Shemot
Beshalach, Aliyah 7 בשלח, שביעי
Part of: BeshalachBeshalach, Aliyah 7Chapter 17Petuchah, Exodus 17:1Petuchah, Exodus 17:8Petuchah, Exodus 17:14
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Shemot 17
וַיִּסְעוּ כׇּל־עֲדַת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּדְבַּר־סִין לְמַסְעֵיהֶם עַל־פִּי יְהֹוָה וַֽיַּחֲנוּ בִּרְפִידִים וְאֵין מַיִם לִשְׁתֹּת הָעָֽם׃
The entire community of B’nei Yisrael journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, traveling according to the word of Adonoy. They camped in Rephidim, and there was no water for the people to drink.
The entire community of B’nei Yisrael journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, traveling according to the word of Adonoy. They camped in Rephidim, and there was no water for the people to drink.
וַיָּרֶב הָעָם עִם־מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמְרוּ תְּנוּ־לָנוּ מַיִם וְנִשְׁתֶּה וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה מַה־תְּרִיבוּן עִמָּדִי מַה־תְּנַסּוּן אֶת־יְהֹוָֽה׃
The people quarreled with Moshe, and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moshe said to them, “Why are you quarreling with me? Why are you testing Adonoy?”
The people quarreled with Moshe, and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moshe said to them, “Why are you quarreling with me? Why are you testing Adonoy?”
Rashi
וַיִּצְמָא שָׁם הָעָם לַמַּיִם וַיָּלֶן הָעָם עַל־מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמֶר לָמָּה זֶּה הֶעֱלִיתָנוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם לְהָמִית אֹתִי וְאֶת־בָּנַי וְאֶת־מִקְנַי בַּצָּמָֽא׃
The people were suffering thirst for [the lack of] water, and the people complained against Moshe and said, “Why did you bring us up from Egypt—to kill me and my children, and my livestock with thirst?”
The people were suffering thirst for [the lack of] water, and the people complained against Moshe and said, “Why did you bring us up from Egypt—to kill me and my children, and my livestock with thirst?”
וַיִּצְעַק מֹשֶׁה אֶל־יְהֹוָה לֵאמֹר מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה לָעָם הַזֶּה עוֹד מְעַט וּסְקָלֻֽנִי׃
Moshe cried out to Adonoy saying, “What shall I do for this people? Before long they will stone me.”
Moshe cried out to Adonoy saying, “What shall I do for this people? Before long they will stone me.”
Rashi
עוד מעט. אם אמתין, עוד מעט וסקלוני:
Before long. I.e., “If I wait a little longer they will stone me.”
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה עֲבֹר לִפְנֵי הָעָם וְקַח אִתְּךָ מִזִּקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמַטְּךָ אֲשֶׁר הִכִּיתָ בּוֹ אֶת־הַיְאֹר קַח בְּיָדְךָ וְהָלָֽכְתָּ׃
Adonoy said to Moshe, “Pass to the front of the people and take with you the elders of the [B’nei] Yisrael. The staff with which you struck the river; take in to your hand, and go.
Adonoy said to Moshe, “Pass to the front of the people and take with you the elders of the [B’nei] Yisrael. The staff with which you struck the river; take in to your hand, and go.
Rashi
עבור לפני העם. וראה אם יסקלוך, למה הוצאת לעז על בני:
Pass to the front of the people. “And see whether they will stone you! Why did you slander My children?!”
וקח אתך מזקני ישראל. לעדות, שיראו שעל ידך המים יוצאים מן הצור, ולא יאמרו מעינות היו שם מימי קדם:
And take with you the elders of Yisrael. [As witnesses —]that they may see that it is through you that the waters will come out from the rock, and they will not claim that there were springs there from earlier days.
