Va’era 5631 תרל”א

במדרש ופניתי לראות כו’ אשר כבר עשוהו כו’. 

The Medrash (Shmos Rabba 6:1) explains the pasuk (Koheles 2:12):

וּפָנִ֤יתִֽי אֲנִי֙ לִרְא֣וֹת חָכְמָ֔ה וְהוֹלֵל֖וֹת וְסִכְל֑וּת כִּ֣י ׀ מֶ֣ה הָאָדָ֗ם שֶׁיָּבוֹא֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־כְּבָ֖ר עָשֽׂוּהוּ׃

My thoughts also turned to see wisdom and madness and folly. For what will the man be like who will succeed the one who is ruling over what was built up long ago?

The Medrash goes on to explain that Shlomo Hamelech said that the reason why a king is not allowed to have many wives, is because they will turn his heart from HaShem. However he was convinced that they would not have such an effect on him, and had many wives. The letter ‘yud’ complained to HaShem and said that Shlomo is nullifying me, HaShem responded that many Shlomo’s could be nullified, yet not even a jot of the letter yud will be nullified.

Similarly the Medrash continues that when Moshe complained to HaShem: Why did you do bad to your nation? Moshe was trying to outwit the decree of HaShem, for HaShem had said earlier that He will harden Paroh’s heart, and Paroh will not let them go. 

These thoughts of Moshe and Shlomo ‘of wisdom’ are what is referred to in Koheles above as madness and folly.

כי יש לאדם לידע כי כל מעשה נוגע בשורשו למעלה למעלה עד שאין השגת אדם מגעת כלל. 

(The explanation of this Medrash is as follows. Even though a person might have the best intentions, and know himself very well. For Shlomo Hamelech the wisest of all men certainly knew himself very well, and knew that he will not be swayed by many wives, nevertheless) a person must realize that all of his actions touch the source (of his soul), to the very highest levels, much higher, where one cannot comprehend. 

ולזאת צריך להיות בטל כל השכל וכל הרצונות לרצונו ית”ש 

It is for this reason, that one needs to nullify his understanding and desires to HaShem’s will.

וכן שמעתי מאא”ז מו”ר זצלה”ה עמ”ש במד’ אלו הי’ יודע ראובן שהכ’ יכתוב עליו למען הציל כו’ על כתיפו הי’ מביאו כו’ וח”ו שהי’ עושה מפני הכבוד שיעיד עליו הכתוב רק אלו הי’ יודע שהדבר נוגע כל כך שהכ’ יכתוב כו’ עכ”ד. 

Similarly I hear in the name of the Chidushei Harim, on the Medrash (Ruth Rabba 5,6:14): Had Reuven known that when he suggested that his brothers throw Yosef in a pit instead of killing him, that the Torah would later testify that the Reuven’s intention was really to save Yosef, then Reuven would have brought Yosef on his shoulders back to Yaakov. Now Heaven forbid Reuven was not merely seeking honor!? Rather what Reuven did not realize was that his actions could have such an impact that the Torah would actually write about them. (He was not aware of the extent of the energy of his actions).

וכל מעשה אדם נגזר כבר בשמים. וז”ש אשר כבר עשוהו. שלמעלה כבר נגזר לפניו ית’ כל מה שיעשה אדם אח”כ א”כ אין שייך להרהר אחר הש”י. 

Every action of a person is already decreed in Heaven, this is the meaning of the abovementioned pasuk in Koheles “That is already built up” (in past tense). Therefore since it is already decreed one cannot argue with it (as Shlomo and Moshe attempted to do). 

ובוודאי שלמה הע”ה הי’ נראה לו ברור כי לא יסיר לבבו. אבל מעשה האדם נוגע מה שלמעלה מהשגתו. וממילא יוכל להיות שינוי בשורש האדם. וא”כ לא יוכל אדם לדעת זה כלל. 

Now Shlomo Hamelech (surely knew himself very well,) and it was absolutely clear to him that he would never be swayed (by having many wives), however since, as explained, our actions are rooted in a source way above our comprehension, therefore it could be that there is actually a change in the source of the person that one is not aware of. (On that deep level there could be a shift and therefore he could never pre-emp that).

וכ’ שעלתה היו”ד שבירבה לפני הש”י ואמרה שלמה מבטל אותי. וכי מי שעושה עבירה מבטל האות. 

The letter yud complained to HaShem that Shlomo is nullifying it. How can it be that someone who sins, nullifies a letter of the Torah.

