Va’era 5634 תרל”ד

תרל”ד

1

וארא כו’ ושמי ה’ לא נודעתי כו’. 

The pasuk in the beginning of our parsha

וָאֵרָ֗א אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֛ם אֶל־יִצְחָ֥ק וְאֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֖ב בְּאֵ֣ל שַׁדָּ֑י וּשְׁמִ֣י יְהוָ֔ה לֹ֥א נוֹדַ֖עְתִּי לָהֶֽם׃

I appeared to Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov as Kel Shakai, but I did not make Myself known to them by My name  YHVH

כי האבות כל עבודתם הי’ עבור בנ”י לכן נקראו אבות 

For all the effort of our forefathers (was not for their own sake, but) for the sake of Bnei Yisrael. That is why they are called Avos (fathers – this name used exclusively for Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov. They are our roots).

והלכו בכל המקומות הנסתרים תוך הטבע. ויגעו עד שמצאו גם שם הארה הקדושה. 

They were involved with nature in the places where HaShem is most hidden, and they toiled there until they revealed His holiness.

ובחי’ זו היא ההנהגה בשם אל שדי. כמ”ש ז”ל שיש די באלקותו לכל ברי’. פי’ זה שהש”י נתן בכל דבר נקודה חיות אלקות. שיהי’ כח להיות נמשך כל הסביבות לנקודה זו. 

This concept is called שדי, as our sages explained it stands for: “there is enough of My G-dliness for each creation”. (See Sfas Emes Miketz תרל”ו 4) (There are two manifestations of HaShem [see Tanya] memale and sovev. Memale is how HaShem is manifested in this world, [through tzimtzum minifying Himself] in the shape of nature – which is a finite expression of HaShem. And the sovev which describes HaShem’s infinity and absoluteness, completely beyond this world and our comprehension. The word שדי is referring to the memale  whereas YHVY expresses sovev. It was the world of  sovev שדי that the Avos were involved with.)     

כי בעוה”ז שנק’ עלמא דשקרא יש הרבה שקר לכל נקודה של אמת. 

(This work in memale in) This world, which is called a world of falsehood. (the reason for this name is because) every point of truth (the point of HaShem in everything) is surrounded by a lot of falsehood. (In everything there is a point of truth, but it is surrounded by falsehood, and our job is to uncover the point of truth, which therefore converts the falsehood and elevates it.)

כמ”ש סביב רשעים יתהלכון. וע”ז נאמר הצילה נפשי משפת שקר. כי לכל נקודה של אמת השקר סובבת בכל צד. ועכ”ז ע”י יגיעה נוכל למצוא נקודה של אמת בכ”מ. וזה הי’ עבודת האבות.

As it says (Tehillim 13:9) “on every side the wicked roam”. And therefore David prayed (Tehillim 120:2) “save my soul from treacherous lips’ ‘ (Lip is something that surrounds), for every point of truth is surrounded by falsehood. And nevertheless with effort one is able to find the point of truth in every place, which was the work of the Avos. 

לכן נאמר ארץ מגוריהם אשר גרו. מלשון גר. כמ”ש אברהם גייר גיורים כו’. פי’ לשון המשכה שהמשיכו כל הדברים לשורשן. 

Therefore (in the following pasuk HaShem say to Moshe) “The land in which they (the Avos) sojourned גרו”. This is the connected to the word גר a convert, as it says Avraham converter converts, which is the idea of drawing everything to its root and source. (Just as a convert draws the holiness from the nations of the world to a place of holiness)

ובגלות מצרים וכן בכל הגלות הוא בבחי’ זו. ועומד לזה זכות האבות. 

In the exile in Mitzrayim, and similarly in any exile (national or personal) it is about this idea (of finding the truth amongst the many falsehoods), and it is the merit of our forefathers that help us through this.

ואיתא משה ראה באספקלריא דנהורא ושאר נביאים באסדל”נ. ולמה נק’ אספקלריא כיון דל”נ. 

It says (Yevamot 49b) that Moshe saw (prophesied) with an “illuminating light” whereas all other prophets were with “a non illuminating light”. Now if it is not illuminating why is it called a light? 

רק הפי’ שיש הסתר להנקודה שמתגלה בתוך הסתר. 

