Parsha Beshalach

(13,17) When Pharaoh sent away the people Elohim did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines because it was the shortest route; for Elohim said, “The people might change their minds should they encounter war, and return to Egypt.

(13,18) And so Elohim led the people round-about by way of the Reed Sea Desert, and the B’nei Yisrael went up armed from the land of Egypt.

(13,19) Moshe took the bones of Yoseif with him, for [Yoseif] had bound the B’nei Yisrael by oath saying, “Elohim will surely remember you, and [then] you must carry up my bones out of here with you.

(13,20) They journeyed from Sukkos and camped at Eisom at the edge of the desert.

(13,21) Adonoy went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them on the way, and at night in a pillar of fire to provide them with light, so that they could travel by day and by night.

(13,22) He did not remove the pillar of cloud by day, or the pillar of fire at night, from before the people.

(14,1) Adonoy spoke to Moshe saying:

(14,2) “Speak to the B’nei Yisrael and have them turn back and camp before Pi haChiros, between Migdol and the sea, facing Ba’al Tzephon. Camp opposite it, near the sea.”

(14,3) Pharaoh will then say of the B’nei Yisrael, “They are confused in the land, the desert has shut [trapped] them in.

(14,4) I will harden Pharaoh’s heart and he will pursue them. and I will be glorified through Pharaoh and his entire army. Egypt will [then] know that I am Adonoy.” They [the B’nei Yisrael] did just that.

(14,5) The king of Egypt was told that the people had fled. Pharaoh and his servants had a change of heart regarding the people, and they said, “What have we done? [How did] we release Israel from serving us?

(14,6) He [Pharaoh] harnessed his chariot and he took his people with him.

(14,7) He took six hundred elite chariots [and crews], and all the [other] chariots of Egypt, and commanders over all of them.

(14,8) Adonoy hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he pursued the B’nei Yisrael. The B’nei Yisrael went out high handedly [in triumph].

(14,9) The Egyptians pursued them and overtook them as they were encamped by the sea. There were all Pharaoh’s chariot horses, his cavalry and his army [infantry], at Pi haChiros, facing Ba’al Tzephon.

(14,10) Pharaoh drew near, and the B’nei Yisrael looked up, and beheld the Egyptians coming after them. They were very frightened, and the B’nei Yisrael cried out to Adonoy.

(14,11) They said to Moshe, “Were there not enough graves in Egypt that you took us out to die in the desert? What have you done to us, bringing us out of Egypt?

(14,12) This is the [exact] thing that we told you in Egypt saying, ‘Leave us alone and let us serve the Egyptians.’ It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than we should die in the desert.”

(14,13) Moshe said to the people, “Do not be afraid, stand firm and you will see the deliverance of Adonoy, which He will perform for you this day, for the Egyptians you have seen this day you will never again see them, even to eternity.

(14,14) Adonoy will fight for you, and you [must] remain silent.

(14,15) Adonoy said to Moshe, “Why do you cry to Me? Speak to the B’nei Yisrael and let them move on.

(14,16) And you [do as follows], raise your staff and extend your hand over the sea and split it. The B’nei Yisrael will then come [across] in the midst of the sea on dry land.

(14,17) I will harden the heart of the Egyptians and they will follow after them. I will be glorified through Pharaoh and his entire army, his chariots and his cavalry.

(14,18) The Egyptians will know that I am Adonoy when I am glorified through Pharaoh, his chariots and cavalry.

(14,19) The angel of Elohim moved [from its position] when it traveled in front of the camp of Israel, and went behind them. The pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and it stood behind them.

(14,20) It came between the Egyptian camp and the camp of Yisrael. There was the cloud and darkness [for the Egyptians] and [the pillar of fire] lit up the night. The camps did not approach each other all that night.

(14,21) Moshe extended his hand over the sea and Adonoy turned back the sea with a strong east wind [blowing] all through the night. He made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided.

(14,22) The B’nei Yisrael went into the midst of the sea on dry land. The waters were like a wall to them, to their right and to their left.

(14,23) The Egyptians pursued and followed them—all of Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots and his cavalry—into the middle of the sea.

(14,24) It was the morning watch [the end of the night] Adonoy gazed down at the Egyptians camp through the pillar of fire and cloud, and He caused panic in the Egyptian camp.

(14,25) He removed the wheels of their chariots and made them move heavily [clumsily]. The Egyptians said, “Let us flee the [B’nei] Yisrael, for Adonoy is fighting for them against Egypt.”

(14,26) Adonoy said to Moshe, “Extend your hand over the sea, and the water will come back over the Egyptians, [over] their chariots and their cavalry.”

(14,27) Moshe extended his hand over the sea, and, toward morning, the sea returned to its strength while the Egyptians were fleeing toward it. Adonoy overturned the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.

