VOLUME 110 NUMBER 5
Nissan 11, 5784
April 19, 2024
SPECIAL PESACH EDITION
Candlelighting Time 7:24 PM
This is of course the quintessential uncertainty that shrouds our minds until this very moment. The severity of pogroms, holocausts, bestial treatment and abusive environments that our nation has endured for thousands of years seems to never end. And that was exactly what our forefathers in Egypt felt as well. They were worked to the bone and underwent tremendous cruelty at the hands of the Egyptian taskmasters. What was the necessity to undergo such difficulties in order to merit the exodus?
The Torah states that we were extricated from there with a ‘strong hand.’ What explicitly does that refer to? Although there was an assurance to the Patriarchs that Hashem would save us from Egyptian bondage, however, we weren’t worthy of that promise. As the Midrash says that when the Egyptian army drowned in the Red Sea, the angels called out that we also served idols so why were we spared? Even though several weeks later we would receive the Torah on Mt. Sinai, but presently we were not focused on that event. Furthermore, there was a degree of assimilation that we staggered in and certainly posed a challenge to enable us to escape this serious threat to our survival!
Hashem allowed the oppressors to increasingly batter us and intensify their barbaric torment to which we were subject. Perhaps the slaughter of October 7th was a reprehensible mnemonic of what our forefathers were exposed to. How did that oppressive conduct facilitate the upcoming exodus?
S’fas Emes explains that the intent of the escalated pressure was indeed a game changer. It created a sense of desperation. The nation knew that Hashem would eventually come to their rescue as He had guaranteed to the Patriarchs. However, when would that be? The hard labor that they were subject to for the past 100 plus years was overwhelming and difficult to continue to endure. At this low point in their profile, they truly realized that they must reach out to Hashem and that realization prompted them to call out to Hashem and to save them.
This is the message for all future generations. Until we place our absolute trust and reliance in Hashem we cannot necessarily await and expect the salvation that we so dearly need. Furthermore, when we encounter tremendous physical discomfort and suffering we must appreciate that the purity that we attain reaches a spiritual level. At that point, the awareness of the nation becomes hyper focused on achieving goals that supersede their earlier level of conduct in performance of the mitzvos of the Torah. And within that lies the seeds of redemption as we strive to elevate ourselves higher and higher and become closer to Hashem.
Therefore, this process is referred to as a ‘heavy handed’ approach because it is seemingly opposed to the welfare of the nation. In reality it is a process through which the nation will merit exodus from their hardships. Additionally, we must praise Hashem that we were able to reach this point of fulfillment of the promise to the Patriarchs albeit through extreme means.
A BYTE FOR SHABBOS
The indictment that defiles the Metzorah is the Kohen’s pronouncement that the affliction that the person is experiencing is correct. The ‘word’ of the Kohen defiles the individual and when he is healed the ‘word’ of the Kohen will purify him with the process of the offerings. The sin that causes the affliction is that of loshon hora, slander. The Torah emphatically conveys to us the importance of one’s verbiage.
CHOFETZ CHAIM
GOOD SHABBOS AND GOOD YOM TOV
CHAG KASHER V’SAMEACH
IRAN THREATENS TO HEAVEN FORBID DESTROY THE JEWISH NATION. THEY ARE UNAWARE THAT THEY ARE CONFRONTING A POWER FAR MORE FORMIDABLE AND DOMINANT THAN THEY ARE! BY THE SAME TOKEN WE MUST ALSO CLEARLY UNDERSTAND THAT THE DOME IS NOT OUR PORTECTIVE SHIELD NOR IS THE USAF OR THE UK. IT IS HASHEM. AS WE PLACE OUR ALL-INCLUSIVE TRUST IN HASHEM THEN HE WILL CONTINUE TO SHIIELD US FROM OUR ADVERSARIES AND WE WILL MERIT TO CELEBRATE YOM TOV IN A CALM AND FESTIVE MANNER.
