for that day. Whatever manna was not gathered melted in the sun and turned into liquid that gazelles and deers would drink from. Then non Jews would hunt and eat these animals and taste some of the manna flavor in them, and thereby gained an appreciation of the Israelites' grandeur.

On the sixth day, upon measuring out the manna which they had gathered that morning, they see that it is a double portion. Some commentaries say that the manna that day had a different flavor and aroma as well.

Moshe had not yet told the Israelites about the Sabbath*, so they approached Moshe and asked him what the reason for this difference was.

*Side Note: Moshe is subsequently punished for his delay in teaching them about the Sabbath by being including in the general "you" of G-d's upcoming (keep reading) reproach, "How much longer will you disobey me?"

So Moshe tells them about the Sabbath and says that they should bake and cook on that day for both that day and the following day and put aside what they don't eat that day for the morrow.

So they did so, and indeed the leftover manna did not spoil the following day.

The Israelites were not totally clear as to what meal(s) the extra manna was for. They thought that perhaps the extra manna they had gathered was just for cooked food (insofar as Moshe told them to cook all of it), however perhaps they could still gather manna for any raw food that wouldn't need preparation. They also thought that the extra manna might only be for the meal on Shabbos day but that they might need to go out to get manna for Saturday evening's meal.

Moshe clarifies that no, they are not to go out on the Sabbath to look for manna as it will not descend that day, but he reassures them that it will resume the following day.

Moshe explains to them that they are to gather manna during the six weekdays, but not on the Sabbath, holidays or Yom Kippur.

So the seventh day came, and some people do go out to gather the manna in spite of Moshe's instructions, and come back empty handed.

Including all of the Israelites (including Moshe - see Side Note above) in His rebuke in spite of only some of them having gone out to gather manna on the Sabbath, G-d declares to Moshe, "How much longer will you refuse to obey me?!"

He continues, "You have witnessed with your own eyes the power of the Sabbath in that G-d brings you a double portion each week for it."

G-d then instructs Moshe in the laws of Techumim, i.e the distance and the limits* which one is allowed to walk on the Sabbath.

*Side note, the limit one is allowed to walk on the Sabbath is 4000 amah square, with the center of the square being the location s/he is spending Shabbos. If one does leave this limit, they must stay in place and cannot move more than 4 amos (3 for his/her body and one for stretching out his/her limbs). These laws are more explicitly elaborated upon in rabbinic writings, as this law, while alluded to here in Chumash, is technically a rabbinic one.

So after hearing Moshe's instructions on this, the Israelites rest on the Sabbath.

This manna, which was so named by the Israelites, was round like a coriander seed, white in color, and tasted like a type of wafer which in the language of the mishnah was called iskeritin, which was dough that was fried in honey.

Moshe says that one omer of the manna should be preserved for future generations to know what the Israelites were nourished from in the desert after G-d took them out of Egypt. This became relevant in the days of the prophet Yermiyahu. Yermiyahu rebuked the Jews of his generation asking them why they don't engage in Torah study. The Jews replied that if they were to study Torah, this would detract from their work/livelihood. Yermiyhu showed them the preserved manna and they saw with their own eyes how G-d is able to find ways to sustain people at all times.

So later on, when the Israelites build the Tent of Meeting (Ohel Moed), Moshe tells Aaron to set aside an omer of the manna and put it in a jug for preservation and store it in front of the Ark. Although this only happened later on after they had built the Tent of Meeting (Ohel Moed), since this section of the Chumash is all about the manna, it is mentioned here. And so Aaron did at that time.

Israelites were sustained by the manna for the entire 40 years they traveled in the desert.

To explain this calculation:

While the manna only began falling on the 15th of Iyar, the bread the Israelites ate from made out of the dough they had taken out of Egypt tasted like manna so this time is included in the 40 years of eating the manna.

And then the manna ceased falling on the 7th of Adar, when Moshe died and they reached the Plains of Moab, before they crossed the Jordan river. From that time until they finally entered into the land of Israel on the 16th of Nissan (the day after Pesach), they managed to sustain themselves from whatever manna had fallen up until the 7th of Adar.

Today's chumash concludes by telling us that the measurement of an omer is a 10th of an ephach.