(14,28) The waters returned and covered the chariots, and the cavalry, including Pharaoh’s entire army which had followed them into the sea. Not one of them remained [alive].

(14,29) The B’nei Yisrael walked on dry land in the midst of the sea. For them the waters were a wall to their right and to their left.

(14,30) On that day Adonoy delivered [B’nei] Yisrael from the hand of Egypt. [B’nei] Yisrael saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.

(14,31) [B’nei] Yisrael saw the great hand which Adonoy wielded against Egypt. The people feared Adonoy, and believed in Adonoy and [that] Moshe [was] His servant.

(15,1) Then Moshe and the B’nei Yisrael sang this song to Adonoy and they said, I will sing to Adonoy for He is most high, horse and its rider He threw into the sea.

(15,2) The strength and retribution of God was the cause of my deliverance. This is my Almighty and I will glorify Him; the God of my father and I will exalt Him.

(15,3) Adonoy is the master of war, Adonoy is His Name.

(15,4) Pharaoh’s chariots and army He hurled into the sea; his elite officers were sunk in the Reed Sea.

(15,5) The depths covered them, they sank into the shadowy depths like stone.

(15,6) Your right hand Adonoy, is adorned with power, Your right hand Adonoy, crushes the enemy.

(15,7) In Your great majesty, You destroy Your opponents; You send forth Your fury, it consumes them like straw.

(15,8) Through the wind [breath] of Your nostrils, the waters were heaped up, flowing water stood like a wall; the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.

(15,9) The enemy said, “I will pursue [them], I will overtake [them], I will divide the spoils, I will satisfy myself; I will draw my sword, my hand will destroy them.”

(15,10) You made Your wind blow, the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters.

(15,11) Who is like You among the mighty, Adonoy! Who is like You, adorned in holiness, Awesome in praise, doing wonders?

(15,12) You extended Your right hand, the earth swallowed them.

(15,13) In Your kindliness You led the people You redeemed; with Your might You guided them to Your holy dwelling place.

(15,14) Peoples heard and they tremble, terror gripped the inhabitants of Philistia.

(15,15) Then the chiefs of Edom panicked, the mighty men of Moav were seized with trembling; all the inhabitants of Canaan melted away.

(15,16) Horror and dread fall upon them, at the greatness of Your arm, they are still as stone; until Your people cross over, Adonoy, until Your people You acquired cross over.

(15,17) You will bring them and plant them on the mountain of Your inheritance, the place for Your habitation, which You, Adonoy have made; the Sanctuary—my Master—[which] Your hands established.

(15,18) Adonoy will reign forever and ever.

(15,19) When Pharaoh came with his horse and chariot and his cavalry into the sea, Adonoy returned the waters of the sea on them; and the B’nei Yisrael walked on dry land in the midst of the sea.

(15,20) Miriam the prophetess, sister of Aharon, took the drum in her hand; and all the women followed her with drums and dancing.

(15,21) Miriam led them in the response: “Sing to Adonoy for He is most high; horse and its rider He hurled into the sea.”

(15,22) Moshe led [B’nei] Yisrael away from the Reed Sea, and they went out into the desert of Shur, they traveled for three days in the desert and they did not find any water.

(15,23) They came to Marah but they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter. The place was therefore called Marah [bitter].

(15,24) The people complained to Moshe saying, “What shall we drink?”

(15,25) He [Moshe] cried out to Adonoy, Adonoy showed him a tree and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There He set before them statutes and ordinances, and there He tested them.

(15,26) He said [to them,] “If you vigilantly obey the voice of Adonoy, your God, and do what is upright in His eyes, give ear to His commandments, and preserve all His statutes; [then], every sickness that I brought upon Egypt, I will not bring upon you, for I am Adonoy, Who heals you.

(15,27) Then they came to Eilim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy date palms. and they camped the by the water.

(16,1) They journeyed from Eilim, and the entire community of the B’nei Yisrael came to the desert of Sin, which is between Eilim and Sinai. It was the fifteenth day of the second month after they went out of the land of Egypt.

(16,2) The entire community of the B’nei Yisrael complained against Moshe and Aharon in the desert.

(16,3) The B’nei Yisrael said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of Adonoy in the land of Egypt, when we sat by pots of meat and ate our fill of bread, for you have brought us out to this desert to cause this entire congregation to die of starvation.”

(16,4) Adonoy said to Moshe, “Behold, I will make bread rain from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather enough for each day, that I may test them [to see] if they will walk in [the way of] My teaching or not.

(16,5) On the sixth day [when] they prepare what they bring [home], it will be twice as much as they gather every [other] day.”

(16,6) Moshe and Aharon said to all the B’nei Yisrael, “In the evening you will know that [it is] Adonoy [Who] brought you out from the land of Egypt.

