In the Torah portion of B'shalach it discusses how the Jewish people left Egypt and were pursued by the Egyptians:[1] 'The Egyptians chased after them and overtook them encamped by the sea every horse of Pharaoh's chariots, his horsemen, and his force beside Pi hahiroth, in front of Ba'al Zephon.' The reaction of the Jewish people to this challenge was three fold: The Jewish people cried out to G-d, they complained to Moses and Moses cried out to G-d.
The first response by the Jewish people to G-d is as follows:[2] 'Pharaoh drew near, and the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold! the Egyptians were advancing after them. They were very frightened, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord.' The Jewish people complained as follows:[3] ‘They said to Moses, Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us to die in the desert? What is this that you have done to us to take us out of Egypt? Isn't this the thing about which we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, Leave us alone, and we will serve the Egyptians, because we would rather serve the Egyptians than die in the desert.'
To this complaint, Moses responded:[4] 'Moses said to the people, Don't be afraid! Stand firm and see the Lord's salvation that He will wreak for you today, for the way you have seen the Egyptians is only today, but you shall no longer continue to see them for eternity. The Lord will fight for you, but you shall remain silent.' Moses then also prayed to G-d, as implied by the verse:[5] ' The Lord said to Moses, Why do you cry out to Me? Speak to the children of Israel and let them travel.'
The questions in the final part of the narrative about Moses praying to G-d are fivefold. The first three is about the biblical text itself: a. why is the fact that Moses prayed to G-d, as the Jewish people prayed to G-d, omitted in the Biblical text, b. what was the manner of Moses' prayer, c. what was the reason that G-d was critical of Moses' prayer? Two further questions are: a. why did Moses pray to G-d after G-d promised him there would be salvation:[6] 'I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, and I will be glorified through Pharaoh and through his entire force, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.' Conversely, as some commentators ask, why would G-d be critical of his prayer, when the notion that G-d desires and hears our prayer is fundamental in Judaism?[7]
Three medieval approaches
There are three approaches to understanding the nature of Moses' prayer: a. Moses didn't pray at all, b. Moses prayed in the form of his conversation to the people in assuring them that G-d will save them, c. Moses indeed prayed his own prayer.
The medieval commentators disputed regarding which of the above three approaches is correct, while the classic commentators of the Talmud and the Midrash follow the notion that Moses did pray, but dispute the nature of the prayer.
1. Ibn Ezra and Chizkuni argue that Moses didn't pray but rather G-d addressed him regarding the prayer of the Jewish people. Similarly, Abrabanel argues that Moses didn't pray to G-d but rather entered into debate (lit. cried out) with the Jewish people on behalf of G-d regarding their complaints.
2. Nachmanides suggests that Moses indeed prayed but not for salvation itself, as he was sure that G-d would fulfil His promise, but rather to know how the salvation will take place. Similarly, Rabbi Ovadiah Sforno (1475-1550), as well as Rabbi Abraham Abrahams (1801-1880),[8] suggests that Moses prayed to G-d out of concern that the Jewish people had rebelled, lost trust and may not follow him into the sea.
3. Rabbi Moses Alshich (1508–1593) and Spanish Rabbi Isaac ben Moses Arama (c. 1420 – 1494) propose that the prayer of Moses was not direct prayer between Moses and G-d but rather manifest in the content of the statements to the Jewish people:[9] 'Moses said to the people, Don't be afraid! Stand firm and see the Lord's salvation that He will wreak for you today, for the way you have seen the Egyptians is only today, but you shall no longer continue to see them for eternity. The Lord will fight for you, but you shall remain silent.' Indeed, prayer of the righteous may be in the form of conversation with others, to which G-d listens to and accepts as prayer.
Talmud and Midrash – unnecessary, too long or hypercritical?
The classic commentators of the Midrash and Talmud, however, retain the idea that Moses prayed directly to G-d for salvation, as implied in the verse:[10] ' The Lord said to Moses, Why do you cry out to Me? Speak to the children of Israel and let them travel.' They dispute however the reason for the criticism:[11] ' The Lord said to Moses, Why do you cry out to Me?’
