Parashat Beshalach

Miriam's instinctive song of praise tells us something important about calling out to God.

Liberation comes only to the courageous.

We must bring ourselves to awareness of the wonders of every moment.

The manna tested the character of the newly freed Israelites.

A Midrash explains that the Israelites took an indirect route out of Egypt to avoid seeing the dead bodies of their brothers.

Like the manna in the desert, food aid policies often do not foster real freedom.

We can return on a path of responsible and sustainable stewardship.

It is always a long road to the Promised Land.

If a sea can split, anything is possible.

A creative interpretation yields a valuable lesson about the vital importance of Torah to the Jewish people.

Despite the fear and exhaustion of journeying from a dark, narrow place, we must remember to accompany our arrivals with song and joy.

Moses' challenge as a leader was to learn the difference between the Israelites' expressions of fear and rebellion.

The transformation into a sacred people occurs not through miracles but rather through steady education, discipline and communal reinforcement.

The image of God as a nurturer, working with people to bring forth food, allows us to move beyond the violence of the Red Sea crossing.

The images of the angel of God and the pillar of cloud accompanying the Israelites in the desert raise questions about effective leadership.

The glorification of God in the Song at the Sea provides us with several models of attaining spirituality.

Our loved ones may physically pass on, but like Joseph, their presence reverberates in us and in the generations to come.

Moses was a confident leader but a humble man.

Even if hardship or illness has visited us or those we love, we can still be grateful for the many blessings we have.

Beshalach: A resource for families.

Questions and answers about the Torah portion.

Deborah leads a nation in war and sings a victory song.

Moses leads the Israelites into the wilderness after their escape from Egypt. God sends manna to feed them and Amalek attacks the Israelites.