VOLUME 109 NUMBER 2
Shevat 2, 5784
January 12, 2024
PARSHAS VAEIRA
Candlelighting Time 4:38 PM
The time had arrived for the long-awaited redemption from our bondage in Egypt. Generation after generation passed down to their children and grandchildren that eventually they would be saved. Pharoah was warned about the impending plagues that would destroy his powerful kingdom and yet he refused to back off and release his captives. This scenario sounds eerily familiar in today’s development that is transpiring in Israel. Demands met with refusal and obstinance and rejection to liberate our brothers that are in captivity. Therefore, the war against Egypt began with relentless and inexorable hammering away at the infrastructure of Egyptian civilization. The country would be left in shambles, its army decimated and its economy ruined.
Upon examination we observe that there were three sets of plagues unleashed against Pharoah and his henchmen. The earlier commentaries such as Nachmonides explain that the purpose of these three sets of plagues was to disclose to the nation three basic components of faith. Firstly, that there truly is a supreme power that created the world and controls its ongoing efficiency and stability. Secondly, that power, Hashem, supervises the events that occur in this world. He has not abdicated and left things to happen randomly. And lastly, we are His chosen people and despite the intensity and strength of the calamities and adversities that are destroying Egypt, we remain protected and shielded from that carnage.
Netziv also addressed the three sets of plagues that were visited upon Pharoah. He explains that after the first three plagues Pharoah did not yet react and lighten the load upon us. However, at the beginning of the middle three, the workload became easier. At the beginning of the last plagues, he totally abolished our obligation to work and perform for him. And then he makes a startling revelation. At that point, Pharoah began to actually respect Moshe and the nation. Although he still did not want to release them and, on the contrary, wanted to honor them and treat them with total admiration! Certainly, a tremendous change of attitude. However, we could not remain under his domination, it was time to leave.
When the Torah mentions in the last verse that Pharoah would not relent and release the nation, at this juncture they are referred to as “Bnei Yisroel” not simply as the “nation.” This change of description illustrates the point of the Netziv that our status was upgraded as our prominence in Egypt was advanced to a higher level. The verse continues that Pharoah’s refusal to free the people was in sync with what Hashem had told “in the hand of Moshe,” a rather cryptic statement. The allusion is to the staff that Moshe held “in his hand” and on it was inscribed the acronym of the ten plagues. This was an indication of the progression of the plagues which led to the eventual submission of the Egyptians to our greatness. The message was quite clear and for us it is also positive for the Netziv writes that just as before they left Egypt they merited this elevation of their position, so too at the end of our bitter exile we will witness the same advancement of our situation in the world.
A BYTE FOR SHABBOS
Zohar states that the Egyptians hated the people because this provided a buffer zone between the nation and the Egyptian culture. Otherwise, we would have wanted to blend in with their civilization and that would have been detrimental to our existence there.
S’FAS EMES
GOOD SHABBOS
THE WAR CONTINUES AND ITS MOUNTING CASUALTIES. WE DON’T SEE THE END IN SIGHT AND WE MUST CONTINUE TO ACCEPT THAT HASHEM HAS A PLAN IN STORE FOR US ALTHOUGH WE CAN’T ENVISION THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL. HOWEVER, WE MUST REMAIN STRONG AND DAVEN TO HASHEM TO WATCH OVER OUR NATION IN ISRAEL AND WORLDWIDE.
