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By Rabbi Naftoly Bier

 

ואלו המשפטים, “and these are the ‘social laws’ that you should transmit in full clarity…” These are מצוות which are to be understood in a logical manner per understanding what Hashem expects from us in our interaction with others.

The first mitzvah is the idea of the עבד עברי, the Jewish “indentured servant”. Just as the statement אנכי ה‘ אלוקיך is the basis for the עשרת הדברות , so too we can say that this commandment is the basis of our obligations and responsibilities to society.

An עבד עברי can be one who due to impoverished conditions, his family is destitute and reeling from hunger will attempt to steal money, but get caught. How is he to pay back what he stole? He has nothing!

The Torah instructs the בית דין, the court, to hire him as an indentured servant for six years. His “master” has to abide by the following rules:

1. He must be given equal status to all members of the master’s family, the same quality food, accommodations; if there is only one bottle of wine or one comfortable pillow it is given to him. He must be showered with brotherly love.
2. No menial work is allowed; even to carry the master’s towel and clothing to the bathhouse, or to sweep the floor.
3. The master must feed the ‘servant’s’ family, even if there are three wives and fourteen children.
4. He can only be asked to perform work that is his vocation or an expert at.
5. When the “servant” leaves, he is given, הענקה seedlings and animals to start a business with, its value equal to six months of labor.

Obviously, the master has gained a “Master”. Hashem is instructing the master to rehabilitate the “poor guy” who is scorned by his friends, he has lost the respect of his family, he is downtrodden and hopeless.

Says Hashem, “every person is important to Me, every person has to be important to you, for My world is founded on the principle that every human has a definitive, singular role.”

You, the master, have a lofty, tremendous responsibility to magnanimously elevate the ‘slave’s’ spirits, ennoble him, edify him, so that he once again has an inner sense of human dignity and nobility; where he can once again declare, “I can and I will be a productive member of society.”

Why is this the first commandment? Why is it so fundamental to our understanding of one’s life mission?

The משנה in פרקי אבות , Ethics of our Fathers Ch. 4:1 states: “ איזהו מכובד, המכבד את הבריות – Who is honored, one who honors others.” There are many explanations to this dictum. The Alter explained, “That when one treats another with reverence and respect due to one’s perception that a person is a צלם אלוקים, a creation of G-d that is an embodiment of Him, only then can one truly feel, understand, and internalize one’s own innate dignity and nobility.

One struggles all the time; should one’s living experience revolve around oneself or rather, one should always ask, “What am I doing for Hashem’s world- who am I?!”

The mitzvah of עבד עברי, the indentured servant is not just about the person in need. IT’S ABOUT US! It’s an exercise of how to correctly live. It’s about our responsibility to relentlessly, selflessly with passion, sensitivity, love, and compassion to enable others to live a life permeated with dignity. By conducting ourselves in such a manner, one inculcates and imbues in oneself unequivocal validation.

As דוד המלך said, “כי מכבדי אכבד”, “for those who honor Me, I honor them.” An explanation: those who honor Hashem by respecting His creation, the human, will be infused by Hashem with a feeling of dignity, self-validation, and self-esteem. We are being taught that the true manner to gain self-respect is only by respecting and revering others. When one constantly treats another as a unique member of Hashem’s world, then one in turn feels the same validation.

One may ask, if we are trying to enable the ‘former robber’ to elevate his spirits, to ennoble him, why does the Torah allow the ‘master’ to require the servant (עבד עברי) if he is married, to cohabitate with a שפחה כנענית to produce children. A regular Jewish male is forbidden to be intimate with a ‘Caananite slave’ though she is partially Jewish. Isn’t it degrading?

Theft, falsehood is the fundamental source of all misguided actions. (The decree at the time of Noah was finalized due to theft). The Torah is teaching us that one who has stolen compromises their spiritual identity, worth and in order to inculcate the ‘robber’ with this idea, the Torah says “You, and only you are allowed to cohabitate with this woman”.

