The Israelites had crossed the Red Sea.

The impossible had happened.

The mightiest army in the ancient world.

The Egyptians with their horse-torn chariots had been defeated and drowned.

The people were now free.

But the relief proved short-lived.

Almost immediately they faced attack by the Amalekites and they had to fight a battle this time

with no apparent miracles from God. They did so and they won. This was a decisive turning

point in history, not only for the Israelites but for Moses and his leadership of the people.

The contrast between before and after the Red Sea couldn't be more complete. Before

facing the approaching Egyptians, Moses said to the people, stand still and you will see the

deliverance of the Lord that he will bring you today. Hashem ye lafem, God will fight for you and all

you need to do is be silent. In other words, do nothing. God will do it for you.

And he did. In the case of the Amalekites, however, Moses said to Joshua, choose men for us and prepare

for battle against Amalek. Joshua did so and the people waged war. This was the great transition from a situation in which

the leader with the help of God does it for the people to the one in which the leader empowers

the people to do it for themselves. And as this was happening, the Torah focuses our attention

on one detail. As the battle began, Moses climbed to the top of the hill,

overlooking the battlefield, with a staff in his hand. And then we read,

As long as Moshe held his hands up, the Israelites prevailed, but when he let his hands down,

the Amalekites prevailed. When Moses' hands became weary, they took a stone and placed it under him

so that he would be able to sit on it. Aaron and Hoare then held his hands, one on each side,

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