This class was presented on Sunday Parshas Beshalach, 8 Shevat 5777, February 5, 2017, at Ohr chaim Shul, Monsey, NY

The opening of our portion related how Pharaoh had a change of heart right after he let the Jewish people go. &quot;He said to the Children of Israel: They are lost in the land, the desert closed in on them.&quot; Rashi raises the obvious difficulty with this verse. Pharaoh did not speak to the children of Israel, for they had left Egypt already. How could he be talking to them?

The Targum Yonasan ben Uziel gives an astonishing explanation. There were two Jews, Dassan and Aviram, who remained in Egypt. They refused to leave. Pharaoh spoke to them, reassuring them that the Jews are lost, stranded, and stuck in the desert. Their choice to flee the country was an ill-conceived one.

Yet here is where the story becomes mind staggering. If they chose to stay in Egypt, how do we discover them journeying with the Jews in the desert &ndash; complaining about the manna, revolting with Korach? The answer is plain if absurd. They must have tagged along with Pharaoh when he went to pursue the Jews by the sea. And when the sea split, they too were spared. They too crossed along with the Jews, and got to the other side safe and sound.

This is absurd. These two fellows who were absolute atheists, it seems, fighting Moses and G-d at every step of the way, choosing to remain in Egypt, are saved with their brethren. They have linked their fate and destiny to Egypt, not to the Hebrew. Why were they spared at the red sea while all of the Egyptians drowned?

What is more, the Midrash teaches that many Jews who did not want to leave Egypt, died during the three days of darkness. Yet Dathan and Aviram who also did not want to leave, remained intact. Why? It was the &ldquo;Saraf&rdquo; of Brisk and the Beer Maim Chaim who presented an astounding answer.&nbsp;

We explore the conversation between Reb Shmuel of Shiniva and the Chidushei HaRim about the Talmudic expression &ldquo;Krias Yam Suf.&rdquo; We delve into the story of Miriam bas Bilgah and the &ldquo;rectification of a soul&rdquo; by the Lubavitcher Rebbe in 1975. We discover the power of empathy, of taking a blow for another Jew, something that placed Dasan and Aviran on a lofty spiritual pedestal.

4091_road to love.jpg

22_ac.pdf

21_rabbi_yy_jacobson_sunday_class_20170205.mp4

21_rabbi_yy_jacobson_sunday_class_20170205.mp3

kiras yam suf

beshalach

krias yam suf

dasan aviram

Empathy Is Never Forgotten  

To Feel for Another Jew: The Untold Story of a Sea Splitting for Two Sinners

This women&#39;s class was presented on Tuesday Parshas Beshalach, 9&nbsp;Shevat, 5780, February 4, 2020 at the Ohr Chaim Shul, Monsey, NY&nbsp;

7345_biblical_silhouette_jochebed_put_moses_in_the_nile.d457.jpg

21_7345_rabbi_yy_jacobson_basics_of_emunah_33_women_beshalach_5780.d00c.mp4

21_7345_rabbi_yy_jacobson_basics_of_emunah_33_women_beshalach_5780.d00c.mp3

water

faith

hope

women covering hair

miriam

modesty

mayim

tznius

miriam song

kol isha

emunah

women singing

Why Do Married Women Cover Their Hair? Why Don't Women Sing In Front of Men?

Women's Beshalach Class/The Emunah Series

Basics of Emunah #33: What Does It Mean to Have Faith? Why Did Miriam Sing Her Own Song?

This women&#39;s class was presented on Tuesday Parshas Beshalach, 7 Shevat, 5778, January 23, 2018, at Ohr Chaim, Monsey, NY

5452_adversity.55fa.jpg

21_womens_shiur_beshalach_1_23_18.2cb0.mp4

21_womens_shiur_beshalach_1_23_18.2cb0.mp3

skiing

bubover rebbe

Are You an Escapist, a Conformist, a Fighter, or a Passive Believer? 

Beshalach Women's Class

Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place? Five Approaches

This women&#39;s class was presented on 11 Shevat 5777, February 7, 2017, at Ohr Chaim shul, in Monsey, NY.