To be more specific:

The smallest unit of measurement mentioned in Rashi here is a beitzah (i.e. an egg)*

*Side note: There are different opinions as to the modern day equivalent of these measurements. A beitzah is thought to be anywhere from 2.5-3 fluid ounces.

6 beitzahs = 1 log

4 logs = 1 kav

6 kavs = 1 se'ah

3 se'ah = 1 ephach

Thus one ephach = 2x6x4x6 = 432 beitzahs.

And then if one omer = 1/10 of an ephach, then one omer is 432x0.10 = 43.2 beitzahs.

This final measurement of 43.2 beitzahs is the amount which is required to take from the dough and give to the Cohanim as well as for meal offerings.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice!For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

The Israelites Want Water. The Battle with Amalek

The Israelites Want Water

The Israelites travel from Sin to Rephidim. There is no water there, yet they set up camp.

Although they were not yet thirsty, the Israelites demand that Moshe give them water. Moshe retorts, "Why are you testing G-d like this? Can he give water in an arid land?"

The Israelites then do become thirsty and complain to Moshe, asking him why he took them out of Egypt just so they should die from thirst?

Moshe pleads with G-d, asking what he should do, and says that soon enough, they will stone him!

G-d tells Moshe to go, together with some of the Elders* and take the staff* that he had struck the Nile with, and pass in front of the Israelites. He will then see if they indeed stone him - G-d is upset that Moshe slandered the Israelites in this way.

*The Elders are to serve as witnesses when Moshe goes to get the water, to testify that there was no ancient water fountain set up there, but indeed Moshe will be the one to cause the water to come out of the rock.

**G-d wanted Moshe to use the staff to demonstrate that this staff was not restricted to only punishing acts as it had performed with the Nile, but rather it could do goodness as well, in drawing out water.

G-d tells Moshe that He will stand by a certain rock in Chorev, and Moshe is to strike the rock with the staff and water will come out of it and the Israelites will drink.

Moshe does all of this and so it is. The staff was made of sapphire and thus split the rock from which the water emerged.

Moshe named that area Masah* and Merivah**.

*Literally means "test" as it was there that the Israelites tested G-d

**Literally "argument", due to the Israelites arguing there.

The Battle with the Amalekites

The Amalekites comes to Rephidim and fight with the Israelites*.

*Side note: Rashi here gives an allegory to explain why the story of the battle of Amalek is written about here, after the story of the Israelites quarreling and complaining about the lack of water. He likens it to a father who carries his son on his shoulders. Several times the son asks his father to get him different things and the father always obliges. At some point, they come across another man and the boy asks the man if he has seen his father. The father says, "really? you don't know where I am?" and to teach him a lesson lifts him off his shoulders and puts him on the ground where he now becomes vulnerable and a dog bites him.

Moshe tells Yehoshua to pick out G-d fearing men (possibly men who knew how to fight witchcraft as the Amelikites were sorcerers). Moshe says that the following day, these men (together with Yehoshua) shall fight and Moshe will fast, and will stand with his staff during the battle on top of a hill.

So Yehoshua gathers men for battle and Moshe, Aaron and Chur* (Miriam and Calev (her husband)'s son) stand on top of the hill.

*Side note: From here we learn that on a fast day (Moshe was fasting on that day), three men are required to lead the prayers before the ark.

Whenever Moshe lifted his hands (as a sign that the Israelites hearts were directed towards the Heavens), the Israelites would triumph and whenever he would release his hands down (as a sign that they were no longer focused on G-d), the Amalekites would triumph.

In retribution for Moshe appointing Yehoshua to wage battle against Amelek instead of going to fight himself, his hands become heavy. So Aaron and Chur bring a stone for him to sit on. He refused to sit on something more comfortable like a mattress as he did not want to feel comfortable while the rest of his nation was in pain. Then Aaron and Chur each lift one of Moshe's arms upwards, in a gesture of sincere prayer.

He remains like this until "sunset", which arrived at a much later time than it was supposed to. The Amalekites had astrologically calculated the time they were supposed to be victorious, however Moshe caused the sun to stand still so it did not set at its normal time.

In accordance with the will of G-d, Yehoshua did not kill off all of the Amelikites but rather decapitated their strongest men, leaving behind the weakest.

