ויסעו כל עדת בני ישראל...למסעיהם, “The entire community of the Children of Israel journeyed …on their respective journeys.” The Torah sums up in a few words that Israel made many separate journeys in the desert of Sin culminating in their arrival at Refidim, and this is why the text refers to the word למסעיהם, “according to their journeys.” En route, the people had encamped successively at Dofkah and Alush before reaching Refidim. The purpose of these verses is primarily to serve as background of what happened at Refidim. The journeys through this desert were earmarked by quarrels about lack of bread and subsequently, about lack of water.

וירב העם, “the people quarreled.” Ibn Ezra points out that the Torah writes “the people,” as opposed to “all the people” in contrast to the previous occasion when they did not have any more food. (16,2) At that time there were two groups of people, one which did not have any more water to drink, and one which had taken along water from Alush The group that had no drinking water quarreled with Moses, whereas the second group, although they did have water in their vessels, wanted to test G’d to see if He could and would supply water for the people. This is why the Torah, instead of using the familiar term וילונו, “they complained,” (with a measure of justification) now uses the term וירב, “they quarreled,” i.e. without justification. Moses therefore answered them by saying: “why do you pick a quarrel with me, and why do you put the Lord to a test?”

ויצמא שם העם למים, “The people thirsted for water there.” When their thirst became intolerable, the people ganged up on Moses, wanting to know why, seeing that things were worse for them than in Egypt, he had bothered to take them out of there? Nachmanides describes what happened somewhat differently. As soon as the people arrived at Refidim and found that there were no wells of drinking water there, they immediately started a quarrel with Moses, and this is the reason why the Torah reports that the people quarreled with Moses without giving any specific reason. Their demand for water is self-explanatory. This time, as opposed to previous occasions, they demanded water from him, claiming that it was his responsibility to provide this for them. Moses answered them that they had addressed their complaint to the wrong party, seeing that it had not been he who had led them out of Egypt, but that they were in fact putting G’d to the test, seeing that it was He Who had taken them out of Egypt. He suggested that if they would stop pestering him and instead would pray to the Lord, their needs would soon be taken care of. We know that Moses was correct in accusing them of putting G’d’s ability to provide water for them to the test, as it is written in verse 7 ועל נסותם את ה' לאמור היש ה' בקרבנו אם אין, “because of the people putting G’d to the test, wanting to know if the Lord is among us or not.” When Moses realized how thirsty the people were, he himself brought their prayer to G’d, and he told G’d how the people had quarreled with him and had accused him of being responsible for their sorry condition.

אותי ואת בני, “me and my children.” On this occasion the people did not speak in general terms as previously, saying להמיתנו, “to cause our deaths,” or “to kill the whole community,” but they added their children as additional victims, all in order to make their complaint appear more urgent. When children have to die in the presence of their parents this is a more tragic situation.

את בני ואת מקני, “my children and my herds.” The reason why they mentioned the herds, separately, was to remind Moses that a great deal of water was needed, seeing that the animals consumed a lot of water. This is why the Torah makes a point that after Moses struck the rock lots of water gushed forth, enough for both the people and their herds. (Numbers 20,11)

עוד מעט וסקלוני, “if this continues a little longer they are liable to stone me.” Moses did not mean this literally. What he meant was that the people were so embittered that if they had been able to, they would have stoned him.

עבור לפני העם, “pass before the people, etc.” Nachmanides understands the word עבור here as an instruction to walk ahead of the people, as in Samuel II 18,23 ויעבור את הכושי, “he overtook the Kushi.” We have to remember that the people were encamped at Refidim, whereas the rock from which the water would gush forth was located at Mount Chorev, also known as Mount Sinai, or that Refidim was a small town near the bottom of that mountain. I will still have occasion to describe the topography in detail. At any rate, it was a distance of approx. 4 kilometers from the camp to where that rock was located, and Moses at the head of the elders would walk there in full view of the people. Moses would have the vision of an angel on top of that rock, indicating that he had arrived at the correct spot. In our verse here, as opposed to a similar phenomenon almost 40 years later, the Torah, though reporting that the rock produced water, did not mention that this water was adequate for the people’s herds. (verse 6) Nonetheless, it is quite clear that there must have been enough water, not only this, but the people did not have to trouble themselves to march to Mount Chorev in order to be able to drink that water. Otherwise, why would the Torah have to tell us in chapter 19 that the people reached the edge of that desert on the first day of the third month and apparently encamped near the foot of Mount Chorev on the third day of that month. It seems pretty clear that the waters from Mount Chorev flowed to Refidim and arrived there in pristine condition for the people and their herds to be able to drink from. The other rock, at *Kadesh (*Numbers 27,14) apparently produced a cleft in the rock, which resulted in the rock being like a natural spring, people streaming to it to drink from it directly, as from a fountain. It was this well which the people immortalized in their song in Numbers Here the waters flowed directly past the people’s huts or tents so as to make it most convenient for them. Even though both sources of water are part of the concept of בארה של מרים, “the well granted the people through the merit of Miriam,” it is likely that right up until the fortieth year they benefited from the water which originated at Mount Chorev, whereas in Numbers, the people’s conducted merited a certain measure of punitive action, so that the continued accessibility of their water was less convenient than previously. The expression באר חפרוה שרים, “a well which had been excavated by nobles,” may reflect that subtle distinction.

