Parsha Talk Beshalach 2026 5786

Parashat B’shallach [Exodus 13:17-17:16] is the 4th parashah in the Book of Exodus. It features the dramatic crossing of the Sea of Reeds [14:1-31] with the companion poem [15:1-19], and a number of misfortunes: the lack of water, the lack of food, another lack of water [the Exodus story of Moses & The Rock, reprised in Numbers 20:1-13], and the attack of Amalek, which will reverberate through biblical history and beyond. It is a partiuclarly rich parashah in a book that is known to have several. We hope our conversation lives up to the parashah!
We take note of the return of the body of Ran Gvili to Israel for a well-deserved dignified burial. This is the first time since 2014 that there are no Israeli hostages in Gaza. It is a time of complex emotional responses, but surely thanksgiving is one of them. We continue to keep in mind the soldiers defending Israel as members of the Israel Defense Forces. Shabbat Shalom!