4094_fish.jpg

21_tue_morning_womens_shiur_02_07_17.mp4

21_tue_morning_womens_shiur_02_07_17.mp3

yosef

marriage

livyasan

dry land

fish

first marriage

second marriage

shor habar

splitting of the sea

Why Some of Our Greatest Leaders Are Only Appreciated Decades After Their Lives

How to Make Your First Marriage Your Second Marriage

One of the first things we did together as a people was sing. But how exactly did three million people sing the same song? There are three Talmudic opinions: Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Nechmyah. According to the first, Moses sang the song himself, according to the second, the nation repeated Moses&rsquo; song, and according to the third, Moses only opened the song, and it was continued by the people.&nbsp;
What is the logic behind this argument? It revolves around the question of what is the role of a leader? To inspire loyalty, to create followers, or to craft leaders?

2664_depositphotos_2904748_original.jpg

21_rabbi_yy_jacobson_sunday_class_01172016.mp4

21_rabbi_yy_jacobson_sunday_class_01172016.mp3

leadership

What Is the Meaning of True Leadership?

A Tale of Three Leaders

This weekly women&#39;s class&nbsp;was&nbsp;presented on Tuesday, Parshas Beshalach, 13 Shevat, 5781, January 26, 2021, live from Rabbi Jacobson&#39;s home in Monsey, NY.

7924_ignorance__pinnacle.4395.jpg

22_womens_class_beshalach_5781.2c37.pdf

21_7924_women_class_beshalach_5781.8ac5.mp4

21_7924_women_class_beshalach_5781.8ac5.mp3

manna

When You Discover that Ignorance is the Pinnacle of Enlightenment

Women's Class -- Sefas Emes Beshalach

Bread of Ignorance

This lecture by Rabbi YY Jacobson was organized by Partners In Torah in Detroit, on Sunday, March 26, 2017. The MC of the event was&nbsp;Rabbi Leiby Burnham, leading educator at Partners in Torah.

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21_7123_rabbi_yy_jacobson_lecture_in_detroit_partners_in_torah_2017.1a1b.mp4

21_7123_rabbi_yy_jacobson_lecture_in_detroit_partners_in_torah_2017.1a1b.mp3

mt. herzel

jewish unity

refael of hamburg

mt. herzl

cherem

tzahal

toras yekusiel

erez derei

partners in torah

dasan and aviram

beilis trial

vilna gaon

chofetz chaim

detroit

yachatz

mendel bailis

charem

israeli soldiers

chafetz chaim

The Secret Genes of the Chofetz Chaim; The Brisker Rav on Israeli Soldiers

Detroit Lecture on Jewish Unity

Are We Still One People?

This class was&nbsp;presented on Tuesday, Parshas Va&#39;eira, 24 Teves, 5783, January 17, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.

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22_ac_women_veira_5783_r02.ee9a.pdf

21_8857_women_class_vaera_5783.e073.mp4

21_8857_women_class_vaera_5783.e073.mp3

Freedom Comes in Two Forms: Escape and Transformation

Women's Class Va'eira

Why the Need to Lie to Pharaoh?

How to Treat Israeli Soldiers.&nbsp;The Terrible Mistake Made by Many Religious Jews

This class was presented by Rabbi YY Jacobson in Tamuz 5777, July 2017, at Ohr Chaim, Monsey, NY.

5304_israeli_soldiers.eccc.jpg

21_gemara_thurs_7_13_selfcontained.e295.mp4

21_gemara_thurs_7_13_selfcontained.e295.mp3

israel

love to other jews

security of israel

arabs

The Terrible Mistake Made by Many Religious Jews

Hashkafa/Mussar

How to Treat Israeli Soldiers

Three Versions of a Song

One of the first things we did together as a people was sing.

The nation of Israel was born on the 15th of Nissan in the year 2448 from creation (1313 BCE). Seven days later, the Israelites witnessed the Red Sea split, to allow them passage and to drown the pursuing Egyptians. The Torah relates how upon beholding the great miracle,

Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to G-d, saying:

I shall sing to G-d for He is most exalted;

Horse and rider He cast in the sea.