G-d tells Moshe to write down what had happened as a memorandum, that the Amalekites had come to wage war against the Israelites first, when none of the other nations dared to. He says that Moshe should relay to Yehoshua, who will be the one to lead the Israelites into Israel, that G-d wishes for the memory of Amalek to be erased.

Moshe sets up an alter to G-d and calls the alter "G-d is My Miracle" in commemoration of the miracle that happened there.

Moshe declares that G-d has sworn by His Throne that He will forever be at war with Amaelek and that His throne will not be complete until Amalek is completely destroyed.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice!For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

Manna and Pheasants

The Israelites arrive in an area called Elim where there are 12 springs of water (representing the 12 tribes) and 70 date palms (representing the 70 Elders) and set up camp.

On the 15th of Iyar, which was 31 days since they left Egypt, they journey out of Elim to Sin, which was on the way to Sinai.

It is at this point that they exhaust all of their food, haven eaten a total of 61* meals made from the dough they had used to bake the matzos.

*Side note, the first meal they have upon leaving Egypt was the Seder. Thereafter they ate two meals per day, made from the dough they had used to make the matza, making a total of 61 meals.

Although the Israelites were not hungry, as they only recently ate their last meal, they were concerned over not having any food for their next meal. They complain to Moshe and Aaron about this, saying that it would have been better had they remained in Egypt and died there rather than to be led into the desert by them* and die of hunger. At least in Egypt they had meat and bread, they say.

*Side note: Notice how the Israelites say that it is Moshe and Aaron (as opposed to G-d) who took them out of Egypt and into the desert. Moshe and Aaron will reference this shortly, keep reading.

G-d tells Moshe that he will rain bread for down for them daily*. This manna would serve as a test to see if the Israelites would have the necessary faith to follow G-d's Torah. Each day they would only get the exact amount that they would need that day and would have to trust that the following day would bring them what they needed then. They would pass the test by neither leaving over any manna on any given day nor would they go out on Shabbos (when the manna would not fall) to try to collect it.

*Side note: The first day that the Israelites received manna was the 16th of Iyar, on a Sunday.

G-d tells Moshe that the Friday portion will serve as a double portion, encapsulating the portion for Shabbos as well. This will not be apparent when they go to collect the manna on Friday - it will appear as a regular sized portion. When they go home and eat it however, they will see that it is in fact a double portion.

In the Israelites' complaint (see above), they specifically mentioned meat and bread. Bread was a reasonable request, as it was necessary for their survival. Meat on the other hand was not. Additionally, if they wanted meat so badly, they had plenty of cattle that they could have slaughtered. So complaining that they didn't have meat was a sign of gluttony.

So Moshe and Aaron tell the Israelites that come evening, the Israelites will see that it was G-d, and not Moshe and Aaron (as they Israelites had said) who took the Israelites out. Moshe and Aaron were alluding to the pheasants which G-d was going to send out to fly over them. G-d sends these pheasants in the evening, which is not the most convenient time for preparing and cooking food, to demonstrate that while he was heeding their request for meat, he wasn't happy about it as it was requested out of gluttony.

Moshe and Aaron say that come morning, the Israelites will see the glory of G-d. This is in reference to the manna that fell in the morning. It is referred to as G-d's "glory", since unlike the meat, the manna was given out of love, showing that G-d recognized that it was a legitimate request.

Moshe and Aaron say, who are they that the Israelites should complain to them and rally up others to complain to them. It is G-d they should be complaining to.

Moshe tells Aaron to tell the Israelites to approach the Cloud of Glory as G-d has heard their complaints. Aaron does so and amazingly, when the Israelites look at the Cloud of Glory, G-d's Glory is visible in it.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice!For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

Song Of the Sea

G-d tells Moshe to stretch out his arm over the sea and the sea will go back to it's original shape and swallow up the Egyptians.

And so Moshe stretched out his arm over the sea, and early in the morning, the Egyptians, against their better judgement (for they were in such a confused state that they had lost all ability to reason) race into the water as the water begins to revert back to it's original state, and they are thrown about, like a pot of food which is turned upside down. G-d is keeps them alive at this point to further torture them.

And then the waters fully revert back and cover the Egyptians and kill the entire army. Not a single one of them survived.

The Israelites, the other hand, traversed the sea on dry land. The waters stood up on either side of them like walls.

Such is how G-d saved the Israelites from the Egyptians on that day.

