Midreshet Amit

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Recognizing Miracles

By: Eliana Weissenberg

Parshat Beshalach  takes place just after and during Hashem's performance of miracles for Bnei Yisrael. The makot have finished and Bnei Yisrael are leaving Egypt. We see the splitting of the sea, miracle of the ma'an and the Slav. One might think that after all these great miracles Bnei Yisrael would be on such a high spiritual level, unwavering faith and appreciative of all that Hashem has done for them. And yet in perek 17:7 we see Bnei Yisrael ask,

"היש ד בקרבנו אם אין"

Is Hashem with us or not?

Their complaint about water is actually a valid complaint and yet we view as a test of Hashem's connection with them. The Mechilta  explains that Bnei Yisrael made their service to God conditional to God either doing miracles or doing what they desired. The Ramban explains that the reason this complaint is seen as do terrible is that they were testing god. Bnei Yisrael should have known that we don't serve God because he does good things. Even if loyalty to God means that terrible things happen to you, you should still serve him.

In response to their complains the Bnei Yaakov explains that the water was placed outside the camp because if their question "Is God with us"? The quiet miracles of today are equivalent to the splitting of sea in God's connection to us. Our challenge is the same as Bnei Yisrael's in the Parsha; seeing the daily miracles in our lives and recognizing that they come from Hashem.