אך וודאי ע”י חטא האדם נכרת מדביקות. אבל שהע”ה ידע כי בכח התורה שבו וחיות הש”י בלי פירוד אמר אנכי ארבה ולא אסיר [וז”ש אתי אל ואוכל]. ולכך עלתה היו”ד [שע”ש המחשבה שהוא השורש כמ”ש סוף מעשה במחשבה תחילה] ואמרה כו’ 

However the idea is as follows, when a person sins, he becomes disconnected from his connection to HaShem, however Shlomo knew that the energy of the Torah and the life force of HaShem in him was so strong, that he was absolutely certain that he would not be swayed by many wives. [Therefore Shlomo said “HaShem is with me and I can”], therefore the yud complained [for the letter yud represents the thoughts, as it says, the end action is based on the original thoughts].

וכן במשה אמר למה הרעותה. וודאי לא הי’ יכול לצייר ח”ו על רעת ישראל. 

So too when Moshe said “Why have you done bad to them” (Bnei Yisrael). Moshe could definitely not imagine the bad of Bnei Yisrael. (* He could not answer why they suffered so much) 

והש”י השיבו אני ה’ שכל הויות ע”י רצוני א”כ לא שייך קושיא והירהור. וכן צוהו לומר לבנ”י אני ה’ לידע שגם גלות מצרים רק ע”י חיותו ית’ כי כל הויות ממנו ית’. 

The response of HaShem to Moshe, was the “I am YHVY (Havaye)”, (the name YHVY is the absoluteness of HaShem, as opposed to the name Elokim, which is how it is expressed in this world, and can manifest in seemingly negative ways), meaning that all existences are His will, that even the exile in Mitzrayim, is the life force of HaShem, for every state is from Him. 

ולא שמעו כו’ מקוצר רוח כי כשהיו בגלות לא הי’ נגלה זה [פי’ קוצר רוח חיות הש”י שבאדם דכ’ ויפח באפיו כו’. ובגלות נפסק הדבקות בשורש החיות] 

They (Bnei Yisrael) did not listen to Moshe due to a shortness of breath, for when Bnei Yisrael were in exile this idea (the extent of how every existence is only due to HaShem’s desire). [The idea of shortness of breath is the idea of HaShem breathed into Adam a life force. It was this life force / breath, that was short in exile]

וז”ש במד’ שהכל מן התורה קבע בה מ”ע ול”ת כו’ פי’ שיש לכל מעשה איש ישראל חיות בתורה ומצות התלוין במעשה. ולכך מעשה אדם נוגע במה שלמעלה ונמשך מחיותו ית’. 

This is the meaning of the beginning of the Medrash above. When HaShem gave the Torah to Bnei Yisrael he established positive and negative commandments. Meaning that every single action of a person gets existence from the Torah and the Mitzvos that instruct our behavior. Therefore (as explained above) one’s actions reach the highest source above and from there one’s life force is drawn down. 

וכן מ”ש בש”ק אשר ברא כו’ לעשות פי’ מה שנעשה גם עתה ע”י רצון הש”י בשעת הבריאה ובשבת מעידין בנ”י ע”ז שנתברר האמת. 

So too on Shabbos it says “He created to do”, meaning that everything that happens now is all through the desire of HaShem, at creation and (nowadays also) on  Shabbos, Bnei Yisrael testify to this idea, and clarify the truth (that everything that occurs is exactly the will of HaShem). 

וז”ש וכבדתו מעשות כו’ חפציך כו’ פי’ ז”ל שיהי’ כל מלאכתך עשוי’. י”ל כנ”ל שידע שגם מה שעושה האדם כבר הוא נעשה ע”י רצונו ית’ כמ”ש אין אדם נוקף אצבעו כו’ וז”ש אשר כבר עשוהו כנ”ל. 

this is what is meant (in the pasuk regarding Shabbos Yeshaya 58:13) You shall honor it from (not) doing your ways, nor look into your affairs or speaking. The Medrash explains this to mean that on Shabbos one should feel as if all his work is already done. We can explain (all your work is done) as above, that one is aware that whatever one does is because HaShem has willed it (already done), as it says (Chulin 7b) a person cannot lift a finger in this world unless it has already been declared above. 

ובשבת הוא בחי’ הביטול וקבלת עמ”ש שהוא להיות בטל אל שורש החיים. ועי”ז כל מעשה נמשך אחר שורשו בשמים. 

