Vayehi Beshalach: Pharaoh's Emancipation and the Crisis of Yetzias Mitzrayim

Rabbi Zweig analyzes a perplexing Midrash on the opening words of Parshas Beshalach. The Midrash interprets "vayehi" as a lashon of "vai" (woe), explaining that Moshe cried out because he was like a shushvin (groomsman) who successfully brought the bride (Klal Yisrael) out of her father's house (Egypt) but would not merit bringing her to the chuppah (Eretz Yisrael). The shiur raises several fundamental difficulties with this Midrash: First, where does the word "vayehi" inherently suggest "vai"? The Gemara (גמרא) in Megillah itself questions whether "vayehi" always carries negative connotations. Second, why does the Torah (תורה) repeat the exodus narrative here when it was already detailed in Parshas Bo? Third, why would Moshe express this particular emotion at this moment, before he even knew he wouldn't enter Eretz Yisrael? Fourth, why does the Midrash change "bechi" (crying) in the mashal to "tza'akah" (crying out) in the nimshal? The shiur's most fundamental question addresses the entire structure of Parshas Beshalach: why are Klal Yisrael suddenly being terrorized after they've already successfully left Egypt? The plagues are over, they've departed, and now Hashem (ה׳) creates an enormously dangerous situation by hardening Pharaoh's heart and bringing the Egyptians to pursue them. The Jewish people become so terrified that they want to return to Egypt—this despite the fact that four-fifths of the nation had wanted to leave and actually did leave. Why subject them to this trauma? It cannot be simply to punish Pharaoh further; Hashem could accomplish that without endangering His people.