Results tagged ‘ Va'eira ’

Va’eira

                        Va’eira
 
 
The Torah (8;15) relates that after the third plague of lice, Pharaoh’s sorcerer’s told him: “It is the finger of G-d!”. Rashi (8;15) explains that the sorcerer’s told Pharaoh: “This plague is not the result of witchcraft. It comes from the Omnipresent.”  If Pharaoh’s own advisors told him that the plagues really came from Hashem and that they weren’t magic then why did he continue fighting for 7 more plagues?
 
Secondly, after the first plague of blood (7;22) the Torah relates that Pharaoh hardened his heart. Rashi (7;22) explains that Pharaoh denied that the first plague came from Hashem saying that it was simply magic as his sorcerer’s were able to do the same trick. However, although Pharaoh’s sorcerers were able to copy the plague they were nevertheless unable to take the plague away! Therefore, how could Pharaoh not have surrendered after the first plague of blood if they had no water to drink and were completely helpless?
 
Thirdly, the Torah (7;10) relates that Aharon threw down his stick and it became a snake. The Torah (7;11) then relates that Pharaoh summoned his sorcerer’s and they did the same. However, although Pharaoh’s sorcerers were able to pull off the same trick they were nevertheless unable to get rid of Aharon’s snake. Therefore, why didn’t Pharaoh give in to Moshe and allow the Jews to leave the land of Egypt? Aharon could have made a million of sticks turn into snakes and completely destroyed the land of Egypt! Therefore, why didn’t Pharaoh listen to Moshe and allow the Jews to leave Egypt? What was his rationale?
 
Fourthly, the Torah (3;17) relates that Hashem told us that He would take us out of Egypt and bring us to the land of Israel. However, when the Jews actually left Egypt all they asked for what to leave for 3 days (8;23)! If Hashem had intended on us leaving the land of Egypt forever then how could He tell us to lie and only ask to leave for 3 days?
 
Fifthly, the Torah (8;4) relates that Pharaoh told Moshe and Aharon: “Entreat Hashem and remove the frogs from me and my people, and I shall send out the people that they may bring offerings to Hashem.” Interestingly, the Ohr Hachaim (8;4) relates that Pharaoh had actually promised Moshe that he would free the Jews out of the land of Egypt a total of 7 times (after the plague of frogs, wild beasts, hail, locusts, darkness and the plague of the firstborn-as all those plagues didn’t just cause discomfort but they were also life threatening). The question therefore arises: How could Moshe continuously fall for Pharaoh’s trick that he would let the Jews leave the land of Egypt on condition that the plague be taken away? As the saying goes, “first time shame on you, second time shame on me.” How could Moshe fall for Pharaoh’s same trick over and over again?
 
Sixthly, why didn’t Moshe wait until the Jews were far enough from Egypt until he took away the plagues if Pharaoh agreed to send out the Jews on condition that he take away the plagues?
 
Lastly, the torah (8;23) relates that the Jews asked to leave the land of Egypt for 3 days and yet Pharaoh refused (8;28). However, the Jews had stopped working during all the plagues anyway! Therefore, what was Pharaoh so afraid of losing by having the Jews take just 3 more days off? 
 
Rabbi Yochanan Zweig explains that Egypt was the embodiment of all idolatry (Pharaoh even thought he was a deity). Now, the question arises: What’s the real problem with idolatry? Idolatry doesn’t necessarily mean that one doesn’t believe in Hashem. Rather, what idolatry really means is that Hashem runs the world but that He created other high powers. As a result, people would serve the sun, moon, clouds, stars, etc. as they had the perspective that Hashem set up a system with chains of command and they could serve Hashem through his intermediaries. However, the sun, moon, etc. actually have no power as they are all completely controlled by Hashem. And why exactly didn’t Hashem give them power? Rabbi Zweig explains that Hashem is “echad” (literally: one)–meaning, He is everything. All of reality is included in Him. Were Hashem to give power to something else then He would be dividing Himself. However, Hashem is perfect and unable to destroy Himself. Therefore, He is unable to share any of his powers with the sun, moon, clouds, stars, etc.  Thus, since the sun, moon, etc. are all unable to have any powers they are therefore not entitled to be served by all of mankind and we are therefore forbidden to serve all other g-ds. 
 