ומטך אשר הכית בו את היאור. מה תלמוד לומר אשר הכית בו את היאור, אלא שהיו ישראל אומרים על המטה, שאינו מוכן אלא לפורענות, בו לקה פרעה, ומצרים כמה מכות, במצרים ועל הים, לכך נאמר אשר הכית בו את היאור, יראו עתה שאף לטובה הוא מוכן:
The staff with which you struck the river. Why does it state: “with which you struck the river.” But [the answer is:] Because the B’nei Yisrael said of the staff that it was intended only for the purpose of punishment. With it Pharaoh and the Egyptians were struck with many plagues in Egypt and on the sea. Therefore it states: “with which you struck the river.” Now they will see that it was intended also for good.
הִנְנִי עֹמֵד לְפָנֶיךָ שָּׁם ׀ עַֽל־הַצּוּר בְּחֹרֵב וְהִכִּיתָ בַצּוּר וְיָצְאוּ מִמֶּנּוּ מַיִם וְשָׁתָה הָעָם וַיַּעַשׂ כֵּן מֹשֶׁה לְעֵינֵי זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Choreiv. You shall strike the rock and water will come out of it, and the people [will be able] to drink. Moshe did this in the sight [presence] of the elders of the [B’nei] Yisrael.
Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Choreiv. You shall strike the rock and water will come out of it, and the people [will be able] to drink. Moshe did this in the sight [presence] of the elders of the [B’nei] Yisrael.
Rashi
והכית בצור. על הצור לא נאמר, אלא בצור, מכאן שהמטה היה של מין דבר חזק ושמו סְנַפִּירִינוֹן, והצור נבקע מפניו.
You shall strike the rock. It does not say עַל הַצּוּר — “onto the rock” but, rather, בַּצּוּר — “into the rock.” From here we can derive that the staff was made of a strong substance called sapphire and the rock was split by it.
וַיִּקְרָא שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם מַסָּה וּמְרִיבָה עַל־רִיב ׀ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל נַסֹּתָם אֶת־יְהֹוָה לֵאמֹר הֲיֵשׁ יְהֹוָה בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ אִם־אָֽיִן׃ {פ}
He [Moshe] named the place Massah and Merivah because the B’nei Yisrael had quarreled [Merivah] and because they had tested [Massah] Adonoy, saying, “Is Adonoy among us or not?”
He [Moshe] named the place Massah and Merivah because the B’nei Yisrael had quarreled [Merivah] and because they had tested [Massah] Adonoy, saying, “Is Adonoy among us or not?”
וַיָּבֹא עֲמָלֵק וַיִּלָּחֶם עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּרְפִידִֽם׃
Amaleik came and fought with [B’nei] Yisrael in Rephidim.
Amaleik came and fought with [B’nei] Yisrael in Rephidim.
Rashi
ויבא עמלק וגו'. סמך פרשה זו למקרא זה לומר, תמיד אני ביניכם ומזומן לכל צרכיכם, ואתם אומרים היש ה' בקרבנו אם אין, חייכם שהכלב בא ונושך אתכם, ואתם צועקים לי ותדעו היכן אני. משל לאדם שהרכיב בנו על כתפו ויצא לדרך, היה אותו הבן רואה חפץ ואומר, אבא טול חפץ זה ותן לי, והוא נותן לו, וכן שנייה, וכן שלישית, פגעו באדם אחד, אמר לו אותו הבן ראית את אבא, אמר לו אביו, אינך יודע היכן אני, השליכו מעליו ובא הכלב ונשכו:
Amaleik came, etc., [The Torah] places this section adjacent to the [previous] verse in order to convey: “I (God) am always amongst you and ready to fulfill all your needs, and yet you say: “Is Adonoy among us or not?” [I swear] by your lives that the dog (Amaleik) will come and bite you, and you will cry out to Me and then you will know where I am.” A parable: [this may be compared] to a man who placed his son on his shoulders and went out on a journey. Whenever the son saw a desirable object he would say: “Father, take that object and give it to me.” And he (the father) would give it to him. This happened a second and third time. They met a certain person whereupon the son said to him (that person), “Have you seen my father?” His father said to him, “Do you not know where I am?!” Whereupon he threw him off himself and the dog came and bit him.
וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בְּחַר־לָנוּ אֲנָשִׁים וְצֵא הִלָּחֵם בַּעֲמָלֵק מָחָר אָנֹכִי נִצָּב עַל־רֹאשׁ הַגִּבְעָה וּמַטֵּה הָאֱלֹהִים בְּיָדִֽי׃
Moshe said to Yehoshua, “Choose men for us and go out to battle Amaleik. Tomorrow, I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.”
Moshe said to Yehoshua, “Choose men for us and go out to battle Amaleik. Tomorrow, I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.”
Rashi
בחר לנו. לי ולך, השוהו לו, מכאן אמרו, יהי כבוד תלמידך חביב עליך כשלך, וכבוד חברך כמורא רבך מנין, שנאמר וַיֹּאמֶר אַהֲרֹן אֶל משֶׁה בִּי אֲדֹנִי (במדבר יב, יא), והלא אהרן גדול מאחיו היה, ועושה את חברו כרבו. ומורא רבך כמורא שמים מנין, שנאמר אֲדֹנִי משֶׁה כְּלָאֵם (שם יא, כח), כלם מן העולם, חייבין הם כלייה, המורדים בך כאילו מרדו בהקב"ה:
Choose for us — “for me and for you.” He (Moshe) equated him (Yehoshua) to himself. From this they [the Sages] said: “The honor of your disciple should be as dear to you as your own.” And [the statement of the Sages that follows:]” the honor of your colleague [should be] equal to the reverence of your teacher” — from where is that derived? For it is said: “Aharon said to Moshe, ‘I beg you, my master.’” Was not Aharon older than his brother? Yet he related to his colleague as his teacher. [The following statement:] “and reverence of your teacher should be equal to the reverence for God” — from where is that derived? For it is said [Yehoshua said to Moshe:] “Moshe, my master, כְּלָאֵם,” meaning: destroy them from this world. Those that rebel against you deserve to be destroyed as if they had rebelled against God.
וצא הלחם. צא מן הענן והלחם בו (מכילתא עמלק פ"א):
Go out to battle. Go out of the cloud and battle him.
מחר. בעת המלחמה, אנכי נצב:
“Tomorrow — at the time of battle, I will stand.”
בחר לנו אנשים. גבורים ויראי חטא, שתהא זכותן מסייעתן. דבר אחר בחר לנו אנשים, שיודעין לבטל כשפים, לפי שבני עמלק מכשפים היו:
Choose men for us — who are strong and sin-fearing (righteous) so that they may be helped by their merit. An alternate explanation: “Choose men for us — who know how to negate witchcraft,” since the Amaleikites were witchcraft practitioners.
וַיַּעַשׂ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ כַּאֲשֶׁר אָֽמַר־לוֹ מֹשֶׁה לְהִלָּחֵם בַּעֲמָלֵק וּמֹשֶׁה אַהֲרֹן וְחוּר עָלוּ רֹאשׁ הַגִּבְעָֽה׃
Yehoshua did as Moshe told him—to battle Amaleik. Moshe, Aharon and Chur went up to the top of the hill.
Yehoshua did as Moshe told him—to battle Amaleik. Moshe, Aharon and Chur went up to the top of the hill.
Rashi
ומשה אהרן וחור. מכאן לתענית שצריכים שלשה לעבור לפני התיבה, שבתענית היו שרוים:
Moshe, Aharon, and Chur. From here we derive that during a fast three people are required to go before the reader’s stand for they (the B’nei Yisrael) were then engaged in fasting.
חור. בנה של מרים היה, וכלב בעלה:
Chur. He was Miriam’s son and Koleiv was her husband.
וְהָיָה כַּאֲשֶׁר יָרִים מֹשֶׁה יָדוֹ וְגָבַר יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכַאֲשֶׁר יָנִיחַ יָדוֹ וְגָבַר עֲמָלֵֽק׃
When Moshe raised his hand, [B’nei] Yisrael prevailed; but when he let his hand down [to rest] Amaleik prevailed.
When Moshe raised his hand, [B’nei] Yisrael prevailed; but when he let his hand down [to rest] Amaleik prevailed.