G-d is my strength and song; He is my salvation

This is my G-d, and I shall glorify Him

The G-d of my fathers, and I shall exalt Him...

This song, known as Shiras&nbsp;HaYam—Song at the Sea—goes on to describe the great miracles that G-d performed for His people, G-d’s promise to bring them to the Holy Land and reveal His presence among them in the Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple) in Jerusalem, and Israel’s goal to implement G-d’s eternal sovereignty in the world. Its forty-four verses express the gist of our relationship with G-d and our mission in life, and thus occupy a most important place in the Torah and in Jewish life.

Our sages focus on the prefatory line to the Song at the Sea. The Torah introduces it as a song sung by “Moses and the children of Israel.” Moses was obviously one of the “children of Israel,” so the fact that the Torah singles him out implies that Moses took a leading role in the composition and delivery of this song. But the exact nature of Moses’ role is a point of much discussion by our sages. How exactly did three million people sing the same song?

The Talmud (Sotah 30b) relates no fewer than three different opinions.

According to Rabbi Akiva, it was Moses who composed and sang the song, while the people of Israel merely responded to each verse with the refrain “I shall sing to G-d” (Ashirah L’Hashem). Moses sang, “For He is most exalted,” and the&nbsp;nation answered, “I shall sing to G-d”; Moses sang, “Horse and rider He cast in the sea,” and the&nbsp;people answered, “I shall sing to G-d”; and so on with all forty-four verses of the song. After each stanza, they declared “Ashirah LeHashem.”

Rabbi Eliezer, however, is of the opinion that the people repeated each verse after Moses: Moses sang, “I shall sing to G-d for He is most exalted,” and they repeated “I shall sing to G-d for He is most exalted;” Moses sang “Horse and rider He cast in the sea,” and they repeated, “Horse and rider He cast in the sea,” and so on.

A third opinion is that of Rabbi Nechemiah: according to him, Moses simply pronounced the opening words of the song, following which the people of Israel all sang the entire song together. Each of them, on their own, composed the entire, and very same, forty-four verses!

Three Forms of Leadership

It is a strange debate. Do we have to argue about everything?

What is the logic behind these three opinions? What is the difference if Moses sang the entire song himself and the nation merely shouted out the chorus, or if the people repeated each stanza after Moses; or if Moses merely began the song and the people sang the rest of it on their own?

What is more, this is a story that occurred more than 3,330 years ago. Why argue about something that seems irrelevant today?

The truth is that what seems to be a merely technical argument is a profound meditation on the nature of leadership, and on the ability of a leader to inspire a sense of unity and purpose within a fragmented people.

What is the role of a leader? To inspire loyalty and submission, to create pupils, or to mold leaders? The three versions of how Moses led Israel in song express these three different perspectives on leadership.

Rabbi Akiva describes a situation in which Moses inspires an entire generation to surrender their egos, to transcend their differences, to submit their individuality to the collective identity embodied by the leader. Rabbi Akiva sees Moses as the&nbsp;embodiment of the collective consciousness of Israel, the one in whom each Jew finds their truest and deepest identity as a fragment of the Divine. Moses alone sang the nation’s gratitude to G-d. The people had nothing further to say as individuals, except to affirm their unanimous assent to what Moses was expressing.

Moses marched, and the nation declared: “Yes, we are in!” It was a moment of absolute loyalty and unity, as the Torah states right before the song, “and they believed in G-d and in Moses His servant.”

Note the critical words: “Moses his servant.” Throughout history, many a dictator inspired radical submission and loyalty, through fear, charisma, or genius, but the objective was the worship of an individual. In contrast, Moses, “the humblest man on earth” was completely dedicated to G-d; he could unite and embody the zeitgeist of the nation because of his ego-lessness, seeing himself as nothing but a conduit for an infinite G-d. Thus, he could inspire a few million hearts to melt away in the ecstasy of "we."

