In memory of Father, Yosef Ben Zelig.
March 25th 1911 - May 2nd 2008

In memory of Mother, Nechama Bas Tzvi Hirsh.
June 9th 1925 - April 16th 2003

In memory of Uncle, Moshe Binyamin Ben Tzvi Hirsh.
December 12 1929 - February 2nd 2010

In Loving Memory of Moreinu Horav Shmuel Yaacov Weinberg, Rosh HaYeshiva Ner Yisroel

Beshalach (Exodus 13-17)

14:30 And G-D saved Israel from the hand of Egypt on that day. And Israel saw Egypt (lying) dead by the edge of the sea.

14:31 And Israel saw the Great Hand that G-D did to Egypt. And they believed in G-D and Moshe His servant.

From the way it is written it sounds like the Jewish people did not believe in G-D until they saw the miracles by the splitting of the sea. This is puzzling because they had just witnessed a myriad of miracles during the year preceding this Exodus.

Rabbi Bick of blessed memory offers the following explanation.

Up to now, through all of their challenges and tribulations they always saw the possibility of a natural way out, even when their salvation was clearly of Divine origin.

For instance, they could have achieved the same degree of political freedom by instigating a rebellion and overthrowing Pharaoh's regime.

In contrast, being hemmed in by the sea and surrounded by the mightiest army of their time presented them for the first time with a situation from which it appeared naturally impossible for them to survive.

Their emergence from this truly impossible situation by the Hand of G-D raised the intensity of their belief to a new level and warranted recognition.

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