Discussions: May 2025

Rabbi Moshe Ben-Chaim

The Sea’s Angel

The Jews rebelled at the Reed Sea. Rabba bar Mari says, “What is the meaning of that which is written, ‘But they were rebellious at the sea, even at the Reed Sea. Nevertheless, He saved them for His Name’s sake’ (Psalms 106:7–8)?  This teaches that the Jews were rebellious at that time, and they said, ‘Just as we are ascending from one side of the sea, so too perhaps the Egyptians are ascending from the other side, and we will not be saved’” (Talmud Archin 15a).

God deemed it appropriate to remove the Jews’ worries , the above talmudic portion continues:

After the drowning or the entire 600-man Egyptian army, the Holy One, Blessed be He, said to the ministering angel of the sea, “Spew out the drowned Egyptians onto dry land.” The ministering angel said before Him, “Master of the Universe, is there a servant whose master gives him a gift and then takes it from him? Since the dead Egyptians were given to me for my fish to eat, how can You retract Your gift?” God said to the ministering angel of the sea, “I will give you one and a half times their number [in exchange]. Although I am taking them back now, later I will give you one and a half times as many bodies.” In the case of the Egyptians it is stated, “Six hundred chosen chariots” (Exodus 14:7), whereas with regard to Sisera, who was defeated at the Kishon Brook, it is written, “Nine hundred chariots of iron” (Judges 4:13). The ministering angel of the sea thereby complied and spat out the Egyptian bodies onto the sea shore (Ibid.). The Jews saw the dead army and rejoiced.

God catered to the Jews’ insecurity and showed them the dead Egyptian army. This was necessary so the Jews would respect that God, in that He secured their complete salvation through the full destruction of their enemy. But how do we understand God’s discussion with the “ministering angel of the sea?” Seas can’t talk, so what is this metaphor? Also, what is the deal God made with the angel?

This metaphor means it’s not God’s preference to do miracles, i.e., that drowned bodies should violate nature and float and wash ashore. But as God’s plan is that mankind recognize Him for our own good, He overrides natural law for that greater good, to gain man’s respect. He changed the sea’s natural laws this one time and the sea spat out the 600 bodies. The sea disagreeing with God means God’s natural oceans should remain functioning naturally, as water in its natural state bears witness to a wise Creator, which is God’s will. But when a conflict arises between nature and man’s poor estimation of God, God suspends natural law in favor of the grander goal of man respecting God. God miraculously provided water, quail and manna in the desert 40 years for this very purpose. His 10 Plagues too sought to impress Egypt. 

When God promised one and a half times the bodies during Sisera’s time, it means God will eventually set things right, where natural law will return, and obscure the momentary suspension of nature when Egypt’s army washed ashore. A greater amount of 900 bodies will eclipse the previous event of 600 bodies. The angel of the sea (i.e., natural law) favoring this deal, means nature—God’s original plan of nature—will be reinstated.

Idolatry is Suicide

If anyone of the house of Israel slaughters an ox, sheep or goat in the camp, or outside the camp, and does not bring it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting to present it as an offering to God before God’s Tabernacle, it is considered as committing murder to that man: having shed blood, that person shall be cut off from among this people (Lev. 17:3,4).

Yonasan ben Uzziel comments: “It shall be considered murder to that man, to him it is as if he killed an innocent man.”

Quoting Rashi, Rabbi Israel Chait explained this means that one who avoids sacrificing to God, but sacrifices to demons, is “considered” as committing murder…his own murder; suidice Since he is yet alive, it is only “considered” suicide. “To that man” intends to clarify that the bloodshed is not referring to the animal, but he himself did he kill…through idolatry he lost his right to life, as if he killed himself. That is, he’s worthy of death due to his idolatry.

With the words “As if he killed an innocent man”  Yonasan ben Uzziel means this man sees no wrong in his idolatry, his entire sense of reality is so distorted that he does not even see his error. He views himself as “innocent,” as King David says about idols and idolaters, “They [idols] have eyes but do not see…and their sculptors are [blind] like them” (Psalms 135:17).

Here, Torah highlights the severity of believing in powers other than God. This is not limited to ancient idol worship, but also to current day superstitions. We must examine ourselves: do we maintain anything but God determines our fate? Red strings? Mezuzahs? Notes in gravesites? Notes in walls? Tehillim recitals?

Torah’s position is clear: our fate is determined by our deeds. If we sin, nothing protects us from punishment. And if we are just, God alone grants goodness. All else like amulets and those invented “Jewish” beliefs above are imaginary, worthless and ineffective.

Earth Exists for Man

R. Simlai said: “Even as the formation of man took place after cattle, beast and fowl when the world was created [Genesis], so too Torah laws [regarding women’s ritual impurity at birth] are stated after the laws regarding cattle, beast and fowl [i.e., after kosher laws mentioned previously] (Rashi, Lev. 12:2).

Just as man’s physical existence follows the creation of all else [Adam came last in Creation], so too man’s metaphysical existence—Torah laws—are listed after laws about animals. 

Man came last in creation, for man’s existence requires all else to be ready before he enters the world stage: man’s physical existence depends on earth, water, sunlight, vegetation, trees and stones for homes, and animals for food, farming and clothes. Therefore, all these were created before man.

Similarly, our metaphysical existence—perfection—relies on interaction with Earth, so man again must come last. One cannot simply agree “mentally” with Torah values, but he must demonstrate conviction in action to measure his convictions. Agreeing that charity is good is worthless if one never gives charity. God designed man with many emotions, for example, generosity. In order to perfect his attachment to wealth, there must be the tangible opportunity to express the proper relationship. One expression is charity, another is not working the fields every seven years, and there are many more. Once God's wisdom determined that generosity is a necessary component of our psyches, we now need the necessary environment where this emotion plays out, so we might perfect our values through action. Thus, all other creations which carry Torah commands must again precede man, as man cannot perfect himself in a vacuum.