Rabbi Zweig therefore explains that one who serves idolatry shows that they don’t believe in the unity of Hashem-meaning, they don’t believe that He is “echad” (one) and everything. In fact, a person who doesn’t believe in the fact that Hashem is “echad” actually has to believe in idolatry since if Hashem could give away power then He obviously would as His whole desire in creating the world was to do good for man. Meaning, by dividing up His power Hashem would do us a favor and make it easier for us to serve Him throug
h serving other forces. Any good that Hashem could do for us He would as He doesn’t need anything-everything He does is for us. Pharaoh therefore believed in Hashem but he believed that he was empowered by Hashem. As a result, when his sorcerer’s told him (8;15) “It is the finger of G-d”, he actually believed that the plagues had come from Hashem but he nevertheless continued fighting through 7 more plagues as from his perspective he thought that he was running his country in the correct fashion. As a result, Pharaoh was of the opinion that Hashem wouldn’t take away his powers from him as he hadn’t done anything wrong. Therefore, when Moshe asked Pharaoh to allow the Jews to leave the land of Egypt (8;23) he said that they would bring offerings to Hashem. However, Pharaoh refused because he believed that being empowered by Hashem the Jews were supposed to serve him-not Hashem. 
 
Similarly, Rabbi Zweig explains that Pharaoh refused to allow the Jews to leave the land of Israel for 3 days (even though they had stopped working during all of the plagues, and 3 more days off couldn’t have hurt too much) in order to serve Hashem as he believed that their whole plan was a lie as according to his perspective there was no need for them to serve Hashem as they could simply serve him-Hashem’s intermediary. 
 
Further, Rabbi Zweig explains that since we were Pharaoh’s subjects in Egypt Moshe wanted to send out the message that we could only serve Hashem-as He is the only real G-d. As a result, Moshe requested that the nation of Israel leave the land of Egypt for 3 days in order to serve Hashem. Therefore, Hashem wasn’t lying when He commanded Moshe to tell Pharaoh to send out the nation of Israel for just 3 days as the 3 days served a great purpose-in order to teach the nation of Israel who were living in Egypt, the embodiment of idolatry, that Hashem is the only real power in the world. Similarly, Rabbi Zweig explains that the purpose of the plagues wasn’t so that the Jews could leave Egypt. Rather, the purpose of the plagues was so that the Jews could go out and serve Hashem for 3 days-and the Egyptians would thereby know that Hashem is the only real power in the world. 
 
Furthermore, Rabbi Zweig explains that even though Pharaoh’s sorcerer’s were unable to take away the plague of blood (through which all the Egyptians could have died due to lack of water), he nevertheless continued fighting through the plagues as he thought the plagues were simply magic (Rashi, 7;22). And why was that a good reason to continue fighting the plagues if his whole country could have died from the magic? The Gemara (Sanhedrin, 67b) states that magic has the ability to nullify a decree of the Heavenly court. However, Pharaoh believed that since Hashem’s was the highest source of power and that he hadn’t done anything wrong that Hashem would therefore help him win against the forces of the plagues. As a result, Pharaoh was actually thinking rationally-as since he thought that he was a real deity he therefore took the perspective that Hashem wouldn’t allow another source of idolatry to destroy him and his country without good reason (and according to him he had done nothing wrong!).
 
Similarly, Rabbi Zweig explains that even though Pharaoh’s sorcerer’s were unable to get rid of Aharon’s snake (and he could have therefore destroyed all of Egypt through a million snakes), he nevertheless continued fighting through the rest of the plagues as he thought that the plagues were simply another source of idolatry and that Hashem would not allow another source of idolatry to overpower him unless he truly deserved to be defeated.
 
