EXODUS XIV, 28 t rh&2 maw

against it; and the Lord overthrew Ihe

Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 28. And
the waters returned, and covered the
chariots, and the horsemen, even all the
host of Pharaoh that went in after them
into the sea; there remained not so much *pi nran? era -iK#r>6 ra crrins ffscn 29
as one of them. 29. But the children of
Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of r£nbrb
the sea; and the waters were a wall unto
them on their right hand, and on their left.
30. Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out to ^"W?"~x xrn or? Hi,t Jcbsb^pi v
of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel
saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea-shore. vrn :nrr rppbprp d:wtkSa?^ «tid^p 31
31. And Israel saw the great work which
the Lord did upon the Egyptians, and the
people feared the Lord ; and they believed arri orto&s htr rivy -1$$ rBiR ^rrr^ bx-rcr
in the Lord, and in His servant Moses.
a • :ra9 ntfoni rfiTs w&m rnrrna qsn "
■ Chapter XV

1. Then sang Moses and the children of Cap. XV. IB

Israel this song unto the Lord, and spoke,
saying:
I will sing unto the Lord, for He is
highly exalted;
The horse and his rider hath He thrown BID rixs nkrs rnrr1? nrtfa
T T J T I* T I- T V T

into the sea.

v. I. 'is i"er ."""2 p%c v.sj? rs-.2 v. 28

Gehinnom and, when heathen tyrants enter, he
greets them with the words: 'Why have ye not
profited by my example?'
29. dry land. Dry ground.
30. the LORD saved Israel It was not a victory
in which a feeling of pride or self-exaltation
could enter. Unlike any other nation that has
thrown off the yoke of slavery, neither Israel nor
its leader claimed any merit of glory for the
victory. In the Haggadah shel Pesach, the story
of the Redemption is told without any reference
to the Leader. Once only, indirectly in a quota
tion, does the name Moses occur at all in the
whole Seder Service!
Egyptians dead upon the sea-shore. The fact
that the Egyptians had to perish mars the com
pleteness of Israel's victory. 'When the Egyptian
hosts were' drowning in the Red Sea,' say the
Rabbis, 'the angels in heaven were about to
break forth into songs of jubilation. But the
Holy One, blessed be He, silenced them with the
words, "My creatures are perishing, and ye are
ready to sing!" * In the same spirit, a medieval
rabbi explained why a drop of wine is poured
out of the wine-cup on Seder eve at the mention
of each of the plagues that were inflicted on the
Egyptians. Israel's cup of joy, he said, cannot
be full if Israel's triumph involves suffering even
to its enemies.
31. the great work. lit. 'the great hand', i.e.
power, achievement.
believed in the LORD, and in His servant Moses.
'An experience such as the Exodus, and the
270
passage through the Red Sea, must have been
reckoned by all who participated in them as a
direct act of God. Moses was thereby authenti
cated in the eyes of his people' (Kittel)'. Their
new-born faith in God, and their witnessing of
His marvellous help, led to' the wonderful out
burst of song in the next chapter. Whenever Israel
has faith in God and in the Divine Mission of
Moses, Israel sings.
Chapter XV. The Song at the Red Sea
1-21. This Song, notable for poetic fire, vivid
imagery and quick movement, gives remarkable
expression to the mingled horror, triumph and
gratitude that the hosts of Israel had lived through
during the fateful hours when they were in sight
of Pharaoh's pursuing hosts. In Jewish literature
it is spoken of as the Song, HTtf, and the Sabbath
on .which it is read in the Synagogue as TITV T\2V.
1. Moses and the children of Israel. Moses
composed the Song,-and the Israelites joined their
Leader in praising God. From v. 20 and 21, it
appears that there was musical accompaniment,
with male and female choruses. It is probably
the oldest song of national triumph extant.
unto the LORD. In His honour.
for He is highly exalted. Or, 'for He hath
triumphed gloriously.'
the horse and his rider hath He thrown into the
sea. In four Heb. words is the complete ruin of
the military power of Egypt described. 'Its
chariots and horses, the mainstay of its strength,
are, by Divine might, cast irretrievably into the
sea' (Driver).
 EXODUS XV, 2 ro

2. The Lord is my strength and song, toahfi 2

And He is become my salvation;
This is my God, and I will glorify Him;
My father's God, and I will exalt Him.

3. The Lord is a man of war, JTtT

The Lord is His name.

4. Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath

He cast into the sea,
And his chosen captains are sunk in the
Red Sea.

5. The deeps cover them—

They went down into the depths like a
stone.

6. Thy right hand, O Lord, glorious in

power,'
Thy right hand, O Lord, dasheth in
pieces the enemy.

7. And in the greatness of Thine excel

lency Thou overthrowest them that
rise up against Thee;
Thou sendest forth Thy wrath, it con-
sumeth them as stubble.
9. The enemy said:
8. And with the blast of Thy nostrils the 4I will pursue, I will overtake, I will
waters were piled up— divide the spoil;
The floods stood upright as a heap; My lust shall be satisfied upon them;
The deeps were congealed in the heart I will draw my sword, my hand shall
of the sea. destroy them.'

