Miller's Musings Parshas Beshalach: The Wonder of You

בס''ד

The wondrous sight that the Jewish people beheld as the sea split before them, simultaneously brought about their salvation and vanquished their enemies.  The Yalkut informs us that the determining factor that brought about this miracle was the Yam Suf seeing the coffin of Yosef that had been carried from Egypt, just as he had requested.  The question one must pose here is why the sea required Yosef when it was commanded to perform the miracle by Hashem Himself?

A deeper scrutiny of the Parsha in fact reveals that it was not Hashem that directly ordered the sea to allow the Jews to pass through it, rather He asked Moshe to instigate this wonder by raising his hand over the sea.  The Darchei Mussar explains that a supremely righteous individual becomes a partner in creation with Hashem thereby gaining dominion over the natural world, enabling that person to overturn the regular order of nature when it is necessary to do so.  That being said, Moshe’s total compliance to the will of Hashem was not enough to convince the sea to stand upright, since it could rejoin that it too followed Hashem’s desire at all times.  This quality of Moshe gave him no ascendancy over the sea and therefore could not alone compel it to follow his command.  Yosef on the other hand, who had withstood countless trials in his time in the decadence of Egypt showed himself to be far superior to the waters of the Yam Suf.  They may have perpetually acceded to the desire of Hashem, but they never overcame a trial in the way that Yosef had.  This was that which induced that tremendous spectacle to take place. 

It is the nature of many of us to fiercely criticize ourselves over our failings while undervaluing our achievements.  We fail to appreciate the monumental feat that we achieve each time we resist a harmful desire, transcend a moment with our choice to act virtuously or maintain our faith in times when we face great challenges.  But these are the very actions that elevate us above the rest of creation and set us apart from all else.  These are the true wonders in Hashem’s world, more magnificent than any temporary suspension of nature.  Just as the Yam Suf confronted by such accomplishments stood in deference to Yosef’s greatness, we too must appreciate and truly value the significance of our own achievements and the magnitude of the battles we have won. 

*May the light of Shabbos illuminate our own greatness*

לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם

לרפואה שלימה:  שרה יעל בת ברכה אסתר