Beshalach: Bittersweet

By Yonatan Berner

I heard a very nice idea from Rav Aryeh Lebowitz and wanted to share some thoughts on

it. We find the episode of “marah” in this week's Parsha. After crossing the large waters of the

Yam Suf, Am Yisrael approaches Moshe complaining they have no water to drink. And after a

brief consultation with God, Moshe is told to throw a tree into the bitter water and make it pure

and sweet. There are many strange aspects of this story. Why did they have to ask for the water?

Couldn’t God have just given them the fresh water from the beginning? Why does God think it's

a good time to teach us a bunch of mitzvos afterwards? And why do Chazal say that this is the

source for not going more than 3 days without krias hatorah, what does that have to do with the

Jews wanting water in the midbar? What is the connection to this story and Torah and Mitzvos?

The Kutzker famously comments on the words “Ki Marim Hem” - “because they were

bitter”, and points out the possibility of those words referring not to the waters, but rather to Am

Yisrael themselves. They were bitter people with a bitter attitude and therefore could not find any

sweetness in the water, only bitterness. The water may have in fact been just fine, but if one

approaches the situation with a bitter attitude, he will find the result to be bitter as well.

At Marah, Hashem was teaching us a lesson. There will always be challenges and “bitter”

moments; however, how we approach the situation makes all the difference. If we can approach a

(bitter) situation from the perspective of the Torah and realize that Hashem is running the world

and although we may not understand everything, we must focus on doing our avodah and our

tafkid. Focus on all the other good Hashem has given us and focus on our Torah and Mitzvos.

That is how one can find sweetness even in the bitter moments of life.

This is why Hashem had Moshe throw a tree into the water - because eitz chaim hi

lmachazikim bah - the Torah will create sweet water to live off for those who cling to it. And that

is why Hashem took the opportunity to teach us new Mitzvos afterwards. Focusing on doing

what Hashem wants from us (Torah and Mitzvos), is how we as Jews must strive to approach

seemingly bitter situations. The Torah is what brings us ultimate shalom and simcha.

Rav Taragin often likes to point out that the central theme in this week’s Parsha is the

importance of bitachon learned from kriyas yam suf. The importance of having: “confidence to

move forward despite the unknowns that lay ahead (the yam suf) and realizing that Hashem has

our backs (and fronts).” (RT). I think this yesod very much relates, both chronologically and

thematically, to our lesson at Marah. Torah and Mitzvos is both the process and the expression of

our bitachon in Hashem, and this is what ultimately gives us the koach to find simcha and

persevere through the difficult times.

Rav Taragin also likes to tell the story of a man from Yerushalayim who wrote to the

Lubavitcher Rebbe about his hardships in life. The Rebbe’s response tried to convey how his

lack of appreciation for what Hashem has given him thus far, is what is holding him back from

future success. I think this ties into our central theme here as well. Lack of appreciating the

sweetness that we already have, creates a future of only more bitterness. This also fits right into

the next episode we encounter in the Parsha, of Hashem feeding us the manna for the first time,

and possibly why this week is a special week for Jews to daven for Parnassah.

As we begin our approach to the month of Adar, where we look to increase our simcha,

let us try to learn the lessons from Beshalach of the true way to achieve that. Kriyas yam suf,

Marah, and The Mann, all highlight the key to real happiness. Trusting in Hashem, having a

positive attitude and perspective, appreciating the good that we have, and living a life of Torah

and Mitzvos is not only what Hashem is asking of us, but also the key to getting through bitter

moments and living a happy life.

May we only share smachot together and may we continue to grow as bnei torah with the

correct perspective, both as individuals and as a chevra.