Parshas Beshalach 5786 - Getting Back Up

Getting Back Up

At the end of the parsha, the Torah tells us:

“And Amalek came and fought with Israel in Refidim.” (Shemos 17:8)

Why does the Torah emphasize that the Jewish people were in Refidim when Amalek attacked? We already know that the Jews arrived in Refidim earlier (17:1), and we are later told that they departed from Refidim on their way to Har Sinai (19:2). What additional lesson does this repetition teach?

Rashi explains that the Torah deliberately links these events. At Refidim, the Jewish people complained about the lack of water and failed to fully recognize Hashem’s hashgachah, His constant care and protection. The Torah testifies that they tested Hashem, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?” (17:7). As a consequence of this lapse in faith, Hashem temporarily removed His protection, allowing Amalek to attack them — specifically at Refidim.

This explanation raises a difficulty. Chazal teach that before leaving Egypt, the Jewish people had descended to the 49th level of tumah (impurity). During the 49 days between the Exodus and the Revelation at Mount Sinai, they gradually elevated themselves, day by day, until they reached the 49th level of purity, preparing themselves to receive the Torah.

Yet the Torah tells us that immediately after Refidim, the Jewish people traveled directly to Har Sinai (19:2). If they were steadily ascending spiritually on their journey from Egypt to Sinai, then at Refidim — just one stop away from Sinai — they should have already been on a very high spiritual level. How, then, could they have fallen spiritually at Refidim and suffered an attack from Amalek?

I once heard Rabbi Ariel Shoshan explain, in the name of Rav Yaakov Yitzchak Ruderman zt”l, that spiritual growth is not linear. Just as life itself is filled with ups and downs, so too is spiritual development. There are moments of great inspiration and growth, and there are moments of setbacks and struggle.

The Jewish people experienced a spiritual decline at Refidim, but that setback did not define them. They were able to recover, continue growing, and ultimately reach the highest level of spiritual purity at Mount Sinai, where they received the Torah.

This lesson is deeply relevant to our own lives. When a person is growing in Torah learning or working on improving his middos, it is easy to feel secure when things are going well. Yet even during periods of success, we must remain vigilant, because spiritual setbacks can occur unexpectedly. Conversely, when we stumble — whether through anger, discouragement, or a sense of stagnation in learning — we should never despair. A setback does not negate prior growth.

We must recognize that challenges and failures are part of the process. What matters is the willingness to rise again and continue moving forward.

May we draw strength from the experience of the Jewish people at Refidim. Even after  faltering, they were able to recover and reach spiritual greatness. In that merit, may we too overcome our personal setbacks and continue striving toward higher levels of faith, growth, and closeness to Hashem.