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The Mekhilta of Rabbi Ishmael

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The Mekhilta of Rabbi Ishmael Parashat Beshallach 2021 Text 1: The Mekhilta of Rabbi Ishmael (110 CE) “God led the people not by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near (Exodus 13:17)” signifies that God recognized that the way would have been nearer not for their arrival to the Land of Israel but was nearer for the Israelites to return to Egypt. Text 2: Rabbi Jose ben Hanina (250 CE) God did not lead the Israelites by way of the Philistines because Abimelech’s grandson was still alive. God did not want the Israelites to violate Abraham’s oath (Genesis 21:23- 24) not to deal falsely with Abimelech, his son, or his grandson. Text 3: The Mekhilta of Rabbi Ishmael (110 CE) Exodus 13:18: The word chamushim (armed) indicates that only one out of five (chamishah) of the Israelites left Egypt, though some say that only one out of 50 did, while others say one out of 500 did. Text 4: Midrash On Exodus 14:6: “And he made ready his chariot” indicates that Pharaoh prepared his chariot personally. This is either to indicate that he did so because his slaves, who had previously prepared his chariot, were no longer present, or it is to indicate the intensity of Pharaoh’s hate. Text 5: Rabbi Meir When the Israelites stood by the sea, the tribes competed with each other over who would go into the sea first. The tribe of Benjamin argued that they should go first as they are the youngest and would be tasked with ruling over the others (Psalm 68:28). Then Judah threw stones at them, arguing that they should go first. Then Nachson ben Aminadab stepped forward and went into the sea first, praying to God (Psalm 69:2-16). Text 6: Rabbi Akiva As Pharaoh’s army approached, Moses prayed to God. God responded to Moses, “My beloved ones are approaching, and you prolong prayer before me?” Moses responded, “Lord of the Universe, what is there in my power to do?” God replied (Exodus 14:15-16): “Speak to the children of Israel that they go forward. And lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it; and the children of Israel shall go into the midst on dry ground.” Text 7: Rabbi Eliezer Regarding Exodus 14:15: “And God said to Moses, ‘Why do you cry to Me? Speak to the children of Israel that they go forward.’” God was telling Moses that there is a time to pray briefly and a time to pray at length. God was telling Moses that God’s children were in trouble, the sea had cut them off, the enemy pursued, and yet Moses stood and said a long prayer! Text 8: Rabbi Judah On 14:15: God was saying that the Israelites’ faith was sufficient cause for the sea to part. For notwithstanding their fear, the Israelites had believed in God and followed Moses that far. Text 9: Rabbi Jonathan After the sea collapsed, the ministering angels began to rejoice with angelic singing. But God rebuked them: “The work of my hands is being drowned in the sea and you want to sing songs? Text 10: Rabbi Simon On the fourth day, the Israelites were still encamped by the edge of the sea. The Egyptians were floating like skin-bottles upon the surface of the waters. The Israelites saw the Egyptians and recognized them, saying that these were officials of Pharaoh’s palace, and those were taskmasters. The Israelites recognized every one, as Exodus 14:30 states, “And Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.” Text 11: Mekhilta of Rabbi Ishmael There are four reasons for why the Israelites needed to see the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore: 1. So that the Israelites should not imagine that the Egyptians escaped the sea on the other side; 2. So that the Egyptians should not imagine that the Israelites were lost in the sea; 3. So that the Israelites might take the Egyptians’ spoils of silver, gold, stones and pearls; 4. So that the Israelites would recognize the Egyptians and reprove them. Text 12: Dan Nichols Prior to singing the Song of the Sea, the Israelites sat in silence, with three words upon their hearts: Oh. My. God. .
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