As the Torah describes in Parshat Shemos it was the prayers and cries of Klal Yisroel that awakened heavenly mercy to redeem Klal Yisroel. Yet, when stuck between the Egyptians and the sea G-d says forget the prayers, sally forth, why? The Bechai in Shemos explains how the 4 terminologies of geulah correspond to different stages in the redemption. He says the word גאלתי refers to krias yam suf for it is only after the slave sees his master is dead that he can be sure of his freedom. He says וזהו שלא תמצא לשון גאולה ביציאת מצרים רק אחר אבדן המצריים שנאמר (שמות י״ד:כ״ז) וינער ה' את מצרים בתוך הים וסמיך ליה ויושע ה' ביום ההוא את ישראל כי אז נחשבו גאולים ונושעים ואז היתה התשועה שלמה. It is only considered גאולה after krias yam suf. The even of krias yam suf is when the people went from "escaped" slaves to free people. It is this stage of גאולה that demands more than prayer. When stuck in the dark depths of Egypt, without any hope of the condition improving, what one must do is pray. However, when one had already been pulled out of the quicksand, when one is able to stand on their own two feet, they must grab the opportunity to move forward. G-d may bring you to the water, pull you out of the depths of misery, but you have to drink the waters of freedom. It is up to man to walk forward and claim his freedom. It is only when a person is able to claim his freedom that s/he is truly free.
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