Achron Shel Pesach

A focus of the final Yom Tov days of Pesach is Krias Yam Suf which occurred on the seventh night. As we know, besides the final act of Nekama against Mitzrayim, and the Nes which marked the culmination of Geulas Mitzrayim, Krias Yam Suf was quite a momentous occasion in its own right. Chazal tell us “Ra’ah Shifcha Al HaYam Mah Shelo Ra’ah Yechezkel Ben Buzi”: during Krias Yam Suf, even those on the lowest of levels were Zoche to an untold level of Nevuah. It is therefore no wonder that the Torah tells us that this experience influenced those who were present: “Vayaminu B’Hashem U’ViMoshe Avdo”. It would follow, then, that if we learn about Krias Yam Suf in the proper way we too will be affected and elevated—certainly a worthy pursuit for this part of the Yom Tov.

The truth is that the fact that those who were witness to, and indeed the beneficiaries of, Krias Yam Suf were infused with an increased Emunah in Hashem is unsurprising—the Nevuah they experienced coupled with the clear Yad Hashem that brought their Yeshua would likely inspire Emunah in anyone. What, though, does the Torah mean in referring to their Emunah in Moshe Rabbeinu? Why is this a virtue—are we supposed to have Emunah in human beings, even those on as lofty a Madreiga as the Moshian Shel Yisroel? And, assuming this was laudable, what was it about Krias Yam Suf specifically that inspired such an Emunah in Moshe Rabbeinu?

These words have been examined before with a great many explanations given, but perhaps there is room for yet another Mehalech based on the words of an earlier Passuk and the attendant Divrei Chazal.

The Torah tells us that as Bnei Yisroel reached the Yam Suf, and stood trapped between the rapidly advancing Mitzri forces and the vast sea, Hakadosh Baruch Hu issued a command to Moshe Rabbienu: “V’Ata Harem Es Matcha U’Niteh Es YAdcha Al HaYAm U’Vikaeihu.” The literal translation of this Passuk is that Hashem told Moshe to raise his Mateh and stretch his arm out over the Yam, which would cause it to be split. The Meforshei Hachumash, however, teach us that it should be read differently.

Chizkuni says that the word “Harem” does not mean to lift, but rather comes from the same root as the word “Terumah”, which means to separate. With this understanding, the Passuk means that Hashem told Moshe to release his Matteh and raise his arm alone over the Yam. Later on the Passuk tells us that this is just what happened: “Vayet Moshe Es Yado Al HaYam”, Moshe raised his hand without the Matteh.

Rabbeinu Bachya explains why this command was necessary based: it seems that there were elements within Bnei Yisroel who believed that the strength of Moshe Rabbeinu, his Koach to perform Nissim, came from the Matteh itself, presumably through some sort of super-natural force. Rabbeinu Bachya refers to these people as Mechusrei Emunah who thought that because the Matteh had been a feature of many of the Nissim thus far, including a number of the Makkos, the sense was that Moshe himself was not performing the Nssim. Therefore, when they came to the Yam, Hashem told Moshe Rabbeinu to drop the Matteh, and stretch out just his hand, so that it would be clear that his Koach was not from the Matteh.

Interestingly, there is a Medrash Rabba that contains a similar idea to the words of Rabbeinu Bachya, which he actually cites in his Peirush although the Medrash has one important difference from his Pshat. The Medrash says that it was the Mitzriyim who thought that Moshe relied on the Matteh, and the words “Harem Es Matcha” were meant to prove to them that the Koach of Moshe did not come from the Matteh. Whether he had a different version of the Medrash, or was learning the Pessukim differently, in explaining that it was the Mechusrei Emunah among Bnei Yisroel who were mistaken abut Moshe’s abilities, Rabbeinu Bachya is also able to explain the words “U’ViMoshe Avdo”: by seeing that Moshe initiated Krias Yam Suf independent of the Matteh, the Emunah of Klal Yisroel in Moshe Rabbeinu himself was renewed.

Our discussion could end here, were it not for two important questions that must be asked on the Pshat of Rabbeinu Bachya. First, why would it matter if the Nissim which Moshe performed were done through the Matteh or some other force? Why was it important for every member of Klal Yisroel to understand that Moshe Rabbeinu could perform Nissim even without the Matteh? Second, if this was in fact important, why did Hakadosh Baruch Hu wait until Krias Yam Suf to tell Moshe to relase the Matteh? Why not have him do one of the Makkos without the Matteh, thus showing that it was his Koach and not that of the Matteh that allowed the Nissim to occur? What was it about Krias Yam Suf specifically that called for this message to be delivered?

Perhaps we can answer these questions if we better understand the nature of the very element affected most by this Nes: water.

The Medrash, in Shemos Rabba, tells us that prior to Brias HaOlam, three elements existed: Mayim, Ruach and Esh. These three basic elements were the building blocks of the Briah, with each engendering an important part of the world: Ohr, light, came from Esh, Chachma, wisdom, from Ruach, and Choshech, darkness, from Mayim. While it is understandable how Esh and Ohr are related, and even Ruach and Chachma, but how are we to understand the connection between Mayim and Choshech? How are water and darkness connected to each other?

In a lengthy Maamer brought in the Sefer Shuvi V’Nechzeh, R’ Moshe Shapiro zt”l explains this Medrash and the essence of Mayim. He points out that the nature of water is such that it destroys the natural form of all else, a reality that can seen in a number of physical manifestations. For example, any item viewed through water takes on a blurry appearance—it cannot be seen in its actual form. Similarly, when water runs over something, even an item as solid as a stone, it rounds the edges of the item. This not only destroys the original shape of the objecy, but also prevents it from being used to build something else, as stacking requires straight edges. It is thus seen that one of the characteristics of water is that it destroys the Tzura of other objects and prevents them from being used to build.