Rashi
כאשר ירים משה ידו. וכי ידיו של משה נוצחות היו המלחמה וכו', כדאיתא בר"ה (כט.):
When Moshe raised his hand. “But was it the hands of Moshe that caused victory in battle, etc.” as is cited in (Maseches) Rosh Hashanah (29a).
וִידֵי מֹשֶׁה כְּבֵדִים וַיִּקְחוּ־אֶבֶן וַיָּשִׂימוּ תַחְתָּיו וַיֵּשֶׁב עָלֶיהָ וְאַהֲרֹן וְחוּר תָּֽמְכוּ בְיָדָיו מִזֶּה אֶחָד וּמִזֶּה אֶחָד וַיְהִי יָדָיו אֱמוּנָה עַד־בֹּא הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃
Moshe’s hands became heavy. They took a stone and placed it under him and he sat upon it. Aharon and Chur supported his hands, one of them on one side and one on the other side. His hands remained an expression of faith [as he prayed] until sunset.
Moshe’s hands became heavy. They took a stone and placed it under him and he sat upon it. Aharon and Chur supported his hands, one of them on one side and one on the other side. His hands remained an expression of faith [as he prayed] until sunset.
Rashi
וידי משה כבדים. בשביל שנתעצל במצוה ומנה אחר תחתיו, נתייקרו ידיו:
Moshe’s hands became heavy. Because he was lax in the performance of a mitzvah, by appointing another in his stead, his hands became heavy.
ויקחו. אהרן וחור:
They took. Aharon and Chur [took] —
אבן וישימו תחתיו. ולא ישב לו על כר וכסת, אמר, ישראל שרויין בצער, אף אני אהיה עמהם בצער:
a stone, and placed it under him. He did not seat himself on a pillow or cushion, for he said: “Yisrael is in a state of suffering. I, too, will be with them in suffering.”
ויהי ידיו אמונה. ויהי משה ידיו באמונה, פרושות השמים בתפלה נאמנה ונכונה:
His hands remained an expression of faith. I.e., Moshe was [in a state] [wherein his] hands were with faithfulness [meaning:] spread towards the heavens with faithful and well-intended prayer.
עד בא השמש. שהיו עמלקים מחשבין את השעות באיצטרו"לוגיאה, באיזו שעה הם נוצחים, והעמיד להם משה חמה וערבב את השעות:
Until sunset. For the Amaleikites calculated the hours according to astrology as to what hour is best for them to triumph. Moshe held the sun back against them thereby confusing the hours.
וַיַּחֲלֹשׁ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אֶת־עֲמָלֵק וְאֶת־עַמּוֹ לְפִי־חָֽרֶב׃ {פ}
Yehoshua weakened Amaleik and his people with the edge of the sword.
Yehoshua weakened Amaleik and his people with the edge of the sword.
Rashi
ויחלש יהושע. חתך ראשי גבוריו (תנחומא בשלח כ"ח) ולא השאיר אלא חלשים שבהם, ולא הרגם כולם, מכאן אנו למדים, שעשו על פי הדבור של שכינה:
Yehoshua weakened. He cut off the heads of his [Amaleik’s] mighty warriors and left only the weak among them and did not kill them all. From this we may conclude that they acted according to a specific command of the shechinah.
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה כְּתֹב זֹאת זִכָּרוֹן בַּסֵּפֶר וְשִׂים בְּאׇזְנֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ כִּֽי־מָחֹה אֶמְחֶה אֶת־זֵכֶר עֲמָלֵק מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃
Adonoy said to Moshe, “Write this as a remembrance in the Book, [the Torah] and repeat it in Yehoshua’s ears, for I will totally obliterate the memory of Amaleik from under the heavens.
Adonoy said to Moshe, “Write this as a remembrance in the Book, [the Torah] and repeat it in Yehoshua’s ears, for I will totally obliterate the memory of Amaleik from under the heavens.
Rashi
כתב זאת זכרון. שבא עמלק להזדווג לישראל קודם לכל האומות (מכילתא עמלק פ"ב):
Write this as a remembrance — that Amaleik came to attack Yisrael prior to any other nation.