The Egyptian corpses were washed ashore on the same side that the Israelites emerged, so that the Israelites could see that they were dead and not be concerned that perhaps the Egyptians had come out from a different side and were still chasing them.

The Israelites recognized how G-d had saved them from the Egyptians and they were awestruck and had faith in G-d and Moshe, His servant.

Moshe felt compelled to sing in recognition of the miracle that had just occurred. So he leads the Israelites in singing a song*, known as the Song of the Sea.

*Side note, the text uses the future tense regarding their singing, alluding to the Resurrection of the Dead, when we will sing this song again.

The song follows a pattern of repetition (refer to the Hebrew text to see this effect). The following is the full text of the song, verse by verse in italics based on the translation from chabad.org, with some modifications on my part to enhance the explanation of the deeper meaning of the text. My explanation (based on Rashi) follow underneath each verse:

I will sing to the Lord, for He is exalted above all exaltation*; a horse** and its rider He cast into the sea.

*The entire song, as you will see, follows this repetitive pattern (eg. "exalted above all exaltation). There are a few meanings given for this phraseology here:1. To relate how G-d exalted Himself over the arrogant Egyptians who saw themselves as being exalted. 2. G-d's exaltation was also over and above man's capacities. Usually in battle a person throws their opponent off from their horse in order to beat them. In this case, the Egyptians stayed upright on their horses in going into the sea. 3. Usually when a king is praised, his praise is an exaggeration of who the king is. In G-d's case, He is far more exalted than any praise given to Him.**The Egyptian horse and rider were bound to one another; the rider could not get off of the horse even as it was being thrown up and down.

The Eternal's strength and His vengeance* were my salvation; this is my God, and I will make Him a habitation, the God of my father, and I will ascribe to Him exaltation.

*In hebrew "strength and vengeance" is written as עזי וזמרת, following the repetitive pattern of the song.

Hashem is a Man* of war; **Hashem is His Name.

*i.e "master", איש, which is why it is an appropriate term to ascribe to G-d here.**His name is his weapon. Also, unlike earthly kings that when they fight in a battle, the neglect everything else in their kingdom, when G-d fights, his attribute of mercy (alluded to in the Tetragrammaton, represented by the word "Hashem") stays active, in continuing to vivify the rest of the world while He fights a particular battle.

Pharaoh's chariots and his army He cast into the sea, and the elite of his officers sank* in the Red Sea.

The word used for sank here is only used when referring to mud rather than water. From here we learn that the Egyptians drowned in the mud rather than water. This was G-d's way of avenging the Egyptians for having caused suffering to the Israelites with mud (i.e. having them labor in clay and bricks).

The depths covered them; they descended into the depths like a stone*.

Your right hand, O Lord, is most powerful; Your right hand*, O Lord, crushes the foe**.

*When the Israelites do the will of G-d, G-d's left hand (metaphorically associated with judgement) becomes like his right hand (metaphorically associated with mercy). Hence G-d's right hand is mentioned twice in this verse, instead of mentioning his right and his left. Alternatively, G-d used his mighty right hand of mercy to both save the Israelites and also crush the Egyptians, a feat which would be impossible for a mortal king to do. **Continuously crushes the foe, not just in this instance. This is the beginning of the song's description of how G-d displays His wrath, in progressing intensity. "Crushing the foe" is the lowest level

And with Your great pride You tear down those who rise up against You*; You send forth Your burning wrath; it devours them like straw.

*If G-d's hand alone crushes the foe as indicated in the preceding verse, all the more powerfully will G-d tear down those who actively rise up against Him. Those who rise up against G-d means those who rise up against Israel.

And with the breath of Your nostrils* the waters were heaped up**; the running water stood erect like a wall; the depths congealed*** in the heart**** of the sea.

*When a person gets angry, their nostrils flare up and they emit steam. Chumash uses this imagery to illustrate G-d's wrath to make it palatable to us, though of course G-d does not have nostrils the way that a man does. **The heat from G-d's nostrils dried up the water and the water heaped up like piles of grain.***The walls of water became hard like stone and the waters threw the Egyptians against these walls****The strongest part of the sea.

[Because] the enemy* said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will share the booty; my desire will be filled from them; I will draw my sword, my hand will impoverish them.

*Alluding to Pharaoh promising his nation that this is what he would do.

