Parshas Beshalach is particularly famous for being the parsha of Keriyas Yam Suf, the splitting of the Reed Sea, and shiras ha’yam, the great song of praise and thanks that the people sang after the Egyptians drowned in the churning waters (Shemos 13:17-22, 14, 15:1-21).  This great event is celebrated every year on the day on which it happened: Shevii shel Pesach, the 7th day of Pesach, and the great song of the sea is recited every morning as part of our tefillas Shachris (morning prayers), in the pesukei d’zimrah.  

The parsha covers other topics as well, including the bitter waters at Marah that Moshe sweetened (15:22-26), the falling of the manna for the first time (Shemos 16), the people thirsting for water and Moshe striking a rock to extract water, and the battle with Amalek (water and Amalek - Shemos 17).    

In regard to the manna, the nation was commanded to collect a specific amount of manna for each day, the measurement being an עֹמֶר לַגֻּלְגֹּלֶת (Shemos 16:16) for each person in the tent, and none was to be left over until the morning (ibid., v.19). However, the Torah tells us that there were rebellious ones who ignored the warnings of Moshe: וְלֹא-שָׁמְעוּ אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, וַיּוֹתִרוּ אֲנָשִׁים מִמֶּנּוּ עַד-בֹּקֶר, וַיָּרֻם תּוֹלָעִים, וַיִּבְאַשׁ; וַיִּקְצֹף עֲלֵהֶם, מֹשֶׁה - But [some] men did not listen to Moshe and left over some of it until morning, and it bred worms and became rotten, and Moshe became angry with them (v.20).  

Who were the men who left some over till morning? Rashi tells us that they were Dasan and Aviram (from the tribe of Reuven. They consistently caused trouble and instigated rebellions against Moshe, from Egypt, through desert travels, until they died in the Korach rebellion, which was in year two of desert wanderings).

If tradition tells us that these two men, who left over manna till the morning, defying the word of Moshe, were Dasan and Aviram, then why does the Torah simply call them ‘anashim’, ‘some men’? Why shroud their identities in mystery and anonymity, instead of naming them? Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm z’l suggests that, “The anonymity the Torah employs here is a way of denying to the arrogant and the wicked the very publicity they seek. Thus, Datan and Aviram considered themselves leaders, but the Torah referred to them as merely anashim, (ordinary) people. They wanted to make a name for themselves, so the Torah denies them that which they most wanted. Hence, their anonymity.

“… Perhaps too, this is the reason why the Torah does not name the Pharaohs of Egypt who are so prominent in the Exodus story. ‘Pharaoh’ is merely a generic name for an Egyptian king, in the same way that Caesar is the Roman emperor, or Czar is the Russian king.  The Torah refused to immortalize Pharaoh by mentioning his name, specifically because the Pharaohs were fanatic in their desire for their names to be memorialized - witness the pyramids they built, the glorification of their own posterity.

“… I would add that the same holds true for the reverse situation: the anonymity of the benevolent and great figures. Moses’ real Hebrew name is not given to us in the Torah… Neither are we told much about his parents. His genealogy is rather humble: A man from the house of Levi went and took (married) a daughter of Levi (Shemos 2:1). Perhaps the Torah is telling us that just as you may not explain all the evil of Pharaoh in one word by ascribing to it his hereditary or environmental idiosyncrasies, so can you not explain away the greatness of Moses solely by genetics and upbringing. Of course, psychology is also important, but there is always a core of free will which accounts for moral responsibility” (Derashot Ledorot Exodus, p.88-89).  

Dasan and Aviram desired fame to immortalize their wicked and corrupt ways. The Pharaohs strove for fame, so they would be remembered forever through their kingdoms and accomplishments - long after their deaths. 

And yet, as the very last mishnah in Maseches Avos teaches us: כָּל מַה שֶּׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּעוֹלָמוֹ, לֹא בְרָאוֹ אֶלָּא לִכְבוֹדוֹ - all that Hashem created in His world, He created only for His kavod, His honor, not for the honor of mortal, finite, passing-through-this world man. Chazal teach us that one who raises himself up, Hashem will lower him down; and one who lowers himself down, Hashem will raise him up; one who runs after greatness, greatness runs away from him; but one who runs away from greatness, greatness will chase after him, and find him (Eruvin 13b).  

Dasan and Aviram, like Pharaoh, ran after greatness, and strove to lift themselves up over others (and even over G-d, keviyachol!).  And so, greatness was taken away from them, as indicated by the anonymity of their names/identities here in the Torah text.  

Yet Moshe Rabbeinu fled from greatness and honor, and so, Hashem lifted him up and bestowed upon him great honors and he became the greatest prophet to ever live. And though his origins are humble and nameless, once we are introduced to Moshe (Shemos 2:10), his name does not leave the Torah until its closing words - אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה מֹשֶׁה, לְעֵינֵי כָּל-יִשְׂרָאֵל (Devarim 34:12) [aside from Parshas Tetzaveh, for which many reasons are given].

The Sages teach us of the importance of three crowns: Torah, kehunah and malchus. And yet, as important as each of these crowns are, the Sages admonish us to keep in mind that: וְכֶתֶר שֵׁם טוֹב עוֹלֶה עַל גַּבֵּיהֶן, the crown of a good name surpasses them all (Avos 4:13). Through striving to perfect ourselves in all realms of avodas Hashem - between man and his fellow, between man and G-d, and man within himself - we counteract the evil of the Pharaohs amongst us, the Dasan and Aviram’s of the world who want to influence others to sin, and the design of the yetzer harah that lurks within. 

As Mishlei succinctly teaches us: זֵכֶר צַדִּיק, לִבְרָכָה; וְשֵׁם רְשָׁעִים יִרְקָב, the righteous are remembered for blessing, while the name of the wicked shall rot (Mishlei 10:7). May we see our enemies of today obliterated, and the nation of Israel, as well as the Land of Israel, elevated, ad biyas go’el tzedek, may it be immediate and in our days.

בברכת בשורות טובות ושבת שלום