“It
came to pass when Pharaoh sent (beshalach)
the people, that God did not lead them [by] way of the land of the
Philistines that was near, because God said: ‘Lest the people
reconsider when they see war and return to Egypt’.” (Exodus
13:17)
It
is a natural reaction of our sense of survival to avoid anything that
threatens our life, but in the context of this verse it is about our
reaction against leaving the “comfort zone” created by
ego’s fantasies and illusions.
Our oral tradition tells that the
Tribe of Ephraim decided to leave Egypt on their own without Moses’
leadership, and were decimated when caught in their way to the
Promised Land through the land of the Philistines. This means that it
is not enough to have a clear sense of spiritual destination but to
cleave always to the guidance of our constant awareness of the
Creator's will. As we have said, this permanent awareness is
represented by Moses.
“And
the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to cause it to
lead them on the way, and at night in a pillar of fire to give them
light, [that they may] travel day and night. He did not move away the
pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire at night before the
people.” (13:21-22)
The
war against the illusions derived from gross materialism is indeed
permanent. In order to win all the battles the most important weapon
is to be aware of Love’s ways and attributes in all aspects of our
life, because they protect us always.
“And
I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, and I will be
glorified through Pharaoh and through his entire force, and the
Egyptians will know that I am the Lord. And they did so.” (14:4)
The
complete glorification of our Creator certainly encompasses every
aspect of consciousness, and ego’s powerful driving force is
included, because they all have to sense and experience in their own
dimension who is the Ruler of all. Once we sense and experience God’s
Love in every layer of our existence, we have to embrace Him and
trust Him as the true Ruler.
“Moses
said to the people: ‘Don't be afraid! Stand firm and see the Lord's
Redemption that He will wreak for you today, because the way you have
seen the Egyptians today, you shall no longer continue to see them
for eternity.” (14:13)
In
the awareness of Love in our entire consciousness we will never see
material illusions again. When Love leads, our consciousness quietly
follows without questioning His will because “The Lord will fight
for you, but you shall remain quiet.” (14:14)
Again
this is reaffirmed.
“(…)
and I will be glorified through Pharaoh, and through all his force,
through his chariots, and through his horsemen. And the Egyptians
shall know that I am the Lord, when I will be glorified through
Pharaoh, through his chariots, and through his horsemen.”
(14:17-18).
“And
the waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, the
entire force of Pharaoh coming after them into the sea; not even one
of them survived. But the children of Israel went on dry land in the
midst of the sea, and the water was to them like a wall from their
right and from their left.” (14:28-29).
The
waters in this sense represent the understanding of separating our
clear intention to follow Love’s ways from ego’s fantasies and
illusions. These are drowned in this new awareness brought by
“letting
go and letting God”.
“And
Israel saw the great hand, which the Lord had used upon the
Egyptians, and the people were in awe of the Lord, and they believed
in the Lord and in Moses, His servant.” (14:31)
At
this height of awareness (represented by Moses) we are finally
completely conscious of the Creator’s living
presence in
our life.
“Your
right hand, O Lord, is most powerful; Your right hand, O Lord,
crushes the foe. And with Your great pride You tear down those who
rise up against You; You send forth Your burning wrath; it devours
them like straw.” (15:6-7)
Once
again the Torah reminds us that Love does not cohabit with anything
different than God’s ways and attributes. This is the context in
which we understand God’s “pride”, “wrath”, “fire” and
“jealousy”. These simply refer to Love’s incompatibility with
fantasies, illusions, and negative expressions of human
consciousness.
Let’s
be aware that this process of cleansing and transformation is always
through God’s Love.
“With
Your loving
kindness You
led the people You redeemed; You led [them] with Your might to Your
holy abode.” (15:13)
Our
Divine destiny is to dwell in the Love of our Creator and being led
by Him to His Place.
“You
shall bring them (the children of Israel: our entire consciousness
with its traits and dimensions) and plant them on the mount of Your
heritage, directed toward Your habitation, which You made, O Lord;
the Sanctuary, O Lord, [that] Your hands founded. The Lord shall
reign forever and ever.” (15:17-18)
As
we have said in previous commentaries, the Sanctuary (Temple of
Jerusalem) represents the highest awareness of our connection with
the Creator.
The
following are essential words that are continuously repeated
throughout the rest of the Torah because their message
must be permanently present
in our consciousness.
“And
He said: ‘If you hearken to the voice of the Lord, your God, and
you do what is proper in His eyes, and you listen closely to His
Commandments and observe all His statutes, all the sicknesses that I
have visited upon Egypt I will not visit upon you; because I, the
Lord, heal you.” (15:26)
It’s
up to us to choose this constant awareness if want to live in the
delights of God’s Love. The portion ends with the admonition
to be always aware of our constant connection with the Creator of
all.
“Then
Moses built an altar, and he named it ‘The Lord is my Miracle’.
And he said: ‘Because there is a hand on the throne of the Eternal,
a war for the Lord against Amalek from generation to
generation.” (17:15-16)
Our
Sages teach that Amalek represents hesitation, uncertainty
and doubt. These are the enemy we are commanded by Love's attributes
to defeat in every moment of our life. Doubt is what makes us
hesitate when choosing between ego’s materialistic desires and
Love’s ways and attributes, from which our connection with God's
Love depends. Once we empty our awareness from doubt, our choice will
be clear between darkness and Light.
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