Another aspect of water, which at first may seem counterintuitive is that it allows items to be fused with one another. Though we pointed out that the rounding effect of running water prevents building, this applies to building without the aid of a Davar Hachibur, such as cement. When water is added to other elements, however, it allows them to act as glue or adherent, enabling two totally different items to be connected to one another. This is yet another way that water acts as an agent of confusion: it allows items which are unrelated to be used together, thus destroying the natural boundaries that exist.

These natural characteristics of Mayim, the predecessor of Choshech, stand opposed to the essence of Ohr, light.

While Light allows us to tell the difference between even the most similar items—the Zman to put on Tfillin is when it is light enough to tell the difference between two shades of color—darkness conflates. The terms for examination, Bikur, and the word for morning Boker, are thus closely related, because it is in the light of day that practical inspection can occur. At night, however, even those things that are not at all similar in actuality can appear as though they are, causing confusion. Thus Chosech has a similar characteristic to water, as it causes us to mistake one item for another, a way of obscuring its true Tzurah.

We can now understand how Mayim and Chosech are related: they both prevent us from seeing the true essence of other objects, by distorting their Tzurah and the natural boundaries that exist.

There is an interesting aspect of the word Mayim that bring this point out: there is no singular form of the word. Even the smallest drop of water is called Mayim, a word that has the plural form, because Mayim destroys individuality. In contrast, R’ Moshe cites the Ramchal who points out that in order to survive water, one needs a boat, which is called an Aniyah. This term, says the Ramchal, comes from the word “Ani”, me—if one has a sense of individuality, he can survive the conflating nature of Mayim, which stands opposed to this identity.

With all this in mind, let us turn back to Moshe Rabbeinu and the Yam Suf. The Medrash at the beginning of Sefer Vayikra tells us that of all the names of Moshe Rabbeinu—there were ten—Hashem called him by the one given to him by Bas Pharoah: Moshe. Many point out that this seems rather counterintuitive—why would the Moshian Shel Yisroel, the one who the Torah itself is associated with, be called by a name given to him not by his mother, but by a non-Jew?

R’ Moshe explains that the key to Moshe’s success lay in the reason he was so named: “Ki Min Hamayim Meshisihu”. Moshe Rabbeinu, who represented the Torah itself, called Toras Moshe, was completely removed from Mayim and its negative connotations. by connecting himself so deeply to the Torah, which is the essence of Ohr, “Ki Ner Mitzvah V’Torah Ohr”, Moshe rose above the confusion of Mayim and was able to fulfil his ultimate Tafkid, achieving the purpose of his own “Ani”.

Perhaps this can help us understand the message of “Harem Es Matcha”.

The Yidden reached the Yam Suf mere days after leaving Mitzrayim. Their exit from the Kur Habarzel was accompanied by a sense of Chipazon, as they were swiftly taken from one reality to another. Now they stood with Mitzrayim—representing the Choshech from which they had been removed—on one side, and the Yam—itself a sea of pervading darkness—on the other. This situation represented not only a physical conundrum, but a spiritual one as well: were they, the Yotzei Mitzrayim, strong enough to survive in a world of Choshech? Many of their cohorts, Chazal tell us, perished in the Makkah of Choshech, unable to remove themselves from the darkness to which they had become accustomed. Those who had been Zoche to leave, especially the ones who could be classified as Mechusrei Emunah, may have been concerned about their own survival: would they be able to extract themselves from the Choshech of the world and lead elevated lives?

Hashem therefore instructed Moshe Rabbeinu to discard his Matteh and raise his hand above the Mayim, causing it to split. In so doing, Moshe showed that by connecting himself to the Ohr Hatorah he could master the Mayim itself, causing it to act against its nature. By working on his own “Ani”, his personal potential, he could rise above the confusion of the Mayim and bring the Yeshuas Hashem.

It was at this very moment, as the faced the Choshech represented by the Yam Suf that Klal Yisroel needed to see that Moshe Rabbeinu, on his own and without any intermediary, had risen above the Mayim. They had to see that it was possible, through at connection to the Torah Hakedosah, to live an existence of Ani which floats above the Mayim, so to speak. It is for this reason that the Tzivuy of “Harem Es Matcha” came at this exact moment, and it is this message that the Torah testifies was received loud and clear: “Vayaminu B’Hashem U’ViMoshe Avdo”. Besides the heightened Emunah in Hashem that resulted from Krias Yam Suf, the Yidden reiceved a dose of Emunah in Moshe Rabbeinu, and indeed themselves. They saw what Moshe was capable of by dint of his connection to the Ohr Hatorah, and took solace that they too could combat the Choshech of the world, living elevated lives as the Am Hanivchar. They too could use the Torah to hone their individual potential, and use that Ani to protect them from the sea of Choshech that surrounded them.

This message resonates among us as well. We live in a world that is defined by Choshech, in which boundaries are torn down time and again, and the natural order of things conflated, sometimes beyond recognition. We must remember that we can rise above this Choshech, and be protected from the raging waters, by securing our connection to the Torah and living in its light. If we are successful in doing so we know that we too will be among the Goalim, the survivors of the Choshech of our Galus who are Zoche to the glorious light of Ohr Chodosh Al Tzion Tair.