Beshalach Super Bowl 5785

It’s that time of year again: the longest Haftorah of the year including the beautiful song of Deborah from the Book of Judges. The song parallels Moses’ and Miriam’s Song at the Sea in our Torah portion. It is a most beautiful Haftorah that includes the cunning ways of Jael who by her own hands was able to defeat the Canaanite commander Sisera. We are told that Sisera fled to Jael’s tent, where he assumed that as an ally’s wife, Jael would protect him. Weary from battle, Sisera went into Jael’s tent, where he fell asleep. And as he did, she covered him with a blanket, giving a false sense of protection. Many men find the next moment disconcerting as Jael grabbed hold of a tent pin and drove it into the temple of Sisera, the enemy’s commander, while he lay asleep in her tent.

Since we reside near Native American reservations, commanders might be referred to as chiefs. As most of us know, the Kansas City Chiefs will be trying to win their third straight Super Bowl this Sunday. If they accomplish this fete, they will go down in history as the first team to win three back-to-back championships. While the Patriots have won six championships, no team has won three in a row. Tom Brady might be overtaken by the Chiefs Patrick Mahomes, as the Greatest Quarterback of All Time. Notice I did not say GOAT because Tom Brady has won seven Super Bowls and has been to the February contest ten times.

If we simply look at the Haftorah, one might caution the Chiefs about a false sense of protection that many are arguing the Chiefs have received by the NFL officiating crews. Their win against the Buffalo Bills, especially one call on the field that dramatically effected the outcome of the game and went in favor of the Chiefs (when it should have been called a Bill’s first down) should be a caution flag to them about how officiating might change for the big game. The outcry of fans and commentators around the game about the call, may be the Sisera’s tent pin in Andy Reid and the Chiefs plans.

The Torah reading for this speaks of another type of protection. It was for the Israelite nation as they began their journey from Egypt through the desert to receive the Ten Commandments at Mt. Sinai and arrive at the Promised Land.

On Saturday evening we will begin the next week’s parashah, where Moses will climb up to Mt. Sinai. There before receiving the Aseret Hadibrot, God will say to Moses: "You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Me." (Exodus 19:4).

This verse has been used consistently on Super Bowl weekend, when the Philadelphia Eagles are also playing, to predict their chances of winning. More often that not, these words are used to celebrate the opportunity for the Eagles to win. But might it be read differently and the opposite, suggesting that the Chiefs might be borne on eagle’s wings and were brought to victory. Again, a false sense of protection; that is, unless one is an Eagles fan, who believe that this statement can only mean one thing as their fight song is titled: “Fly Eagles Fly.”

Rashi, the commentary that is well known to us, states that what makes Eagles different than all other birds is that it carries it young on its back. It is not fearful of any other birds from above. All other birds carry their birds by their feet to protect them from predators above them. Run game or passing game. Each one of these teams are masters.

If the Chiefs fans wish to find inspiration from that same Torah reading, they might find it in the words that follow: “if you will faithfully keep my covenant,” or as one might translate to “if you follow the game plan of Coach Andy Reid,” “you shall be My treasured people among all the peoples.”

In this week’s Torah reading, Beshalach, we read the Song at the Sea. Couldn’t Eagles fans argue: didn’t Pharaoh’s chariots go into the sea, and the chiefs (of Pharoah) were defeated.) As a Chief’s fan one might argue saying, “but right afterwards in the Song of Moses at the Sea didn’t the Israelites march on dry ground in the midst of the sea and arrive on the other side victorious?”

There is actually a play-by-play of the game in this week’s reading:

“The Egyptians gave chase to them, and all the chariot horses of Pharaoh, his horsemen, and his warriors overtook them encamped by the sea, near Pi-hahiroth, before Baal-zephon.”

“But Moses said to the people, “Have no fear! Stand by, and witness the deliverance which the LORD will work for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you will never see again.”

“The LORD will battle for you; you hold your peace!”

“Let the Egyptians know that I am the LORD, when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”

And the Torah tells us who might win, even though I am not sure which team’s offensive line this next statement is referring to:

“The angel of God, who had been going ahead of the Israelite army, now moved and followed behind them; and the pillar of cloud shifted from in front of them and took up a place behind them.”

So which team does our Torah reading and Haftorah predict to win?

It is for each one of us to decide how to understand the Torah’s and Haftorah’s prediction.

However, here is one thing that is clear from the reading as a message: a false sense of protection, may be the downfall of either team.

Here is what I do know, the Torah does state it will be a most interesting game:“

Joshua did as Moses told him and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

Then, whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; but whenever he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

But Moses’ hands grew heavy; so, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur, one on each side, supported his hands; thus, his hands remained steady until the sun set.

And Joshua overwhelmed the people of Amalek with the sword.”

Should we be rooting for history or should we be rooting for the underdog?

My answer is quite cryptic but the one I end with each week since October 7, 2023:

Am Yisrael Chai!!!

Bring them all home now!!!

Shabbat shalom,

Rabbi K