In order to rehabilitate, there are two dynamics, 1) we must validate the ‘robber’, 2) the ‘robber’ must simultaneously truly introspect, and be ‘taught’ through action the results of his wrongdoing.

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By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum

 

והייתם לי סגולה מכל העמים…ואתם תהיו לי ממלכת כהנים וגוי קדוש (פרק יט פסוק ה-ו)

Before the giving of the Torah to Klal Yisroel, Hashem informs them that they will be a treasure from all the nations, and that they will be a kingdom of priests. What is the connection and what is meant by this? The Sforno explains that although Hashem loves all of mankind and created the world for their purpose, He specifically treasures Klal Yisroel. The reason for this is because they will be for Him a kingdom of priests. This means, that just as the priests, the kohanim, were appointed to teach Torah to all Klal Yisroel, so too the Jewish nation is appointed to explain and teach to the whole world proper belief in Hashem. It is our job to show the world how to properly believe in Him and serve Him, and in this role, we are especially treasured by Hashem.

 

בכל מקום אשר אזכיר את שמי אבוא אליך וברכתיך (פרק כ פסוק כא)

Hashem tells us that “anywhere that I will mention my Name, I will come there and bless you.” Rashi explains that wherever Hashem gives us permission to mention his Ineffable Name, i.e. the Beis Hamikdash, there will be a special Divine Presence which will be source of blessing for us. R’ Chaim Volozhiner raises the question, that the point of the pasuk then is that anywhere that we mention Hashem’s Name, He will bless us. Why is it written as anywhere that I (Hashem) will mention my Name, I will bless you? R’ Chaim explains that the Torah is reminding us that anything we do in life, we receive the ability to do it from Hashem. Even when we make the right decision, even if it is hard, we only can act on it because Hashem gives us the ability. In essence, every time we do something, it is Hashem doing it. Yet, Hashem is still promising us reward and blessing for coming and declaring His Name. Even though it all comes from Him, He still rewards us for doing the right thing. This serves as a reminder for us to not take credit and feel haughty for our spiritual accomplishments, and it reminds us of Hashem’s amazing kindness when rewarding us.

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By Rabbi Naftoly Bier

 

In this week’s parsha, Yisro, we experience once again the most important, momentous occasion of world history; the receiving of the Torah by Klal Yisroel.

Moshe Rabeinu, Moses, repeated (presented) to the Jewish people the עשרת הדברות, the most important mitzvos, commandments, and principles, which form the outline of all of life’s actions and thoughts that effectuate the true potential of every Jew; to be transformed into a צלם אלוקים, a being that is ‘an image of Hashem’.

After this event, which defines the purpose of creation, Hashem instructs Moshe Rabeinu to convey four mitzvos.

1. You are prohibited to make forms of my mystical משמשים, those who serve me (this was the sin of constructing the Golden Calf).
2. You should make an altar to bring sacrifices in places that Hashem instructs us to;
3. When we construct an altar from stone, it is forbidden to use metal for it represents a sword, which can be used to murder.
4. Though a כהן, priest is wearing pants, nevertheless it is forbidden to construct steps to the altar, in order that “one’s nakedness will not be uncovered on it”. Any resemblance or hint of illicit sexual behavior is prohibited.

It is perplexing; why didn’t Hashem instruct us initially with laws of Shabbos, Tzedakah, treating another with respect, kashrus etc.?

Shimon HaTzaddik taught (Ethics of Our Fathers 1:2) “There are three pillars that the world is founded upon; Torah, Prayer, and Kindness to Others.”

The Maharal explains that the cardinal sins that one must forfeit their life for are corresponding to these three.

Illicit sexual relationships correspond to Torah, for if one doesn’t protect their inherent dignity and nobility, the spirituality and selflessness that the Torah inculcates in a person cannot be absorbed.

Murder, the epitome of self-aggrandizement of one’s insensitivity to another, is the opposite of helping and caring for another.

Idol worship, the worship of oneself, either by attributing power to other forces or one’s wealth is the opposite of prayer, the acute submission to Hashem, by acknowledging that everything comes from Him.