You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the powerful waters.

Who is like You among the powerful, O Lord? Who is like You, powerful in the holy place? Too awesome for praises*, performing wonders!

*People are scared to give praises to G-d, lest they not be enough.

You inclined Your right hand*; the earth swallowed them up**.

*Just like when a person holds a glass dish, if they slightly tilt their hand, the glass may fall and break, so G-d can destroy His creations merely by "inclining His hand", as everything is in His hands/power. **We see from here that the Egyptians did merit to be buried. This was due to their admitting earlier on that "G-d is the Righteous One" (see Breishis 9:27)

With Your loving kindness You led the people You redeemed; You led [them] with Your might to Your holy abode.

Peoples heard, they trembled*; a shudder seized the inhabitants of Philistia**.

*It's written in the past but the meaning is present - that they are currently trembling **The children of Ephraim tried to leave Egypt and hasten the redemption forcefully, earlier than was preordained. The men of the Philistia town of Gath killed the them in their attempt. This is why they are mentioned here, even though they were not amongst the nations that the Israelites set out to conquer.

Then the chieftains of Edom were startled; [as for] the powerful men of Moab*, trembling seized them; all the inhabitants of Canaan melted**.

*Edom were the descendants of Esav and Moab the descendants of Lavan. If not for Esav hating Yaakov and Lavan instilling his hatred of Avraham into his children, both of these nations could have had a portion of Israel's honor. Thus they were now especially frazzled by the Israelite's rise. **The Canaanites knew that the Israelites were coming to attack them and posses their land, thus they "melted".

May dread* and fright** fall upon them; with the arm of Your greatness may they become as still as a stone, until Your people cross over***, O Lord, until this nation that You have acquired**** crosses over.

*Those who are far away will feel dread.**Those who are close by will feel fear.***Cross over the Jordan River according to Targum Onkelos.****As one acquires an expensive object that is very precious to a person.

You shall bring them* and plant them on the mount of Your heritage, directed toward Your habitation, which You made**, O Lord; the sanctuary, O Lord, [which] Your hands founded.

*Not "us". Moshe is foreseeing here that he will not enter the land of Israel with the rest of the Israelites. **The holy temple ("Your heritage") will parallels G-d's heavenly throne ("Your habitation") which "You made" (vs. the holy temple which the Israelites will make).

The Lord will reign to all eternity

When Pharaoh's horses came with his chariots and his horsemen into the sea, and the Lord brought the waters of the sea back upon them, and the children of Israel walked on dry land in the midst of the sea,

At this point, Miriam, Aaron's sister* takes out a tambourine and all of the women follow her with their tambourines**.

*Side note: The verse makes reference to Miriam being Aaron's sister (and not Moshe) to indicate that she became a prophetess before Moshe was born, when she was just Aaron's sister. Alternatively it is because Aaron sacrificed his life for her sake when Miriam was sick with Tzarraas later on.

**The righteous women of that generation were so certain that G-d would redeem them that they took timbrels (tambourines) out with them from Egypt.

While Moshe was leading the men in song (in call and response style), Miriam was leading the women, as such:

Sing to the Lord, for very exalted is He; a horse and its rider He cast into the sea

The song ends and Moshe forcefully leads the Israelites from the sea to the Desert of Shor. They needed to be led with force, since they were busy collecting many jewels which the Egyptians had traveled with and had drowned at the sea. The booty that the Israelites gathered from the sea in such a way far outweighed that which they took from the Egyptians in Egypt.

They journey for three days but do not find water.

They journey to a place where the water is too bitter to drink and thus they name that place "Marah" (literally "bitter" in Hebrew).

The people complain to Moshe asking "What shall we drink?". This was a test that G-d put them in, to see how they would deal with not having water. They could have asked Moshe nicely to pray on their behalf however instead they complained to him.

Moshe prays to G-d and G-d shows Moshe a tree which he throws into the water, causing the water to become sweet.

Moshe begins teaching the Israelites some laws, namely Shabbos, the Red Heifer and laws involving finances.

Moshe tells the Israelites that if they not only accept but also do the will of G-d, and try to be meticulous in their performance of the commandments, even those that don't make any rational sense, like not wearing Kilaim, eating pork or the Red Heifer, then these things will serve as protections against ills. This is like a human doctor warning a patient what not to eat in order to prevent physical illness.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

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The Splitting of the Sea

Moshe had been praying to G-d on the Israelite's behalf.

