CHAMISHOH MI YODEI'A - FIVE QUESTIONS ON THE WEEKLY SEDRAH - PARSHAS B'SHALACH 5769 - BS"D
1) Ch. 14, v. 10: "Va'yisu vnei Yisroel es ei'nei'hem v'hi'nei Mitzrayim no'sei'a acha'rei'hem vayeeru m'ode" - Rashi (Mechilta Pis'cha chapter #4) on 12:6 d.h. "v'hoyoh" says on the words in 12:21, "mish'chu ukchu lochem tzone," that "mish'chu" means to draw oneself away from idols, and "ukchu" means and take sheep for the mitzvoh of the Paschal lamb. The M.R. 21:7 says that just before the sea split, the angels questioned the justice of Hashem's miraculously saving the bnei Yisroel and drowning the Egyptians since both served idols. Didn't the Mechilta itself in parshas Bo say that the bnei Yisroel discarded their idols before taking their Paschal lambs?
2) Ch. 14, v. 22: "Va'yovo'u vnei Yisroel b'soch ha'yom ba'yaboshoh" - In verse 29 it says "Uvnei Yisroel holchu va'yaboshoh b'soch ha'yom." The order of "yam" and "yaboshoh" is reversed.
3) Ch. 16, v. 16: "Omer lagulgo'les" - Was this amount per person across the board or only for some of the people?
4) Ch. 16, v. 20: "Va'yorum tolo'im" - When the manna would be left over for the next day "tolo'im" would appear. In verse 24, which tells us that manna that was left over for Shabbos from the Friday delivery did not spoil, the verse says, "v'lo hivish v'rimoh lo hoysoh bo." Why doesn't verse 24 mention "tolo'im" as our verse does?
5) Ch. 17, v. 8: "Va'yovo Amoleik" - Why did Amoleik decide to attack right now?
ANSWERS:
#1
The Chidushei HoRi"m answers that our verse says "Va'yisu vnei Yisroel es ei'nei'hem v'hi'nei Mitzrayim no'sei'a acha'rei'hem vayeeru m'ode" (14:10). When the bnei Yisroel saw the archangel (M.R. 21:5) of Egypt pursuing them they experienced great fear. This fear, after being told that they would see a great salvation, was in and of itself idol worship.
#2
Many explanations are given for this. The Holy Kedushas Levi explains that once the bnei Yisroel experienced the miracle of walking on terra firma in the middle of a body of water, a miraculous happening, they came to the realization that all depends upon Hashem, and if not for His constant involvement one would be unable to walk on the dry earth as well. Thus once the bnei Yisroel walked "b'soch ha'yom ba'yaboshoh," - they came to the realization that walking in a body of water as if it were terra firma is a miracle, so too from that point on, "uvnei Yisroel holchu va'yaboshoh," even when they walked on the ground they recognized that walking on the earth is no less a miracle than, "b'soch ha'yom," walking on water.
#3
The Ibn Ezra writes that this amount of manna was for each adult, while for the young children there was less.
#4
Rabbi Binyomin Rivlin says in the name of his teacher the GR"A on the words, "Tachtecho yutza rimoh umcha'secho to'lei'oh" (Yeshayohu 14:11), that "rimoh" means worms that are very small, and "tolei'oh" means large worms. Thus our verse tells us that manna left over on a weekday produced spoilage that included even large worms, while verse 24 relates that manna left over from Friday for Shabbos stayed fresh, not even producing small worms.
#5
The Hadar Z'keinim explains why Amoleik came to attack the bnei Yisroel shortly after the splitting of the sea. He relates the following story. Timna saw Elifaz armed to the teeth with weapons. She asked him where he was going. He responded that his father Eisov asked him to kill Uncle Yaakov. She said to Elifaz that there is obviously nothing more enjoyable for Eisov to do than to kill Yaakov himself. Why would he give "shishi" away to his son? It is clear that he is afraid of Yaakov, and it is very realistic that Yaakov would kill Eisov. She therefore suggested that he not pursue this idea, and indeed when he met Yaakov, he was placated with taking away Yaakov's possessions. A short while later Timna saw her son Amoleik similarly armed. The same conversation ensued. However, in response to his mother's remark about likely being killed by Yaakov, he said that he was willing to chance it, even at the risk of his own life. Timna said that it is known that it is the destiny of the descendants of Avrohom to go to Egypt and endure enslavement for many generations. If Yaakov is left alive, his descendants will fill this role. If Yaakov is killed then Elifaz and his children will have inherited this responsibility. This argument was successful in dissuading Amoleik from his plan. Now that the bnei Yisroel had completed their exodus from Egypt, Amoleik was ready to attempt to ch"v eradicate the bnei Yisroel, hence "va'yovo Amoleik" right after krias Yam Suf.
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