These ideas seem simple, but in reality, it can’t be so easy to become part of one’s personality and essence! By nature, a person wants to be in control and to follow their feelings and desires. The Torah is emphatically conveying to us that to attain true success in life, one must be careful, vigilant, and diligent that every action one does is not tainted by a selfish dynamic. More so, one has to constantly define every action by pure, selfless dedication to Hashem. When we asked if we would accept the Torah, we answered נעשה, we will do. No questions. No need for explanations. No need for understanding. Hashem, we are your subjects!

Hashem says don’t make images of My “servers”, you want to come “closer” to Me with them, no!  I gave you the ability to come close to Me with a קרבן (קרובה = closeness). Remember the dignity of another, for otherwise you won’t have an experience of dignity as a creation of Hashem. And lastly, don’t separate your legs; if you aren’t completely sensitive to the inner holiness, dignity you possess, you can never develop human greatness.

How is it possible to attain this lofty level? One can ask, “Aren’t the עשרת הדברות, Ten Commandments mostly repeat of the Noachide laws?” The רמב”ן. Nachmanides explains the continuity of the commandments dealing with our relationship with Hashem to the relationship with others in the following manner; after instructing us with the constant necessity of acknowledging the presence of the Almighty, to honor Him if so, logically one has to protect the dignity of all created by Hashem. Therefor murder is prohibited, for one is robbing Hashem of a person who can honor Him. Adultery is forbidden, because the child doesn’t know who the father is and therefore is robbed of the segue of honoring their father as their creator and in turn focusing with honor on the ultimate Creator, Hashem. This also applies to kidnapping.

Initially we would logically say murder is robbing a life, adultery is the ruination of a marriage and kidnapping is stealing a child/adult!

We are being taught that there is a major perception that is the most impactive, every ‘small’ action has to be judged with the clarity of how it affects one’s relationship with the Almighty. Only then will intellectual and emotional bias not prevail!

It’s the little things that define a person. For little things are the pathway to larger ideas! To be completely dedicated to a true spiritual life and to accomplish it demands complete subservience to every nuance possible. Any action which is antithetical to one’s goal will rob one of excellence and on the contrary may be the catalyst for failure.

Today, more than ever, when we live in a difficult time, the Torah teaches us to be careful with the “small things”.

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By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum

 

ואנוהו (פרק טו פסוק ב)

By the Song of the Sea, after having crossed through the ים סוף, Klal Yisroel proclaims, “this is my G-d and I will glorify Him.” Rashi tells us that the word “ואנוהו” (and I will glorify Him), really has three possible explanations in this context: 1-I will build for Him a beautiful Temple, 2-I will beautify the mitzvos that I do, 3-I will talk about His splendor and praise. R’ Moshe Feinstein explains that all three are based on one principle. We find that the main dwelling place of a person is usually made the most beautiful, while any other living quarters, whether ones for convenience or necessity, are not as pretty. If a person builds a beautiful בית המקדש for Hashem, they are clearly placing Hashem as the center and focus of their life. This is also clear from a person who beautifies mitzvos. It is an indication that mitzvos are not merely a burden to finish up quickly, but the person treasures them and looks to make them better and better. This is only when mitzvos are the focus of a person’s life. Then they will care about making them better. Lastly, a person praises and glorifies whatever they identify as being the most valuable and important. If a person talks about Hashem and His praise, clearly this is what they value and place in high esteem. All three explanations in Rashi are based on the idea that a person values their connection to Hashem and spirituality as the focal point of their life.

