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Be quiet!
Prior to the dramatic splitting of the Red Sea that took place after the Exodus, the Israelites found themselves between a rock and a hard place. The Egyptian chariots were closing in from behind and the sea was in front. Some of the people panicked and complained; others held fast and prayed; some were prepared to go to war.
Rabbi Matthew Liebenberg
Claremont Wynberg Shul
“Moses said to the people: ‘Do not fear! Stand fast and see the salvation of Hashem that He will perform for you today; for as you have seen Egypt today, you shall not see them ever again! Hashem shall make war for you, and you shall remain silent.’” What does this phrase mean?
Rabbeinu Bachya views it not as a rebuke against their grumbling but as an inspiring message: “Hashem will fight on your behalf because since the Egyptians saw that it was none other than Hashem Himself who slew their firstborn and yet they still pursued you, it is clear that their fight is not against you but against Hashem. Because this is so, the war is His to wage and not yours and therefore you must remain silent.”
Rabbi Meir Simcha of Dvinsk explains, based on a Midrash, that the phrase may be read as applying also to future generations.
However, there is a difference between the Exodus and future generations. At the Exodus the Israelites had a justifiable claim against Hashem – why had He taken them out of Egypt only to die soon thereafter?
Thus He was compelled by all that is right and fair, to fight on their behalf. However, times would come when Jews would not have a justifiable complaint against G-d or a good reason to ask for His assistance.
Nevertheless, He promised them that even at such times He will fight on their behalf: “Hashem will fight on your behalf” even at a time “when you shall remain silent” out of a sense of shame with no adequate claim for help.
There is a Chassidic interpretation of this verse. The word yelachem, normally translated as “He will fight” is related to the word lechem, meaning “bread”.
Furthermore, the word tacharishun, “You shall remain silent” is related to the verb charash, meaning “plow”. Hence the verse would read: “Hashem shall provide bread for you, provided that you plow.” This reflects a basic Jewish belief that G-d will assist man only if man himself begins the process.
We must first work the land and then G-d will produce the result. This is, of course, opposite to the actual context in which the phrase appears where G-d tells the Jewish people to do nothing at all and He will fight on their behalf.
Another original explanation has been put forward. A venerable rabbi was visiting a city on Shabbat Shirah, when the tale of the splitting of the sea is read. He noticed that the congregants were very talkative.
In his sermon he explained that we must seek relevance to current events in the weekly parsha. How do we apply the phrase “Hashem will fight for you and you shall remain silent?”
The rabbi continued: “Hashem will fight for you against the schemes of the evil inclination, but that is provided you fulfil the condition in the verse, “and you shall remain silent.
“If you restrain yourselves from speaking about worldly matters in shul, then you will merit His assistance.” I imagine that you could hear a pin drop from that point on in the service!