What We Missed:

► Bnai Yisrael journey to the Sea of Reeds (the crossing was not the Red Sea). Pharaoh pursues them.

► The arduous journey leads many within b’nai yisrael to regret leaving Egypt.

Triennial Highlights:

► God urges Moses and people to get moving: As the people fear the pursuing army of Pharaoh, God encourages Moses to continue their escape. It will become clear that Pharaoh’s ego will not allow him to turn back; better for his military to fight until death rather than to withdraw and live with defeat and subsequent shame. Since the Egyptians believe that courage and death are preferable, God reveals how the Egyptians will meet their demise. As Pharaoh et al cannot accept the overwhelming authority of Israel’s God, every Egyptian soldier will drown in the Sea.

► The sea becomes dry land for the Israelite crossing: We are all familiar with the story of the Sea. We also know that the “miracle” could be explained in natural terms – by virtue of high and low tide. Many of us have visited places which are passable during low tide, but impossible to traverse during high tide. It is possible that the Israelites timed their crossing when the tide was low, when the water had receded and became shallow enough to cross. Even if the Sea could be explained as a natural phenomenon, the Torah authors describe the crossing as a miracle, to reflect the centrality of God in their lives. The fact that the people could all cross at the opportune moment and be liberated from their oppressors is a true miracle. The Israelites, after their interminable suffering, were now a free people. What greater miracle could there be?!

► Pharaoh's army drowns: I believe Pharaoh’s soldiers had the ability to save themselves. The army drowned not simply by virtue of a miracle, but by virtue of uncontrollable ego and obduracy.

For several years, I have spent part of my summer on Cape Cod. Walking at low tide, about ¾ of a mile along the ocean, I often enjoy a massive school of seals just sun-bathing along a large sand bar. It is easy to determine when the seals will be there, because charts indicate the specific hours of low tide. One does not, however, require a chart to figure out when the tide is high and when the tide is low. All one needs to do is to look at the ocean itself. Certainly, the Egyptians must have known that by the time they crossed the Sea it was already high tide. They had to know there was no way for them to pursue the Israelites until the next low tide. Had they waited, perhaps they still might have caught the Israelites – albeit in the desert and not in Egypt. Even if in the desert they might have encountered resistance from other tribes, they still could have wiped out the Israelites or at least killed a significant portion of them. Instead, the Egyptians irrationally drove forward, drowning in a sea of ego as much as they drowned in a sea of water.

With the drowning, the Torah’s dramatic confrontation between God and Pharaoh concludes. Pharaoh is not only revealed to be no more than flesh and blood; he is totally humiliated. We do not hear from him again. He is abruptly eliminated from the Torah. From powerful leader, he is now a beaten demagogue. Pharaoh is no longer worthy of attention from our Torah.

► The people, under the guidance of Moses and Miriam, sing a song of exultation known as the Shira (The Song). In the Song, b’nai yisrael express thanksgiving for their past, present and future. The Shira remains central to Jewish, ritual experience: It is incorporated into our daily morning service – weekdays and Shabbat. The song includes several components:

♦ It begins with a personal (first person) ode to God.

♦ It then details how the God of Israel conquered the powerful army of Pharaoh. Again, we find how the Torah emphatically describes Pharaoh as a mere mortal.

♦ The Song reaffirms the awesome nature of God, now describing God’s power to deter evil - both the evil intentions of Egypt and those of other nations.

♦ Finally, it concludes with a reference to Israel’s future observance in its own land, and probably to the Temple: Israel’s eventual center of Jewish ritual, cultural and social life.

If you recall, when Moses pleaded with Pharaoh to free the Israelites, he included a reference to Israel’s being liberated to go worship its God. Freedom exacts a price; the people will be bound to new ritual and to social and legal obligations, which will characterize Israel’s uniqueness. The Song picks up on the theme first introduced by Moses as he fought to free his people from slavery.

One more observation: Following the lengthy Song, Miriam leads the women in a song of their own. Unfortunately, the Torah merely offers a truncated version of that rendition. Whether Miriam’s song was considered redundant and insignificant or was just a lost document, that song (with musical instruments) provides one of the few examples in the Torah of women lifting their voices. Miriam’s song has been immortalized in Debbie Freidman’s rousing Miriam’s Song -- a gift from Debbie to both men and women. Whenever Debbie sang Miriam’s Song in concert, the entire audience would begin to dance. Through Miriam’s Song, the biblical Miriam is immortalized and her ode to God sustained.

► So much for happy endings: In the wilderness, the people complain about the lack of food and water; manna and water are provided. For those of us who prefer happy movie endings, the Exodus episode should have concluded with an exuberant nation singing in celebration and unity. Unfortunately, the moment of song is short lived; we now begin the phase: What have you done for me lately? Now that they are a free and independent people, how will Israel live in freedom? The moment of euphoria is over; now the hard work of nation-building commences!

Haftorah: Judges 4:4 – 5:31 (pages 424-430)

The Haftorah includes the song of Deborah, one of the courageous judges who saved Israel from the Canaanites. Deborah's song is as passionate as the Song of the Sea. It highlights the remarkable leadership of a Jewish woman. Although men dominate the Bible, when given the opportunity, women – like Deborah – play a central role in all aspects of Jewish history and experience.