מלחמת עמלק

Towards the end of the Parsha, Amalek decides to wage war against the Jewish nation. Moshe appoints Yehoshua to lead the battle, while he stands, then sits on a stone, with his arms supported by Aharon and Chur, his nephew. The Malbim explains that this battle was like no other war. There was no nationalistic or religious impetus for Amalek to fight, it wasn’t even with the incentive of land or money. Rather, Amalek’s one goal in fighting the Jewish nation was as a means of fighting Hashem Himself. They were trying to show the world that Hashem doesn’t really exist or control the world, all of the apparent miracles that happened to the Jews were magic or coincidence. The way to do this was by fighting the Jews themselves. Until then, the world saw the open miracles of the redemption from Egypt, and realized with full clarity that we are Hashem’s nation. Amalek sought to break that. Amalek’s power to do this, however, really started with our own weakening in אמונה. We questioned if Hashem is amongst us, that is, if He is the one Source for everything that we have, and our own breach in our faith allowed a nation like Amalek to attack in that area and weaken the faith of the world. First, to inspire the Jews to אמונה, Moshe raises his hands up to Heaven- reminding them of how Hashem is constantly watching them. Then, he sits on a stone. The Malbim explains that this was Moshe’s second strategy to strengthen our faith. One big stone symbolizes the unity of Klal Yisroel, like we find by Yaakov when the 12 stones joined to become one. Unity amongst us strengthens our אמונה, especially because it makes it easier for the believers to strengthen those who don’t believe enough. Aharon and Chur, specifically, were supporting his hands because they were the epitome of two ways to achieve unity. Aharon was known as the one who pursued loving peace, of course a vital tool for unity. Chur, was someone who recognized with clarity the Oneness of Hashem and all that He created. This also inspires unity, as we all work towards a shared goal of a Creator Who is One. Later, we find that this powerful belief even led him to give up his life by the sin of the Golden Calf. Through this unity, Klal Yisroel were able to unite, and strengthen their faith, thereby beating back the enemy.

 

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By Rabbi Naftoly Bier

 

The Torah (Exodus 16:2) relates that a month after leaving Egypt, there was no food for Klal Yisroel to eat. “The entire assembly of the children of Israel (even the most righteous) complained against Moshe and Aharon… why did you take us to this Wilderness to die by famine?” Subsequently, the Almighty instructed Moshe and Aharon, “that He will shower them food from ‘Heaven’ on daily basis, in order to test them if they will study Torah on a continuous basis. On Fridays they will gather as usual one portion but it will turn into two portions; one for that day and one for Shabbos.” The Malbim explains that in these quoted passages are many profound lessons.

Initially it seems incongruent for Hashem to gift them the מן, manna, after all, they didn’t properly pray or beseech Him for food; rather they came en masse complaining that it is incorrect that their source of sustenance has been depleted.

In פסוק ז’י, it states, “And in the morning you will all see, perceive the glory of Hashem.” In משלי, Proverbs 17:15, it states, לועג לרש מחרף עושהו, One who mocks a pauper insults his Maker.” The honor and glory of Hashem, כבוד השם, is that every living being is provided with their sustenance, for if otherwise, it would imply that it was created and placed in a negative state, which would be a degradation to Hashem’s nobility. It therefore logically follows that when Hashem decreed that one be a pauper, he arranged that a person of means would be the provider, by inculcating a sense of mercy and compassion to generously contribute to the needy. If on the contrary, one ridicules a poor person for their ineptness, one is in effect disparaging Hashem, for as a consequence of one’s inaction, it creates the impression that there is a person without their necessary needs taken care of.

The expression for the aforementioned idea is, “מאן דיהוב חיי יהיב מזוני, One that creates, gives life must provide sustenance.” It is inconceivable that Hashem would create a being and not provide for them. After leaving Egypt with very little food, they were miraculously sustained by Hashem’s benevolence; each morsel of food satiated them. Recognizing their dependence on Hashem’s benevolence with acuity, they without hesitation demanded to be provided for.

The Vilna Gaon explains the two expressions in the ברכה of שמע קולינו, תפילות ותחנונים, prayer and supplication (entreatment) as follows: The word תפילה describes the idea of a person who tries to persuade another to accept his view. One says to the Almighty, You are the benefactor of wisdom, health, sustenance, serenity, repentance…. it behooves of You to act accordingly with me.” But this logical demand must be coupled with תחנונים, to entreat and beg Hashem to gift one from His largesse. Klal Yisroel at that point, with utter, perfect clarity said to Hashem; You must help for otherwise we will die! Due to their innate, sincere, unequivocal definiteness, Hashem presented them with a profound gift – a food spiritual in nature.

