Its a Trap!

For this week’s portion(B’shalach) we read about the Exodus from Egypt. And we read of the children of Israel preparing to crossover. In Exodus we read that the children of Israel and camped and marched from Rameses to Sukkot and then later on to encamp at Ethan. But, after that we read something very curious. For some reason God tells the children of Israel to turn back.

Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea.

-Exodus 14:1

Now, why would He tell the children of Israel to turn back? They’re getting closer to the land that he had promised them. Well, as we read we find out that God is doing something very particular. He has them turn around and go and encamp by the sea at the place called Pi Hachirot facing Baal Zephon.

Pi Hachirot is closely related to cheirut which means freedom.

Here Rashi explains,

AND ENCAMP BEFORE PI-HAHIROTH — This is identical with Pithom (Mekhilta d’Rabbi Yishmael 14:2:2) (2nd century), but now it obtained the name of פי החירת, because there they became בני חורין free-men (חירת is explained as חרות freedom). This was two high, precipitous rocks and the valley between them was called פי הסלעים the mouth (opening) of the rocks.

Rashi explains that chirot (חירות) from Pi Hachirot (פי החירת) is connected to cheirut (חרות), freedom. So in a sense of speaking they are standing and in camped at the mouth of the freedom that God has promised them but they are remaining there for a time. Now why does the text say that they were facing Baal Zephon?

Rabbi Bahyah comments,

The Torah added the words “in front of Baal Tzefon,” as a further means of identification because that idol had survived destruction. All of these details were important to help Pharaoh persuade himself that the Israelites were worth pursuing… G’d allowed this deity to survive in order to mislead Pharaoh. This is an illustration of Job 12,23: “He causes nations to deceive themselves resulting in their destruction.”

Baal Zephon was one of the last of the Egyptian gods that were still standing and not destroyed from the plagues. This particular deity was believed to be the deity of the sea and was renowned for being a deity of Maritime Commerce. This deity was worshipped by the Canaanites and by the Egyptians.

So when we read of the next Passage in Exodus, the Lord reveals the heart of Pharaoh by Pharaoh saying that ‘the Wilderness has shut them in and they have no place to go’. And so here Pharaoh is essentially saying that it’s a trap that’s ready and now once and for all he will rid himself of the Israelites (and triumph over the God of Israel). However, in this situation he does not even realize the great thing that God is about to do.

And so it is with many of us when we get to a place where we are approaching spiritual freedom, and the situation changes from what we were previously expecting. We may find ourselves thinking that maybe we’re going a little bit in the wrong direction. We tend to wonder whether God is directing us to go in this particular direction or not.

For some, it seems that the Adversary has a trap for us that is well set. When we get to another area of spiritual freedom in our lives (or spiritually ascend to another level) that just as we think we’ve made it to the clearing, that all of a sudden it seems like there’s another hindrance, or spiritual attack which leaves us bewildered. Maybe even frustrated or frightened. It certainly seemed that way to the children of Israel. They were crying to Moses when they said:

“Was it for want of graves in Egypt that you brought us to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us, taking us out of Egypt?”

But as it says in Corinthians that even in that time of trial, God prepares for us a way out. What was the response by Moshe?

And just like Pharaoh in which he thought that one of the last gods of the Egyptians would surely use his dominion over the sea to destroy the children of Israel, God used the same sea to deliver the children of Israel and to judge the last of the Gods of Egypt to show Pharaoh that He (Hashem) is the Supreme God in Heaven and on Earth, and there was no one like him.

This is why it is important to have bitachon, to trust in God despite how grave the situation looks.

“…we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called in accordance with his purpose”

For we know that Our God is the Master of Salvation and the Master of consolation.

1. Rashi cited from Sefaria.org,

2. Rabbeinu Bahya cited from Sefaria.org,