Rabbi Eliezer, however, argues that the phenomenon of two million hearts and minds inspired to yield to a single vision and a single leader will not endure. It is electrifying and transformative, but it is short-lived, and not very meaningful in the long run. Have you ever been at a concert or a speech in which thousands congealed into one entity, embodied by a singular figure inspiring magnetic electricity? It is deeply powerful, but short-lived. Sooner or later their intrinsic differences and counter-aims will assert themselves, and the unity will fade. Moments of radical transcendence, when the individual “I” melts into the collective “I,” are powerful, but not enduring. When the “I” resurfaces, the unity remains but a memory.&nbsp;

Rabbi Eliezer thus argued that the model employed was very different: Moses inspired students rather than loyalists. The people of Israel repeated each verse after Moses. They did not suffice with an affirmation of his articulation of Israel’s song. Rather, they repeated it after him, running it through the sieve of their own understanding and feelings, finding the roots for an identical declaration in their own personality and experience. The very same words assumed two million nuances of meaning, as they were absorbed by two million minds and articulated by two million mouths.

Moses created a generation of pupils and students who listened to his song, and then integrated it into their own lives. His vision became theirs. They did not submit their selves to Moses; they made his vision theirs. For Reb Eliezer, Moses is more like the conductor of a symphony, inspiring each musician to use his or her own instrument to produce the music. They are playing the same song, but each person is using his or her own instrument,

Rabbi Nechemiah, however, felt that this vision of leadership was still lacking. This type of leadership is meaningful as long as the teacher is there to teach and to inspire his or her disciples. When the leader is communicating his passion and song, his students can “repeat it,” absorb it and follow it. But what occurs when the captain disappears, when the teacher is silenced, when the conductor is no longer directing the symphony? Now that there is nothing to repeat, and nobody to direct, does the symphony die?

No, argues Rabbi Nechmyah. If Moses truly captured and embodied the quintessence of Israel, rather than his own ego, they would be able to find his song within themselves and would not need to hear their song from his lips before they could sing it themselves. The real leader, argues Reb Nechemyah, creates not followers but leaders. He shows people how to discover the leader within themselves—how to find within their own heart the infinite light and the song of Moses.

The way it happened, argues Rabbi Nechemyah, was that Moses pronounced the opening words of the song, commencing the play, identifying the goal, marking the destination, beginning the march. But following that each and every Jew sang the entire song by himself (or herself). Moses inspired not submission, nor did he create disciples; Moses knew how to kindle the spark within each and every one of his people so that they on their own can continue his song.

This view is suitable for Rabbi “Nechemyah” whose name means comfort and solace (similar to the names Menachem, Tanchuma, or&nbsp;Noach.) For a generation that would not see and hear Moses sing, Rabbi Nechemya taught that the greatest leaders of Israel lead their people in their absence sometimes even more than during their presence. Their greatest gift is that the people touched by them become ambassadors of love, light, and hope.

To be sure, all three opinions are valid and vital, depending on the circumstances. There are times when leaders inspire the surrender of the individual “I” to the collective “we.” Yet the true leader must learn how to mold real disciples, and the greatest of leaders learn how to empower leaders.&nbsp;

The Rebbe’s Influence

The above marvelous explanation I heard myself from the Lubavitcher Rebbe, during an address on Shabbat Parshas Beshalach, Shevat 11, 5748, January 30, 1988. (It was a few days before the sudden passing of his wife, Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, and a few short years before the Rebbe’s own passing in 1994.<a onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref1')" id="_edn1" href="javascript: void(0);" name="_ftnref1">[1]</a>)

The above insight of the Rebbe taught me much about the role of a genuine parent, an authentic pedagogue, and a great leader. It also helped me understand the Rebbe himself.

This past Wednesday, 10 Shevat 5782&nbsp;(Jan. 12, 2022), the Jewish world celebrated 72&nbsp;years of the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s leadership. People often ask me: In the absence of the Rebbe’s physical presence, what inspires Chabad? What holds it together? What motivates it? What keeps it focused and united? How long can it continue?

