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Sefer Shemos
Parashas Beshalach
Shemos: Chapter 14, verse 10
And Pharaoh approached and the Jewish people
lifted their eyes and behold Egypt was behind them and they
were very frightened and the Jewish people called out to G-d.
In
Midrash Tanchuma (Parshas Shoftim) R' Yehoshua ben Levi says a
parable: A princess was going along a path and bandits attacked her. She
called out to the King who said "This is what I have been waiting to
hear." Similarly G-d took the Jewish people out of Egypt and wanted to hear their prayers. When
they didn't pray he sent Pharaoh and his soldiers after them. Then the
people began to call out to G-d.
The
problem with the midrash is obvious: Why is it
necessary to cause trouble to force the Jews to pray?
Rav
Altusky (HIDUSHEI BASRA - MIDRASH TANCHUMA page
184) explains that G-d does not provide us with material belongings in
order that we should feel good. We should understand that everything that
is available to us has been provided only to help us serve G-d properly. In
fact, it is difficult for us to obtain a high level of faith and reliance
on G-d if life has been made too easy. It is possible (and even
worthwhile!) that G-d has been making life difficult for us in order to
cause an increased awareness of His power to protect His servants.
This
idea might be new to us. We often think of our problems as a way of
obtaining atonement for our sins. This might be the case, but it certainly
is not the only possibility. Our problems can be used to help us see just
how much we are dependent on our Creator for each breath and for every one
of the many favors we receive daily. When we reach this realization, we are
able to pray with increased awareness and thankfulness.
Rav
Altusky adds that there are people who, in spite
of their problems, manage to hold back from issuing even the slightest
groan. From the above Midrash we learn that this
is not necessarily the proper way of serving G-d. We are obligated to call
out to G-d and plead that He should reduce our pain and save us from peril.
A sincere prayer like that naturally leads to a strong faith that G-d is
the one and only force in the universe in charge of our lives.
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