ומטך אשר הכית בו את היאור, “and your staff, the one with which you smote the river Nile, etc.” Even though it had not been Moses personally who had smitten the river with his staff, but Aaron, (Exodus 7,19) seeing that Moses had instructed Aaron to do this, he is the one considered as having initiated it. The reason the staff is described in its relation to having converted water to blood, and nothing is said about any of the other miracles in which Moses’ staff had been featured, is that G’d wanted to show that this very staff which had been the source of harm, would now be playing the role of being an instrument that orchestrated something beneficial.

הנני עומד לפניך, “behold, I shall stand before you, etc.” seeing that the miracle which was about to occur was one that would be part of their daily experience for the length of time they would be in the desert, similar to the miracle of the manna, it was appropriate that just as the miracle of the descent of the manna was introduced with a visible manifestation of G’d’s glory, so this miracle too should be introduced by a similar visible manifestation of G’d’s glory.

ויאמר משה אל יהושע, “Moses said to Joshua, etc.” According to Nachmanides it is clear that from this day on when he came to the special attention of Moses, Joshua bore the name Joshua instead of Hoseah. We find him referred to by this name again in Exodus 32,17 when he commented on the sound of the shouting going on in connection with the golden calf. So what do we do with the Torah telling us that prior to dispatching this man as one of the 12 spies, Moses called Hoseah Joshua? (Numbers 13,16) We must assume that the Torah uses that instance to tell us that the man now called Joshua had already experienced this name change in our portion here, as a result of having become Moses’ personal valet. As to the comment by our sages that the additional letters symbolise that his name from now mean ק-ה יושעיך, “may G’d help you!” i.e. that Moses was afraid he might otherwise be influenced by the evil advice of the ten spies, could mean that already at that early stage of the Israelites’ wanderings Moses had feared such a development. It is also possible that as of the time when Joshua became one of the twelve men chosen to spy out the land of Canaan, Moses decreed publicly that he was henceforth to be referred to exclusively as Joshua. The reason why Moses himself did not lead the people in this battle was 1) to enable him to offer the prayers for success on the hilltop, and 2) there was a longstanding tradition that Esau or his descendants would ultimately be vanquished only by a descendant of Rachel. History has born this out, as Amalek was defeated by King Sha-ul, a descendant of Binyamin (son of Rachel). The remnant of Amalek, i.e.. Haman, eventually fell into the hands of Mordechai, also a descendant of Kish, King Sha-ul’s father. Moses relying largely on prayer, was due to the fact that the Israelites were completely ignorant of the art of conducting warfare. He felt that as long as he was a visible symbol for the people they would make up in faith and dedication what they lacked in skill. It is also possible that Moses was deeply concerned that Yitzchok’s blessing that Esau and his descendants would live by the sword would now weigh heavily against the Jewish people. This was the first time that internecine war between the descendants of Yitzchok had broken out, and it would continue at intervals until when the Messiah will come and the remnants of Esau will be resoundingly defeated for the last time. The destruction of the second Temple, the exile we find ourselves in still, are all due to the descendants of Amalek/Esau, and Moses was most aware of the historical implications. [this is why we daily add the relevant verses from the Book of Ovadiah, predicting the defeat of Esau at the end of reciting the victory song by Moses over the Egyptians. Ed.]

וכאשר יניח ידו, “and whenever he allowed his hand to rest,” according to the plain meaning of the text it was simply physically impossible for Moses to maintain a posture with raised hands all day long. Whenever he was too tired to maintain his posture, the battle tended to favour the Amalekites. This is why he commanded Aaron and Chur to assist him in maintaining the posture with his hands raised in support of his prayer. According to the Midrash, where the question is asked rhetorically whether Moses’ hands determined the outcome of the battle, the answer given is that Moses was not suffering from physical fatigue, but that it is forbidden for any man to keep his hands outstretched in prayer for three hours or more without a break. [It is an aspect of עיון תפילה, praying “insistently,” something most unbecoming for man in his relation to his Creator. Ed.] Rabbi Joseph Kimchi explains that the words וכאשר יניח ידו do not describe something that Moses actually did, but these words describe that Moses knew that he could not afford to allow his hands to rest, else Amalek would prove victor, and that in order to forestall such an eventuality, he took Aaron and Chur with him from the start to help him support his hands. Some commentators understand Moses’ raising his hands as referring to the hands with which he was holding his staff as a sign of encouragement to the people. Moses’ staff meant for the people what the flag means to gentile troops. Generally, the purpose of the flag is to serve as a point around which the troops position themselves, to prevent being scattered by opposing forces. The description of Moses being placed in an elevated position even while seated, is to signify that Moses performed the function that a flag normally performs in a battle. This explains why Moses called the altar he built after the battle ה' ניסי. He did not want the people to think that their victory had been due to the visibility of Moses’ staff during the battle, but that it was exclusively due to the help of Hashem, without which the staff would not have proven effective at all. Israel’s “flag” is its faith in Hashem.