But the Rebbe’s name was “Menachem,” and he embodied the vision of Rabbi Nechmyah. The Rebbe did not seek people who will submit to him—even as a person dedicated completely to G-d and His Torah. The Rebbe did not even want to mold followers. The Rebbe aspired to create leaders, persons who will identify within themselves the power and confidence to change the world.

Chabad has sometimes been accused of being a cult. I always find this humorous, because I know of no other Jewish figure who urged his students to be more independent, ambitious, individualistic, creative, revolutionary, and innovative than the Rebbe. He loathed when people squandered their talents and gifts, and truly believed in the infinite power of each individual to compose his or her unique song that will set the world on fire. I still recall a public address of the Rebbe, in the summer of 1988,<a onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref2')" id="_edn2" href="javascript: void(0);" name="_ftnref2">[2]</a>&nbsp;when he expressed frustration that some of his followers feel they are inept to become the authors of their own biography and are always waiting for orders.

And I know of no other leader who urged all of his students to go live amongst people who will challenge their beliefs&nbsp;on a daily basis, in order to build bridges between all Jews and to introduce every soul to the depth and love of Judaism. This is not how cults operate.&nbsp;

The Rebbe keenly understood that you can’t transform a world with followers, only with leaders.

The Match

The late Yehudah Avner, a veteran Israeli diplomat, served as an adviser to four Israeli prime ministers: Golda Meir, Yitzchak Rabin, Menachem Begin, and Shimon Peres. He was also &nbsp;Israel’s ambassador to Ireland and Australia. Once, he related, during a conversation with the Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Rebbe spoke of his own work.

"Let me tell you what I try to do. Imagine you're looking at a candle. What you are really seeing is a mere lump of wax with a thread down its middle. When do the thread and wax become a candle? Or, in other words, when do they fulfill the purpose for which they were created? When you put a flame to the thread, then the candle becomes a candle."

"The wax is the body, and the wick the soul. Ignite the soul with the fire of Torah and a person will then fulfill the purpose for which he or she was created. And that is what I try to do – to ignite the soul of our people with the fire of Torah."

"My candle – has the Rebbe lit it?", Yehuda Avner asked.

"No," the Rebbe said, clasping Avner’s hand. "I have given you the match. Only you can light your candle."<a onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref3')" id="_edn3" href="javascript: void(0);" name="_ftnref3">[3]</a>

_________________

<a onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn1')" id="_ednref1" href="javascript: void(0);" name="_ftn1">[1]</a> A few days later, at the farbrengen of 15 Shevat, the Rebbe spoke at length about the fact that he will henceforth minimize giving direct answers to people because after decades of teaching Torah people are empowered to find their own way.

<a onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn2')" id="_ednref2" href="javascript: void(0);" name="_ftn2">[2]</a> Shabbos Parshas Shlach 5748, June 1988.

<a onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn3')" id="_ednref3" href="javascript: void(0);" name="_ftn3">[3]</a> My thanks to Rabbi Yanki Tauber for his rendition of the above address by the Rebbe, published on www.meaningfullife.com

One of the first things we did together as a people was sing. But how exactly did three million people sing the same song? There are three Talmudic opinions: Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Eliezer, and Rabbi Nechmyah. According to the first, Moses sang the song himself, according to the second, the nation repeated Moses&rsquo; song, and according to the third, Moses only opened the song, and it was continued by the people.

What is the logic behind this argument? Must we argue about everything? It revolves around the question of what is the role of a leader? To inspire submission, to create followers, or to craft leaders?

People often ask: In the absence of the Rebbe&rsquo;s physical presence, what inspires Chabad? What holds it together? What motivates it? What keeps it focused and united?

7350_chabad_rect.7575.jpg

lubavitcher rebbe

chabad

nechemya

moshe/moses

nechemyah

shirah

song of the sea

Do You Know How to Make Your Disciple Shine? How Chabad Keeps It Together

Essay Beshalach

Are Our Leaders Scared to Empower their Students?