G-d tells Moshe that now is not the time to pray at length but rather to act, as the Israelites are in immediate danger. Alternatively, G-d is telling Moshe not to tell Him how to treat His children, as they are G-d's responsibility, not Moshes's.

G-d tells Moshe to tell the Israelites to just keep travelling. The sea will split for them in the merit of their forefathers, as well as their own, and the faith that they had leaving Egypt.

G-d tells Moshe to lift up his staff and reach out his arm over the sea and thus split the sea.

G-d foretells that the Israelites will enter into the sea, but be on dry land.

He will then strengthen the hearts of the Egyptians who will in turn chase after the Israelites and G-d will be subsequently glorified, through Pharaoh and his army. And all of the Egyptians will thus recognize who G-d is.

Now the angel of G-d* that had been traveling in front of the Israelites now went behind them, to separate between the Israelites and the Egyptians, and to serve as a shield for the arrows and stones that the Egyptians were shooting.

*Side note, the name of G-d used here is Elokim, which is usually reserved for times when G-d is acting out of judgement. This teaches us that at this time, the Israelites were being judged as to whether or not they should die together with the Egyptians.

The Pillar of Cloud which had also been traveling in front of the Israelites would usually depart completely after giving way to the Pillar of Fire (as nighttime would fall). On this evening, instead of departing completely, the Pillar of Cloud moves to the back of the Israelites, to make it dark for the Egyptian army.

So Moshe stretches out his arm over the sea and a great Eastern* wind blows all night long, pushing aside the water of the sea and exposing the damp land - the sea, as well as all of the other waters in the world at that time split.

*Side note: The winds from the East are considered to be the strongest winds and the winds from which G-d punishes evildoers.

The Egyptian army - together with all of their chariots and horses* - chase the Israelites into the water.

*Side note: The Egyptian horses appeared to G-d as one horse

Morning breaks and G-d gazes down at the Egyptians and uses the Pillars of Cloud and Fire to destroy them. The Pillar of Cloud makes the ground of the sea muddy and the Pillar of Fire boils the mud and the horse's hooves fall off. G-d causes the Egyptians to become confused and lose all reason.

The fire burns off the wheels of the chariots. This causes the chariots to be dragged along, with their passengers so shaken about that their limbs become dislocated.

As retribution for Pharaoh hardening his and his servants hearts (see Shmos 9:34), G-d brings a "heavy and harsh" suffering upon the Egyptians here.

The Egyptians cry out that they wish to flee from the Israelites as G-d is fighting a war* on the Israelites' behalf against Egypt.

*Side note: Rashi gives two possible interpretations as to which war this is referring to. 1)According to Targum Yonatan this is the more obvious war that is being fought by the Egyptians trying to chase after the Israelites in the sea. 2)According to Targum Onkelos, it is referring to a war that Egypt was simultaneously fighting in Egypt.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

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The Israelites Get Scared

The Egyptians catch up to the Israelites where they are camping by the sea near Pi HaChirot, opposite Baal Tsafon.

Wanting to fulfill his promises to his troops about staying in front of them, Pharaoh attempts to move ahead, closer to the Israelites.

The Israelites see that the Egyptians were unified in heart, like one man. They also see that the ministering angel of Egypt had come down to help them.

The Israelites become very scared and start praying to G-d, in line with the tradition of their forefathers (Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov).

They cry out to Moshe, "Are there no graves in Egypt that you took us to die in the desert?? Why did you take us out from there? We told you to leave us alone and let us serve in Egypt. We should have stayed there rather than to die in the desert!"

Moshe tells the nation not to fear. He says that they need be patient and they will see how G-d saves them. He says that after today they will no longer see the Egyptians.

He says that G-d will fight for them and they will stay silent.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice!For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

The Israelites Leave Egypt and the Egyptians Chase Them

In now finally leaving Egypt and journeying towards Israel, G-d does not lead the Israelites by way of the Philistines, which would be the more direct route, as he feared that in coming to head with war, they would regret leaving along the way and try to return back to Egypt. This is actually what ended up happening later on in any event (see Bamidbar 14:4), even though they took the circuitous route, so all the more so would they have tried this had they taken a more direct route.