(16,7) And in the morning you will see the glory of Adonoy, for He has heard your complaints against Adonoy. But what are we that you cause complaints against us?”

(16,8) [Then] Moshe said, “When Adonoy gives you meat to eat in the evening, and a filling meal of bread in the morning, Adonoy will have heard your complaints, that you cause complaints against Him. What are we? Your complaints are not against us but against Adonoy.”

(16,9) Then Moshe said to Aharon, “Say to the entire community of the B’nei Yisrael: Come near before Adonoy, for He has heard your complaints.”

(16,10) As Aharon spoke to the entire community of the B’nei Yisrael, they turned toward to the desert, and behold the glory of Adonoy was visible in the cloud.

(16,11) Adonoy spoke to Moshe saying,

(16,12) “I have heard the complaints of the B’nei Yisrael. Speak to them saying, ‘Between evenings [afternoon] you will eat meat, and in the morning you will have your fill of bread, and you will know that I am Adonoy, your God.

(16,13) It was evening and quails rose up and covered the camp. In the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp.

(16,14) The layer of dew had risen, and behold, on the surface of the desert were thin [uncovered] flakes. It was as fine as frost on the ground.

(16,15) The B’nei Yisrael saw it and said to one another, “It is a food,” for they did not know [exactly] what [kind] it was. Moshe said to them, “This is the bread that Adonoy is giving you to eat.

(16,16) This is what Adonoy has commanded: Each man shall gather his requirement of food. An omer per person, according to the number of your people. shall each man take for those in his tent.”

(16,17) The B’nei Yisrael did so. They gathered it, some more, some less.

(16,18) However when they measured it with an omer, the one who had taken more had no extra, and the one who had taken less, was not lacking. They had gathered exactly enough for each one to eat.

(16,19) Moshe said to them, “Let no man leave any over until morning.”

(16,20) They did not listen to Moshe, and some men left some over until morning. It became wormy and putrid, and Moshe was angry with them.

(16,21) They gathered it each morning, each man according to what he would eat. [When] the sun became hot, it melted.

(16,22) When the sixth day came, what they had gathered [was a] double [portion of] bread, two omers for each individual. All the leaders of the community came and told Moshe [about it].

(16,23) He said to them, “This is what Adonoy has said: Tomorrow is a [day of] rest, Adonoy’s holy Shabbos. Bake what you want to bake, and cook what you want to cook, and whatever is left over, put aside for yourselves, to preserve it until the morning.”

(16,24) They put it aside until morning as Moshe had commanded. It did not turn putrid and there were no worms in it.

(16,25) Moshe said, “Eat it today, for today is Shabbos to Adonoy. Today you will not find it [manna] in the field.

(16,26) Six days you shall gather it, but the seventh day is Shabbos, there will be none on [that day].”

(16,27) When the seventh day came some of the people went out to gather, but they found none.

(16,28) Adonoy said to Moshe, “How long will you refuse to keep My commandments and My teachings.”

(16,29) See, because Adonoy gave you the Shabbos, therefore He gave you on the sixth day bread for two days. Every man must remain in his place. No man may go out of his place on the seventh day.

(16,30) The people rested on the seventh day.

(16,31) The House of Yisrael named it [the food] man[na]. It was like white coriander seed, and it tasted like wafers in honey.

(16,32) Moshe said, “This is what Adonoy has commanded: Fill an omer [measure] with it to preserve it for your generations. That they may see the bread with which I fed you in the desert when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.”

(16,33) Moshe said to Aharon, “Take a jar and put an omer full of manna in it, and place it before Adonoy to be preserved for your generations.”

(16,34) As Adonoy commanded Moshe, Aharon placed it before the Testimony for preservation.

(16,35) The B’nei Yisrael ate the manna for forty years, until they came to an inhabited land. They ate the manna until they came to the edge of the land of Canaan.

(16,36) The omer is a tenth of an eiphoh.

(17,1) 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.

(17,2) 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?”

(17,3) 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?”

(17,4) Moshe cried out to Adonoy saying, “What shall I do for this people? Before long they will stone me.”

(17,5) 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.

(17,6) 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.

(17,7) 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?”

(17,8) Amaleik came and fought with [B’nei] Yisrael in Rephidim.

(17,9) 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.”

(17,10) Yehoshua did as Moshe told him—to battle Amaleik. Moshe, Aharon and Chur went up to the top of the hill.

(17,11) When Moshe raised his hand, [B’nei] Yisrael prevailed; but when he let his hand down [to rest] Amaleik prevailed.

(17,12) 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.

(17,13) Yehoshua weakened Amaleik and his people with the edge of the sword.

(17,14) 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.

(17,15) Moshe built an altar and called it Adonoy nissi [Adonoy is my miracle].

(17,16) He said, “The hand is on God’s throne, Adonoy will be at war with Amaleik for all generations.”