ושים באזני יהושע. המכניס את ישראל לארץ, שיצוה את ישראל לשלם לו את גמולו, כאן נרמז לו למשה שיהושע מכניס את ישראל לארץ:
And put it into the ears of Yehoshua [Yehoshua being] the one that will bring Yisrael into the land. Let him command Yisrael to pay him [Amaleik] his deserved reward [punishment]. This was an intimation to Moshe that Yehoshua will bring Yisrael into the land.
כי מחה אמחה. לכך אני מזהירך כן, כי חפץ אני למחותו:
For I will totally obliterate. It is for this reason that I admonish you about this, because I want to obliterate him.
וַיִּבֶן מֹשֶׁה מִזְבֵּחַ וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ יְהֹוָה ׀ נִסִּֽי׃
Moshe built an altar and called it Adonoy nissi [Adonoy is my miracle].
Moshe built an altar and called it Adonoy nissi [Adonoy is my miracle].
Rashi
ויקרא שמו. של מזבח:
And called its name. [The name] of the altar.
ה' נסי. הקב"ה עשה לנו כאן נס גדול, לא שהמזבח קרוי ה', אלא המזכיר שמו של מזבח, זוכר את הנס שעשה המקום, ה' הוא נס שלנו:
Adonoy is my miracle. [Meaning:] God performed a great miracle here for us. It does not mean that the altar was called ה' but rather whoever will mention the name of the altar will mention the miracle which God performed: “God is our Miracle.”
וַיֹּאמֶר כִּֽי־יָד עַל־כֵּס יָהּ*(בכתר ארם צובה היה כתוב כֵּסְיָהּ בתיבה אחת) מִלְחָמָה לַיהֹוָה בַּֽעֲמָלֵק מִדֹּר דֹּֽר׃ {פ}
He said, “The hand is on God’s throne, Adonoy will be at war with Amaleik for all generations.”
He said, “The hand is on God’s throne, Adonoy will be at war with Amaleik for all generations.”
Rashi
ויאמר. משה:
He said. Moshe [said].
כי יד על כס יה. ידו של הקב"ה הורמה לישבע בכסאו, להיות לו מלחמה ואיבה בעמלק עולמית, ומהו כס ולא נאמר כסא, ואף השם נחלק לחציו, נשבע הקב"ה, שאין שמו שלם ואין כסאו שלם עד שימחה שמו של עמלק כולו, וכשימחה שמו, יהיה השם שלם והכסא שלם, שנאמר הָאֹויֵב תַּמּוּ חֳרָבֹות לָנֶצַח (תהלים ט, ז), זהו עמלק שכתוב בו וְעֶבְרָתֹו שְׁמָרָה נֶצַח (עמוס א, יא), וְעָרִים נָתַשְׁתָּ אָבַד זִכְרָם הֵמָּה (תהלים שם), מהו אומר אחריו, וַה' לְעֹולָם יֵשֵׁב, הרי השם שלם, כֹּונֵן לַמִּשְׁפָּט כִּסְאֹו, הרי הכסא שלם:
“The hand is on God’s throne. The hand of God is raised to swear by His Throne to have eternal war and animosity against Amaleik. Why is it written כֵּס and not כִּסֵּא and also the Name is cut in half (י־ה)? God swore that His Name will not be whole, nor will His Throne be whole until the name of Amaleik is totally obliterated. And when his name will be obliterated the Name will be whole and the Throne will be whole, as it is said: “The enemy is finished, whose swords were eternal,” which refers to Amaleik about whom it is written: “He held onto his anger forever” [The verse in Tehillim now continues:] “And cities you uprooted their memory has perished.” And what is said afterwards? “But Adonoy (י־ה־ו־ה) is forever enthroned,” whereby the Name has become whole. “He establishes (כִּסְאוֹ) His Throne for judgment,” whereby the Throne has become whole.
מה תנסון. לומר היוכל לתת מים בארץ ציה:
Why are you testing — by saying: “Is He capable of giving water in an arid land?”