Religious Pluralism \ Parashat Hashavua-- The Weekly Torah PortionCrossing the Reed Sea: Our Mythic MomentParashat B'Shalach Sh'mot (Exodus) 13:17 - 17:16
February 6-7, 1998 -- 11 Shvat 5758
This week's parasha contains one of the Torah's great mythic moments
-- the crossing of the Reed Sea (sorry, it's not Red), and the
great Song of the Sea, the cathartic moment when the people of
Israel broke out in song in thanks to God for saving them from
the pursuing Egyptians.
Lest anyone should misunderstand, let me clarify what I mean by
"mythic". In the language of the phenomenology of religion,
a mythic moment is a defining moment, a seminal moment -- a moment
that will echo throughout the generations of that religion's texts
and traditions. Mythic does not mean it didn't happen. Mythic
does not mean that it did happen, either. The historic truth
of a mythic moment is irrelevant to the role it plays in shaping
and reflecting a religion's theology and values. You'll get an
idea of the scope of a mythic moment if you think of the expression
"of mythic proportions." So, please, don't spread the
word around the Web that Levin thinks that the crossing of the
Reed Sea never happened. I never said that!
Keeping all this in mind, we should ask how the event of the crossing
of the Reed Sea is reflected in our texts and in our traditions.
What is the essential theological message that makes this moment
THE cornerstone of our identity as a people? For that is so.
Surprisingly enough, it is not the giving of the Torah at Mount
Sinai that serves as a reference point in our liturgy, but "y'tziyat
mitzrayim" (the leaving of Egypt).
The siddur (prayerbook) is the Jewish book of socialization --
it is the concise presentation of our values and our basic theological
concepts as they have evolved over the centuries. Through teaching
our children our liturgy and through repeating the prayers ourselves,
we are, as a people, internalizing the messages of the siddur.
Our liturgy repeatedly enjoins us to keep two images in the forefront
of our minds as we pray -- the remembrance of the act of creation
("zeicher l'ma'aseh b'reishit) and the remembrance of the
leaving of Egypt ("zeicher l'y'tziyat mitzrayim"). In
the Kiddush over the wine on Friday night, at the first festive
meal (s'eudah) of the Sabbath, the words "zeicher l'y'tziyat
mitzrayim" provide the context for the Shabbat and the festivals
: "It [Shabbat] is first among our days of sacred assembly,
which recall the Exodus from Egypt." In the Amida (the
series of blessings recited daily while standing) for the three
pilgrimage festivals the phrase appears again: Lovingly, Lord
our God, You have given us Festivals for joy and holidays for
happiness among them this (festival of Pesach; festival of Shavuot,
festival of Sukkot) a day for sacred assembly, recalling the Exodus
from Egypt.
But, what is it that we are to remember about the Exodus from
Egypt. Other liturgical passages do more than remind us to remember
-- they spell out what is to be remembered and why: The daily
liturgy opens with a series of Psalms and other biblical quotes
that serve as "mood music" for the central prayers to
follow. The common denominator of all the texts is words of praise
for God -- as creator, as protector of Israel, as guardian of
Israel. The highpoint of this unit -- "P'sukei d'Zimra"
(Verses of Song) -- is the entire passage of Shirat HaYam (the
Song of the Sea) from this week's parasha. Thus, in the estimation
of the sages who compiled this introductory section, Shirat HaYam
is the quintessential text of praise.
The Song is a dramatic, theologically oriented rendering of the
salvation that the people had just experienced. A few verses
from the Song will suffice to convey its mood:
I will sing to the Lord, mighty in majestic triumph.
. . . .
It is clear that the people are singing praises to
the Lord who wiped out the Egyptian forces. The repetition of
the demise of the Egyptians may seem, at this distance, a bit
bloodthirsty for our taste -- but in the emotional release of
the moment it is more than understandable.
The question is, why was this passage chosen to be
repeated daily? Ponder that while I move on to another text.
The events of our parasha are referred to again in
the next major section of the morning liturgy -- the Reading of
the Sh'ma and its Surrounding Blessings ("K'riyat Sh'ma u'birchoteha).
After the recitation of the biblical passages from the books
of D'varim (Deuteronomy) and Bamidbar (Numbers), the concluding
blessing focuses, again, on God as the saving force of Israel
in the past, and the hope that He will continue to protect His
people:
You were always the help of our ancestors, a shield
for them and for their children, our deliverer in every generation.
. . . We have no King or Redeemer but You. You rescued us from
Egypt; You redeemed us from the house of bondage. The firstborn
of the Egyptians were slain; Your firstborn were saved. You split
the waters of the sea. The faithful You rescued; the wicked drowned.
The waters engulfed Israel's enemies; not one of the arrogant
remained alive. Then Your beloved sang hymns of acclamation,
extolling You with psalms of adoration. . . .
There are other passages in the liturgy that enjoin
us to remember, or that spell out the events of this week's parasha
-- but I hope I've given enough examples to establish the crossing
of the Reed Sea as a mythic moment.
As I indicated above, the leaving of Egypt need not
be the only candidate for "quintessential mythic moment".
I've often wondered why the giving of the Torah at Sinai is not
recalled as often. It seems to me that the key is in the experiences
themselves as they are described in the Bible -- or rather in
who experiences these moments.
As we will soon read, God's presence on Mount Sinai
was so intense that Moshe was the only one who could endure receiving
the revelation of the Torah first hand. The people stood together
at the foot of the mountain, but they were at least once removed
from the direct revelation.
On the other hand, every man, woman and child of
the people Israel stepped on the dry land between the walls of
water of the Reed Sea. Everyone experienced God's salvation personally
and directly -- and everyone participated equally in their own
salvation by taking that step of faith between the threatening
walls of water.
The Song of the Sea is the very human response to
what must have been an awesome experience. We may cringe from
the expressions of joy at the death of so many Egyptians (which,
according to the Midrash, the angels are NOT allowed to do) --
but we are centuries removed from that moment.
This Shabbat, in synagogues of all types all over
the world, whole congregations will stand as the Song of the Sea
is read aloud from the Torah. Try not to shrink from the raw
emotion of that moment -- let the wonder of that incredible salvation
touch you, and maybe you'll feel like bursting out into song yourself!
As the Passover Haggadah will remind us in a few months: "In
each and every generation, every Jew is obligated to see himself
as if he went out from Egypt."
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