Judaism: Finding Holiness in Life

“Now when Pharaoh let the people go… the Israelites went up armed out of the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 13:18-19)

In the Hebrew, chamushim, is the word for “armed,” “dressed for battle,” or “arrayed for battle by fives.” The translation here is based on the frequent usage of the word elsewhere in this context (e.g., Joshua 1:14.4:12). Rashi (ibid), quoting the Midrash, (Mekhilta d’Rabbi Yishmael 13:19:3) states, “Chamushim (Hebrew חמשים) refers to the fact that only one out of five (chamisha – חמשה) went forth from Egypt, and four parts of the people died during the three days of darkness because they were unworthy of being delivered.” Why does the Midrash divert from the usual translation?

Judaism, it is said, is a culture that celebrates life. The Talmud states, “pikuach nefesh docheh et hakol” – We set aside all Torah obligations and prohibitions for saving a life.” The most common example of this is violating the prohibitions of Shabbat to rescue a person who is in danger of dying. The logic is practical, as the tradition states, “Desecrate one Shabbat on his behalf so that he may observe many Shabbatot.” (Yoma 85b) There is little glory in dying for preserving the Sabbath, compared to the merit of living to observe another one. There are dire situations that call for one to forfeit life for certain cardinal sins, however, those are the rare exceptions and not the rule. In Judaism, holiness is found in living life, not in death.

However, one does not truly appreciate what a culture of life is until it is contrasted with one of death. In the current conflict between Israel and Hamas, as well as the divide between Israel supporters and her detractors, the contrast is stark. Hamas has a strategy of using civilians as human shields, while the Israel Defense Force strives to limit civilian casualties. The March for Israel on November 14, 2023, America’s biggest pro-Israel rally ever, in which close to 300,000 Jews and others showed their support for Israel, was a dignified, unifying event. Worldwide rallies in support of Hamas, by contrast, have frequently been divisive, hostile, and accompanied by acts of violence, vandalism, and destruction.

This explains the Midrash’s reluctance to allow the enduring image of Israel’s finest hour, the march from the House of Bondage, to highlight the presence of weapons. Instead, it turns our eyes to the hearts of the true believers that deserve to be redeemed. This is not to deny the simple meaning of the verse, i.e., the Israelites marched with weaponry. The rabbis, however, remind us that the purity of spirit possessed by man is the source of his strength. “Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit — sayeth the L-rd of Hosts.” (Zachariah 4:6).

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Tzvi Berkson
6th Grade Torah Studies