2. the LORD. Heb. Yah, the shortened form
of the Tetragrammaton, as in Hallelujah (lit.
'praise ye Yah').
my strength and song. He is the source of my
strength arid the theme of my song.
and He is become my salvation, lit. 'and He is
become to me a salvation', i.e. the source of
deliverance.
this is my God. Who has saved me. The
redeemed at the Red Sea had a unique realization
of the Presence and of the present help of God,
The Rabbis say, 'A maidservant at the Red Sea
had a more vivid and vitalizing experience of '
the Divine than many a prophet.'
and I will glorify Him. The rendering, 'I will
prepare him an habitation' (AV), follows
Onkelos and the Rabbis, who translate, 'I
shall build Thee a sanctuary.'
my father's God. The continuity of worship
among the children of the Patriarchs is
emphasized here. The God of tradition has
justified Himself by redeeming Israel. The
promises made to the forefathers have now been
fulfilled. 4My father's God' stands here for 4the
God of my fathers'; see m, 6.
W 3. the LORD is a man of war. God has fought
the battle of His persecuted children and over
thrown the cruel oppressor.
271
the LORD is His name. Tor He has wrought
justice' (Rashbam); see note on vi, 3.
4. his chosen captains, lit. 'the choice of his
captains', i.e. the flower of his warriors.
5. cover them. lit. 'are covering them/ The
Heb. verb is in the imperfect tense, and
graphically describes the event as if taking place
before the eyes of the singers.
6. Thy right hand., i.e. the power of God.
7. excellency. Better, majesty.
8. blast of Thy nostrils. Is .the poetical version
of xiv, 22-23. Used figuratively for the wind.
stood upright as a heap, See xiv, 23. The fine
poetic image is sustained throughout the verse.
The effect of the wind was to pile up the waters
into a wall-like formation.
9. / will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide
the spoil. A magnificent specimen of Hebrew
poetry. The short crisp words express the eager
ness of the exultant foe, and his assurance of
complete victory.
my lust. lit. 'my soul', which in Heb. psy
chology is the seat of desire, here for vengeance and
plunder.
 EXODUS XV, 10

10. Thou didst blow with Thy wind, the

sea covered them;
They sank as lead in the mighty waters.

11. Who is like unto Thee, O Lord,

among the mighty?
Who is like unto Thee, glorious in
holiness,
Fearful in praises, doing wonders?

12. Thou stretchedst out Thy right

hand—
The earth swallowed them.

13. Thou in Thy love has led the people

that Thou hast redeemed;
Thou hast guided them in Thy strength
to Thy holy habitation.

14. The peoples have heard, they tremble;

Pangs have taken hold on the inhabitants
of Philistia.

15. Then were the chiefs of Edom 16. Terror and dread falleth upon them;
affrighted; By the greatness of Thine arm they are
The mighty men of Moab, trembling as still as a stone;
taketh hold upon them; Till Thy people pass over, O Lord,
All the inhabitants of Canaan are melted Till the people pass over that Thou hast
away. gotten.

nr*,:i': v. 13. nn:*? 'r v. 11.

11. glorious in holi?tess. Exalted in the majesty
of holiness,, which is the essential distinguishing
attribute of the God of Israel.
fearful in praises. Or, 'revered in praises,' i.e.
praiseworthy acts; inspiring awe by the mighty
deeds for which His people are to praise Him.
12. Thou stretchedst out Thy right hand. As a
man puts forth his hand to indicate his will to
his servants (Luzzatto).
13. Thou in Thy love. God at the same time
shows his abounding love to those who had
been persecuted by the Egyptians.
hast led. Better, leadest. The verbs pf this
and the following verses are, according to the
sense, futures. In v. 16 the text itself passes over
into the future tense.
Thou hast guided. Better, thou guidest them,
gently as a shepherd leads his flock. The
following part of the Song describes in prophetic
images the providence of God for the Israelites,
shielding them till they have overcome the
dangers of the desert, conquered the nations of
Canaan, and erected the sanctuary on Zion'
(Kalisch)..
Thy holy habitation. Mount Sinai, on which
God's glory abode when Moses received the
Torah (Ibn Ezra); or the Temple on Mount
Moriah. Rashbam considers that Canaan is
272
meant here, as it is sometimes called 'the
habitation of God'; see Ps. cxxxii, 13.
14. peoples have heard. The story of God's
miracles on behalf of Israel. The defeat of the
Egyptians would be a source of terror'to the
heathens who hear the report; see Josh, n; 9-11.
they tremble, lit. 'are trembling'. The poet
sees the nations trembling at the approach of
God's people (Luzzatto).
pangs. As of childbirth.
Philistia. See xiii, 17.
15. chiefs of Edom affrighted. Edom embraced
the ranges of Mount Seir on either side of the
Arabah, the depression which runs southward
from the Dead Sea to the head of the Gulf of
Akabah. ' '
mighty men- of Moab. Moab was the. high
tableland east of the Dead Sea and the southern
most section of the Jordan.
are melted away. fig. for, 'are helpless through
terror and despair'; cf. Josh, n, 9, 24.
16. terror and dread falleth upon them. Or,
Met terror and dread fall upon them ... let them
be still as a stone' (Septuagint).
of Thine arm. Of Thy power.
pass over. On their way to Canaan.
hast gotten, lit. 'hast purchased'; God acquired
Israel by redeeming them from the power of
Pharaoh.
 EXODUS XV, 17

17. Thou bringest them in, and plantest b* 16

them in the mountain of Thine in
heritance,
The place, O Lord, which Thou hast
made for Thee to dwell in,
m »T WTI ^
The sanctuary, O Lord, which Thy \ras rfp; $$
hands have established.

18. The Lord shall reign for ever and TO 17

ever.

19. For the horses of Pharaoh went in with m-r

at :

his chariots and with his horsemen into the

sea, and the Lord brought back the waters
of the sea upon them; but the children of
Israel walked on dry land in the midst of
the sea. II 20. And Miriam the prophetess, p sirftl zh kheai tana
: v jT-j t - t tit ; < : • :
did Jo t

the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her

hand; and all the women went out after her
with timbrels and with dances. 21. And
Miriam sang unto them:
nnx mn^(nfai
Sing ye to the Lord, for He is highly
exalted:
The horse and his rider hath He thrown
into the sea.

