Parshas Beshalach
When Pharaoh and his army were in hot pursuit the Bnei Yisroel cried out
(vayitz'aku) to Hashem. (14:10). Immediately afterward (14:11-12) they
told Moshe how upset they were that he took them out of Egypt and that it
would have been preferable to remain in Egypt rather than die in the
desert.
Onkeles translates vayitz'aku in the sense of crying out with a complaint
(see Ramban). According to Onkeles the flow of the psukim is
understandable. First they complained to Hashem, then they turned to
Moshe.
Rashi, however, translates vayitz'aku in the sense of crying out in
prayer, meaning that they davened. Rashi, quoting the Mechilta, says this
was an adoption of the behavior of their forefathers who instituted
davening.
According to Rashi, (i) how are we to understand the flow of the psukim -
if they were davening presumably they were not complaining to Hashem, so
why would they turn to complain to Moshe, and (ii) why does Rashi tell us
that they adopted the behavior of their forefathers; Rashi could just say
simply that vayitz'aku means they davened - what compels Rashi to describe
the source of davening at this juncture?
[Ba'er Haytev explains that they first davened, but, when feeling that
their prayers were unanswered, they turned against Moshe. The Ramban
explains that there were different groups within the Jewish people - some,
a minority, went to daven sincerely, others went to complain. These
explanations would answer the first question but not the second.]
The Maharal (in Gur Aryeh) gives an ingenious (and timelessly relevant)
explanation. Rashi is bothered by the first question of how to reconcile
the flow of the psukim; how does davening lead to complaining. By saying
that they adopted the davening behavior of their forefathers (instead of
simply saying that vayitz'aku means they davened) Rashi is explaining that
their prayers were not sincere; they davened because it was a family
custom to do so, but they did not have kavana or really believe in the
power of their davening. So first they davened (without kavana) because
that was their (mindless) custom, then they turned against Moshe, which
was their true agenda.
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