Kasha L’Zavgan K’Krias Yam Suf (KYS) – 18 Pirushim

Pirush 1- Who else but Rashi (Sota 2a)?

It goes against the order of Creation; i.e., it’s totally ‫למעלה מן הטבע‬.

Pirush 2 – Heard from my cousin Yosef Schwarcz

It doesn’t split until it’s up to your neck.

Pirush 3 – Heard from my friend Leib Gershon Seligson, ZT”L

You have to be like Nachshon ben Aminadav – you have to jump right in.

Pirush 4 – Heard from Rabbi Chaim Trenk as he redt me a shidduch

One Midrash says that the Jews didn’t actually cross the sea but that they entered at
one point and traveled in a semi-circle and came out at the same side of the sea but at
a different point further away. A second Midrash says that each tribe traveled in its
own lane. If we visualize twelve lanes in concentric semi-circles we understand that
the inner lanes traveled a shorter distance than the outer lanes, similar to a race track.
So too by zivugim. Some people will travel a shorter route and some have to travel a
longer route.

Pirush 5 – From a “Drush” Sefer (I don’t remember which)

KYS was “emotionally” hard (‫ ) קשה‬for HKBH to do because in order to save Klal
Yisrael He had to drown the Egyptians who were ‫ מעשה ידיו‬. The necessary
salvation of Klal Yisrael came at the expense of the Egyptians.
So, too, by zivugim, HKBH has to make the match according to the midos of the
chassan and kallah even though sometimes other people (i.e., the parents) who may be
a different hashkafa, may not be so happy with this match. These zivugim are likewise
“emotionally” difficult (‫ ) קשה‬for HKBH because He must do what is best for the
chassan and kallah even though it may come at “the expense” of other people.

Pirush 6 – Yechezkel Hirshman – Similar to previous

The gemara in Brachos says that in Eretz Israel, when someone married, they would
ask him: ‫ מצא‬or ‫ ? מוצא‬Is it ‫ מצא אשה מצא טוב‬or is it ‫ומוצא אני מר ממות את‬
‫ האשה‬.
KYS wasn’t good for everybody. For the Jews it was ‫ טוב‬but for the Egyptians, it was
‫ מר ממות‬.
So too, zivugim are not good for everybody. For some people it is ‫מצא אשה מצא‬
‫ טוב‬and for others it is ‫ ומוצא אני מר ממות את האשה‬.
This is why the gemara in Brachos associates this to the pasuk (Tehillim 32:6):

:‫טף מַים רַבִים אֵל ָיו לֹא יַג ִיעו‬

ֶ ‫ש‬
ֵ ְ ‫עת מְצֹא ר ַק ל‬
ֵ ְ ‫סיד אֵל ֶיך ָ ל‬
ִ ‫ח‬
ָ -‫זֹאת יתְפַל ֵל כ ָל‬-‫על‬
ַ ‫ו‬
The ‫ עת מצא‬, referring to zivugim, should not reach him like ‫ – שטף מים רבים‬it
shouldn’t be like KYS was for the Egyptians.

© Yechezkel Hirshman, 2009

Pirush 7 - Heard from Rabbi Levi Nock
By Krias Yam Suf it says: ‫ וירא ישראל את מצרים מת על שפת הים‬and then it says:
‫ ויאמינו בה' ובמשה עבדו‬. Why only after they saw the dead Egyptians did they
believe?
The Jews always had a “safety-net” that in case this whole geulah thing didn’t work
out, they could still go back to Egypt and pretty soon things would be back to how
they were. As difficult it is to be slaves, they can go back to depending on the
Egyptians. Now that they saw the Egyptians dead, they knew that they have passed a
point of no return and, rain or shine, they must follow HKBH and Moshe through the
desert.
So, too, by shidduchim. When one is having difficulty with zivugim, first s/he thinks
this person can help me or that person who I just met will help me. But, soon enough
they realize that all these people are as good as “dead Egyptians” and only HKBH
will help them find their zivug.

Pirush 8 - Slight variation to previous

Another application of ‫ ויאמינו בה' ובמשה עבדו‬Why did they believe only after
they saw the dead Egyptians? As we just said that the option of returning back to
Egypt was now terminated, so too, once one commits themselves, there is no turning
back!

Pirush 9 - Yechezkel Hirshman – Another variation

Another application – why only after Krias Yam Suf did the Jews have full emunah in
HKBH?
Up until now, every time a miracle happened and it looked like this would be the
geulah something always backfired. Every time Pharaoh said he would release the
Jews, he changed his mind and things didn’t get any better. Klal Yisrael was confused
by the ups and downs of the events and weren’t sure whether they were truly
experiencing the geulah. Only after Krias Yam Suf when they saw the Egyptians were
finally all dead could they see how all of the earlier events were necessary to bring
them to this point.
So, too, by zivugim, sometimes just when something looks like it is about to
materialize, it dematerializes, and this may recur several times. The subject can
wonder why all these ordeals are necessary. Only after s/he sees the end resultwill
s/he recognize how all the previous occurrences were all part of the grand scheme.

Pirush 10 – Yechezkel Hirshman – A bit similar to Pirush 8

KYS was the turning point when Klal Yisrael permanently left the jurisdiction of the
Egyptians and entered the sole jurisdiction of HKBH. Since Egypt was the only home
of Klal Yisrael until now, and now they are irrevocably entering a new “home” with
no knowledge of what’s in store for the future, the change over was very difficult.
So too by zivugim, one is permanently leaving his/her previous home and background
and starting a new one with no guarantees of the future. Such a metamorphosis is very
difficult for them.