If 22. And Moses led Israel onward from the

Red Sea, and they went out into the wilder
ness of Shur; and they went three days in
r.ri:i': v. 21. nri:i 'p v. 17. nri:- "2 v. 16.

17. Thou bringest them in. The final goal of sister of Aaron. Miriam being more closely
Israels triumphant progress was to be the land associated with Aaron than with Moses; see
of Canaan, promised to the forefathers. Num. xii, 1 f.
mountain of Thine inheritance, i.e. Canaan, went out after her. She led the women in the
and thus spoken of owing to the mountainous praise of God.
character of many of its most important parts; dances. Seen Sam. vi, 14 and Ps. cxlix, 3.
cf. Deut. in, 25; Is. xi, 9; Ps. lxxviii, 54 (with In the East, dancing was, and is, part of the
allusion to this passage). language of religion.
the sanctuary. Mount Moriah is probably
referred to here. 21. sang unto them. i.e. answered as a chorus;
have established. To stand firm; see Ps. see 1 Sam. xvni, 7. Miriam sang, and the women
XLvm, 9. responded (Luzzatto).

18. the LORD shall reign for ever and ever. The
Song closes, not with the conquest of material
domains, but with the promise of the Kingdom
of God. This is the climax. The redemption from
Egypt was to be followed by the Revelation on
Mount Sinai, when God's Kingdom on earth
was inaugurated. That Kingdom is eternal.
19. This verse does not belong to the Song.
It is a summary of the great event culminating
in the Song of victory, and forms the transition
to the following narrative.
for the horses of Pharaoh. It is better to com
bine this and the following verse; thus, when the
horses of Pharaoh went in... but the children
of Israel walked on dry land in the midst of the
sea, Miriam the prophetess ... took (Rashi,
Mendelssohn).
20. the prophetess. See Num. xn, 2, and cf.
Judg. iv, 4.
273
The Journey to Sinai
22-27. Israel -at Marah and Elim.
22. led Israel onward, lit. 'made Israel to
journey'.
the wilderness of Shur. The district of the N.E.
frontier of Egypt, see Gen. xvi, 7 and xxv, 18.
Along the coast of the Gulf of Suez is a strip
of level country: the northern part is called the
wilderness of Shur; the southern, the wilderness
of Sin.
The station where Moses and the Israelites
halted after their passage of the Red Sea is
believed by the Arabs to be Ayun Musa, 4the
springs of Moses,' 9 miles below Suez, on the
east side of the Gulf, and H miles from the coast.
three days. About 45 miles would thus be
covered by a caravan, travelling with baggage.
 EXODUS XV, 23 rbvi
the wilderness, and found no water. 23.
And when they came to Marah, they could
not drink of the waters of Marah, for they
were bitter. Therefore the name of it was
called xMarah. 24. And the people mur
mured against Moses, saying: 'What shall ■n© -tvb i n tifa Lria js 24 ^
we drink?' 25. And he cried unto the Lord ;
and the Lord showed him a tree, and he
cast it into the waters, and the waters were
made sweet. There He made for them a
statute and an ordinance, and there He
proved them; 26. and He said: 'If thou
26
wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the
Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is
right in His eyes, and wilt give ear to His
commandments, and keep all- His statutes,
I will put none of the diseases upon thee,
which I have put upon the Egyptians; for
55)'
I am the Lord that healeth thee.'* lv ■•" v a-
U 27. And they came to Elim, where were
op rfs
twelve springs of water, and three score and
ten palm-trees; and they encamped there by
the waters.

16 Chapter XVI
Cap. XVL'IB TB
1. And they took their journey from Elim,
and all the congregation of the children of
Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin,
which is between Elim and Sinai, on the
fifteenth day of the second month after rp
their departing out of the land of Egypt.
2. And the whole congregation of the
children of Israel murmured against Moses
1 That is, Bitterness. 'p 2. 'ra

23. Marah. Has been identified by some with
Bir Huwara, about 47 miles S.E. of Ayun Musa,
and 7 miles from the coast, on the usual route
to Mt. Sinai. Others identify Marah with 4Ain
Naba* (also called el-Churkudeh), a fountain
with a considerable supply of* brackish wafer,
about 10 miles S.E. of Suez, and 50 miles from
Lake Timsah.
25. the LORD showed him a tree. There are
certain shrubs" that sweeten bitter water.
a statute and an ordinance. The moral and
social basis of the Hebrew Law is here taught
the people in connection with the sweetening
of the bitter waters. God set before them the
fundamental principle of implicit faith in His
providence, to be shown by willing obedience
to His will. The healing of the bitter waters was
a symbol of the Divine deliverance from all evils.
there He proved them. Man is tried by the gifts
of God, and also by the lack of them,
26. diligently hearken. At Marah the Israelites
found themselves threatened with one of the
plagues of Egypt, undrinkable water. God
delivered them from this; and similarly, if they
were obedient, He would protect them from the
diseases which had afflicted the Egyptians.
274
tfiat healeth thee. lit. 4thy physician*. 'A master
demands obedience in order to assert his
own authority. A physician likewise demands
obedience, but only for the purpose of securing
the patient's welfare. Such are the statutes of the
Lord, our Physician' (Malbim).
27. Elim. ' lit. •terebinths', pften identified
with Wady Gherandel, which is situated two and
a half miles north of Tor, in a very beautiful
valley, with excellent fountains and many palm
trees.
Chapter XVI, 1-36. The Manna
1. the wilderness of Sin. See on xv, 22.
fifteenth day of the second month, i.e. one
month after the departure from Egypt.
2. murmured. The moment that the want of
food was felt. The fact that these constant
murmurings of the people are recorded is evidence
for 'the historic truthfulness of the narratives of
the wanderings. A purely ideal picture of the
Chosen People would have omitted them. They
also serve to display the wonderful personality
of Moses, who could control, pacify, and lead such
a collection of rude nomad tribes' (McNeile).
 EXODUS XVI, 3 met?
and against Aaron in the wilderness; 3. and
the children of Israel said unto them: I*
4Would that we had died by the hand of the
Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat
by the flesh-pots, when we did eat bread
to the full; for ye have brought us forth into
this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly
with hunger.' If 4. Then said the Lord unto
Moses: 'Behold, I will cause to rain bread
from heaven for you; and the people shall
go out and gather a day's portion every
day, that I may prove them, whether they
will walk in My law or not. 5; And it shall
come to pass on the sixth day that they
shall prepare that which they bring in, and
it shaU be twice as much as they gather
daily.' 6. And Moses and Aaron said unto
all the children of Israel: 'At even, then ye
shall know that the Lord hath brought you
out from the land of Egypt; 7. and in the
morning, then ye shall see the glory of the
Lord; for that He hath heard your mur
murings against the Lord; and what are
we, that ye murmur against us?' 8. And
Moses said: This shall be, when the Lord
shall give you in the evening flesh to eat,
and in the morning bread to the full; for
that the Lord heareth your murmurings
which ye murmur against Him; and what
are we? your murmurings are not against
-tab artn
us, but against the Lord.' 9. And Moses
said unto Aaron: 'Say unto all the con
gregation of the children of Israel: Come
near before the Lord; for He hath heard ^(£irr
your murmurings.' 10. And it came to
pass, as' Aaron spoke unto the whole 'iT3
r:! (D
W1?? r$|»6tf 9|Ttt ^b iyp| birm
!!■***!