Elkanah Vizel

Before heading into battle, Master Sgt. Elkana Vizel, 35, penned a letter for his loved ones. At his funeral this week, his widow read the letter.&nbsp;

The father of four young children, Rabbi Elkana Vizel was among 21 reservists killed last Monday night in Northern Gaza.

Despite sustaining injuries in Operation Protective Edge and having the choice to stay out of combat service, Elkana opted to enlist in the reserves, dedicating himself to defending his people. In his heartfelt letter to his loved ones, he expressed unwavering conviction in his decision to return to the frontlines. Here is what he wrote:

If you are reading these words, something must have happened to me. If I was kidnapped, I demand that no deal be made for the release of any terrorist to release me. Our overwhelming victory is more important than anything, so please continue to work with all your might so that the victory is as overwhelming as possible.

<section>
Maybe I fell in battle. When a soldier falls in battle, it is sad, but I ask you to be happy. Don't be sad when you part with me. Touch hearts, hold each other's hands, and strengthen each other. We have so much to be proud and happy about.
</section>

<section>
We are writing the most significant moments in the history of our nation and the entire world. So please, be happy, be optimistic, keep choosing life all the time. Spread love, light, and optimism. Look at your loved ones in the whites of their eyes and remind them that everything we go through in this life is worth it and we have something to live for.&nbsp;
</section>

<section>
Don't stop the power of life for a moment. I was already wounded in Operation Tzuk Eitan, but I do not regret that I returned to fight. This is the best decision I ever made.

We have no words to describe the nobility, love, purity and holiness of our soldiers and our brothers and sisters fighting for their life. Elkana's letter brought back a story and message that transpired 80 years ago, in one of the darkest moments of our history.&nbsp;
</section>

Future Tense

"That day, G-d saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians . . . The Israelites saw the great power G-d had displayed against the Egyptians, and the people were in awe of G-d. They believed in G-d and in his servant Moses. Moses and the Israelites then sang this song, saying…"<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn1" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref1')">[1]</a>

The Song at the Sea was one of the great epiphanies of history. The sages said that even the humblest of Jews saw at that moment what even the greatest of prophets was not privileged to see. For the first time, they broke into a collective song—a song we recite every day during the morning prayers.

Yet, as is often the case, the English translation does not capture all of the nuances. In the original text, the Torah states:

<table>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
			Then Moses and the children of Israel will sing this song to the Lord, and they spoke, saying, I will sing to the Lord, for very exalted is He; a horse and its rider He cast into the sea.
			</td>
			<td>
			&nbsp;
			</td>
			<td>
			בשלח טו, א:&nbsp;אָ֣ז יָשִֽׁיר־משֶׁה֩ וּבְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶת־הַשִּׁירָ֤ה הַזֹּאת֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה וַיֹּֽאמְר֖וּ לֵאמֹ֑ר אָשִׁ֤ירָה לַּֽיהֹוָה֙ כִּֽי־גָאֹ֣ה גָּאָ֔ה ס֥וּס וְרֹֽכְב֖וֹ רָמָ֥ה בַיָּֽם:
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

It speaks of Moses’ and the Jews’ singing, in the future tense. This is profoundly strange. The Torah is relating a story that occurred in the past, not one that will occur in the future. It seems like a “bad grammatical error.”

The sages, quoted by Rashi, offer a fascinating insight:

סנהדרין צא, ב: תניא אמר רבי מאיר מניין לתחיית המתים מן התורה שנאמר (שמות טו, א) אז ישיר משה ובני ישראל את השירה הזאת לה', שר לא נאמר אלא ישיר מכאן לתחיית המתים מן התורה.

One of the principles of the Jewish faith is the belief in Techiyas Hamesim, the resurrection of the dead, following the messianic era. Death is not the end of the story. The soul continues to live and exist, spiritually. What is more, the soul will return back to a body.&nbsp;

This is why the Torah chooses to describe the song in the future tense: Moses and his people will indeed sing in the future, after the resurrection. Their song was not only a story of the past; it will also occur in the future.

