Beshalach — When He Sent
Hebrew: בְּשַׁלַּח | Book: Shemot (Exodus)
Summary
The Exodus; splitting of the Red Sea; the Song of the Sea; manna in the desert; war with Amalek.
Chabad Chassidic Teachings
Splitting the Sea: The Impossible Becomes Possible
The splitting of the Red Sea (Yam Suf) is the paradigmatic miracle — the complete suspension of natural law. Chassidus teaches:
The sea split only after Moses raised his staff AND the Israelites stepped in up to their necks (according to Midrash). The miracle came through mesiras nefesh — self-sacrifice, taking the leap of faith before the miracle appeared.
Spiritually: the “sea” represents the subconscious — the vast, undifferentiated realm of the inner life. When a person acts with complete self-nullification (bittul), even the depths of their subconscious open up, revealing pathways that were previously impossible.
The Song of the Sea: Shirat HaYam
The Shirat HaYam is the highest expression of prophecy and Divine consciousness achieved collectively by the Jewish people. Even the simplest maidservant at the sea, say the Sages, saw more than the prophet Ezekiel.
Chabad teaching: in a moment of complete bittul — when the ego completely dissolves in the face of overwhelming Divine reality — even the simplest soul achieves prophetic vision.
Manna: Daily Trust
The manna fell each day in exactly the right amount — taking more spoiled. This trained the Israelites in absolute bitachon (trust in Divine providence): today’s portion is exactly right; tomorrow’s will come. The beinoni applies this: don’t hoard spiritual states. Today’s avodah is today’s; tomorrow brings its own Divine provision.
Key Concepts
Sources Cited
Shemot 14:21; Shemot 15:1; Zohar II:45b