congregation of the children of Israel,

that they looked toward the wilderness,
v. 7.

3. sat by the flesh-pots. They remembered the 6. the LORD hath brought you out. And not
bread and the flesh-pots, but not the slavery. Moses and Aaron, as you have falsely said-
borne commentators infer from this that the see v. 3.
Israelites in Egypt must have had a good and
at even. The gift of the quails would take
full diet. Such inference is quite unwarranted, place; see v. 8.
ine. pangs of hunger cause them to look back-
upon their slave-fare, served to them from pots 7. and in the morning. They would have the
large enough to supply a whole gang, as the bread from heaven.
height of luxury.
see the glory of the LORD. Manifested by the
wonderful gift of the manna (Rashi, Luzzatto).
4. prove them.. The food that God will send murmurings against the LORD. Really against
will save them from hunger, but the manner in Moses and Aaron, but they were merely the
which it will be given will test their faith and servants of God.
obedience.
8. this shall be. i.e. the fulfilment of the
5. the sixth day. Of the week, i.e. Friday. promise referred to in v. 6 and 7, is about to
take place.
they shall prepare. As no cooking was to take
place on the Sabbath.
10. toward the wilderness. In the direction of
twice as much. As the supply will be more the impending journey (Strack).
abundant on the sixth day, every one will

275
 EXODUS XVI, 11 rbvn mot?
and, behold, the glory of the
appeared in the cloud.* * a, vi a. . H. And
Lord
(tjg2 nsnjlrfj,^ mas nsrn
the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying:
12. 4I have heard the murmurings of the rrrr
V children of Israel. Speak unto them,
saying: At dusk ye shall eat flesh, and in
the morning ye shall be filled with bread;
and ye shall know that I am the Lord your 7$
God.' 13. And it came to pass at even,
that the quails came up, and covered the
camp; and in the morning there was a layer
hirrj ^2
of dew round about the camp. 14. And
when the layer of dew was gone up, behold nfcn 14
upon the face of the wilderness a fine, scale-
like thing, fine as the hoar-frost on the ^33 pj DscriD
ground, 15. And when the children of
Israel saw it, they said one to another:
14What is it?'—for they knew not what it
was. And Moses said unto them: 'It is the
DIT9H KIT! Wl
bread which the Lord hath given you to eat.
16. This is the thing which the Lord hath
commanded: Gather ye of it every man njnj fflrr 16
according to his eating; an omer a head,
according to the number of your persons, ; nspia nbiba1? *sb
shall ye take it, every man for them that
are in his tent.' 17. And the children of 17
Israel did so, and gathered some more,
some less. 18. And when they did mete it
nan ttarn H272H is
with an omer, he that gathered muqh had
nothing over, and he that gathered little
had no lack; they gathered every man 19
according to his eating. 19. And Moses
said unto them: 'Let no man leave of it till
the morning.' 20. Notwithstanding they
. Manhu. 'p v. 13. :"n -in* v. 12.

12. /Aa^ / am /Ae Ioi?2) your God. Who not
only hears your murmuring, but can supply all
your wants,
13. the quails came up. Quails are migratory
birds, coming in the spring in immense numbers
from Arabia and other southern countries. They
are nowhere more common than in the neigh
bourhood of the Red Sea. They always fly with
the wind; and when exhausted after a iong flight,
they are easily captured even with the hand.
The gift of quails,' unlike the gift of manna, was
limited' to the' one occasion here mentioned*
(Abarbanel).
in the morning. Following the night when the
quails appeared.
14. was gone up. Had risen or evaporated.
a fine, scale-like thing, i.e. the manna. Accord
ing to Rashi, and other Jewish commentators,
first dew had fallen, then manna over the dew,
and then dew again over the manna. Con
sequently the manna was enclosed between two
layers of dew.
15. what is it? Or, 4It is manna' (RV Margin).
The Heb. word man may really be Egyptian
(Rashbam, Ebers); the translation would then
be, They said one to another, It is man, for they
276
knew not what it was'; i.e. they called it by the
name of the substance that resembled it most in
appearance, and was well known to them in
Egypt. The Arabs give the name man to a sweet,
sticky, honey-like juice, exuding in heavy drops,
in May or June, from a shrub found in the
Sinai peninsula. This, however, is found only in
small quantities and does not correspond to the
description given in our text, where the manna
is clearly a miraculous substance. God in His
ever-sustaining providenge fed Israel's hosts
during the weary years of wandering in His own
unsearchable way.
the bread. The food.
16. this is the thing. The commandment con
cerning the manna.
an omer. A measure, less than two quarts.
18. when they did mete it. However much or
little the individual gathered, when he measured
it in his tent, he found that there was just an
omer apiece for his family.
20. Moses was wroth. Because of their dis-
obedience and lack of faith in God's loving
providence.
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xwO xuLjja clb d,x.0.XL ttua ^uxul: tCcl