While this is a fascinating idea, it still begs the question: Why does the Torah specifically hint to the future resurrection here, as opposed to any other place in the Torah? And why will Moses and Israel sing in the future as well?

After the War

The following story happened on this very Shabbos, 80 years ago.<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn2" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref2')">[2]</a>

One of the great rabbis of Pre-war Europe was Rabbi Aharon Rokeach (1880 – 1957), the fourth Rebbe of the Belz Chasidic dynasty (Belz is a city in Galicia, Poland.) He led the movement from 1926 until his death in 1957.

Known for his piety and saintliness, Reb Aharon of Belz was called the "Wonder Rabbi" by Jews and gentiles alike for the miracles he performed. He barely ate or slept. He was made of “spiritual stuff.” (The Lubavitcher Rebbe once visited him in Berlin, and described him as “tzurah bli chomer,” energy without matter.)

His reign as Rebbe saw the devastation of the Belz community, along with most of European Jewry during the Holocaust. During the war, Reb Aharon was high on the list of Gestapo targets as a high-profile Rebbe. They murdered his wife and each of his children and grandchildren. He had no one left. With the support and financial assistance of the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe in the US, and Belzer Chasidim in Israel, England, and the United States, he and his half-brother, Rabbi Mordechai of Bilgoray, managed to escape from Poland into Hungary, then into Turkey, Lebanon, and finally into Israel, in February 1944. He remarried but had no children.

Most thought that Belz was an item of history. Yet, the impossible occurred. His half-brother Rabbi Mordechai also remarried and had a son, then died suddenly a few months later. Reb Aharon raised his half-brother's year-old son, Yissachar Dov, and groomed him to succeed him as Belzer Rebbe. Today, it is one of the largest Chassidic groups in Israel, numbering more than 50,000, with hundreds of institutions, schools, synagogues, and yeshivos.&nbsp;

The Belzer Rebbe not once said any of the prescribed prayers like Yizkor or Kaddish for his wife and children, because he felt that those who had been slain by the Nazis for being Jews were of transcendent holiness; their spiritual stature&nbsp;was&nbsp;beyond our comprehension. Any words about them that we might utter were irrelevant&nbsp;and perhaps even a desecration of their memory.

For Reb Aharon, the only proper way to respond to the near-destruction of Belz and honor the memory of the dead was to build new institutions and slowly nurture a new generation of Chasidim. This is what he did for the remainder of his life. He settled in secular Zionist Tel Aviv, and not in the more religious Jerusalem because, he said, it is the only city without a Church or Mosque.

The First Shabbos

The first Shabbos after he arrived&nbsp;in Israel during the winter of 1944 was Shabbos Parshas Beshalach, and he spent it in Haifa. He was alone in the world, without a single relative (save his brother) alive.

During the Shabbos, he held a “tisch,” a formal Chassidic gathering, in which Chassidim sing, dance, and share words of inspiration and Torah. The Belzer Rebbe quickly realized that the Holocaust survivors present, who had endured indescribable suffering and had lost virtually everything they had, were in no mood of singing. The Rebbe decided to address himself and his few broken Chassidim who had survived.

The Belzer Rebbe raised the above question of why the Torah specifically alludes to techiyas hameisim, the resurrection of the dead, in conjunction with the song that was sung celebrating the splitting of the Red Sea?

He gave this chilling answer. When the Jewish people sang the Song of the Sea, much of the nation was not present. How many people did not survive the enslavement of Egypt? How many Jewish children were drowned in the Nile? How many Jews never lived to see the day of the Exodus? How many refused to embark on a journey into the unknown?

According to tradition, only a fifth of the Jewish people made it out.<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn3" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref3')">[3]</a> 80% of the Jews died in Egypt. It is safe to say that everyone who did make it out of Egypt had lost relatives and could not&nbsp;fully rejoice in the miracles they were witnessing. Now, the sea split. The wonder of wonders. Moses says to them, “It is time to sing." But they responded, "Sing? How can we sing? Eighty percent of our people are missing!"

