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THE WEEKLY SIDRA- B’SHALACH
Rabbi Moshe Greebel
It is impossible for any Jew not to be daily reminded of that saddest period in Jewish history, the Holocaust, which occurred only seventy years ago to the writing of this mailing. While that incredibly distressing number of six million fatalities of those who died Al Kiddush HaShem (for the sanctification of HaShem) is how this tragedy for European Jews is generally viewed, in truth, the losses were much greater than any simple number can portray. But, we will shortly return to this theme.
In this week’s Sidra, as the B’nai Yisroel left Egypt after two hundred and ten years of residing there, HaShem did not lead them through the land of the P’lishtim:
“But G-d led the people around, through the way of the wilderness of the Yam Suf (Reed Sea); and the B’nai Yisroel went up armed out of the land of Egypt.” (Sh’mos 13:17)
Now, the rule is ‘Ain HaMikra Yotzay Midei P’shuto,’ which means to say that a Passuk (verse) dealing with a narrative, may be correctly interpreted based on its simple meaning, without deeper meanings from Midrash and Agada. From the simple perspective of the above Passuk, the term ‘VaChamushim’ does literally mean carrying weapons in LaShon HaKodesh (the holy language).
Yet, as we have seen so many times in these mailings, words in LaShon HaKodesh have multiple meanings. In addition to the term ‘VaChamushim’ meaning ‘armed,’ it does seem to originate from the word ‘Chamaish,’ or five. After expounding on the simple meaning of ‘VaChamushim,’ Rashi on this Passuk, cites the M’chilta, which supplies us with the more profound meaning:
“Another explanation of VaChamushim is from the multiples of fives, which means that (only) one (of the B’nai Yisroel) left (Egypt), while four others died (there) during the three days of Choshech (darkness).”
Even though Rashi did not complete the quote, the M’chilta goes on to say that in the opinion of others, only one in fifty, or even only one in five hundred (multiples of fives) left Egypt. One way or the other, this leaves us with a very obvious difficulty. As is well known, the number of males of the B’nai Yisroel from ages twenty to sixty was six hundred thousand. This of course, does not account for males below twenty and those above sixty. Neither does it account for all the females. Basically then, we are speaking of millions of people.
Therefore, based on the percentages of the opinions of the M’chilta, either thirty million or even three hundred million B’nai Yisroel would have died and been buried, during the three days of the Choshech, prior to the Exodus. And, if so many millions of the B’nai Yisroel, a staggering number, died in Egypt at that time, would this not have been the most terrible Makka (plague) imaginable, even more so than the Makkos (plagues) suffered by Egypt? For our answer to this query, we turn to the text Mai’Ain Bais HaSho’Aiva by Rav Shimon Schwab of blessed memory (1908- 1993), who provides us with the above estimates of thirty or three hundred million B’nai Yisroel.
Rav Shimon begins with the accusation of HaShem against Kayin, for having murdered his brother Hevel:
“And He said, ‘What have you done? The voice of your brother’s bloods cry to Me from the ground!’” (B’raishis 4:10)
The term ‘bloods’ in the above Passuk is not a typographical error, but a literal translation. The Mishna in Sanhedrin 37a, explained it this way:
“…..For, thus we find in the case of Kayin who murdered his brother. For, it does not state ‘Your brother’s blood cries to Me,’ but rather, ‘Your brother’s bloods cry to Me.’ This means his blood, and the blood of his future descendents (who will never be born)…..”
Now, if we take the amount of human beings that can descend from just one person down through many generations, we will have a surprisingly astounding number of people. In truth, explained Rav Shimon, the same principle applies here to the percentages who left Egypt. Yes, there were individuals among the B’nai Yisroel who did not deserve to be redeemed from Egypt, and died there. Only individual cases however died, not four out of five, or forty nine out of fifty, or four hundred and ninety nine out of five hundred. The M’chilta, taught Rav Shimon, is not speaking of thirty million or three hundred million who died in Egypt, but rather, of those who would never be born to our ancestors who did die there.
And so, while whenever B’nai Yisroel die it is a tragedy, the number who literally died in Egypt, is actually much smaller than normally thought. This was certainly no Makka of millions. As well, continued Rav Shimon, there is a very obvious proof to these words.
In the above Rashi, we see that these unworthy individuals of the B’nai Yisroel died during the three days of Choshech. Why did they die at this specific time? Rav Shimon explained that HaShem did not wish to to have the Egyptians know that any of the B’nai Yisroel died. Therefore, they died and were buried during the three days of Choshech, the Egyptians never knowing of these deaths.
However, if we say that there were thirty million or three hundred million fatalaties among the B’nai Yisroel, how could the Egyptians not have known about such an obvious loss of humanity, or population? Hence, reasoned Rav Shimon, only certain unworthy individuals died, which remained unknown to Egypt.
Rav Shimon concluded in the following manner. The same holds true with regards to the Nazis, may their accursed memory be blotted out, who murdered six million K’doshim (martyrs) during the Holocaust. In truth, as far as the eternity of the Jewish people is concerned, the losses were very much more than six million. For, from those murdered, tens of millions could have descended.
Concluding with the previous Mishna from Sanhedrin 37a, we see why in the scheme of creation, only man was initially created alone, without a separate mate:
“…..For this reason was man created alone, to teach you that whosever destroys a single soul of Yisroel, Scripture imputes (guilt) to him, as though he had destroyed a complete world…..”
May HaKadosh Baruch Hu constantly keep His vigil upon us, to protect us, and keep us always far from harm’s way.
May we soon see the G’ulah Sh’laimah in its complete resplendency- and in our times. Good Shabbos.
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