(2013/5773)
A gentleman who taught for decades at various public schools and then taught at a Yeshiva high school for the first time commented that he was astounded at how the Yeshiva students challenge him constantly regarding the points he raises in class. A student who transferred from public school to a Yeshiva high school commented that he was astounded to see how his peers constantly challenge their teachers. He was even more astounded at how the Rebbeim appeared to rather enjoy being challenged. The Rebbeim seemed to revel in the difficult questions posed by the students.
Such behavior is not atypical among our people. In fact, Amos Oz, a prominent Israeli novelist, is cited in Start-Up Nation (page 51) as commenting:
Judaism and Israel have always cultivated a culture of doubt and argument, an open-ended game of interpretations, counter-interpretations, reinterpretations, opposing interpretations. From the beginning of the existence of Jewish civilization, it was recognized by its argumentativeness.
Mr. Oz, an avowed secularist, is correct regarding this point. Nearly every page of Gemara is filled with arguments. The intense arguments persist with great vigor throughout the period of the Rishonim and continue with the myriad of debates concerning Rambam and the Shulchan Aruch. Until this very day an excellent Shiur and Yeshiva are distinguished by intense debate and argument. The Gemara (Bava Metzia 84a) relates how Rabi Yochanan experienced severe depression because his students were not challenging him after the death of Reish Lakish. Rabi Yochanan longed for the time when Reish Lakish’s persistent questioning allowed for the refining of his Torah thoughts and approaches.
Weird Way of Waging Amaleik War
Let us bear this insight in mind as we analyze the highly unusual manner in which Bnei Yisrael waged war against Amaleik as recorded in Shemot 17:8-16, the portion of the Torah read on Purim morning. Be’eir Yosef (Parashat BeShalach) identifies five very odd aspects of this war. First, why does Moshe Rabbeinu ask Yehoshua to lead this battle? Moshe Rabbeinu led us in battle against Sichon and Og (BeMidbar 21:34 and Devarim 1:4) so why does he not do so against Amaleik? It is most strange that in our first battle Moshe Rabbeinu leaves the leadership of the battle to his student instead of leading the battle himself.
Moreover, why does Moshe Rabbeinu entirely disengage from the battle and ascend a nearby hill instead of “calling the plays from the sidelines.” To use an analogy from sports, it as if a coach of a football team took a vacation while his team was playing its first game. Although Ramban (Shemot 17:9) explains that Moshe retreats to engage in Tefillah, we may ask why Moshe Rabbeinu does not do so during the battles against Sichon and Og. Furthermore, if he withdraws in order to pray, then descending to a lower place would be in order as we find in Tehilim 130:1 (“MiMa’amakim Keraticha Hashem”) and Berachot 10b.
A third atypical facet of this war is that Moshe Rabbeinu takes Mateih HaElokim (the staff he used in connection with many of the Makkot in Mitzrayim) to the hill and then never uses it! Seforno (Shemot 17:9) explains that Moshe Rabbeinu uses it to indicate when he is davening for our victory, in order that we join our hearts and pray with him. Seforno believes this is analogous to the cloths that used to be waved in the extraordinarily large synagogue in Alexandria, Egypt in order to indicate the time to answer Amein (Sukkah 51b). Although Seforno’s approach is most interesting, there is no explicit evidence for his assertion in the Chumash and thus leaves room for an alternative explanation.
A fourth unusual feature of this war is that it is the only battle recorded in the Chumash in which the results waver so frequently, as Bnei Yisrael are successful when Moshe Rabbeinu holds his hands high and lose when he fails to do so. A fifth odd aspect is that it is the only time in the Chumash where Moshe Rabbeinu exhibits physical frailty, when he needs Aharon and Chur to support his arms. This is most unusual considering that Moshe Rabbeinu is described (Devarim 34:7) as not having lost his vigor even on the day of his death.
Our Skepticism Prior to the Amaleik War
Be’eir Yosef argues that the key to this solution lies in understanding our mindset at the outset of this war. The Pasuk prior to the war with Amaleik (Shemot 17:7) describes our having doubted whether Hashem was amongst us. Our questioning whether God was with us is quite astounding considering that we had very recently witnessed the Ten Makkot in Mitzrayim, the splitting of the Yam Suf, and the miracle of the Man delivery. What more evidence did we need?
Be’eir Yosef explains that we considered the possibility that Moshe Rabbeinu and not Hashem was responsible for the great miracles we had witnessed. We considered that perhaps Moshe Rabbeinu was a master manipulator of nature and was somehow able to bring about the Makkot, Keri’at Yam Suf, and the daily Man. Evidence for Be’eir Yosef may be drawn from two sources. In Shemot 16:3 it is recorded that we said to Moshe and Aharon that “you” took us out of Mitzrayim. In Shemot 17:2 we demanded from Moshe Rabbeinu that “he” bring about water in the desert. We did not request that Moshe Rabbeinu ask Hashem to bring water. Rather, we asked that Moshe bring it himself.
