Shevii L’Pesach – "This is my G-d!"

 

  "This is my G-d!"

(Exodus 15:2)

Nisan 20, 5781/April2, 2021 – The Temple Institute

"And on the first day there shall be a holy convocation, and on the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation; no work may be performed on them, but what is eaten by any soul that alone may be performed for you." (Exodus 12:16)

The seventh day of Passover, like the first, is a holy day, a day of complete rest, a final day of celebrating the exodus from Egypt. It was on the seventh day following Israel's midnight exodus from Egypt that the newborn nation found themselves between a rock and a hard place, or, to be more precise, between the Egyptian army, breathing down their necks, and a vast watery expanse which lay before them, blocking their way forward. What was Israel to do?

For generations Israel had been enslaved by the Egyptians. Their days, from first light at dawn to darkest night was determined by their Egyptian overlords. They had no say in the matter, let alone time to think for themselves. Yet when G-d commanded them to make their Passover offering and prepare themselves to leave Egypt, they did precisely as they were told, and by virtue of their allegiance to HaShem, were led out of Egypt with "a mighty hand and an outstretched arm." (Deuteronomy 26:8) So it should come as no surprise that when Israel, equipped without a compass, without a map and without a plan of their own, suddenly found themselves in a desperately hopeless situation, with no way out, would cry out bitterly to Moshe, "Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us to die in the desert? What is this that you have done to us to take us out of Egypt?" (Exodus 14:11)

Moshe's responds, "Don't be afraid! Stand firm and see HaShem's salvation that He will wreak for you today, for the way you have seen the Egyptians is only today, but you shall no longer continue to see them for eternity. HaShem will fight for you, but you shall remain silent!" (ibid 14:13-14)

But then G-d speaks up and rebukes Moshe: "Why do you cry out to Me? Speak to the children of Israel and let them travel." (ibid 14:15)

What is going on here? Are we not supposed to cry out to HaShem when we find ourselves in trouble? Isn't prayer the greatest expression of our faith in HaShem and trust in His salvation? That certainly seems to be Moshe'smessage to Israel, but then G-d intervenes and contradicts Moshe's words. Stop your prayers, G-d says - now is not the time for your prayers - now is the time for your action! Action? Initiative? these are new concepts for the hitherto enslaved nation of Israel. And now, caught in a crucible of life or death, G-d is folding His arms, as it were, and saying, "You make the first move - take your first steps as a nation." And so Israel did. Taking her first baby steps as a nation, Israel stepped into the sea, trusting her fate to HaShem, to whatever will be, to an unknown future, to the prompting of HaShem, but not to the ominous threat of Pharaoh and his legions.

And when Israel took her first steps G-d open the sea before them, providing a path to the future, to the other side, to freedom and to her destiny. And in one fateful instant Israel learned that she had a true partnership with HaShem. When Israel moves forward, G-d will clear the way! This has been the nature of Israel's long history ever since that fateful day, and never more so than in the history of the modern State of Israel, whose children didn't wait for G-d, but knew instinctively that G-d was with them and would be with them in the moment and forever, splitting the impassible seas and clearing a road in the wilderness.

As true as it is for the nation of Israel, so it is true for us as individuals. We pray to HaShem, we cry out to HaShem, but we must all the while be taking our fate into our own hands, accompanied by our complete and utter faith and trust in HaShem's providence. On the 15th day of Nisan G-d took Israel out of Egypt. On the 21st, Israel took her first independent steps into the future, crossing the Sea of Reeds that G-d, in His love for His children, opened before them. The Song of the Sea, sung by Moshe and the children of Israel upon reaching the far side of the sea and watching it close in upon the Egyptians, marks Israel's realization, for the first time, that they are their own people, that the future is bright, and that G-d is with Israel, always: "The Eternal's strength and His vengeance were my salvation; this is my G-d, and I will make Him a habitation, the G-d of my father, and I will ascribe to Him exaltation... HaShem will reign forever!" (ibid 15:2,18)

Wishing everyone a Chag Sameach - Happy Passover and Shabbat Shalom!

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