Divrei Torah B'Shalach
Torah Table of Contents
G-d Does Not Compromise, the Divrei Yisrael Joy on Earth - the War with Amalek, the Modzitzer Rebbe Shlita Emunah - the Highest Level, Rebbe Yechezkel of Kuzmir A Dvar Torah from Reb Motti Rosen z"l
based on a ma'amar in the Divrei Yisrael, Parshas B'Shalach
V'lo nacham Elokim derech eretz Plishtim - And G-d didn't lead them in the direction of Palestine" [Shemos, 13:17]
The Divrei Yisrael explains this pasuk in a very unique fashion. First, he quotes the Midrash that G-d said, "I will not be comforted [translators addition: over what the Egyptians had done while enslaving the Jews] until I have killed them all - until I drown them all in the sea."
This can be explained along the lines of what the Chozeh of Lublin said on the verse [in the Priestly Blessing; Bamidbar, 6:25] - "G-d should shine his countenance upon you and pleasure you." The Chozeh explains the word V'yechuneka [and pleasure you] as, "G-d should make you like Choni the Circle Maker" [of whom the Talmud says that his prayers were always answered. This is a play on words in Hebrew, "V'yechuneka" coming from the same root as "Choni"].
The Divrei Yisrael says that similarly, this verse can be explained as G-d didn't want them to be like Nachum Ish Gamzu - who always said "Gam Zu Letova" [this is also for good]. This concept of always seeing one's trials and tribulations in a good light is only for oneself, not for the Jewish Nation.
This [concept] is mentioned in the sefer, Shivchei HaBesht [the biography of Rav Yisrael Baal Shem Tov - the founder of Chassidism]. One time the Czar's soldiers were being forcefully placed in Jewish homes. The Baal Shem Tov, disturbed by this decree, turned to his disciple, Rav Nachman of Horedenka, and said that they should pray that this be stopped. Rav Nachman, who always said Gam Zu Letova [this is also for good], reacted in his usual way and again uttered these words. The Baal Shem Tov told him, "How fortunate it is that you were not around in the time of Haman; for if you were, you would have also said, Gam Zu Letova!" [In other words, the concept of Gam Zu Letova does not apply to a Divine decree upon the Jewish Nation.]
This certainly applies when G-d is doing something for the Jewish nation. Even if the Jewish nation justified their enslavement and said Gam Zu Letova, like Nachum Ish Gamzu, G-d did not say it. [Thus, "V'lo nacham Elokim," literally, "And G-d didn't lead them," is here taken as "G-d did not act like Nachum."]
This also explains why the Midrash says that G-d wouldn't be comforted until the Egyptians were destroyed. Even though the Jewish nation would have been satisfied by leaving Egypt - without the Egyptians being punished or the Jews receiving all of the Egyptian valuables - G-d wasn't satisfied. G-d was only satisfied once the Jews had gotten the all of the wealth of the Egyptians after they drowned in the sea.
Translated by Reb Yehuda Nathan of Brooklyn, a Modzitzer Chasid
based on a Ma'amar of the Modzitzer Rebbe Shlita, 5757
In the verse (Shemos 17:16), "And he said, 'The hand is on G-d's throne, G-d will be at war with Amalek in every generation", Hashem's Name, normally written "Y-H-V-H" is written as "Y-H", whereas the word for "throne", normally "kisai" is missing an Aleph, written "keis". Rashi explains that "even the Divine Name is split in half", meaning that Hashem swore that neither His Name nor His throne will be complete until the name of Amalek is completely eliminated.
Hashem's Name ("Y-H-V-H") is found is the first letters of each word of the verse (Tehillim, 96:11) "Yismachu Hashamayim V'Sageil Ha'Aretz" - "The Heavens are glad, the earth rejoices." Amalek's main bone of contention is with the last two letters of Hashem's name. They want that there should be no joy on earth.
In (Tehillim 113:4) it says, "Hashem is exalted above all the nations, His Glory is above the Heavens." The word for "exalted above", "Ram", has the same numerical value (gematria) as Amalek (240). That's because they can accept Hashem as "Y-H", "the Heavens are glad", because they say that Hashem is only above, "His Glory is above the Heavens."
But the Jewish people say (ibid., 113:5-6), "Who is like Hashem our G-d... who descends to look down upon both Heaven and earth." This means that Hashem's Divine Providence applies to the earth as well as the Heavens. In this way, the Divine Name will be complete, and there will be joy on earth as well.