© Yechezkel Hirshman, 2009

Pirush 11 - Heard from Rabbi Avraham Gutman
One friend wanted to say Kasha l’zavgan k’krias Yam Suf means that the same
“kasha” or “kushya” (‫– ) קושיא‬difficult question - that we have about Yam Suf is the
same kushya that we have about zivugim.
By KYS there was a kushya – These are worshipers of Avoda Zara and these are
worshipers of Avoda Zara. Why are these (the Jews), more deserving than these (the
Egyptians)? The answer to the kushya is that even though right now even the Jews are
worshipers of Avoda Zara, they are destined to accept the Torah and forsake the
Avoda Zara. So they are being saved now ‫על שם העתיד‬.
So too by zivugim sometimes we have the same kushya. Why was this person zocheh
to this (very favorable) shidduch when it seems many other people are just as worthy
if not more so. The answer is that only HKBH knows what is in the future and who
will become greater or fall lower or will have exceptional children or who will have
challenging children (and who will have no children, R”L) and he makes the zivugim
‫ על שם העתיד‬.

Pirush 12 – Heard from Rabbi E. D. Gruskin of Yeshiva Gedola of Perth

Amboy
The Midrash says that, upon its creation, HKBH instilled in the ‫ טבע‬of the sea to
split when Klal Yisrael is going to come and require it to. When Klal Yisrael came,
the sea didn’t believe that this was Klal Yisrael because it expected an ‫ עם קדוש‬and
Klal Yisrael was still at about the 42nd level of tumah so it didn’t want to split. HKBH
had to assure the sea that this is indeed Klal Yisrael and so it split.
So too by zivugim people have a hard time recognizing their zivug becaue it is not
what they previously visualized so they are reluctant to “split the sea”. Often some
koach has to come and assure them that this person is indeed their proper zivug.

Pirush 13 – Klei Yakar at the beginning of Parshas Yisro

By KYS there were 2 nissim. One that the sea split which was a break from teva, and
the second one is that it returned back to its original flowing force (‫ – ) לאיתנו‬as if
nothing happened. The second ness was just as big as the first because once HKBH
makes something change from it’s teva, this becomes the new teva and it is ‫למעלה‬
‫ מן הטבע‬to restore it to its original form with no sign of the change.
Chazal say that ‫ וקשה לזווגן כקריעת ים סוף‬refers to “zivug sheini”. This can apply
to a ‫ מחזיר גרושתו‬or any major fissure (‫ ) פירוד‬in the zivug of the same couple.
Once the fissure occurs, to restore the zivug to its original intensity is as difficult as
KYS.

Pirush 14 – Maharsha in Sota 9b – Similar to previous

By KYS there were 2 nissim. One that the sea had to split and the second that it had to
come back together again and behave as naturally as it did in its original state. Both of
these events were portions of the overall miracle and the ness was not complete
without both parts.
So too Adam and Chava were originally created as on unit. They were later “split”
only to be “joined” back together again. Not until then is their existence complete.
The difficult part is to overcome the fact that they were at one time split and to
function as naturally as one integral unit. To be able to do this is very difficult and just
as much a ness.

© Yechezkel Hirshman, 2009

 Pirush 15 – Heard from Rabbi Avi Miller (last I knew he was in Pittsburgh
Kollel)
By KYS the Torah says: ‫ וחזקתי את לב פרעה ורדף אחריכם‬. Chazal say that this
the biggest miracle of all. After Pharaoh suffered so many makkos, it is unthinkable
that he would willingly run into the sea. It was only a miraculous event because
HKBH was ‫מחזק לב פרעה‬.
So too by zivugim, people suffer many makkos along the way.So much so that one
would never willingly “jump” into the “sea”. Hence, HKBH has to be ‫ מחזק לבם‬to
get them to take the final step.

Pirush 16 – Yechezkel Hirshman

The gemara in Sota (37a) says:
‫באותה שעה היה משה מאריך בתפלה אמר לו הקב"ה ידידיי טובעים בים ואתה‬
‫מאריך בתפלה לפני אמר לפניו רבונו של עולם ומה בידי לעשות אמר לו דבר אל‬
‫בני ישראל ויסעו‬
At that time (after Nachshon and his followers already jumped into the sea) Moshe
was carrying on with prayer. HKBH said to him, “My beloved are drowning in the sea
and you carry on with prayers?!” Moshe responded, “RBS”O, what am I capable of
doing?” He said to him, “Speak to the children of Israel to travel forth…”
HKBH was telling Moshe, “Just because you see no way out, this is still no time to
daven. Get moving!!”
So too by zivugim. Even if you see no way out – don’t just stand there and daven. Get
moving!!

Pirush 17 – Yechezkel Hirshman – Variation of previous

It says: ‫ דבר אל בני ישראל ויסעו‬. HKBH was telling Klal Yisrael that their
assignment right now – the “game plan” - is to get as far away from Egypt as they
can. So what if there is a churning sea standing in the way? That’s none of your
concern! It’s no reason to change the “game plan”. You do what you are supposed to
do and I will do what I am supposed to do.
When a person has concrete aims in life, he is often tempted to alter his “game plan”
because shidduchim – i.e., the churning sea – stands in his way. Nevertheless, the sea
is no reason to change his plans. He must proceed forward (‫ ) ויסעו‬and leave it up to
HKBH to “split” his barriers.

And now… Pirush 18 – My all time favorite!!!

How is zivugim as difficult as KYS?

It’s a trap!!!

© Yechezkel Hirshman, 2009