ויהי ידיו אמונה, “His hands ‘was’ steadfast.” Ibn Ezra explains the singular mode of ויהי instead of ויהיו as referring to each of Moses’ individual hands separately. Other commentators justify the singular mode by saying that Moses’ hands appeared to the onlookers as if they had been fused to be one single hand. Yet other commentators claim that the word אמונה refers to the faith displayed by the people. Still another commentator compares the expression to what we read in Meggilat Esther about Mordechai’s relationship to Esther, his niece. The text there is: ויהי אומן, “he had adopted her,” as if we were to say that someone supported someone else by carrying them on his hands.

אמונה, ”steadfast.” As in Nechemyah 10,1 אנחנו כרתים אמונה, “we make this pledge, etc.” This matter will endure. Some commentators view the word אמונה here as a promise to Israel that they would emerge victorious. Others view the words as derived from אומן in the sense of the artist who possesses special skills, able to perform tasks others are unable to perform as they are not as gifted with skill and imagination. Moses excelled in both spheres. According to the Midrash, the word refers to Moses invoking the merit of the patriarchs who, thanks to their abiding faith in G’d, had left us a heritage of merits that we can call on when the situation demands it. The term והאמין בה'appears first in connection with Avraham in Genesis 15, “He had abiding faith in the G’d Who promised that his children would inherit the land of Canaan at a time when Avraham did not even have any children yet.”

ויחלוש יהושע, “Joshua succeeded in weakening, etc.” He did not kill the Amalekites. Some commentators claim that the soldiers that the Amalekites had dispatched against Israel were demons, sorcerers, whom it was impossible to kill by normal means as they employed all kinds of sorcery.

כתוב זאת זכרון בספר, “record this in a book for remembrance in the future.” Ibn Ezra writes that the book referred to is the one also known as מלחמות ה', “the Lord’s wars,” a book which has disappeared in the course of time. Nachmanides writes that what Ibn Ezra writes here is pure speculation, and that the book referred to is the Torah itself. [he bases himself on the vowel patach under the letter ב in the word בספר, which describes a well known book. Ed.] Compare Deut. 31,26 לקוח את ספר התורה הזה, “to take this Book of the Torah.” G’d commanded Moses to incorporate this historical item in the holy Torah so that the Israelites would forever remember the totally unprovoked attack by Amalek that they had had to endure. This is just another aspect of the commandment at the end of Parshat Ki Tetze, to wipe out the memory of the people of Amalek totally and irreversibly, once the time had come when we were at peace and genocide could not longer be considered an act of revenge motivated by personal motives. (Deut.25,17-19) When the Torah here instructs Moses ושים באזני יהושע, “make sure that Joshua hears it well,” this is because the commandment would not become operative until after the Jewish people were settled in their own land, so that Moses, who was not going to take them into that land, would not have a share in performing this commandment. [if not for the sin of the golden calf and that of the spies, carrying out the commandment might not have had to wait until the Jewish people had appointed a king for themselves, well over 300 years after Joshua’s death. Ed.] Seeing that Joshua left much of the land of Canaan unconquered at the time of his death, the commandment in accordance with Deut.25 could not yet have become operative.

כי מחה אמחה, “for I will surely erase, etc.” The reason why Amalek’s deed evoked such a violent response from G’d was that as a result of the drowning of the Egyptians in the sea the whole of mankind including the leaders of Edom, the descendants of Esau, had suddenly been in awe of the power of Hashem. The fact that Amalek had broken this spell by attacking G’d’s people, set back the timetable of the kingdom of G’d on earth to such an extent that the people responsible for this could not be allowed to remain part of mankind’s history. We need to understand why here G’d is portrayed as wiping out the memory of Amalek, whereas in Deut. 25,19 this task is one assigned to the Jewish people. Why is this? Some commentators understand this as follows. As long as the Romans had not destroyed the Temple, the task of wiping out Amalek was that of G’d’s people. After G’d’s people had become weakened by loss of the Temple and their independence, it was left to G’d Himself to complete the destruction of Amalek. The Midrash explains the apparent anomaly differently; G’d says to the Jewish people that if they will do their best to eradicate the influence of Amalek in the terrestrial world, He on His part, will eradicate any trace of him in the celestial spheres.

כי יד על כס ק-ה, “for as long as a hand had been raised against the throne of G’d, etc.” according to Rashi this is in the nature of an oath by G’d. Some commentators view it as a prediction, i.e. as long as a “hand” is raised against the throne of G’d disputing His right to rule the world, G’d is forced to wage war against Amalek. This will continue in this manner until, eventually, Israel will utterly destroy Amalek and wipe his memory from the slate of history.