In contradistinction to regular bread – or all food – that requires much effort to create edible, nutritious food, for then a completed food would be showered upon them. Moreso, the food מן השמים, from the Heaven would contain primarily spiritual nutrition (ע’ אלשיך הקדוש). Despite all weather conditions, it would be provided on a daily basis and would just require slight effort to gather it. In this manner, Klal Yisroel could and would be required to judiciously use every possible moment to study Torah.

There were many profound lessons to be learned. 1) All פרנסה, sustenance comes directly from Hashem. 2) The main nourishment a person needs is the spiritual food that is bequeathed by Hashem. 3) A person should limit their quest for material needs to their locale; for the One who creates is the One who sustains. 4) If one has their needs sufficiently provided, one shouldn’t be concerned or worried about the future. If one would dedicate oneself to Torah study, he will be enabled by Hashem to acquire his needs with limited effort. 5) The Torah states on the sixth day when they prepare what they bring, I will double what they pick everyday. To attain any level of spirituality requires thoughtful and focused preparation. 6) On Rosh Hashanah, the New Year, the Heavenly Court decides how much one will be provided with; this only applies to one’s needs during the week. On Shabbos one’s decreed provisions are commensurate to one’s preparation and desire to rejoice with Hashem. 7) The more one honors the Shabbos, the greater one’s spiritual activity; the result will be the increase in Hashem providing one’s needs.

The Torah states (16:16), “This is what Hashem has commanded, gather from it for every person according to what he needs – an omer per person –  according to the number of your people, everyone according to whomever is in his tent shall you take.”

Three lessons: 1) Don’t take more than you need, a lesson for the future generations. To procure more than one needs, indicates a lack of true unequivocal trust in Hashem. As it states in תהלים קכ”ח, Psalms 128, “יגיע כפיך כי תאכל, אשריך וטוב לך, If one but expends effort for their momentary needs and not more, then one will be praiseworthy and will be blessed in the World to Come.” 2) One should not eat more than one needs and also not starve oneself, but eat to satisfy oneself. 3) Every man is obligated to provide for their wife and children, for the wife is to be a צנועה באהל and the children should be learning.

A Holocaust survivor related that though in the concentration camps one never knew what tomorrow would bring, they were able to live and survive due to the lessons of the מן, manna, ingrained in the psyche of every Jew, “Live one day at a time.”

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By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum

 

דבר נא באזני העם וישאלו איש מאת רעהו… (פרק יא פסוק ב)

Hashem asks Moshe to instruct Klal Yisroel to go to the Egyptians and ask to borrow their gold and silver. Rashi points out that Hashem expressed this as a request, almost a plea, because He didn’t want Avraham Avinu to complain that Hashem never fulfilled His promise that Klal Yisroel will leave with a רכוש גדול (large acquisition). The phrasing of Rashi is strange- shouldn’t Hashem want to keep His promise of רכוש גדול regardless of Avraham’s complaint? It seems that only because of Avraham’s encouragement did Hashem feel compelled to send off Klal Yisroel with a large treasure, but the fulfillment of the promise alone would not have required it? R’ Eliyahu Boruch Finkel quotes R’ Nochum Partzovitz who answered that only because of Avraham was Hashem required to provide Klal Yisroel with such a large fortune. He explains that Chazal tell us that Avraham’s הכנסת אורחים (hospitality) was such that whoever came into his house was treated higher than their usual standard. When it came to the Egyptian’s gold and silver, from Klal Yisroel’s perspective even a small amount of money would be considered a רכוש גדול compared to their assets as slaves the past 210 years. Only because they were children of Avraham, who always ensured that a person is treated greater than their expectation, were Klal Yisroel זוכה to receive something that would be a רכוש גדול even from the perspective of someone wealthier than them.

