Pri Etz Chaim

Ari Clark, Rabbinic Intern Parshat BeShalach- A Fleeting Moment

Have you ever experienced an inspiring moment? A moment where you felt as if your soul had reached a new spiritual level, as if G-d himself had lifted you up? At some point in our lives, there has (hopefully) been a moment where we palpably felt an achievement of closeness towards G-d. It could be a great class on Judaism, a powerful prayer that burst from the depths of our hearts, or a special moment that reaffirmed our belief in a kind, compassionate Creator. Yet what happens when the moment is over? Does it rescind into the recesses of our memory or remain part of our consciousness? Does it become a thing of the past or the fire of our future? In this weeks parsha, the Jewish people experience one of the most miraculous events of all Jewish history. A moment where, as Rashi says, the maidservant saw things that even [later] prophets would not see, G-d splits the Red Sea, allows the Jewish people to cross, and promptly drowns the Egyptian army as they try to attack His people. In the song of praise that follows, there is an interesting line with an even more interesting translation by the Targum Onkelos. The verse says (15:3) " ," - which can best be translated as this is my G-d and I will beautify Him. Onkelos, however, believes it is alluding to something that seems to be unrelated: "" This is my G-d and I will build him a Temple Why would Onkelos believe that the Jewish people are referring to the building of the Temple? Even the Mishkan, the portable Temple that would be used in the desert and the early years of the nations dwelling in Israel, will not be built for close to a year. What purpose does the Temple serve at this moment? Rabbi Eliyahu Mishkovsky explains Onkelos comments through a very simply point: inspiration is fleeting. The moment of revelation, where everything seems clear and obvious, tends to disappear almost as fast as the revelation arrives. Bnai Yisrael, as they commemorate this wondrous miracle, are already attempting to ensure that this moment will light their way towards G-d for years to come. G-d will not remain an occasional visitor to their lives, providing a great miracle and then disappearing into the background. This is my G-d, they say, and I will build him a Temple so that he will remain my G-d even after the moment of inspiration ends. Not every moment of our lives is ultimately full of spiritual closeness. As we go about our daily routines, time more rote and mundane, with each day blurring into the next. Every once in a while, however, a story, an event, or even just a moment in time captures our hearts. We feel the greatness of our lives and the ultimate desire to engender more purity and hope in the world. How do we retain that desire through the hustle and bustle of everyday life? Perhaps the Splitting of the Sea teaches that inspiration remains if a person creates a Temple for it in ones everyday life. When there is a place for G-d, the moments of inspiration are always close, and new moments of inspiration are just around the corner.