There are seven interpretations the Midrash and Talmud why and in which manner Moses prayed to G-d and why he was criticised for it: 1. The Talmud[12] and Midrash[13] argue that prayer was appropriate but was criticised for prolonging prayer. The Talmud states: 'At that time, Moses was prolonging his prayer. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to him: My beloved ones are drowning in the sea and you prolong your prayer to me?' 2. There was no need for the prayer as Moses only needed to decree the sea to split and G-d would make it split,[14] 3. Prayer was needed but G-d was conveying that He answers prayer prior to the prayer and thus they may travel into the sea and it will split,[15] 4. There was no need for the prayer as the people of Israel already prayed and G-d heard their prayers, since G-d does not differentiate between hierarchies of people in prayer,[16] 5. There was no need for Moses' prayer as the people repented as 'Pharaoh drew near', and their prayer in repentance had already been accepted,[17] 5. There was no need for Moses' prayer, since G-d had already been appeased, despite the accusation (by the Satan) that the Jewish people served idolatry and were unworthy of salvation,[18] 6. There was no need for Moses' prayer as G-d had already created a precedent when He turned water into dry land for the creation of Adam. 7. Finally, G-d was criticising Moses: why was Moses' praying now when he challenged G-d earlier:[19] ‘why did you deal harshly with your people?'[20]
In the above, the Midrash and Talmud accept that Moses prayed to G-d for salvation, however, they dispute its necessity and manner: according to five interpretations, the prayer was criticised as unnecessary, in one interpretation the prayer was criticised for being too long, and in one interpretation it was criticised for being hypercritical.
Rashi
Rashi's commentary offers two interpretations. In the first he appears to reject the interpretation that there was no prayer by Moses or consisted of the dialogue between him and the Jewish people and follows the approach of the Talmud and Midrash that Moses’ was necessary but was criticised for prolonging in prayer. In his second interpretation, he accepts the Midrashic interpretation that there was prayer but was criticised was unnecessary. Rashi comments:
1. Why do you cry out to Me: This verse teaches us that Moses was standing and praying. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “This is no time to pray at length, when Israel is in distress.”
2. Another explanation of G-d’s question: ‘Why do you cry out to me?’ implies: “The matter depends on Me and not on you,” as it is said further in Scripture:[21] “Concerning My children and the work of My hands do you command Me?”
Manuscripts
In the manuscripts there are a few variations: 1. Some manuscripts omit: Moses was standing and praying. 2. Some manuscripts omit the word prayer in the sentence: 'This is no time to pray at length.' 3. Some manuscripts (MS. Oppenheim 35, fol. 38 (1408)) insert 'supplication' (tachnunim) instead of 'prayer.' We would like to pose the question: what is the significance of the variation of supplication (tachnunim), as opposed to ‘prayer’ (Tefillah) in the commentary of Rashi?
Two types of prayer
The word ‘supplication,’ as opposed to ‘prayer,’[22] reflects two categories of prayer: prayer for the sake of prayer and prayer as supplication in a time of distress. In fact, there are ten terms which denote prayer, as explained in the Midrash: Rabbi Yochanan said, ‘There are ten terms which denote prayer: shv’ah, ze’akah, ne’akah, rinnah, pegi’ah, bizur, keri’ah, nuppul, pillul, and tachanunim. In Deuteronomy, when requesting to be allowed to enter the land of Israel, Moses prayed only with the approach of tachanunim (entreat), which is interpreted to mean an appeal to G‑d's undeserved grace.[23]
The deliberate use of the word supplication in one of the manuscripts of Rashi implies the intent of the word 'prayer' in the majority of the manuscripts and the printed edition, as opposed to tachnunim, implies that it is referring not to tachnunim, in the context of Moses asking for undeserved grace from G-d, suggesting the Jewish people were undeserving of salvation, thus doubting G-d’s promise, but rather means prayer for its own purpose. In this context, the Torah doesn't need to state that Moses prayed for salvation and what the content of the prayer was,[24] as the purpose of prayer of Moses was not out of lack of trust but rather just for the purpose of prayer itself in a time of distress: Moses had complete faith that G-d would grant salvation, as promised.
