For parents to share with
children at the Shabbos Table

Parshas Beshalach

The Safe Route

This week's parsha begins by telling us that the Jewish people did not travel through the land of the Phillistines when they left Egypt. Instead, they went through the desert. The Chofetz Chaim zt"l explains the advantages and disadvantages of each route. The land of the Phillistines was an inhabited area. Food and drink would be easy to obtain. On the other hand, this route posed a spiritual danger. The Jewish people had just emerged from the 49^th level of tumah (impurity) in Egypt, and could not afford to travel through the land of the Phillistines, which was fraught with impurity. The desert route was uninhabited and did not have this spiritual danger. However, there was no food or drink in the desert. Hashem took them through the desert to avoid the spiritual danger. He provided for their sustenance with the miracle of the man (mannah). He chose this route to prevent them from sinking back to their former level.

Many times we have to make choices in our lives. One of the alternatives may hold attractive possibilities for material benefits. The price to be paid, however, may be a situation that will bring down our spiritual level. The other alternative is rich in spirituality, but does not promise to provide much material reward. The Chofetz Chaim zt"l is telling us to make the ruchnius (spiritual benefits) our top priority, and Hashem will take care of the gashmius (physical needs). These choices confront us all of the time. B'ezras Hashem, we will learn from the Chofetz Chaim zt"l to make the proper decisions.

Make It Come Alive

Rabbeinu Bechaye details the many miracles that occurred at Kriyas Sea Suf (the splitting of the Red Sea). The sea split into twelve tunnels, one for each of the tribes of Israel. The water froze hard as rocks and formed walls on the sides of the tunnels. The ground was not muddy like a riverbed; rather it was dry land. The walls of ice were clear as glass and the people could see each other through the walls as they walked through the tunnels. Hashem made sweet drinking water flow out of holes in the walls of the tunnels. When they finished drinking, the holes froze up again. The same ground that was dry for the Jewish people became muddy for the Egyptians when they entered the sea. All of the waters in the world split not just the Red Sea .

Just imagine, in one instant, the Jewish people went from being in mortal danger on the shores of the sea, to a beautiful, wondrous tour through the water. The Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 21) says that these events are the pillar of our emunah (faith) in Hashem. Children, the more details we know about the great nissim (miracles) that Hashem performed, the more we can appreciate them and strengthen our emunah. We can try to dramatize them and even act them out at the Shabbos table. That will make them really come alive.

Glorify Him

The Torah writes in Shemos 15:2, "Zeh Keli V'anveihu, This is my G-d and I will glorify Him." The Gemora in Shabbos 133b explains that this verse teaches us to beautify the mitzvos. We should acquire a beautiful sukkah, lulav, shofar, tzitzis, Sefer Torah, etc. Rav Moshe Feinstein zt"l, explains that a person puts effort into the things that are important to him in life. His home, furnishings, and sustenance are all important to him. Therefore, he invests time and monetary resources into beautifying them. What is the most meaningful thing a person can do with his life? Learn Torah and fulfill the mitzvos. Consequently, he must perform them in the most beautiful manner possible, taking care to do them properly. He should not just rush through them fulfilling the minimum requirements.

How do we make our brochos (blessings)? How do we daven (pray)? Let us make sure that we take the proper time and care to daven and say brochos with kavanna (proper concentration). After all, we are speaking to Hashem. When we do an act of chessed (kindness) for someone, let's do it wholeheartedly with a big smile. We can glorify Hashem by learning Torah with great enthusiasm. Hashem wants us to sanctify our speech by refraining from loshon hora and speaking divrei Torah. We should build our family relationships with the utmost love, care, and respect. Shabbos, when observed correctly, is a day of complete kedusha (holiness). Hashem wants us to put our best efforts into His Torah and mitzvos. This brings Him the glory of Zeh Keli V'anveihu.

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