 to its n^wa mow

, V * -fen id nbs1? n^te-^ ran 13^3

p than ^ iw*i^V* tam W ^ ^P3 H 'IP? vrfn rrjrrbK pryi :-n
-iwi irra sren 1bjten pn fc bv bt tfran
>.tni tAn to bvft Wwi ^w bs 26

nzrrbs
vpn
rpv
? *t ce r;-;' n-i&r c-n-^ cut n^^'isin ^ :~r5 ?"i 2-
pw Brian tf^

i nste-^r 3

in: •« c^Ti
.Tin: ^ -iff ff^rj^ •Jrbrix
bi fins] r^a
^
p_ ywr ?v www R5eiyrfp ^rf^xcrrs-,1 -p& tc-se f-,ss? Mrs s>ir: 7
7 wfe? to iftna na^n my
^^ "'F? =1^? z$? n)T *T? "t« "es;i ro-by 8
bV BJ ~-^ crr^ri-r,x nirr ^2 fzvb ^3 cnbi
:taa 7»h laftp bj?
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:i^-in? nVr "flis rani
nrx
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IP? "*? u.-|n sin cnbx n^a -.esji HinriB «r

a*^
^?_ ffi-; nja irx -c-n nj tnbrxb cab rrpj w

^ nn^ n^^b ^ BB'^ ,7 wen t. 13. j«n thn r;i t. 12.

79
NgtuB^s*' Judges, chapter 4, verse 4 to chapter 5, verse 31
Introduction

Connection ofsidra and haftarah:

Both sidra and haftarah bring us tales of confrontation with an enemy of Israel, and
when victory is won the leaders celebrate the' occasion with song. But while the shirah of
Moses is a paean to God alone, Deborah sings of both God and of her people, thereby
providing us with insight into the life and relationships of the tribes some hundred years
later.

The setting:
The turbulent history of Israel between the death of Joshua and the time of the prophet
Samuel is covered by the book of Judges. It describes the long years during which the tribes
struggled with Canaanites and Philistines and then sank roots into the land assigned to
them. They considered themselves partners in a loose confederation, bound together by
historical memory and a common religious cult. Especially in times of external and internal
crises-(which occurred frequently), they elected a military-judicial-head, called judge, to
ward off the enemy and to foster their common interests. Deborah was such a leader, one of
• the five women whom the Tanacfi calls "prophet." In the annual cycle of haftarot, this is the
^^taft/'
longest and—because of its many historical allusions—one of the most challenging.
For more on the book of Judges, see our General Introduction.

Content of the haftarah:

1. Introducing Deborah (4:4-5)
2. The battle with Sisera, general of King Jabin of Hazor:
Preparation for the battle with Sisera (4:6-8)
Decisive victory over the Canaanites (4:9-1.6)
The death of Sisera at the hand of Jael (4:17-22)
Postscript to the battle (4:23-24)
3. The Song of Peborah
Hymn to the God of Israel (5:1 -11)
Assessment of the contribution of the tribes (5:12-23) :;
In praise of Jael (5:24-30) .
Postscript (5:31) :

149
f
HAFTARAH FOR B'SHALACH

Judges, chapter 4, verse 4 to chapter 5, verse 31

4:4. Deborah, wife of Lapidoth, a woman,

J1"

was a prophet; at that time, she was the Tiri r.22

leader of Israel.
5. She used to sit under Deborah's Palm,
between Ramah.and Beth El in the hill "3 I?
country of Ephraim, when the people of
Israel crime to her for decisions. Sfr2§~]2 ?~d?
6. So she sent for Barak son of Abinoam of
Kedesh [in the territory] of Naphtali and
"^ PK ^ ^g T^ ^-H ^
said to him: The Eternal, the God of Israel, TOn 1112 FDE/C
V
commands you to draw up at Mount
.Tabor; take with you ten thousand men " T :

from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun. |llT!

Commentary

^ :w The Prose Tale

4-4 Deborah wife of lapidoth. Her name means "bee"; her father's and mother's
u names are omitted, and after this initial notation so is any further mention of her husband.
The reason, some say, may be that Lapidoth ("flames" or "torches") was a nickname for
Barak ("lightning"), her general.1 _
A woman. The text points this out specifically; she was clearly an exception to the
other judges, all of whom were men. Four other women are called prophets: Miriam, sister of
Aaron and Moses, a leader of the exodus from Egypt; the unnamed wife of Isaiah was called
a "woman prophet";2 Hulda played a leading role in the religious reformation under King
losiah of Judah, at the end of the 7th century B.C.E.;3 and aprophet named Noadiah was an
opponent of Nehemiah.4 ,«.**♦,
Leader of Israel. The last verse of the haftarah says that she held the office for forty
years. This number occurs several times as the tenure of judges and is therefore considered
by modern scholars to have been a round number, meaning "for a whole generation." >
5 Deborah's Palm. That seems to have been the popular name for the tree. Trees were
important landmarks for public business and often served as shrines; two of Abraham s
revelations came to him in such a locale.6
6. Sent for Barak. His name means "lightning" (see comment on verse 4). The formality
of the text makes it doubtful that he was indeed Deborah's husband.7
■-,;_-. Kedesh. In-the.area of today's Tiberias. ■ • •-■.••.-

