Nefesh David – Beshalach

The 11th of Shevat is the Yahrtzeit of Rav Dovid Nosan Deutsch, son of R’ Yosef Yoel Deutsch, and the second Rav of Kretchenif (1879). He authored Nefesh Dovid on Chumash.

“And it was, when Pharaoh sent out the nation.” In the previous portion the verse says that “Because with a mighty hand, God took us out of Egypt,” indicating that God took us out, and that it was not Pharaoh who “sent” us out.

The reason God used His “Mighty Hand” to take the people out of Egypt was because He took them out before their time, before they were spiritually meritorious, and before the destined time.

This idea is rooted in the concept of “Adding from the Mundane to the Holy.” God added to the Holy – the Redemption – from the mundane – when the people where not yet deserving.

This explains why the Midrash says that the opening word of the portion, “Vayihi,” actually hints to, “Oy Vey!” Moshe cried because he understood at that moment the he would not enter Israel.

What happened at that moment? Moshe already suspected that he would not be able to enter Israel. What made this moment worse?

Moshe allowed the “Eruv Ra,” – a bad mixture of non-believing Egyptians to tag along with the Children of Israel. He immediately knew that God was displeased, but felt that he could argue that we always add from the mundane to the holy, which is what he did by adding these non-holy Egyptians to be added to Israel.

However, once he saw that God had already added to the holy with His “Mighty Hand,” as explained above, he understood that his efforts to do the same were wasted. He could no longer argue his case, and he cried, “Oy Vay!” (Nefesh David – Beshalach)