This is because the point that needs to be revealed is hidden. (The holiness is hidden and through the prophecy one needs to draw out and find the hidden sparks of holiness. This means that the whole point of the prophecy is that it is a light but it is not illuminating, for there is something that is hidden in it. It is up to us to use our emuna and reveal this point [inside ourselves!]. When we grow we navigate the darkness and reveal the light, but it is always the darkness that brings us to the light. Therefore it is a “non illuminating light”)

ומרע”ה זכה כמו שיהי’ לעתיד ה’ ושמו אחד. שלא יהי’ שום דבר רק חיות אלקי. 

However Moshe merited a different level, just as it will be in the future where His name and His Essence are the same (there won’t be a difference between memale and sovev), where there will be nothing but the life force of HaShem,

ובעוה”ז נתלבש הכל בטבע. וכפי התקדשות האדם בעניני עוה”ז זוכה להשיג דבר מה. ובחי’ זו נק’ אסדל”נ שע”י ההסתר זוכה להתגלות כנ”ל. וזה הוא עבודה קשה. 

However (as for us) everything in this world (including the sparks of holiness) is clothed in nature, and as much as one elevated oneself in matters of this world, one is able to attain a greater level. This is all called a “non illuminating light” for it is because of the darkness (when one elevates oneself) one attains a revelation. This is indeed a difficult mission.

וכדמיון זה הוא עבודת ימות החול. וש”ק אסד”נ. שבשבת יש התגלות יותר לכל נפש מישראל. אמת שכפי העבודה בימות החול זוכין להארת ש”ק. 

This idea is also in the work of the days of the week (where it is through the darkness that we attain light), whereas on Shabbos it is an “Illuminating light”, for there is a special revelation for every person on Shabbos. The truth is (though) that through one’s effort in the days of the week one merits to (more) light of Shabbos. (Through the effort in the darkness we merit to light. as above).

כי בגלות זוכין לאמת ע”י אמונה כמ”ש במ”א. 

For in exile the way to attain truth is (only) via emuna. As explained elsewhere (Chayei Sara TRNB)

ושמעתי מאא”ז מו”ר ז”ל שמתי חול גבול לים כי ימות החול הוא גבול להגביל כ”ד שלא יתפשט רצונות האדם רק בגבול כו’. והוא הצימצום. וכפי מה שיש נקודה זו באיש ישראל. מתגלה אליו הארה של אמת:

I heard from the Chidushei Harim that it says “HaShem placed the sand חול as a border for the sea”. The word חול can also be referring to the days of the week, that when a person limits his feelings and desires in the days of the week that they don’t spread out of control – tzimtzum (minimising), that person will proportionately merit to revelations of the light of truth on Shabbos! 

Yesod: (There are two manifestations of HaShem [see Tanya] memale and sovev. Memale is how HaShem is manifested in this world, [through tzimtzum minifying Himself] in the shape of nature – which is a finite expression of HaShem. And the sovev which describes HaShem’s infinity and absoluteness, completely beyond this world and our comprehension. The word שדי is referring to the memale  whereas YHVY expresses sovev. It was the world of  sovev שדי that the Avos were involved with.) 

Yesod: This world is called a world of falsehood,because the point of HaShem is hidden and surrounded by things that oppose it – The falsehood. Our mission in this world is to find the points of holiness and uncover which converts all the falsehood around it to be elevated to the truth. 

Yesod: The idea of Aspaklaria hame’ira, is unique to Moshe Rabeinu who saw with absolute clarity the truth of HaShem. Asplakria She’eina me’ira (is still called a ford of light even though it does not illuminate. This is because it is actually the darkness that through emuna causes us to get to the truth. So it “illuminates’ ‘ but it is not the typical illumination of light, but an illumination of “darkness” where through using emuna we attain the truth.

2

מרע”ה שהעיד עליו הכ’ עניו מאוד כו’. הי’ יכול להגיד למה הרעותה. כי הי’ לבו ברור עליו כו’ כמ”ש במד’ ובר לבב כו’:

Only Moshe Rabeinu who was completely humble , could say the words “why have you done bad to your nation”. For he had an absolutely clear heart as it says in the Medrash “A Pure heart” (Tehillim 24:4).

3

במדרש מי זה מלך הכבוד כו’ מלך ב”ו אין רוכבין על סוסו כו’. 

Medrash (Shemot Rabbah 8:1) Who is the king of Glory (Tehillim 24:10) no one else rides a human king’s horse…Or use a king’s staff, whereas Moshe used  HaShem”s staff. 