150
 B'SHALACH

7. Then I will draw Sisera, Jabin's army ^lV ? ll*> I1 I- -- '* -" ^ ' ! "^ _^
commander, with his chariots and troops, ^Tr,". uiDrrT.81 ilQT"*?! p* ^ "^
to the Wadi Kishon, and I will hand him _ :tjt^
over to you. ^^ ^ ^ , ^ r±^ xrrb& ~ICfcs"i 8
8. Barak answered: I will go only if you \^\l\ ?'• •• <" '
come with me; if you don't, I won't go q^
either. «•&, \-* n^« "mP^ "h^K "v~ ~!DKFi] 9
9. I will most certainly go with you, she ^^ ^^ ^ • ^ fT"iKp~i "'""
said, but you will gain no glory on the path " /H "Fi« 1^ :| ,-'0 ^v- TIV i- r,-1 ' J,,-
you are taking, for now the Eternal will c-~ tr,c*pTi$ ~JT: ".3D: nf«T.2 *3
hand Sisera over to a woman. So Deborah •-£-•? p-ETEi? "m^Fi* ~~i2~
went with Barak to Kedesh. ' ''' "J_ ^ _^>v.,
10. Barak called the tribes of Naphtali and ~v"p vFSJ v i«1 ]2"'-l: v '$ Y ir Y*\-x-
Zebulun to Kedesh. Ten thousand men ^ l,^-^ ^ «g
then followed him on his march, and . :-"*Q"
Deborah too went up with him.

^ Commentary
NaphtaU. The tribal territory in central Galilee, west and northwest of Uke^Kinneret
Some beUeve Deborah to have been a Naphtalite; others, that she belonged to Ephra.m, in
whose territory Deborah's Palm stood.
'Mount Tabor. Which commands the plain of Jezreel.
7 Sisera. He is the luckless center of the story that follows. Nothing further is known
about him, but the Midrash was extravagant in its speculation about his prowess and
*"1 S^Swtt you. She will go with Barak, but there will be a price-.; for
Barak will not obtain the glory of a victor in the battle to come.
A woman. She agrees, but warns Barak that, if she goes along, p ople wUlt« herthe
real leader and that she, instead of Barak, will be the one who will-be remembered an
accurate prediction, as it turned out.8 . Nanhtali
10. Naphtali and Zebulun. Barak's headquarters were in Kedesh, located « Naphte*.
which therefore supplied part of the army. The tribe of Zebulun livedi to t^ e west: c. ap
and volunteered many of its fighting men, while some other tribes declined altogether
participate in the Campaign (see the song that follows, 5:2 ff.). - -

151
 B'SHALACH

*" 11. Now it happened that Heber the Kenite ]™ ^h "ZC ]:j?D T}?3 \"jpn T3T1 11
had moved away from the other Kenites, [C322S2] C'2^3 [i1?**""^ "^g*? 0*1 "SP
the descendants of Hobab, Moses' father- .^_.p-_,
in-law; he had pitched his tent by Kedesh, _ _u. ,. s-.-,«u.';-«
at Oak of Beza'ananim. • -i "^ I? ^ <'r ""* -' ^ ^■
12. When [his scouts] told Sisera that mSFnn
Barak had gone up to Mount Tabor, ' y^p gcfri .j^-j-^^-p^ ^io'C pi?\"i 13
13. he called out his chariots—he had nine -~jh-q *>* -ir» EUIT'PDTitt* btl2 2Z"\ ]1
hundred iron chariots—and his troops from v '": ' A " .JV": "T T '^
Haroshet-Goyim to the Wadi Kishon. : WP "-'.
Commentary

11. Heber the Kenite. This notation comes now, before the drama unfolds in which his
wife plays the major role. The Kenites were a wandering tribe of smiths and general "fixers"
(not unlike modern-day Gypsies), who were loosely affiliated with Israel. Their general
habitat was in the Negev and Sinai, but Heber had moved away and lived in the Jezreel
valley. ' . „.....'
Hobab, Moses' father-in-law. This is one of his names; others are Jethro and Reuel.
Oak of Beza'ananim. Another tree that plays a-cultic role, like Deborah's Palm. Its
location is uncertain, for while it is said to be near Kedesh, this raises a strategic problem. As
the story to follow reveals, Sisera, the general of the defeated Canaanite army, flees to this
place. But would he flee here, near Barak's headquarters? Perhaps there was another place
called Kedesh.10 Beza'ananim is the way tradition says the text ought to be read.
13. He called out. psn (vayaz'ek). The rootpm usually denotes "to cry" and suggests
that his troops were summoned either by the war-cry of bugles, or by "town criers" who
informed the people of the call-up.
Iron chariots. These instruments of war are elsewhere depicted as giving the
Canaanites a distinct military advantage over Israel.11 So far, however, archaeologists have
not found even fragmentary remains of chariots from ancient Canaan.12
Haroshet-Goyim. Called Haroshet-hagoyim in an earlier verse,13 it may have been near
the point where Wadi Kishon flows into the Mediterranean (north of Haifa).

■'7* v

.152"
 beshallah' -

EXODUS 13;17-17:l6

OUTLINE OF THE SEDRAH

A. The Route From Egypt

1. Although the shortest route from Egypt to the Promised Land (Can
aan) was along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, Moses does not
take this route because it led through the territory of the Phil-
. istines, who were a very-warlike people.

a. The Israelites were not yet prepared"to face great hardships,

such as those of war, in order to keep their freedom. Moses,
therefore, takes the longer but safer route.