 

ועצם לא תשברו בו (פרק יב פסוק מו)

In preparation for leaving Egypt and finally becoming Hashem’s Nation, Klal Yisroel is commanded to fulfill the mitzvah of קרבן פסח. One of the details in this קרבן is that when eating the meat, one is not allowed to break any of the bones. The ספר החינוך explains that this is supposed to illustrate for us and instill in us a royal and elevated way of living. Only poor people, who are hungry for the marrow in the bones, break and chew on the bones. It is improper for anyone of higher status to conduct themselves this way. Now that Hashem was forming us into a priestly and holy nation, elevated from the rest of the world, we needed to train ourselves to act in the proper manner, one that is befitting for a regal people.

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By Rabbi Naftoly Bier

In פרק י, פסוק א-ב, Chapter 10, verse 1-2, it states: “…So that I (Hashem) can put these signs of Mine in his midst. And so that you may relate in the ears of your and your son’s son that I made a mockery of Egypt and my signs that I placed among them- that you may know that I am Hashem.”
The Torah teaches us that we are to relate from generation to generation that G-d is in control of His world, the name that is used here is the one that denotes ויהיה ,הוה ,היה, He was, He is, and He will be… He is eternal. This is manifested by all of the miracles He has performed.
But what is the idea of “I made a mockery of Egypt”; what is being taught here?
The Ramban, Nachmanides, explains, “For I play with Egypt, I harden Pharaoh’s heart and I take “revenge”… as it states, (Psalms 2:4) ‘He who is enthroned in heaven laughs, Hashem mocks at them.’”
Imagine a person who is in great pain due to something they did; they cry out to some- one, “please, please help me.”
A benefactor selflessly helps the person, whereupon the needy person immediately returns to doing what initially caused the trauma. How ridiculous can that person be!
Pharaoh, his people, his land, are being struck over and over again with plagues, destruction, and decimation. He screams, “I sinned, I am terrible. I am so far removed from the truth that there is a G-d who runs the world”… and he sincerely means it. But a minute later, he is a different person, completely unaware of what has just transpired!
It’s all a game by him! And it reflects that Hashem is “in charge” of a world where we’re all “playing a game”, and He goes along with it, מדה כנגד מדה.
The lesson of Egypt is that intellectual belief or thought does not shape a person’s personality, their life journey and ambitions. It doesn’t promise clarity and relentless pursual of one’s “well thought out” life convictions!
Our אמונה, our true, valid connection of living with Hashem is dependent on the perception, on the reality that Hashem is in control.
We are all dependent every moment on His beneficence, our aim and goals, our desires and our expression of our needs are not realized without Hashem’s “partnership”. More so, our perception of who we are, what our standing in society is, is very often an illusion.
The רמב”ן, Nachmanides repeatedly teaches us (שמות פרק י”ג – ט’, ט”ז) that it is imperative that one constantly focus on the fact that Hashem took us out of Egypt, there being many מצות that we do to imbue the idea of Hashem being the Creator, Supervisor, Sustainer and Governor of all that transpires. Our תפילין and מזוזות are inscribed with the story of our Exodus, to inculcate a constant appreciation of these aforementioned ideas. One is also constantly inculcating that Hashem is our supreme benefactor and that He communicates with us through His prophets. This all leads to a clarity, a life where due to this constancy of thought and action, we are naturally due to habit, always asking, “What does Hashem obligate me?”.
Pharaoh considered himself as a powerful, superior, supernal, fantastic, one of a kind! He thought he had control over his world. Hashem mocked him and said, “No, sir – I will play games with you. You play with Me, I’m joining the game!” Hashem is ויהיה ,הוה ,היה, He is involved every moment in this mundane world, always was and always will be.
Yes, He created the world, but more so, He is involved with His world every moment. When one disassociates oneself from Hashem, even temporarily, one forfeits this vital connection and loses true clarity. This explains how one can be driven by the need for fame, power, attention, or the fulfillment of desires, lusts, and infatuations – for if I am not with Hashem; I am as a person in a canoe without oars, Hashem being the One who truly guides and enables one. This is the meaning ofהבא לטהר מסייען אותו , one who seeks the true path of life is helped by Hashem; לו פותחין לטמא הבא, one who deserts Hashem, the path is opened to him by Hashem, to slide precipitously.