Translated by Reb Yitzchak Dorfman of Yerushalayim, a Modzitzer Chassid
based on a Ma'amar by Rebbe Yechezkel of Kuzmir, from "Alei Deshe"
And the Jewish people saw the great Hand [of Hashem]...and they believed in Hashem...(Shemos, 14:31)
It's is indeed amazing, after they saw [the miracles at the Reed Sea], why did they need faith? Even after the greatest experience of knowledge and sight, says Rebbe Yechezkel, the main thing is simple faith. For example, in our own being - we can see how our neshama (soul) fills our entire body, limbs and sinews, and we feel this life force in us, nevertheless, we do not perceive the essence of our neshama, and must come to believe in the spirituality of the neshama which enlivens our body. This is indicated in the verse (Iyov [Job] 19), "From my own flesh I perceive G-dliness." Similarly in our verse, regarding the miracle of the splitting of the Reed Sea, even though "the Jewish people saw the great Hand", they still need to come to "believe in Hashem." Emunah is the main thing, for it is above all intelligence and investigation. So it was with Avraham Avinu as well. Even though he came to recognize his Creator at the age of three, nevertheless it later says, "and he believed in Hashem". After all his knowledge and intellectual attainments, he held on to his emunah, as mentioned.
When a person believes that there is no such thing as a "chance happening", and everything is a result of Divine Providence from Hashem, and that everything in the world - even the smallest movement and every step a person takes is with Divine Providence - as we see in the blessing me make every morning, "..Who prepares the steps of man" (and we must believe in this, so that our blessing should not be, G-d forbid, in vain), then by means of this faith we can be saved from depression and aggravation. Then, if one's affairs don't go according to his desires and plans, since he believes that nothing in the world goes according to man's will but rather by Divine Providence, he will neither be angry nor have "afterthoughts." We find this again by Avraham Avinu: before the Akeida [the binding of his son Yitzchak on the altar] Hashem told him, "For Yitzchak will be your seed", and afterwards Hashem asked him to bring him as an offering, and he had no afterthoughts.
Similarly, in all of our Divine service, the most important thing to know is that in everything we do - serving Hashem with Torah, tefilla, good deeds and teshuva - it's all with Hashem's help, and without it we couldn't reach any level [of spirituality]. As the Kozhnitzer Maggid explained the verse (Divrei haYamim [Chronicles] I, 29): "For everything is from You, and from Your Hand is it given." He observes that the verse appears to be redundant, and explains that even this knowledge that "everything is from You" is also "given from Your Hand," from the power and help of Hashem. Therefore, with this emunah a person will have no haughtiness or selfishness in serving Hashem, since he believes that nothing is derived from his own power, only from that which is bestowed from Heaven.
A propitious way to come to emunah is by [daily immersion in] the mikveh, which explains the words of our Sages, "Da'as [knowledge] refers to Seder Taharos [the part of the Oral Law dealing with purification]" (Shabbos, 31a). In areas where immersion in the mikveh was very limited, there was a growth of apikorsis [heretical ideas]. Certainly, says Rebbe Yechezkel, for one who learns Kabbalah without immersion in a mikveh, this type of learning can be poisonous to him, and result in increased apikorsis, Heaven forbid. All of this is hinted in our verse, for the numerical value (gematria) of "and they believed in Hashem" is equal to that of "mikveh" [they both equal 151], for the immersion in a mikveh leads to emunah in Hashem.
Translated by Reb Yitzchak Dorfman of Yerushalayim, a Modzitzer Chassid
What does Hashem Elokecha ask from you, but to fear Hashem Elokecha and to walk in His ways? (Dvorim, 10:13)
A Dvar torah from Reb Motti Rosen z"l, grandson of Harav Shaul the Second Rebbe
"Zeh Keli V'Anvayhu" (Perek 15:2). After Bnei Yisrael successfully cross the Yam Suf, their joy is so great that they begin to sing Shirah -- "Az Yashir Moshe U'Bnei Yisrael." The beginning of the Shirah is full of praise for Hashem. "Zeh Keli V'Anvayhu," this is my G-d and I will exalt him. "Elokei Avi V'Aromimenhu," the G-d of my father and I will ascribe Him to exaltation."
Rashi Hakadosh explains on the words "Elokei Avi," that "Lo Ani Techilas HaKedusha." It is important for us to remember that we are not the beginning of the sanctity. We were not the first recognize Hashem. Our fathers and grandfathers before us recognized the Kedusha. This form of Anavah -- humbleness is a very important Avodah to work on, especially for Baalei Teshuvot, who may be the first in their families to recognize the Malchos of Hashem. The middah of Anavah -- humbleness is greatly treasured by the Ribbono Shel Olam.
The Gemara in Shabbos - Daf Kof Gimmel -- explains that the word "Anvayhu" is "Ani" "V'hu" -- me and Hashem. The Gemara also relates that concerning a Baal Gavah - someone who holds themselves in high-esteem, Hashem has said "Ayn Ani V'hu Yochel L'Dor B'Makon Echad." Hashem cannot live in the same place as one who thinks highly of himself.
So "Zeh Keli V'Anvayhu" - when can we not only exalt Hashem, but be one with Him - only when we recognize "Elokei Avi" - that our fathers knew Him first. Only when we are humble and modest will Hashem allow us to live amongst Him.
This is what happened at Krias Yam Suf - Bnei Yisrael became one with Hashem because they acknowledged what had been before them. They recognized that their fathers and grandfathers had been amongst the first to recognize the Gadlus of Hashem.
Submitted by Chumi Friedman, daughter of Reb Motti Rosen z"l
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