2. However, it was not only the desire for safety which decided the
choice of routes. Moses had been told by God that when the peo
ple left Egypt, they were to journey to Mt. Horeb, where he had
seen the "Vision of the Burning Bush", in order that they too '
might worship God in that holy spot.

a. To do this they had to take the route along the Red Sea down
to the Sinai desert.

3. Before leaving Egypt Moses fulfills the request which Joseph had
made to his brothers that when the Lord will take them out of
Egypt, they should take his "bones" (remains) with them. (13:19)

B. The Pursuit of the Egyptians

1. Moses leads the people to a certain point near the Red Sea
(Ethain), thinking that they will be able to cross there. God
; tells Moses, however, to lead the people back (as though they
were returning to Egypt) and to encamp on the shores of the Red
Sea at another point.

2. This rather strange zig-zag march of the Israelites was reported

to Pharaoh, probably by spies that had followed the people at a
distance. Pharaoh and his courtiers interpreted this news to mean
that the Israelites had lost their way.

3. Moreover, they now realize how great was their loss in slave-
labor as a result of the Israelites' going out. Pharaoh, there
fore, orders his cavalry and infantry forces to pursue the Is
raelites and to bring them back to Egypt.

U. The Israelites see the Egyptians from a distance and become

panicky with fear. They turn on Moses, blaming hi* for having
taken them out of Egypt only to have the* killed by the Egyptians
at the edge of the desert.

23
 a. This was the first of many instances when the people rebelled
against Moses and came to him with all sorts of complaints.

b. Many of the Israelites who left Egypt must have thought that
freedom would mean - "no work and all play, plenty to eat and
nothing to pay", etc.

c. Most of the times Moses was patient with them because he knew
how much they had suffered in Egypt and that their bodies and
spirits were broken from slavery and torture. They did not
as yet know nor could they appreciate the fact that freedom
is such a precious possession that sacrifices have to be made
for it.

d. The people had to learn from experience what freedom meant

and how it was really won through faith, courage, hard work
and sacrifice,

e. We" had to re-learn the sane lesson in the war against Nazi
tyranny and we are facing it again in our efforts to save the
world from Communist slavery.

5. Moses tells the Israelites not to be afraid because the Lord will
save them from Pharaoh and the Egyptians.

C. The Crossing of the Red Sea

1. At the command of God, Moses tells the people to cross the Red
Sea.

a. Note Ch. lU:l5 from which we learn that "actions speak louder
than words11 and that while prayer is important, we must not
rely on prayer alone, when we are faced with critical situa
tions.

b. Thus the Rabbis say that Moses began to pray to the Lord at
that moment but the Lord interrupted him and said: "This is
no time for long prayers; tell the children of Israel to
march forward"»

2. God caused a strong east wind to blow all night (Ch. 1U:21) which
drives the'waters back so that the Israelites are able to cross
to the other side.

3. The Egyptians in their chariots also, plunge into the Red Sea,
but the weight of the chariots causes them to sink down into
the wet, sandy bottom and they can axove only at a very slow '
rate. In the morning, the wind stops and the waters return to
their normal level, thus causing the Egyptians to be drowned.

U. The Israelites, safe on the Eastern shore of the Red Sea and
viewing the end to which the Egyptians had come, find in their
deliverance from danger further proof of the greatness of God
and of the leader whom Ke had sent them, Hoses.
 a. The Torah tells us (Ch. lUOl) that after they saw what God
had done, they believed in God and in Moses, His servant.

^ b. This is not an example of great religious faith, and we shall

L see later that the people showed how much they still had to
learn about God and how to be true to Him.

c. If the class is capable of understanding it, teachers might

point out in this connection the differences between verses
22 and 29 in this chapter (lU). In the fonner, the word
J77O77T is written with a " 7 ", so that it can be read
only as iT»l']T , meaning "wall". In the latter, the
same word is written without a " 1 ", so that it can be read
milT , meaning "wrath". A great Rabbi interpreted these
verses as follows: "The Israelites who had faith in God and
jumped into the waters of the Red Sea, even before the dry
land appeared, for them the waters were like a protecting
Trail. But those who lacked faith and waited for the dry land,
to appear before they dared to cross, for them the waters
were almost like a stormy, wrathful sea that might have
drowned them also., if not for God's pity on them." How do we
know that the first verse refers to those who had faith and
the second to those who did not? If you will examine these
verses again, you will find that verse 22 reads: "the. chil
dren of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry land"
(the sea is mentioned first, that is, it was "s.ea" when they
entered and then it became "dry land"). The second verse
reads: "and the children of Israel walked on dry land in the
midst of the sea (the dry land is mentioned first, that is,
it was dry land when they entered).

D. The Song at the Red Sea (15:1-19)

1. Overjoyed at their deliverance, the people led by Moses, sing a

song of praise to God.

a. Note that the women organized their own chorus, both vocal and
instrumental, and joined in the singing (15:20-21).

b. The men sang a verse and the worsen responded. Compare verses
1 and 21 -' "I will sing to the Lord" and "Sing ye to the Lord",

2. This song or poem gives us a very
Israelites felt when they saw the
fusion and terror which came down
the Red Sea, and of-the gratitude
deeds wrought by God in saving them.
vivid picture of the fear the
Egyptians., of the noise and con
or. the • Egyptians that night in
of the Israelites for the great

3. Our ancestors remembered the crossing of the Red Sea as one of the
greatest experiences which happened to them. It was the last
great act in the drana of their going out of Egypt.

k. The song which they sang at the Red Sea has wen a place in our
Prayer Book and is said ever/ day as part of the morning prayers.
 a.
Verses 11 and 18 may be pointed out especially because they
are also found elsewhere in our Prayer Books.

