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It is well known that wherever there are 2 Jews, there are 3 opinions. But in front of the Red Sea, there were 4. The Jews, shortly after their Exodus from Egypt, found themselves trapped. In front of them was the sea, behind them were the Egyptians who had regretted that they let them go, and here they were in the middle, not knowing what to do.
There were four opinions: the first group wanted to fall into the sea and drown, the second group thought it is better to go back to Egypt, the third group proposed to fight the Egyptians while the fourth group believed they need to pray to G-d. But G-d said to Moses to order the Jews to go forward. And then the big miracle happened, the splitting of the sea that we celebrate during the last days of Pesach, which are tomorrow Friday and Shabbat.
These ways of facing problems exist spiritually in our lives. When someone sees the turmoil of the sea of life and all the evil that surrounds him, he can react in four ways. He can choose to fall into the sea, to drown in to the study of Torah and seclude himself from the rest of the world. He will not try to improve the world around him and will only take care of himself. Someone else will choose to get back to Egypt: he sees the awful darkness around him and thinks he cannot win it. But since he knows he needs to stay in this world, he does not seclude himself but is despaired, pessimistic and apathetic. Another one will decide to fight. He will devote his life to a war against the evil. Finally, there is the one that devotes himself to prayer, asking G-d to save the world.
None of the above though, is the right way to react. When someone is one the way to receive the Torah, he should not stop even if the motive is important. He needs to advance in the way that leads him to G-d.
The problem with the four reactions mentioned above is that they are based on the human rationale. But we need to do what G-d wants from us and not what we think is best.
When we go forward according to the word of G-d, even obstacles such as the sea, split apart so we can continue on the way that G-d has traced for us and bring Mashiach now!
Chag Sameach and Shabbat Shalom!
Hanna