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By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum

ובכל ארץ מצרים תשחת הראץ מפני הערב (פרק ח פסוק כ)

When Hashem sends the plague of wild animals to punish the Egyptians, the Torah tells us that “land was being ruined because of the swarm [of wild animals]”. Why was the land so badly affected because of the animals? R’ Sholom Shwadron explained, earlier the Torah tells us that Hashem will send the animals “and even the ground upon which they are”. Some explain this to mean that Hashem had each animal be accompanied by it’s natural habitat. This way the animals would feel at home and would wreak maximum destruction. If we try to imagine a swarm, not just of animals, but of varying habitats, consuming Egypt, then we can easily understand why the land itself was ruined. The constant change of temperature and environment did not allow for normalcy, not only for the people, but even for the land.

ואשר לא שם לבו אל דבר ה’ (פרק ט פסוק כא)

Hashem warns that for the seventh plague He will send hail on Egypt which will kill all the animals that are outdoors. He therefore advised them to bring their animals inside. However, the Torah tells us that anyone who feared Hashem gathered them in, but those who did not take His Word to heart, left their animals in the fields. R’ Chaim Shmulevitz wonders, why did one need fear of Heaven to listen to the warning? The first six plagues were brutal- any sensible person would take precautions to avoid the seventh? R’ Chaim answers that we see from here the power of thinking and internalizing messages. One can live through experiences which clearly display the Hand of G-d, but if one does not contemplate them, trying to make them a part of their life, they will continue to live as before. We must pay attention to our life experiences and internalize the messages to teach us how to continue living properly.

A big thank you to R’ Betzalel Reifman for contributing  both pieces this week.

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By Rabbi Naftoly Bier

In שמות פרק י:א, Exodus 6:1, it states, “and G-d said to Moshe, ‘Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh; for by a strong hand he will let them [the Jewish people] go. Indeed, by a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.’”

There seems to be a contradiction; first it says that Hashem will against Pharaoh’s will force him to send them away; and then it says the “deliverance” will be against the will of the Jewish people!

The same perplexity is seen in Deuteronomy 16:3 where it states “…Seven days you shall eat matzos, the bread of affliction, for you departed from the Land of Egypt in haste… as you should remember the day you left Egypt…”.

Again the Pasuk states that matzoh is a representation of the terrible slavery, for a slave is forced to eat matzoh, rather than bread, for it satiates quicker and takes less time to bake. Immediately the Torah says that matzoh represents our freedom due to the fact that we left in haste and didn’t have time to allow the dough to leaven and rise. Which one is the “real” reason?

Rashi in both places teaches us that our moment of freedom was not due to our own violation, but rather the Egyptians forced us to leave on a moment’s notice.

What is the meaning of this? At the moment of deliverance, at the moment of ecstasy when we became a free people, it wasn’t our decision to leave that actualized our newfound freedom, but rather Hashem forced Pharaoh to force us to leave! We as a people, in contradistinction to other nations, never had a moment when we weren’t subjected to the dominion of another, either Pharaoh or the Almighty Himself.

As Rav Shamshon Raphael Hirsch explains (Devarim p.346) :

“Your departure from Egypt was marked by enforced haste. The hand of G-d lay heavily on the Egyptians, so that they, who earlier had refused to grant you three days’ freedom from your labors- indeed, not even a moment’s respite from your labors – now actually drove you out into freedom. And even as they had done during all the years of your slavery, so now, too, they did not permit you sufficient time to bake proper bread for yourselves. Thus, even at the moment of your redemption, you still were slaves. You did not achieve your freedom by your own power; you received it from G-d, by means of your oppressors. Your oppressors were driven by G-d, and you were driven by your oppressors. G-d alone acted in freedom on that unique day in the history of mankind.

“And all this is “למען תזכר את יום צאתך מארץ מצרים כל ימי חייך”, because this is meant to be the starting point of all of your future thoughts and actions. For on this day you did not become “your own master”; rather, from the oppression of human violence you passed into G-d’s possession; you left the servitude of man and entered into the service of G-d.”