5. It has also given its name TTl^JJ ("Song") to the

on which this.Sedrah .is read in the Synagogue, so that
"TT'pWlL" S>US~)9 is read, that -"■^■t
- ■ : -,VitV n^lW' "the Sabbath of The Song",
known as jin^y J'-^z

In their discussion of this beautiful poem, the Rabbis taught us

a wonderful lesson in human kindness. They said that the happi
ness of the Israelites was not complete because their victory w«
accompanied by the loss of so many Egyptian lives ^he Egyptians
too were human beings, creatures of God, and their death was,
therefore, a- source of sorrow.

a In this spirit King Solomon said (Proverbs 2b:17): "Rf;joice

not wnen Sine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be .glad
n

when he stumbles".

E. The Complaints of The People

1 For three days the people march in the desert without finding any
water Then they c«e to Marah where the waters were bitter.
They complain to Moses, who puts certain shrubs m to sweeten
the water's taste.

2 On the 15th day of the second month (that is, just one month)
Ster their departure from Egypt, they reach the wilderness of
Sin. Here the people complain because they lacK food.

a How quickly people forget their past troubles can be seen

from the'fact that Egypt now seents not to have be en suei a
bad place after all. They remeaber the fleshpots .of Egypt
and they long for a return to the land of their oppression.
Srgotten are the back-breaking slavery and the terrible
sufferings they had endured there.

3. Moses tells them that God will give them meat to eat (avails.)
that very evening and bread in the morning.

a "Quails are to be found in immense numbers in the region of

a* The Red Sea in the spring of the year ?hey always fly wxth
the winds-and when exhausted after a long flight, they a.e
easily captured even with'the hand.'.' (Hertz)- •

God

them to eat.

F. The Manna ( J1^ )

1. -oses tells the people that each Boming they will find this
26
 grain-li*e substance on the

2. igaih see or the people ^£»XJ£?£%£ onf

il%CX S Ki'AS oecoDe «W and unfit
to be eaten.

Sabbath to gather any Manna.

seed
G. Water Froa The Rock
! The peopie continue their Mrch and reach the region of Mt^oreb.
■ 2. Th,y atoc at Hephidi* and here too there is a .horta.e of «Ur.
a This t^e their complaints take on more violent for*, so that
ioses fears for his life (17 .U.
b.. o,, tells Moses to

-
c. Uoses does as he is commanded.

K. The War With Amalek

1. While the Israelite, -ere encamped at Rephidl,, the MaleKites
swoop donn.to attack them.
y the sword, robbing

■ . ' on peaceful, defenseless towns.

be
2.

. Fro. that Pf sage we lear^ that the ^ale.ites .tu*jd the

THrSia
S%flSia1rV.o could hard-
the rest of the marchins forces.

he r^ar lines reaches Moses

^ 1"h s
27
 ekites away.

a He does not go himself so as not to cause great alarm in the

ZJ, Hoover in order that Joshua and his men might feel
CtSPt*Moses ias'^h the. in spirit at 1-st he tells them
that he will watch the battle from the top ox the nearby
mountain*

ceeded in driving the_Aaalekites Oxf.

c. The Rabbis of the Talmud asked: "Could the| hmdaof Uoses

cause victory if they were raised, or defeat if they were
SSwS" Zd they answered that we are to understand these
verses as meaning that when the Israelites looked up to God
(raised hands) they were victorious; when they did not, they
were defeated.

A We mar also interpret these verses in another manner. Moses

"uphold their hands". Given this

h serves as encouragement to the men engaged in actual

combat*

I. ^ T/^n.a WAR AGAINST AMALEX (17:lU-l6)(CWRAT, IDEA OF THIS SEDRAH)

1. The Literal Meaning

a. Moses is commanded to write down the story of the Amalekites'.

attack in a special record.

- Amalek.

26
2. The Spiritual Meaning of This Passage

a. Araalek is a symbol representing cruelty, injustice, treachery

and opposition to God's rule in the world.

b. In every generation there is an Amalek. It may be one people

or several peoples.

c. Any people that chooses to live by the sword, to attack peace

ful, weak, defenseless peoples and to take away their life and
property, is an Amalek♦

d. It may be Assyria at one time, Babylonia at another, Greece,

Rome, Italy, Germany, Russia or Japan at other times in his
tory.

e. So long as there is brute force and injustice in the ^

the war of the Lord against Amalek must go on. Unfortunate
ly, it happened frequently that the peoples that fought
against these Amaleks did so, not to fight God!s battle but
because they wished to have the field free for themselves^ so
that they might rule and oppress the smaller peoples. That
is why the spirit of Amalek has lived on from generation to
generation.

f. The Torah, therefore, does not speak of destroying "Amalek"

but of destroying "the remembrance of Amalek" ( p?733J IDT),
the spirit of Amalek whenever it appears. ' " r ":

g. The words &1 O? k» T; \p, which mean

"The Lord has sworn by his throne", are interpreted by the
Rabbis to mean, that so long as Amalek1 s spirit is found iji
the world, God's rule is incomplete. Therefore, the name of
God appears here only in'a shortened form and the word which
means His throne ( -^9"? ) " also shortened to O3

h. When people will fight not only against Amalek but for the
Lord and justice, when they will say in truth " nOJ '77 -
the Lord is our Banner, we follow His teachings" -' then the
war against Amalek will be won and Godfs rule in the world
will be firmly established.

i. In our own days, especially, when several of the worst

Amaleks of -all history banded together against God's laws of
justice and kindness, it is important' that' we remember this
lesson. • •* ••

1. It is not enough to fight to destroy Fascism, Nazism

and Communism.

2. We must see to it that in destroying these forces of evil

we do not allow the spirit of Amalek - of vengeance, of
cruelty and of injustice to enter our own peoples like a
Fifth Colusin.
3, We in the United States must fight this war not
merely for ourselves and the United Nations, but
for the Lord, for true justice and equality to all
peoples.

30