Living Torah Archives

Three days after leaving Egypt to receive the Torah, the Jewish people found themselves trapped between the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s army, which was fast approaching.

When the Jewish people was surrounded by the Egyptians at the sea, four opinions were voiced on how to respond: 1) Jump into the sea – better to give one’s life in sanctification of G-d’s Name than to transgress His will; 2) Return to Egypt – perhaps they had not completed their spiritual mission there; 3) take up arms and fight – for to extinguish their own lives or return to Egypt would both transgress G-d’s will; 4) Pray to G-d.