In Exodus, Chapter 6:6, the third connotations of גאולה deliverance is וגאלתי, which the רמב”ן (Nachmanides) translates to mean that “I, Hashem, will acquire you from Pharaoh.” The Torah is emphasizing that there was no moment where you- Klal Yisroel- were not under the dominion of “another party”.

This important lesson is taught in the מדריש תהלים (מדרש שוחר טוב), when Moshe Rabbeinu was confronted with the Egyptians – and Pharoh – to end the plague where the first born were dying, he said to Pharoh to declare, “You are free people, you have jurisdiction over yourselves, you are now the subjects of Hashem.” Pharoh started screaming, “Till now you were my subjects (servants), but now you are free, you have jurisdiction, and you are His subjects, and you must praise Him that you are His subjects -as it is written in Psalms Chapter 113, 1: “Praise Hashem, the subjects of Hashem should praise Him.”

Why is this important? It defines the pathway to true human development and actual greatness.

A human being yearns for control of one’s destiny. A human being enjoys controlling others rather than being instructed what to do. Even when abiding by another’s instruction, one still yearns to retain some control, i.e. when, how, what etc.

Chazal teach us “אין בן חורין אלא מי שעוסק בתורה”, a person only experiences freedom when one follows the dictates of the Torah. How can that be? I have no say over determining my path of life!

Freedom doesn’t mean I can do what I want; that’s slavery. The true definition is that all my actions are consistent with the objectives and path of life I have embarked upon. To develop a system that is perfect necessitates an Absolute Being who gifts us with an absolute system. For otherwise, my intellectual, emotional, and hedonistic makeup, my desire for attention, fame, material wealth, power, physical desires, will wreak havoc to my planned path. Yes, we were given a wonderful gift by Hashem, we were given the great ennobling opportunity to become subjects of Hashem, never having the “freedom of Western civilization” but the true freedom of Torah life!

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By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum

ותקרא שמו משה ותאמר כי מן המים משיתהו (פרק ב פסוק י)

When Basya, the daughter of Pharoah, finds a Jewish baby in the water, she takes him and raises him as her own. She gives him a name, Moshe- משה, referencing that she drew him out of the water- משיתהו. The Sforno comments that the word משה means to draw others. Instead of titling him as “the one who was drawn forth” (משוי), she called him “the one who draws forth”. The Sforno explains that the fact that Moshe was saved by being pulled out of the water, was a message to him to always remember to draw forth others and save them from their distress. The salvation that made him who he was now serves as a reminder of what he must live up to; to save others just as he was saved. Perhaps that is why this name remained with him for the rest of his life, although it had odd origins. It defined his life’s role based on his own experience. This can be a lesson for all of us as well, to learn from what we go through, to appreciate salvations that we experience, and then to look to help others in the same way.

ויאמר משה אסורה נא ואראה וכו’ וירא ה’ כי סר לראות וכו’ (פרק ג פסוק ג-ד)

Moshe was grazing his father-in-law’s sheep in the desert when he noticed a burning thorn bush that was not being consumed. He comments, “I will turn now and see…why the thorn bush is not burning.” “And Hashem saw that he turned to see, and He called to him…”. It sounds as though, because Moshe turned to see the bush, that is why Hashem called to him, choosing him as the leader of the Jewish people. R’ Aharon Kotler explains that Moshe’s turning wasn’t out of mere curiosity, rather he recognized that this was a spiritual phenomenon with a deeper message, and he turned to understand more of Hashem’s ways. This minor action of turning to see was what “sealed the deal” on his appointment as redeemer. R’ Aharon points out that we find many ways in which Moshe had already become a great person- his sensitivity for his enslaved brethren, his saving Yisro’s daughters, his caring for the sheep, and yet he needed just a little more to achieve the necessary level. This is a tremendous encouragement for us to always continue to push ourselves, growing higher and closer to Hashem. Sometimes we just need a little more of a push, just a minor action of desiring more closeness, that can help us achieve our goals. It is not worth it to ignore opportunities for growth, however minor they seem, because we never know what small action can make all the difference.