Hence, the Torah says, “Moses and the children of Israel will sing,” in the future tense. Moses explained to his people, that the story is far from over. The Jews in Egypt have died, but their souls are alive, and they will return during the resurrection of the dead. We can sing now, said Moses, not because there is no pain, but because despite the pain, we do not believe we have seen the end of the story. We can celebrate the future.

Future and Past

This is what sets apart Jewish history. All of history is, by definition, a study of the past. Jewish history alone is unique. It is a story of the past based on the future. For the Jewish people, history is defined not only by the past&nbsp;but also by the future. Since we know that redemption will come, we&nbsp;go back and redefine exile as the catalyst for redemption and healing.

For the Jewish people, the future defines and gives meaning to the past.

With this, the Belzer Rebbe inspired his students to begin singing yet again as they arrived at the soil of the Holy Land, on Shabbos Beshalach 1944, 80&nbsp;years ago.

His disciples&nbsp;did sing. And if you visit the&nbsp;main Belz synagogue in Jerusalem, you can hear thousands of Jews, young and old, singing and celebrating Jewish life.

Sunrise

I once read an article by a survivor of Auschwitz. He related how every morning, as the sun rose over Auschwitz, his heart would swell with anger. How dare you?! How can the sun be so indifferent to the suffering of millions and just rise again to cast its warm glow on a world drenched in the blood of the purest and holiest? How can the sun be so cruel and apathetic? Where was the protest?

But, he continued&nbsp;his story, he survived. I came out of the hell. And the day after liberation, as I lay in a bed for the first time in years, I watched the sunrise. For the first time, I felt so grateful for&nbsp;the sun.&nbsp;I felt empowered that after the long night, which seemed to never end, light has at last arrived.

This is the story of our people. Our sun has set. But our sun will also rise. Life, love, and hope will prevail. “Netzach Yisroel Lo Yishaker,” the Eternal One of Israel does not lie.&nbsp; There will be an end to the night. “Moses and the children of Israel will sing.”

And the singing can begin now. We will see Moshiach very very soon -- may it be NOW!

__________________

<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref1" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn1')">[1]</a> Exodus 14:15. 
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref2" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn2')">[2]</a> The story is recorded in the book “B’kdushaso Shel Aaron,” page 436. 
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref3" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn3')">[3]</a> Mechilta and Rashi Exodus 13:2

As is often the case, the English translation does not capture all of the nuances of the original text. The Torah states: &ldquo;Then Moses and the children of Israel will sing this song to the Lord&hellip;&rdquo; This is strange. The Torah is relating a story that occurred in the past, not one that will occur in the future. It seems like a grammatical error.

The sages, quoted by Rashi, offer a fascinating insight: One of the principles of Jewish faith is the belief in Techiyas Hamesim, the resurrection of the dead, following the messianic era. It is the notion that death is not the end of the story.&nbsp; This is why the Torah chooses to describe the song in the future tense: Moses and his people will indeed sing in the future, after the resurrection. Their song was not only a story of the past; it will also occur in the future.

While this is a fascinating idea, it still begs the question: Why does the Torah specifically hint to the future resurrection here as opposed to any other place in the Torah?

I wish to share with you a story that happened on this very Shabbos, more than seven decades ago. One of the great rabbis of Pre-war Europe was Rabbi Aharon Rokeach (1880&ndash;1957), the fourth Rebbe of the Belz Chasidic dynasty. He led the movement from 1926 until his death in 1957. Known for his piety and mysticism, Reb Aharon was called the &quot;Wonder Rabbi&quot; by Jews and gentiles alike for the miracles he performed. He barely ate or slept. He was made of &ldquo;spiritual stuff.&rdquo;

He lost his entire family and most of his followers in the war. When he escaped and made it to Israel in February 1944, he spent his first Shabbos, Parshat Beshalach, in Haifa. After the horrible pain they endured, nobody was in the mood of singing. And the Belzer Rebbe shared an incredible insight into the nature of Jewish history. &ldquo;Moshe will sing.&rdquo;

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techiyas hameisim

belzer rebbe

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splitting of sea

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