On Shabbos which is the concept of nullification (of our desire to HaShem’s will – we stop everything we are doing), and accept HaShem’s kingship, for we are nullifying ourselves to the source of life (to a place higher than we can ever comprehend and nullify whatever we think is right to the will of HaShem). And it is through this that every action is drawn (connected and receives more sustenance) to its source in Heaven.

דכ’ נפלאות עשה. וברמ”א א”ח פי’ ומפליא לעשות שהמעשה יש בו מבחי’ פלא ע”ש כמ”ש במ”א. 

(we find the same idea in the pasuk in Tehillim 98:1) “He has made wonders”, and similarly in the blessing of Asher Yatzar “he makes wonders” the Rama (Orach Chaim 6:1) (explains that the wonder is that HaShem combines something spiritual to something physical the soul to the body), this action is indeed a wonder. As we have explained elsewhere (Beshalach TRND).

וגם שכל האדם צריך להיות בטל לבחי’ שורש החכמה דכ’ מאין תמצא כו’. כי אדם יודע שכשנתגדל ומחכים יותר. רואה שמה שלא נחשב לו לחטא מקודם. הי’ טעות. וכן אח”כ יותר. 

So too one’s intellect needs to be nullified to the source of all knowledge, as it says “From where מאין can knowledge be found” (The word אין literally means nothing, it is only when one puts aside one’s own desires and ego that true knowledge can be found). (To illustrate this idea we see that) when a person gets older and wiser he realizes that things that he originally did not consider wrong for him to do are actually now not appropriate, so his original understanding was actually wrong. And afterwards again (the more one grows the more one changes).  

א”כ לחכמה אמתיות אין שיעור וצריך להיות בטל כל הדעת למאמר הש”י ונמשך הכל אל השורש כנ”ל:

So therefore the actual true knowledge (which is not subjective) is actually limitless, and therefore one must nullify one’s intellect to the word of HaShem, so that everything can draw existence from the very root and source of one’s soul. as above. 

(Yesod: A person needs to realize that no matter what his comprehension of himself or his situation is, his soul and all his actions are rooted in the very highest source of heaven. Shlomo and Moshe’s mistake was that they used their comprehension of something, which was incongruent with the Torah. Shlomo took many wives, and Moshe ‘blamed’ HaShem for causing hardship on Bnei Yisrael. 

Both of these thoughts were problematic, for even though their reasoning was sound, it did not reach to the very end of the source – the Torah. 

This is what every Jew needs to constantly bear in mind how his actions are so connected to the very foundations of the world.

[It is also a great source of encouragement for one to realize that his seemingly puny actions, that are so seemingly irrelevant and insignificant really penetrate so deep, and reach the very source of everything])

2

וידעתם כי אני ה’ אלקיכם המוציא כו’ 

“And you will know that I am HaShem who takes you out of the land of Mitzrayim” (Shmos 6:7)

זה הבטחה שידעו שהש”י הוציאם מא”מ. וזה טעם כל הגלות כדי שידע האדם שמצדו מוכן להיות בגלות. וככה נוהג בכל איש מישראל. 

(The Sfat Emes is bothered by a problem. What sort of promise is it that HaShem tells us He will take us out of Mitzrayim, if He put us there in the first place?) The promise here is that Bnei Yisrael will know that it is (only) HaShem that took them out of Mitzrayim. This is indeed the reason for any exile is that man should realize that by his own right and merit he is worthy of remaining in exile, and similarly each person on an individual level.

(The idea expressed here is a very important principle in the service of HaShem. That when a person tries to come close to HaShem he may often feel like he is being pushed away, and fail miserably in tests that he considers beneath him. The purpose of this however is that there is a very serious danger of haughtiness, that a person who thinks that his achievements are due to his own greatness is liable to become haughty, this is one of the most dangerous things, for someone who is haughty cannot be close to HaShem. Therefore HaShem makes him err and ‘pushes him away’ so that he will realize that everything he has is thanks to HaShem. This applies on a national level as well. And this is the promise that we will know that HaShem (and not us) is the One who takes us out of all difficulty).

וכן שמעתי מאא”ז מו”ר ז”ל כי אם הי’ אדם יודע באמת שהכל מהש”י לא הי’ מסתירין לו כלל וכל ההסתר כדי שלא ידמה שממנו הוא ודפח”ח. 

I have also heard this idea from The Chidushei Harim who said that if a person would really know that everything is from HaShem, nothing would be hidden from him. The only reason for the hiddenness is so that a person does not think that he is the cause of his own salvation, rather it is all from HaShem!

