Daily Chumash & Rashi Parshas Beshalach Shevi’i: War with Amalek (Shabbos, 13th Shevat)

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Shevi’i

  1. No water:
  • The nation traveled from Midbar Sin to Refidim, and they had no water to drink. They complained at Moshe, demanding him to give them water and accusing him of taking them out of Egypt so they and their families and cattle can die of thirst in the desert. Moshe replied back to the nation “What do you want from me? Why do you fight with G-d?” Moshe then asked Hashem what he can do with this nation, as they may stone him.
  • Moshe hits rock: Hashem instructed Moshe to take with him some of the elders of Israel, and to take his staff, and hit the rock that I will be standing near. Once the rock is hit, water will stream out and the nation can drink. Moshe did so in front of the elders of Israel. The area was named Maaseh U’Merivah due to the contention that took place and the challenge against G-d.

 

  1. War with Amalek:
  • Amalek came and waged a war against the Jewish people in Refidim. Moshe told Yehoshua to conscript an army and wage war with Amalek. Moshe would stand on top of a hill with his staff in his hand.
  • Moshe raises his hands: Yehoshua did as told, and Moshe, Aaron and Chur ascended the hill. Whenever Moshe would raise his hands the Jewish people would gain the upper hand of the battle, and when his hands were lowered Amalek would gain the upper hand. Moshe’s hands became heavy, and they thus took a stone and placed it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Chur supported his hand, one on each side. His hands remained up until the sun set.
  • The result of the war: Yehoshua weakened Amalek with the sword.
  • Obliterating Amalek: Hashem told Moshe to write this event in a book and tell it to Yehoshua. Hashem promised to obliterate the memory of Amalek from under the heavens. Moshe built an altar and called it Hashem Nisi. Moshe said that “There is a hand on the throne of Hashem, Hashem is at war with Amalek for all generations.”

Shemot Chapter 17 — Q&A Based on Rashi

 

Verses 1–3: No Water at Refidim

Q1: Why does Moses ask, “Why are you testing God?” (17:2)?

A: Because the people were asking: “Can God provide water in a barren desert?”
This was a test of God, doubting His ability.

 

Q2: What does “עוֹד מְעַט” mean in Moses’ cry, “A little more and they will stone me!” (17:4)?

A: It means: If I wait even a little longer, they will stone me!
Their anger was escalating rapidly.

 

Verses 5–7: Water From the Rock

Q3: Why did God command Moses to “pass before the people” (17:5)?

A: God reprimanded Moses for saying the people were ready to stone him.
He told him: “Walk ahead of them—see whether they stone you!”
God defended Israel’s honor.

 

Q4: Why did Moses need elders with him?

A: As witnesses—so no one could later claim the water came from a natural spring already present.

 

Q5: Why does the Torah emphasize “the staff with which you struck the Nile”?

A: Israel thought the staff only brought punishment (the plagues).
God showed that the same staff could also bring blessing.

 

Q6: Why does the verse say “strike into the rock” (בַּצּוּר) rather than “upon the rock”?

A: The staff was made of extremely hard material (Rashi calls it sanperinon, like sapphire).
When Moses struck, the rock split open.

 

Q7: Why was the place named “Masah and Merivah”?

A:

  • Masah = testing God
  • Merivah = arguing with Moses

And especially because they said:
“Is God among us or not?”

 

Verses 8–13: The Battle with Amalek

Q8: Why does Amalek appear suddenly after the complaint about water (17:8)?

A: The Torah juxtaposes these passages intentionally.
God says:
“You question whether I am among you?
I will send Amalek like a dog to bite you—then you will cry out and know where I am.”

Rashi gives a parable of a father carrying his son who forgets he’s on his father’s shoulders.

 

Q9: Why does Moses say to Joshua, “Choose for us men” (17:9)?

A: Moses honored Joshua, treating him as an equal.
This is the source for:
“Let your student’s honor be as dear to you as your own.”

 

Q10: What kind of men was Joshua supposed to choose?

Two possibilities in Rashi:

  1. Strong and righteous men, whose merit would help in battle.
  2. Men who knew how to counteract sorcery, because Amalek was expert in witchcraft.

 

Q11: Why did Moses, Aaron, and Hur go up the hill (17:10)?

Rashi: From here we learn that during a public fast day, three people lead the prayers.
Hur, Rashi notes, was Miriam’s son (and Caleb’s).

 

Q12: What was the purpose of Moses raising his hands? (17:11)

Not that Moses’ hands had magical power.
As the Mishnah (Rosh Hashanah) says:
“When Israel looked upward and subjugated their hearts to God—they prevailed.”

 

Q13: Why did Moses’ hands become heavy? (17:12)

Because Moses did not personally fight Amalek; he delegated the task.
This was improper, so God caused his hands to tire.

 

Q14: Why did Moses sit on a stone, not a pillow?

He said:
“Israel is suffering—I will suffer with them.”
A leader shares the people’s burden.

 

Q15: What does “וַיְהִי יָדָיו אֱמוּנָה” mean?

Moses’ hands were held steadily in faith, uplifted without wavering.

 

Q16: What does “Joshua weakened Amalek” mean? (17:13)

He cut down the strong warriors and left only the weak.
He did not annihilate them yet, according to God’s plan.

 

Verses 14–16: The Eternal War With Amalek

Q17: Why write the event “in a book” and “place it in Joshua’s ears”? (17:14)

To warn the future leader—Joshua—that he must fulfill the Divine command to one day eradicate Amalek.

And here Moses learns he will not bring Israel into the Land.

Q18: Why does God say “מָחֹה אֶמְחֶה”—I will surely erase Amalek?

The doubling shows certainty and emphasis:
God will never abandon this command.

 

Q19: Why call the altar “ה׳ נִסִּי” (God is my miracle)? (17:15)

Not that the altar was named “God.”
Rather, mentioning the altar evokes the miracle—“God is my banner/miracle.”

 

Q20: What does “כִּי־יָד עַל־כֵּס יָ־הּ” mean, with God’s Name and throne incomplete? (17:16)

Rashi:
God swears with His “incomplete Name” (יָ־הּ) and “incomplete throne” (כֵּס instead of כִסֵּא) that:

His throne and His Name will not be complete until Amalek is destroyed.

When Amalek’s memory is erased, God’s Name will be spelled fully (י‑ה‑ו‑ה), and His throne will be complete.

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.