HaShem Protects Jews in Difficult Times

The Greatest Sages in the Worst Times

Dovid Eidensohn

The greatest sages in the worst times are Rabbi Eliezar the Great, Rabbi Yochanan ben Zacai, his rebbe, and the genius Rabbi Dovid Luria. These two, Rabbi Eliezar the Great and Rabbi Dovid Luria are the scholars who composed the ancient classic “Pirkei DiRebbe Eliezar.” But the father of all was Rabbi Yochanan ben Zackai, who saved the Jewish people just prior to the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans. It was he who got the head of the Romans who became the Roman king, to give Rabbi Yochanan ben Zackai and his scholars who spent their lives learning Torah, the small city of Yavneh. And from that, the Torah continued and developed the Babylonian and Jerusalemic Talmuds, and a prosperous Torah community for generations.

We turn now to chapter 42 and the miracle HaShem made to save Jewish children thrown into the river by the Egyptians.

“Ben Azai said, ‘Everything has its place. Just as the Egyptians were proud, and threw Jewish babies into the river; so did HaShem fling the Egyptians into the sea, as it is said, I will sing to HaShem, because He has done very great things.”

“Rabbi Shilo said, ‘All of the children thrown into the river by the Egyptians did not die. But the river spit them out and flung them to the Egyptian Desert. And HaShem brought a Sela coin to each child and placed a Sela coin near him. And the Sela in his mouth nursed him with honey. And the Sela next to him nursed them with oil, as an animal does to feed her children. And when the Jews came to the sea, they saw HaShem  and recognized Him, and praised Him and sanctified Him, as it is said, ‘This is my G‑d, and I worship Him.’”

Next the sefer presents that HaShem arranged that the Egyptians He killed would be bobbing around in the water, until HaShem caused a North wind to blow their bodies to the Jews near the water. “The Jews then went and recognized all of the dead Egyptians personally, as it is said, ‘And Israel saw the Egyptians.’”

The sefer continues, that Moshe led the Israelites singing songs of praise to HaShem, and Miriam led the women singing songs of praise to HaShem. The Jews, men and women, had musical instruments they had brought with them from Egypt, as they trusted that HaShem would make miracles for them and then they would sing praises to HaShem.

Then a mighty miracle happened. The angels were singing, the Jews were singing, and then, Pharoah began singing. He who told Moshe, “Who is HaShem that I should listen to Him?” now confessed that he accepts the greatness of HaShem who killed out his firstborn in Egypt and now killed out all of his soldiers at the sea when they went to attack the Jews.

The sefer in chapter 26 near the beginning tells how Pharoah took Avrohom’s wife Soro to be his wife. HaShem then afflicted Pharoah and his household with great plagues, to tell him that in the future He would attack the Egyptians and bring great plagues upon them. Pharoah realized that he had made a terrible mistake to defy HaShem by taking Sora, and he returned her to Avrohom. He also gave Sora a huge amount of money and servants including his daughter Hagar the shifcho of Sora and Avrohom.

HaShem commanded the sea to swallow the Egyptians and it obeyed, but only after HaShem swore to allow the sea to swallow and keep them.

HaShem then discussed the future with Moshe. He concluded, “You will bring the Jews to Israel, and I will plant them there.” Meaning, in the Future, HaShem will make a world of happiness and hope for Jews, and the gentiles will repent. This is discussed at length in Rambam Mishneh Torah the very final passages.

 See also Rambam there in Mishneh Torah laws of Kings at the end of chapter 12: “If the one assumed to be the final Moshiach succeeds and builds the Temple in its place and gathers in the scattered of Israel, this is definitely the Moshiach. And he will succeed in getting the entire world to together serve HaShem, as it is said, ‘For then I will change over the nations to have a clear tongue, so that all of them will call out in the Name of HaShem, and to serve Him, all together.’”