פי’ כי מי שיש לו כבוד מאנשים אינו מלך הכבוד כי אין הכבוד רק מאנשים המכבדין אותו ונמצא נצרך להאנשים ובלעדם אין לו כבוד. 

The meaning is that someone who is dependent on other people cannot be the “king of glory” for his honor only comes from other people, and without them he has no honor.

אבל הקב”ה שנותן כבוד לכל מי שרוצה נק’ מלך הכבוד שהכבוד שלו לתת למי שחפץ:

However HaShem who gives honor to whomever He desires, is called “The king of glory” for it is up to Him to decide who to give honor to.

והוצאתי והצלתי ולקחתי כו’ וידעתם כי אני ה’ המוציא כו’. 

“And I took out and saved and brought you out of Mitzrayim, so that you shall know that I am HaShem etc” (Shemos 6:6)

ראינו כי כל הרצון בגאולת מצרים הי’ לידע שהש”י הוציאנו משם ולכן צריכין לזכור תמיד יצ”מ. 

We see from here that the entire desire (of HaShem) through the redemption from Mitzrayim, is that we shall know that it is HaShem who took us out of Mitzrayim, therefore, (to be constantly aware of HaShem) we are commanded to constantly recall the exodus from Mitzrayim.

והאמת כי בכל עת יש מצרים לכל איש ישראל. לכן מזכירין בכל יום יצ”מ. 

In truth, every moment each and every one of Bnei Yisrael is in a time of “mitzrayim” (narrowness and difficulty), for this reason we mentioned the exodus every day.

וכפי מה שיודעין וזוכרין שהש”י הוציאנו. א”צ להיות בפועל תוך המיצר. 

Now in as much as a person is aware, and remembers that HaShem is the One who redeems us, then we don’t actually need the reality of being in difficulty.

כי כשאדם שוכח ומתגאה לומר כחי ועוצם ידי כו’. אז צריכין להביאו במיצר. ושיראה כי הכל מהשי”ת. 

For it is (only) when a person forgets and becomes haughty thinking that “it is my strength and power…” that he needs to be placed in difficulty. And he should be aware and see that it is all from HaShem.

ויצ”מ הי’ הכנה לדורות כמ”ש בגמ’ המוציא כולל להבא. ומעיקרא משמע כו’. פי’ שיצ”מ הי’ לדורות. 

the exodus from Mitzrayim was  a preparation for generations to come, as the Gemara explains the word המוציא implies past and future tense (“who took you out of Mitzrayim” or “Who takes you out of Mitzrayim”). This teaches us that Leaving Mitzrayim is constant.

וכפי מה שהאדם זוכר ביצ”מ. כן מתעורר אצלו יצ”מ בכל זמן. 

And in as much as one remembers the exodus, one is able to awaken the exodus in him, at any moment.

ועיקר גלות מצרים הוא שאין השכל והדעת של האדם מתפשט כראוי בכל מעשיו כמ”ש בספרים. 

The primary reason for exile is that one’s mind and understanding is not spread out properly in all one’s actions. As is written in the books of our sages.

והש”י צוה להגיד זה לבנ”י במצרים כי היו צועקים מעבודה קשה בפועל. ואח”כ ששמעו ממרע”ה כי אחר הגאולה יחול עליהם ש”ש. ולקחתי כו’ והייתי לכם לאלקים. וגבר אצלם צער זה שע”י שיעבוד מצרים אין יכולין להתקרב להש”י לקבל עול מלכותו. ודאגו ע”ז. והי’ זה הכנה לגאולה. 

HaShem commanded Moshe to tell Bnei Yisrael (already when they were still in Mitzrayim), when they were calling out from the sheer physical hardships, and when they heard Moshe’s words promising redemption, that after the exile they will merit to have the name of HaShem upon them, as he promised them “I will take you for me as a nation and be your G-d”.

This caused them more pain from the exile, for they could not currently get close to HaShem and accept his dominion (for they were subjected to Paroh), and this caused them great distress. All this was as preparation for redemption. 

והוא ללמוד גם לנו ע”ז שמצפין לגאולה כדי להיות עבדי הש”י שיחול עלינו שמו ית’ עי”ז נזכה לגאולה במהרה בימינו אמן:

Which is to teach us that through longing from redemption, to be able to have the name of HaShem be upon us, this will bring us to a redemption speedily in our days. Amen.