וצריך אדם לידע אף בעת רצון שיש לו קצת דביקות. עכ”ז לא יושכח ממנו שמוכן מצ”ע לכל חטא ועון. רק בעזר הש”י. 

And it is essential for a person to be aware that even when he is in a time of goodwill from HaShem and he has reached some level of connection to HaShem, nevertheless he should never forget that from his own self, he can fall into the lowest sins and mistakes. Everything he has (all closeness to HaShem) is only because HaShem has helped him to get there.

וז”ש למען תזכור כו’ כל ימי חייך שהוא אף בשעה שנדבק בה’ חיים. וכ”כ חז”ל לרבות ימות המשיח. שהוא עת הטובה. שאין יצה”ר שולט. אעפ”כ יזכור היטב כי לולי רחמיו כבר הי’ במצרים. כמ”ש אילו לא הוציא כו’ אנו משועבדים כו’. 

This is what is being referred to in the pasuk (Devarim 16:3) “So that you remember your exodus from Mitzrayim all the days of your life”. (The days of life) means even when a person feels connected to HaShem the source of life. Or as our sages have taught (Berachos 12b) That this pasuk is referring to the days of Mashiach which is time of goodwill, nevertheless one always needs to remember that without the mercy of HaShem, he would still remain in Mitzrayim. As we say (in the Hagada) “Had He not taken us out of Mitzrayim, we would still be slaves to Paroh”  

וזה רצה הש”י לקבוע בישראל בשעת הגלות שידעו שכ”ז כדי שידעו אחר כל הגאולה ואחר קבלת התורה שהש”י הוציאם ממצרים. 

This is the (important principle that) HaShem wanted to establish firmly in our hearts in the exile, that the reason for the exile is that we know after all the redemptions and after receiving of the Torah that it was HaShem (and not us) that took us out of Mitzrayim. 

וז”ש בשבת זכר ליצ”מ שהוא יום מנוחה וצריך אדם לידע כי הוא מהש”י. 

This is why on Shabbos which is a day of rest and closeness to HaShem we say that it is “a remembrance of the exodus from Mitzrayim”. For we need to always know (in the good times – Shabbos) that it is all due to HaShem.

ולכן בכל יום אומרים יצ”מ קודם יחוד ק”ש לידע כי לולי רחמיו היינו במצרים. וע”י שמבררין זה באמת יוצאין בכל יום מכל מיצר ויכולין אח”כ לקבל עמ”ש. 

Therefore in the daily Tefila we first mention leaving Mitzrayim (Shirat hayam etc) and only afterwards say the Shma. This is because we can only attain the level of the oneness of HaShem by first realizing that if not for His kindness we would still be in Mitzrayim. It is when we are able to clarify this idea properly then indeed on any day whenever we are in a position of difficulty we can get out of it by realizing this truth, which leads us to properly accepting the glory of HaShem. 

ואומרים הוצאתנו ממצרים ופדיתנו מבית עבדים נראה הפי’ שהי’ ב’ דברים השעבוד עבודה קשה. וגם מה שהיו באמת ת”י מצרים. 

We say “You have taken us of Mitzrayim and redeemed us from a house of servitude. This means that there are two different things, one is the hardship and bondage and the other is that we were subjected to the Mitzrayim.

וכ’ בזוה”ק שכ”ז שיש לאדם עול אחר. א”י לקבל עמ”ש. שלכך עבדים פטורין מקעמ”ש. ע”ש פ’ בהר. 

The Zohar writes (3:108a) that so long as person has a master one cannot (properly) accept the yoke of service of HaShem, and therefore slaves are exempt from the yoke of Heaven. 

ולכך אחר יצ”מ מקבלין עול מ”ש. וכ”כ והוצאתי כו’ ואח”כ ולקחתי כו’ כנ”ל. 