So they are led by way of the Sea of Reeds (in Hebrew it's ים סוף. "A סוף is literally a "marsh", where reeds grow) .

G-d had made sure that the Israelites left Egypt sufficiently armed for such a circuitous journey that would not lead directly through civilization to acquire provisions and would rather lead to fighting battles with other nations.

Moshe* had taken the bones of Yosef with him out from Egypt.

*Side note: Immediately upon Yaakov's death, Yosef had taken Yaakov's body out of Egypt to be buried in his homeland. Yosef was only granted this special permission to do so due to his royal stature in Egypt. This did not extend to his brothers. Thus when Yosef died, they were unable to leave Egypt to bury him right away. This is why upon his deathbed, Yosef made his brothers swear that they would make their sons swear that they would take out Yosef's bones. Moshe was now fulfilling this promise.

In leaving Egypt, the Israelites had taken out all of the bones of the heads of the other tribes as well.

On the second day of their travels (the first day they traveled from Ramses to Sukkoth), the Israelites travel from Sukkoth to Etham, which was at the edge of the desert and there they camped.

G-d set up a pillar of cloud to protect them during the day and a pillar of fire so they could see at night. Thus they were able to travel by day and night. The pillar of the cloud's light would overlap with that of the pillar of fire's, such that they were never left without a pillar protecting them.

On the third day, G-d tells Moshe to tell the Israelites to turn around and set up camp in an area closer to Egypt. G-d tells Moshe that this was in order to mislead Pharaoh into thinking that they were lost and trapped in the desert. G-d says that they are to travel in front of an area called Pi HaChiroth, (otherwise known as Pitom, one of the cities which the Israelites built in Egypt but was now referred to as "The Mouth of Freedom ("Chirot") due to the Israelites be free. In that area, between Migdol and the sea, they should camp opposite the Egyptian deity of Baal Tzephon. This was the only Egyptian deity that was left standing. G-d left this lone structure in order to mislead the Egyptians into thinking that they were still powerful.

G-d then tells Moshe that he will harden Pharaoh's heart so that Pharaoh and the Egyptians will pursue the Israelites, and G-d will then exact revenge upon them and G-d will be glorified and known to all of the Egyptians.

The Israelites had faith in Moshe and Aaron and thus went along with this plan, in spite of it leading them back closer to their former captors.

Pharaoh had sent officers to travel with the Israelites. After the allotted three days pass (see previous posts regarding how Pharaoh had eventually allowed the Israelites to leave for three days) the officers see that the Israelites were not returning, and they go back to inform Pharaoh (on the forth day). Although in finally letting them out, Pharaoh wanted them to leave, both he and the Egyptians had a change of heart. The Egyptians wanted the gold and silver that they had lent back.

So on the fifth day, Pharaoh sets out in pursuit of them, personally harnessing his own chariot for the occasion.

Pharaoh coerced his people to join him by telling them that unlike other kings who make their subjects precede them in battle to protect the king, here Pharaoh will travel in front of everyone else. Also, unlike other kings who give themselves first choice of the booty and only then give the rest to their subjects, Pharaoh will split the booty evenly with everyone.

Pharaoh takes with him 600 hand selected chariots as well as all of the remaining chariots that were left* in Egypt and appointed military commanders over them.

*Side note: Although most of the animals were killed during the various plagues, the animals of those few Egyptians who feared G-d remained unaffected by the plagues and those survived. These were the animals Pharaoh took for his chariots.

G-d hardened the heart of Pharaoh (as he was initially somewhat wavering as to whether or not to actually pursue the Israelites but once G-d hardened his heart he was all in) and on the fifth and sixth day* of the Israelite's departure, Pharaoh chases after them. Yet the Israelites marched onwards, victoriously.

*Side note: The sixth night is when the Egyptians will go into the Sea of Reeds (coming up a bit later on in chumash). The following (seventh) day, the Israelites recite the "Song of the Sea" in rejoicement. To this day, we Jews recite this song on the seventh day of Passover in commemoration of this.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice!For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

The Jews Are Kicked Out of Egypt

At midnight, G-d and His court kill all of the firstborns in Egypt. Even if a firstborn wasn't a part of the Egyptian nation but was in Egypt at the time, he was killed. Even the first born slaves and captives were killed as well as the animals. The captives were hit with this plague as they rejoiced in the Israelites' misfortune. Also this way they would not mistakenly think that an Egyptian deity was avenging the Egyptians with this plague.

