<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=windows-1252"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;">Next week being Shabbos Shira, I am reminded of a puzzling paradox.<br>We are all in awe of the splitting of the Sea and as well, the Sages <br>teach in the Mekhilta that “even a simple maidservant at the Sea perceived<br>a higher degree of Revelation than that of Ezekiel in his Heavenly <br>vision” (described in the Book of Ezekiel, Chapter one). What is fascinating<br>is that the miracle of the <i>Manna</i> was no less awe-inspiring than the crossing <br>of the Red Sea, and yet we hear no outpouring of song, no “<i>Oz Yoshir</i>.” On the<br>contrary…far from being moved to gratitude and praise of God , they <br>grumbled and complained. If you stop and think of it, it makes no sense.<br>Some have attempted to explain the miracle at the Red Sea as a wind blowing<br>all night, etc. Nobody could ever explain food coming from heaven and tasting<br>like anything you wanted it to taste like. I recall as a child; we all were in awe<br>of the miracle of the Red Sea but we spoke about the manna as if we were <br>talking about the weather. The complaining reminds me of many bar mitzvah<div>or wedding receptions where all you hear are complaints about the food.<br>It was too hot, it was too cold, it had no flavor, there was no variety, etc. etc. </div><div>Other than the fact that Jews have always complained about food, I have never</div><div>seen a reasonable explanation. It’s just probably genetic. </div><div><br><br>I recently came across an amazing insight which many of us may never have </div><div>realized or thought about. One of the oft quoted phrases of all Talmudic literature </div><div>is the Mishnah “Moshe kibeil Torah miSinai umsoroh Li(Ye)hoshua. This opening <br>sentence from Pirkei Ovos obviously contains basic Jewish theology. It is a direct </div><div>statement that on further analysis leaves an odd sensation, almost a feeling of sadness. <br>Why? One would have thought the Mishnah should have read: </div><div><i>Moshe kibeil Torah miSinai um’soroh l’Gershom u’l’Eliezer</i></div><div><br>Instead of Moses passing the mantle of leadership to his children, which would be the<br>logical, natural progression, he passes it to a non family member; his disciple, true, but<br>still not of his own flesh and blood. One of life’s tragedies is that often the greats are unable<br>to convey their greatness to their children. They teach others but not their own children. <br>Moses reached the heavens, but could not reach his sons. To further this thesis, look and<br>you will find a man so engrossed in great causes that he forgot to circumcise his own son,<br>Eliezer (Shmos 4:25). It was his wife, Zipporah, who was the Mohel. What a tragedy for the <br>greatest prophet and teacher to experience. Also, it was not Moses who raised his sons but<br>his father-in-law, Jethro.<br><br>“Blessed are the parents who recognize their personal responsibility to their own children”<br><br></div></body></html>