Parsha Beshalach

chp. 13 verses 17 - 21: Introduction,Pharaoh sends the Jews out of Egypt. Hashem does not take them through the land of the Philistines, He was concerned that if they would be confronted with battle they would return to Egypt. He leads them by way of the wilderness by the Red Sea. They leave Egypt armed. Moshe takes the bones of Yosef with him to fulfill the oath that children of Israel took, that when they would be redeemed that they should take his remains with them. They encamped in Etham in the edge of the wilderness. Hashem went before them as a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night so that they could travel day and night.

Chp. 13 verses 21 & 22 Chp. 14 verses 1 -10: Why the Jews needed to travel both day and night. Chp. 14 begins with Hashem telling Moshe to have the people turn back to Red sea. Hashem tells them that He would harden the heart of Pharaoh and that he would pursue them to the sea. And as Hashem had told them Pharaoh brought his whole army with 600 chosen chariots to pursue the Jews. When Pharaoh came and the Jews saw the Egyptians marching after them they were very frightened and they cried out to Hashem.

Chp. 14 verses 11 - 29: The people begin to complain to Moshe afraid that the Egyptians would kill them. Moshe assures them that this would be the last time they would see the Egyptians, and that Hashem would battle for them. Hashem tells Moshe to stretch forth his hand and split the sea and the B'nai Yisrael should enter the sea on dry land. All of this so that Hashem would be honored through the drowning of Pharaoh and his army. That night there was light for the Jews and darkness for the Egyptians. The east wind blew all night and in the morning Moshe stretched forth his hand and the sea split. The nation entered the sea which was dry land with a wall of water on their right and left.

Chp. 14 verses 30 & 31 Chp. 15 verses 1 - 3: Hashem saved Israel on that day from the hand of the Egyptians and thet saw them dead on the sea shore. The people feared G-d and they believed in Hashem and Moshe His servant. Chp. 15, introduction to the "Shirah." How did they sing the song? The song is a proof of the "Revival of the dead." The horse and the rider He threw into the sea as one with ease. Hashem is our strength and our salvation. He is my G-d and I will glorify Him the G-d of our father's and I will exalt Him. He came to the sea in His guise of a man of war, the L-rd is His name.

Chp. 15 verses 4 - 16: Continues with the "Az Yashir" How Hashem drowned the chariots of Pharaoh and his army in the sea. His right hand crushed the enemy. He cast them in the sea as stubble, stone, or lead commensurate with their level of cruelty against their Jewish slaves. In the middle of the song they praised Hashem with the famous words "Who is like You among the mighty O L-rd…." Finishes off with the description of the fear and trepidation of the nations over the miracles and wonders that Hashem had performed for the nation which He had acquired.

Chp. 15 verses 17 - 26: Continues with prayer section of the "Shirah." Finishes with " Hashem will reign for ever and ever." After the men finish the women led by Miriam sing their song to Hashem with musical instruments. Moshe then makes them leave the sea and they travel to Marah. They are thirsty but there is only bitter water, they complain to Moshe and Hashem tells him to throw a tree into the water to make it sweet. Hashem gives them the laws of Shabbos, the red heifer, and the laws of justice, at Marah.

Chp.15 verses 27 & 28 Chp, 16 verses 1 - 14: Description on how Hashem is our healer. The nation travels to Elim and there are twelve springs and seventy date trees. In Chp. 16, They travel to the wilderness of Sin. They complain to Moshe and Aaron since they have no food. Hashem tells Moshe that He will make it rain bread from heaven which they will gather each day and on the sixth day there will be a double portion.

Chp. 16 verses 15 - 26: The people ask what the heavenly food is and Moshe tells them it is Mann. He tells them to go out each day and collect an omer for each person in their tent. Whether they gathered a little or a lot the amount was the same; an omer for each person. He told them not to leave any over for the next day for it would become wormy and stink. On the six day they collected the same amount and when they brought it into their tents they saw that it was a double amount. Moshe then instructed them about Shabbos and that the Mann would be twice the amount so that they would not have to go out to collect any on Shabbos; that Mann would not stink or turn to maggots.

Chp. 16 verses 27 -36 Chp. 17 verses 1 - 6: Even though they were commanded not to, some of the people went out on the seventh day to collect the Mann and there was none. Hashem rebukes Moshe for their action. They name the food from heaven Mann. Hashem commands Moshe to tell Aaron to place an omer of Mann in an earthenware container and place it with the Ark forever. The people ate the Mann for forty years until they reached the border of the land of Cannan. Chp. 17 begins with the people complaining to Moshe about a lack of water.

Chp. 17 verses 7 -16: The place that they complained about water was called Massah and Meribah. Then Amalek comes and attacks Israel in Rephidim. Moshe tells Yehoshua to chose men to war with them. Moshe goes up to the top of the hill with the staff in his hand, Aaron and Chur are with him. When he lifts his hands Israel prevails and when he drops them Amalek prevails. He sits on a rock with Aaron and Chur supporting his hands. Yehoshua defeats Amalek. Hashem commands Moshe to write in the Torah that He would Utterly wipe out the memory of Amalek from under the heavens. Moshe builds an alter and calls it Adonai-nissi. He said that Hashem will war with Amalek from generation to generation..