The one exception was Pharaoh who himself was a firstborn. G-d keeps him alive however so that he would witness the forthcoming miracles of G-d.

It is a king's way to sleep in until well into the morning, however Pharaoh rises on this occasion in the middle of the night and wakes up his servants as well. All of the Egyptians were awake and there was a great outcry in the land. Every Egyptian home had been stricken with this plague. If there was no firstborn there, the person who was of highest importance died. And in some homes, multiple people died as the women had not been faithful to their husbands and thus gave birth to many "firstborns" through the men they were with.

Pharaoh goes out door to door, searching for Moshe and Aaron and said that all the Israelites should leave, this time with no stipulations - meaning this time it would include the children as well as the animals for sacrifice. One thing however he demands, is that Moshe and Aaron pray for Pharaoh as he is a firstborn.

The Egyptians are now also all on board with the idea of getting rid of the Israelites. They do not realize that the reason why multiple people were dying in their homes was as a result of illicit relationships and just thought that everyone was dying.

The Egyptians kick the Israelites out before their bread has a chance to leaven (i.e it became matza), so the Israelites left like this. And although they had many animals with them, they carried any leftover matzah and bitter herbs they had on their own shoulders out of love for this mitzvah.

In accordance with Moshe's instructions, the Israelites borrow gold and silver vessels from the Egyptians, as well as garments (which they liked even more than the vessels). The Egyptians saw the Israelites in a favorable light and gave them even more vessels than they asked for. The Israelites emptied out the homes of the Egyptians.

The total number of Israelite men over the age of 20 leaving Egypt was 600,000. This is not counting the women, children and a mix of nations who chose to convert to Judaism (the "mixed multitude"). Additionally, they had many animals (livestock, cattle and flock). They traveled from Ramses to Sukkot at a distance of 120 mil*. Miraculously, the journey was instantaneous.

*Side note, a mil is considered to be 2000 amos. An amah is approximately 18-24 inches. So a mil is 3,000-4,000 feet. So this distance was about 6.8-8.7 miles in modern day measurements.

The Israelites bake the unleavened bread they had left with in their hurry. In not taking provisions with them for the way, they demonstrated strong faith in G-d that He would take care of them.

The total time the Israelites spent living in Egypt was 430 years:

On the 15 of Nissan, Avraham made the "covenant between the parts" (Breishis 15:10) and then 30 years later, on the 15th of Nissan, Yitzchak was born and then 400 years later, exactly on the 15th of Nissan, G-d released the Israelites from Egypt.

G-d had foretold to Avraham that this would be the night that the Israelites would be redeemed, and G-d had been anticipating this night the whole time and for future generations to come, this night shall always be a night when the Israelites will be guarded from harmful spirits.

On the 14th of Nissan, G-d instructed Moshe and Aaron regarding the Paschal sacrifice and who is and is not allowed to eat from it as well as other stipulations around it:

* A non Jew who is estranged from G-d may not eat from it.

* A wayward Jew may eat from it.

* If a Jew has a slave and the slave is circumcised, then the slave may eat from it.

* If a Jew has a slave and does not circumcise his slave, the Jew may still eat from it but the slave may not

* A righteous gentile may not eat from it.

* Even a gentile who is circumcised (i.e. a muslim) may not eat from it.

* It must be eaten together with the original group which sacrificed it.

* One must eat meat off of any bones that has a substantial (i.e olive sized) amount of meat on it

* Although in this first circumstance of the Paschal sacrifice the groups were made up of families, this won't necessarily be the case in the future, however there will still be groups which eat it.

* A covert to Judaism must eat it at the next occasion (i.e the first Passover that they are Jewish) - a convert has all the same obligations as a native born Jew.

* A Jew who did not get circumcised even if it was for health reasons (i.e. he had two brothers who previously died as a result of getting circumcised and thus he is not circumcised as long as it might be a danger to his life), even though he has a legitimate excuse for not being circumcised, may not eat of the sacrifice.

So the Israelites did everything that G-d had commanded Moshe and Aaron. And so it was that that day G-d took all of the Israelites and their troops out from Egypt.