The Torah portion of Beshallach includes the phrase
[1] "and the sea returned to its [original] strength." The Midrash notes that G-d made the creation of the sea conditional on its willingness to split when the Jews were to pass through it.
[2] Moreover, states the Midrash,
[3] G-d made a similar condition with all of creation - that it fulfill the will of the righteous, even if doing so involves a suspension of its basic nature.
G-d is Master of the universe; why was it necessary for Him to make such conditions? He surely had the ability to split the sea in any case.
The ultimate purpose of creation is that the Jewish people, through their service of Torah and mitzvos - "Knowing G-d in all your ways,"[4] and "All your actions being for the sake of Heaven"[5] - transform this world into a dwelling place for G-d.
Just as the essence of an individual can be found within his physical dwelling, so too, G-d's essence will be found within the physical world.[6] In order for this to be accomplished, the world must be able to receive a degree of G-dliness far greater than it is by nature accustomed to.
By imposing a condition on the sea (and on all of creation) that when the appropriate time comes, the "natural" laws will be suspended for the sake of the Jewish people, the natural world became able to receive a much greater degree of Divinity than it could otherwise contain.
Were this condition not made, the world would stand in "opposition" to miracles and changes of nature, so that in order for a miracle to occur, nature would have to be "broken." By making all of creation conditional on its ability to accept supernatural events, the physical world became intrinsically loftier, having gained the ability to relate not only to the world of the natural, but also to the supernatural.
So, G-d's precondition enabled the universe to exist in a more powerful manner.
When something is created for only a limited time, after which it must cease to exist, then its existence is a tenuous one - this inherent weakness serving as the cause for its ultimate cessation.[7]
It is thus to be understood that the world (bereft of G-d's precondition) would not enjoy a truly powerful state of existence, since it would have been created for only a limited period.[8]
But because G-d created the world in such a way that it fulfills the will of the righteous, even if doing so runs "against nature," it embraces a higher purpose, and becomes one with that purpose. That the world was created for the sake of the Jews and their performance of Torah and mitzvos makes the world one with them.
Since the existence of the Jewish people is eternal,[9] as is the existence of Torah and mitzvos (for Torah and mitzvos represent the Eternal G-d's Will and Wisdom), by accepting this precondition, the world and its creatures took upon themselves a strength and vitality which they would never have had on their own, and they became eternal as well.
Based on Likkutei Sichos, Vol. VI, pp. 86-94
Notes:
- (Back to text) Shmos 14:27.
- (Back to text) Bereishis Rabbah 5:5; Shmos Rabbah 21:6; Zohar, Vol. II, p. 198b.
- (Back to text) Bereishis Rabbah, ibid.
- (Back to text) Mishlei 3:6.
- (Back to text) Avos 2:12.
- (Back to text) See Yom Tov Shel Rosh HaShanah 5666.
- (Back to text) See Sefer HaChakirah of the Tzemach Tzedek 4a, 104a ff.; Ein Aroch 5644 ch. 30; beginning of Tiku 5707.
- (Back to text) Ha'Umnom Yeisheiv 5643 ch. 4; Kol HaShoineh 5667; conclusion of Tiku 5644.
- (Back to text) See Sanhedrin beginning of chapter Cheilek.
The Midrash
[1] comments on the verse
[2] "Moshe led the Jewish people away from the Red Sea," by noting that Moshe had to forcefully lead them away. This was because
[3] the Jews were so busy with the "spoils of the sea" - spoils even greater
[4] than those they took with them when they left Egypt - that they didn't want to leave.
At the time of the crossing of the Red Sea, G-d revealed Himself to the Jews in "all His glory,"[5] leading the nation to sing G-d's praises. Indeed, the revelation was so great that they sang: "This is my G-d"[6] - "They pointed at Him with their finger."[7]
After all this, how was it possible to be so absorbed with the "spoils of the sea"; what possible value could gold and silver have in comparison to the revelation of G-dliness at the crossing?
Their reluctance to leave the "spoils of the sea" did not stem from greed, but was because they believed G-d wanted them to gather as much booty as possible.
What led the Jews to this conclusion?
At the time of the Exodus, Jews were commanded to obtain "vessels of silver and gold"[8] from the Egyptians. The purpose was not only to fulfill G-d's promise that they would leave Egypt "with great wealth,"[9] but also to "drain Egypt [of its wealth]."[10]
Thus, when the Jews saw after the crossing that the Egyptians still possessed gold and silver, they felt duty bound by the command to "drain Egypt."
However, since Moshe ordered the Jewish people to leave - in order to hasten their arrival at Sinai to receive the Torah - they should have understood that this was now G-d's desire. So, the original question remains: why did Moshe have to force them?
In truth, having to be forced to leave didn't mean they weren't ready to obey Moshe; they understood quite well that his command was a proper one, and were quite ready to follow his orders.
Nevertheless, the Jews were not convinced intellectually that they should leave, since, in their mind, the command to "drain Egypt" was still in force. They were thus "compelled" to follow orders.
This will be better understood by considering the inner meaning of the phrase "to drain Egypt of its wealth,"[11] for what was so important about removing the physical wealth of Egypt?
The "great wealth" of Egypt refers to the sparks of holiness - "the great spiritual wealth" - found within the Egyptian silver and gold. By transferring the jewelry to Jewish ownership, these sparks were elevated from Egyptian impurity to Jewish holiness.[12]
Since the service of purifying and elevating the sparks of holiness found within the physical is a vital aspect of Divine service, so much so that it fulfills the purpose of creation - providing a dwelling place for G-d in this world - it was impossible to forego this "great wealth."
The same was true, of course, regarding the "spoils of the sea." Knowing as they did the importance of elevating the spiritual sparks found within the spoils, the Jews gathered the wealth with great enthusiasm.
This, then, is why Moshe had to forcefully lead them away from the sea: Not, Heaven forbid, that the Jews did not want to obey Moshe's order - which was, after all, G-d's command - with joy and delight.
Because the Jewish people were wholly immersed in purifying and elevating the sparks of holiness, tearing themselves away from this mode of service and changing spiritual "gears" was difficult, and so they had to be "compelled."
Based on Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XXI, pp. 77-81
Notes:
- (Back to text) Tanchuma (Buber) 16; Yalkut Shimoni and Midrash Lekach Tov on the verse.
- (Back to text) Shmos 15:22.
- (Back to text) Tanchuma, ibid.
- (Back to text) Mechilta, Bo 12:36.
- (Back to text) Rashi, Beshallach 15:2.
- (Back to text) Beshallach, ibid.
- (Back to text) Rashi, ibid.
- (Back to text) Shmos 11:2.
- (Back to text) Bereishis 16:14.
- (Back to text) Shmos 3:22.
- (Back to text) See Likkutei Sichos, Vol. III, p. 823ff. and references cited there.
- (Back to text) See Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XVIII, p. 363ff.
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