Parshat Beshalach
In this weeks parsha Pharaoh finally gives in to the demands of Moshe, thus ushering in the long awaited redemption of Klal Yisrael from Egypt. However, Pharaoh's heart hardens and he decides to chase after Klal Yisrael to bring them back to Egypt.
The passuk says: "Pharaoh drew near, and the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold! Egypt was advancing after them." The passuk curiously uses the word "Nosea" (meaning "to chase") in the singular form, in reference to the entire nation of Egypt, which one would expect to be in the plural.
In noting this oddity, Rashi brings the Medrash Tanchuma, which explains that Egypt chased after Klal Yisrael "B'lev Echad K'ish Echad-One Heart as One Man" to denote their unity.
Why does the Medrash use this phrase? We recognize that this is a complete reversal of the Medrash in Parshat Yitro, which explains the unity Klal Yisrael had at the receiving of the Torah at Har Sinai: "And when they departed from Rephidim, and came to the wilderness of Sinai…and there Israel encamped before the mount". Here again, the Torah uses "Vayachanu"- to encamp, in the singular as opposed to the plural, even though it is describing the entire nation. Rashi notes this here as well, and brings the Medrash which explains that their unity was like "One Man with One Heart." What is the Medrash trying to tell us with this reversal?
Perhaps from this we can learn a tremendous lesson about the concept of unity and how one should conduct himself in a disagreement.
The heart is a euphemism for the thoughts and feelings of a person, as it says "Rabot Machshavot Blev Ish - Many thoughts are in the heart of man." In saying that the Egyptians were like "one heart as one man," placing heart before man, the Medrash is telling us that Egypt's view of unity was that it could only exist when there was, foremost, an agreement of thoughts and opinions. The prerequisite to banding together as one man was having a common agenda. The Egyptians grouped together only to bring back the Jews to slavery, to achieve a unified goal. To an Egyptian, the idea of unity for the sake of unity was a foreign concept.
However by the Jews, it is the reverse. The word man is first and heart is second. The man, the person, comes before his heart, his thoughts and opinions. Our unity stresses the recognition of the inherent worth of man as a precondition to unity. The realization that one's counterpart is made in the image of HaShem and that he is a fellow Jew, demands respect and breeds love. This type of unity leads to progress and fulfillment, and it is only after this recognition that people can come to meaningfully disagree. I once read in a book about an exchange between an Orthodox rabbi and a prominent Reform rabbi. The Reform rabbi made the claim that the Orthodox hate Reform Jews. When asked why he thought so, he replied, "Because they reject our version of Judaism." Clearly, he has an Egyptian mentality; to him, unity is an agreement of opinions, not of genuine love and care for another. He believes that if we, the Orthodox, were to throw away our direct tradition from Sinai, it would constitute a true a sign of brotherhood. But, as long as we have different world views, we cannot possibly love one another and feel unified.
The lesson the Medrash is teaching us is that unity is not a relinquishing of strongly held principles. Rather, it stems from a deep love and respect for the other, while at the same time allowing for differences of opinion. Disagreement is possible while still retaining the unbreakable bond of unity. May we and the rest of Klal Yisrael grow stronger in our unity together and merit the arrival of Moshiach speedily in our days, amen.
Shabbat Shalom.
-Naftali Kassorla