Therefore it is only after we leave Mitzrayim, that we accept the Yoke of Heaven (receive the Torah). And that is why there are the two stages, of “Taking us out of Mitzrayim” and “bringing us to be a nation of HaShem”

[ואעפ”כ אח”כ ידע ג”כ כי לולי רחמיו היינו במצרים וז”ש אחר ק”ש ג”כ יצ”מ וגאולה. ואח”כ יכולין לבוא עי”ז לתפילה]:

[And the continuation of that pasuk is “…and you shall know that I am HaShem that took you out of Mitzrayim (as explained above) that after all the salvation we need to know that without HaShem’s mercy we would still be in Mitzrayim. So too after saying the Shma in the morning we once again mention the exodus and redemption, (for it is a lesson learnt before and after the redemption, and once we have gone through these stages) we can then attain the level for Shemona Esrei]

(Yesod: The purpose of the exile and any difficulty especially falling after closeness to HaShem is for the purpose of one realising that it is HaShem that is helping us continually. As soon as we lose perspective of this principle we are in danger of becoming haughty and can no longer maintain closeness to HaShem, for HaShem cannot dwell with the haughty.)

3

והוצאתי אתכם כו’ סבלות מצרים כו’. שמעתי מאא”ז מו”ר זצלה”ה פי’ סבלות שלא יוכלו לסבול עכ”פ טומאת מצרים. ומזה בא הגאולה אח”כ. 

“I will take you out of the servitude סבלות of Mitzrayim” (Shemos 6:6). In the name of the Chidushei Harim, the word סבלות – meaning to suffer, is teaching us that Bnei Yisrael could not suffer (stand) the impurity of Mitzrayim. It was this intolerance that caused the subsequent redemption. (The word סבלות is extra, it could have just said I will take them out of Mitzrayim, which would obviously include the servitude. However there is an extra point here. That sometimes a person doesn’t realize how bad his situation is, like someone eating something unhealthy and thinks it is good for him. But the fact that Bnei Yisrael were disgusted by the Egyptians, showed that they were worthy of being redeemed.

ונ’ שמזה הוציא מרע”ה שאמר הן בנ”י לא שמעו כו’ כי אח”כ כ’ וגאלתי כו’ א”כ קודם ששמעו ולא נמאס אצלם כראוי ולא יצאו מתחת סבלות. ממילא איך ישמע פרעה שזה אח”כ. 

It would seem that this is why Moshe claimed that if Bnei Yisrael didn’t listen to him, surely Paroh wouldn’t listen to him. For Moshe’s reasoning was that he did not feel that Bnei Yisrael were that disgusted by the Egyptians, as it says in the pasuk “I will redeem you (first, and then) Take you out of the servitude סבלות”. So Moshe assumed that before they heard of the redemption they were not disgusted, and if they weren’t disgusted, surely Paroh would not let them go, because Paroh knew about their confusion and unwillingness to leave (for they weren’t disgusted with Mitzrayim).

אך באמת יצאו מסבלות מצרים רק בחי’ מרע”ה הי’ למעלה שנבדל יותר מא”מ וכ’ לא שמעו אלי כו’. 

However the truth is that Moshe was wrong for they were indeed disgusted with Mitzrayim, it was just Moshe on his elevated level, who was so separated from Mitzrayim, that said “They will not hear me (That the time for redemption has arrived)”. 

וע”ז הי’ העצה שותפות אהרן שיהי’ דביקותן במרע”ה ע”י אהרן [וז”ש ויצום כו’] כנ”ל. 

To this end HaShem’s answer was to combine with Aharon, that Bnei Yisrael will connect to Moshe through Aharon. [As it says “He commanded them”]. As above.

ואח”כ כתיב וידעתם כו’ סבלות כו’ שאחר כל הגאולה צריכין לידע כי לולי עזרתו ית’ כבר היו תחת סבלות מצרים שהוא בחי’ הגרועה כנ”ל. 

The reason why it subsequently says סבלות after the redemption, is because afterwards one needs to realise that without HaShem’s help one would still be subjected to the Egyptians, in the lowest levels (as explained above).

והוא עצה היעוצה לכל איש מישראל ע”י שמרגיל עצמו להיות שונא הרע בתכלית השנאה. כענין שאמרו ז”ל ירגיז אדם יצ”ט על יצה”ר. וזה התחלת הגאולה כנ”ל:

This is excellent advice for every Jew, that through training oneself to hate evil to the very end, as it says “one should always get the good inclination excited over the evil inclination), and this is the beginning of redemption. as above.

(Summary: The energy that caused Bnei Yisrael to merit leaving Mitzrayim, was that the evil in Mitzrayim disgusted them. They could not stand it. סבלות. 

Moshe’s complaint was that on his level, he felt that Bnei Yisrael were not that disgusted with Mitzrayim. However, through Aharon Bnei Yisrael were able to connect to Moshe. 

This is therefore the path to redemption, through hating and being disgusted by evil one brings about redemption.)