“One Word,” Rabbi Elaine Zecher’s Shabbat Awakenings
February 7, 2025 | 9 Sh’vat 5785
Sometimes, one word makes all the difference.
The Israelites scrambled to gather their belongings and exited quickly out of their captivity. They knew what they were leaving behind but did not know for sure what would await them. Slaves no more is what they hoped for. Pharaoh had been their leader by force of subjugation. Moses now held their fate. So did God.
The portion opens with God’s navigational decision:
“Now when Pharaoh let the people go, וַיְהִ֗י בְּשַׁלַּ֣ח פַּרְעֹה֮ אֶת־הָעָם֒
God did not lead them וְלֹא־נָחָ֣ם אֱלֹהִ֗ים
by way of the land of the Philistines, דֶּ֚רֶךְ אֶ֣רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים
although it was nearer;” כִּ֥י קָר֖וֹב ה֑וּא
(Exodus 13:17)
The Hebrew for “lead them” is נָחָ֣ם, a combination of lead and them. The Homiletic interpretation from the Midrash, however, plays on the full word as a way of God saying that God would not be content or at ease. This way of looking at the word, נָחָ֣ם, uses all three letters. It also means comfort as the prophets often referenced for the needs of the people in times of despair. For example, Isaiah (40:1) spoke the words as a response to the destruction of the Temple and the people forced into exile.
Comfort, oh comfort My people, נַחֲמ֥וּ נַחֲמ֖וּ עַמִּ֑י
Says your God.
Therefore, we could regard the meaning of God’s directive that God was not comfortable with the people going by way of the land of the Philistines.
Understanding this possibility then informs how we look at the end of the verse in the reasoning of why God would direct the people to take the long way toward freedom. The verse finishes with the use of the same word but this time applying it to the reaction of the people.
for God said, כִּ֣י אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֗ים׃
‘The people may have a change of heart פֶּֽן־יִנָּחֵ֥ם הָעָ֛ם
when they see war, בִּרְאֹתָ֥ם מִלְחָמָ֖ה
and return to Egypt.’ וְשָׁ֥בוּ מִצְרָֽיְמָה
The translators chose “change of heart” to describe the reaction but the word means to comfort/ease/soothe oneself. Even though the people had to take the longer route, it would take their own ability to find a way to comfort themselves in the face of fear and uncertainty.
Every leader, even God, has to make the decision of whether it is possible to bring comfort through their directives. And at the same time, the people, too, can discover comfort in their own ability to ease, soothe, and comfort themselves.
Later in the portion (14:15), God will admonish the people: Then GOD said to Moses, “Why do you cry out to Me? Tell the Israelites to go forward.”
We, like the Israelites, can be paralyzed by fear, by the unknown, by frustration, and we, too, can harness the power of our own ability to soothe, ease, and comfort ourselves.
Sometimes, it is the only way forward.
Shabbat Shalom שבת שלום
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Rabbi Elaine Zecher