Amaleik War as a Response to the Skepticism
Be’eir Yosef explains that Moshe Rabbeinu arranges for the war against Amaleik to be waged in a manner that dispels any of our lingering doubts. Moshe Rabbeinu seeks to make it absolutely clear that it is Hashem who brings about the great miracles we witness and not Moshe Rabbeinu. With this insight we now proceed to explain the five oddities we identified earlier.
Moshe Rabbeinu completely withdraws from his battle in order to make it crystal clear that it is neither he nor Aharon who brings about the astonishing miracles against Amaleik. Moshe stands on the top of the hill for all to witness that it is not he who brings about the miraculous win. The Mateh is similarly conspicuously withdrawn from use in order that the people not attribute their success to any special powers associated with that staff. Likewise, it is most appropriate that on this occasion Moshe Rabbeinu exhibit to all of us an episode of physical frailty. Finally, the battle wavers, explain Chazal (Rosh Hashanah 29a, cited by Rashi to Shemot 17:11), depending on whether we subordinate our hearts to Hashem. Thus, each Jew experiences that his trust and faith in Hashem brings victory and lack of Emunah and Bitachon spells failure. All of Bnei Yisrael have the opportunity to experience and fully understand that Hashem is responsible for the great miracles and not Moshe Rabbeinu, Aharon, or the Mateh.
One may respond that the fact that we win only when Moshe Rabbeinu’s hands are raised would seem to prove just the opposite – that Moshe Rabbeinu is responsible for the miracle. The answer is that Chazal explain that it is not Moshe’s hands which bring about the victory; rather, Moshe Rabbeinu is simply pointing to the heavens to remind us that success is all from Hashem.
Chazal’s insight is most convincing considering the fact that the Amaleik war is the only occasion where we find Moshe Rabbeinu displaying physical frailty. If Moshe Rabbeinu’s raised hands are somehow responsible for the victory then these extraordinary hands wouldn’t become weak and need to be supported by Aharon and Chur.
Thus, we emerge from the war of Amaleik strengthened in our faith and are ready to accept the Torah at Sinai. Interestingly, Be’eir Yosef’s insight helps explain the surprising opinion of Rabi Yehoshua (Zevachim 116a, cited by Rashi to Shemot 18:1) that Yitro is motivated to join our people not only by hearing about Keri’at Yam Suf but also by hearing of the war against Amaleik. Commentaries have noted that it is readily understandable that Yitro would be motivated by the splitting of the sea, but have wondered why the war against Amaleik would motivate Yitro to join us. Based on Be’eir Yosef’s approach we suggest that the manner in which the war against Amaleik is waged clarifies to Yitro that Keri’at Yam Suf was an authentic miracle.
Conclusion - A Skeptical People
Be’eir Yosef’s insight helps explain the phenomenon mentioned above; namely, the argumentative and contentious nature of our people. It is not a new phenomenon but rather one that extends to the early beginnings of our people. Already in the Sinai desert, we had witnessed a series of astounding miracles and yet we remained skeptical!
Is there a positive side to this phenomenon? The answer is a resounding yes! The Gemara (Beitzah 25b) already notes that Hashem specifically chose to give the Torah to us, the most “Az” of all nations. One could translate Az as fierce, but I suggest it be translated as brazen (such as Az KaNameir, brazen as a leopard, Avot 5:20) in the sense of argumentativeness and contentiousness. One could argue that Hashem chose the Jewish people, the most brazen of people, to receive the Torah, because we are the most suited to serve as His witnesses (see Yeshayahu 43:10) that this revelation indeed occurred. If such an argumentative and contentious people confirm the veracity of the Sinai revelation despite the extensive demands it makes upon its adherents, then it most certainly is true.
The next time you see a food product with four different rabbinic Kashrut endorsements on its label, do not become frustrated at the divisiveness amongst our people; rather, remind yourself that this is evidence that the Sinai revelation is true. If a people who require four different rabbinic organizations to confirm the Kosher status of a bottle of wine can agree that God revealed the Torah to them at Sinai, then the only reasonable conclusion is that it must be true.
Postscript
In H.W. Brands’ biography of Ben Franklin entitled The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin, he records that Franklin rejected belief in the Sinaitic revelation because he thought God would have revealed himself to the entire world. Our essay provides one response to this question. God specifically chose the most argumentative and contentious people to confirm the veracity of the Sinaitic revelation (and also a people whose miraculous survival and thriving itself serves as evidence of the divine authorship of the Torah). There are other responses that we leave for another occasion to address.