Every little bit counts...

The meforshim have trouble understanding exactly what the word in pasuk 13 perk 18, vachamushim alu etc., means. Rashi quotes 2 pshatim, either it means weapons or that only one fifth of the people made it out of Egypt.

I would like to take a different approach. We know that Bnai Yisrael in Egypt were on the 49th level of tuma'a, spiritual impurity. One more and they would never leave Egypt. Ever.

Says the pasuk that vachamushim alu, which can be read "they went up 50" alluding to the fact that they had risen 50 levels upon leaving Egypt and what happens next? They get the Torah in next weeks sedra. The little bit that they had Hashem took very seriously, in fact the effort that they put in to allow them to hit level one of purity rendered them acceptable to merit receiving the Torah.

The message is patently obvious. Like the Mishna in Avos says, The work is not on you to finish however you are not absolved of anything either. Do as much as you can at whatever level you are at and you will be zocheh, as long as you keep on pushing, to rise to the greatest heights possible. Just remember that every little bit counts...