This notion that the prayer of Moses was for the purpose of prayer in itself but not supplication out of doubt of salvation is reflected also in the prayer of the Jewish people. The Torah states:[25] 'Pharaoh drew near, and the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold! the Egyptians were advancing after them. They were very frightened, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord.' Rashi comments: ‘They seized the art of their ancestors [i.e., they prayed]. Concerning Abraham, it says: “to the place where he had stood before the Lord.”[26] 2 Concerning Isaac, it is stated: “to pray in the field.”[27] Concerning Jacob: “And he entreated the Omnipresent.”[28]
Criticism or praise of the Jewish people
Rabbi Ovadiah Bartenura comments that Rashi intends to disparage the prayer of the Jewish people that it was not sincere, but merely tradition from the patriarchs, as evident from the fact they immediately complained. A further approach is by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson,[29] that the Jewish people had complete faith and they stood in prayer to G-d for the sake of prayer, like the Patriarchs had done, when they were not necessarily in danger (like Jacob fleeing from Esau). In fact the examples given by Rashi are all cases of prayer that are no in the context of the Patriarchs praying for any particular purpose of salvation. In this context, Moses’ prayer would have been similar.
We may explain, thereby, the variations in the Oxford manuscripts: the printed edition states that it was the prolonging of prayer by Moses that was subject to criticism. The manuscripts vary in the text reflecting whether the prayer of Moses was in fact supplication prayer or prayer for the purpose of prayer, in the tradition of the righteous patriarchs. It would appear then that in the context of prayer for the purpose of prayer, the prolonging of prayer is in the same context: a tradition from the patriarchs to pray in length for the purpose of intimately connecting with G-d, especially in a time of distress, while having complete faith that salvation will be delivered, albeit in this instance, was subject to criticism as not being the appropriate response at the sea.
[1] Exodus 14:9.
[2] Exodus 14:10.
[3] Exodus 14:11-12.
[4] Exodus 14:13-14.
[5] Exodus 14:15.
[6] Exodus 14:4.
[7] Nimukei Rashi by Rabbi Chaim Hirschensohn (1857-1935).
[8] V'ya'as Avraham on Exodus 14:15. Rabbi Abrahams served as the principle Shochet in London.
[9] Exodus 14:13-14.
[10] Exodus 14:15.
[11] Exodus 14:15.
[12] Talmud Sotah 37a.
[13] Exodus Rabba 21:8.
[14] Exodus Rabba 21:2.
[15] Exodus Rabba 21:3.
[16] Exodus Rabba 21:4.
[17] Exodus Rabba 21:5.
[18] Exodus Rabba 21:8.
[19] Exodus 5:22.
[20] Exodus Rabba 21:8.
[21] Isaiah 45:11.
[22] Deuteronomy 9:26: ‘And I prayed (va'etpallel) to the L-rd.’ See also Psalms 17:1, Psalms 102:1, Psalms 65:3, Psalms 90:1, Proverbs 15:8, Jeremiah 32:16, Chabakkuk 3:1.
[23] The Midrash states (Devarim Rabba 1:2): Rabbi Yochanan said, "Hence you learn that no creature has any claim on His Creator, because Moses, the teacher of all prophets, made use only of tachanunim - an expression that denotes asking for an act of grace.’ Rabbi Levi said: ‘The reason why Moses made use only of tachanunim is because the proverb says: Take care that you are not taken at your own word.’ How? The Holy One, blessed be He, spoke to Moses thus (Exodus 33:19): ‘And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious.’ G-d said to Moses: ‘To him who has any claim upon me I will show mercy, that is, I will deal with him according to My attribute of mercy; And as for the one who has no claim upon Me, to him ‘I will be gracious,’ that is I will grant his prayer as an act of grace.’ When Moses desired to enter the land of Israel, G-d said to him: Let it suffice you (Deuteronomy 3:26). Whereupon Moses exclaimed before Him: ‘Master of the Universe, did you not say to me, ‘Anyone who has no claim of reward upon Me, to him ‘I will be gracious,’ that is I will grant his prayer as an act of grace?’ Now, I do not claim there is anything due to me from You, but grant You me my prayer as an act of grace.’ Whence this? From what we have read in the text under comment (Deuteronomy 3:23): ‘And I besought the Lord.’
[24] Avodat Hagershuni on Exodus 14:15 writes the prayer of Moses was motionless and without words.
[25] Exodus 14:10.
[26] Gen. 19:27.
[27] Gen. 24:63.
[28] Gen. 28:11.
[29] Likkutei Sichot 11:53.