Bishalach
Be'er moshe brings a two interesting medrashim. Immediately preceding the attack of Amalek, the Passuk states that the place where klall yisroel complained about the water was called massah u'merivah because they "argued" with Hashem. The Mechilta explains their argument was that "if Hashem gives takes care of all our needs we will serve him, if not, not. Rashi relates the mashal of a person carrying his son on his shoulders while giving his child his every fancy. After a while the child asked a stranger where his father is whereupon the father threw his son down allowing him to be attacked by a dog.
The medrash relates that when Amalek initialized their attack, they first called out to the shevatim of Reuvain Shimon and Levi to do "business" with them.
The b'er Moshe explains That when Amalek sensed that klall yisrael's relationship with Hashem was brought down to a level of a "business relationship", Amalek tried to seize the moment and to teach klall yisroel the ways of a business relationship with G-d. To remove the warmth and passion of "father and son relationship" and to serve Hashem with a distant coldness - al m'nas l'kabel pras - Instead of relating like a ben and Av, klall yisrael would speak "business" with Hashem. That is the mashal Rashi uses with the son being carried by his father only to then ask a stranger if he knows where his father is… Their tikkun as well was when in battle they raised their eyes and committed their hearts לאביהם שבשמים .
We see here the importance of not working al minas l'kabel pras… some mitzvos come with a bit of pras, like we spoke about at Chap, there are some mitzvos that grant peiros b'olam hazeh. But interestingly enough, shabbos is not in the list! The pleasures we enjoy on shabbos are the actual mitzvah itself of Oneg Shabbos! So on shabbos we have the opportunity reap the benefits similar to "pras" but to really serve Hashem with warmth, enjoyment, passion and love to our Avinu Shebashamayim. So now on shabbos shirah let's express that warm relationship & let us join and sing shirah tonight l'avinu shebashamyim!
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Posted By Dovi milstein to DRASHOS at 2/07/2018 08:50:00 PM