Even further, Rabbi Zweig explains that Pharaoh didn’t send out the Jews immediately after the plagues as had he done that then he would have sent out the message that he was only sending out the Jews because of all the troubles from the plagues. Therefore, after every plague Pharaoh planned on waited some time before sending out the Jews so that people would say that Pharaoh sent out the Jews through his own intuition and not by force. Moshe understood that this was Pharaoh’s train of thought and therefore didn’t force Pharaoh to free the Jews before he removed the plagues. Thus, Pharaoh really wasn’t trying to trick Moshe when he repeated his promise to free the Jews on condition that the plagues be removed–as that was his real way of thinking! 
 
Interestingly, Rabbi Zweig explains that Moshe had requested of Pharaoh to allow the Jews to serve Hashem for 3 days as by doing so Pharaoh would be admitting that the Jews are really Hashem’s servants-not His! Therefore, requesting the Jews to leave the land of Egypt for 3 days in order to serve Hashem was also a way of attempting to get Pharaoh to repent and stop believing that he was a deity. Similarly, the Jews intended on returning to Egypt after serving Hashem as they sought to not only cause Pharaoh to not believe that he was a deity, but they also sought to cause the whole nation of Egypt to stop believing in idolatry. And why did they have such a strong desire to have the Egyptians see that there’s no other G-d but Hashem? Rabbi Zweig explains that the Jews became friends with the Egyptians before leaving Egypt. This could be seen from the fact that the torah (11;2) refers to the Egyptians as our friends right before the Jews left Egypt. Similarly, the torah (3;21) relates that Hashem promised us that the Egyptians would view us favorably.  Thus, we see that the nation of Israel had truly intended on leaving the land of Egypt for just 3 days in order to serve Hashem. 

Va’eira

                     Va’eira

Phsycologists’ researches have shown that grateful people enjoy many advantages, from living happier lives to even sleeping better.

In this week’s parsha we learn the greatness of gratitude.

Rashi (7;19) relates that Moshe told Aaron to hit the river (instead of doing it himself) because the river protected him (see: 2;3–Note: Moshe also had to show gratitude by the plagues of blood and frogs). The Midrash (Shemos Rabbah, 9;10) states that we learn from here how one must never harm anything from which he received benefit.

However, why must one show gratitude towards inanimate objects which have no choice or feelings?

Additionally, the Torah tells us (Devarim, 23;8) that we must not show hatred towards the Egyptians because we were strangers in their land. Rashi (23;8) explains the reason to be that they received us hospitably during our time of need. However, we were tormented by the Egyptians with back breaking labor! We were commanded to throw all our males into the river…Why must we show them gratitude?

Furthermore, the Torah tells us (Devarim, 23;4) that all descendants from Ammon and Moab are forbidden to enter our community. The Ramban (23;4) explains the reasoning to be that they failed to show gratitude towards us (for Ammon and Moab each stem from Lot who was saved by Avraham) by refusing to sell us food/water when we were passing through their land (Ammon) and by sending Bilaam to curse us (Moab). However, why does the Torah see it fit to forbid 2 nations from ever uniting with us simply due to lack of gratitude?

The Sefer HaChinuch (mitzvah 33) states that the foundation of the mitzvah to honor one’s parents is to show gratitude. Later on the Sefer HaChinuch states that by performing this mitzvah one will come to recognize all that Hashem has done for him. Therefore, when one shows gratitude towards others they’re recognizing that Hashem runs the world. Thus, when Moshe showed gratitude to the river he was really showing recognition of Hashem’s mastery of the world. Additionally, I think we could answer that were obligated to show gratitude towards the Egyptians because were really showing gratitude towards Hashem. Furthermore, it could be that the reason were forbidden to unite with any desecendants from the nations of Amon and Moab simply because of their lack of gratitude because by not showing gratitude they were really denying Hashem’s existence.

Now, the mitzvah of honoring one’s parents was given when the nation of Israel were in the desert. At that time children didn’t “need” their parents for it was Hashem who would feed them (the “man”), wash their clothes (through the Clouds of Glory), and take care of all their needs. Therefore, we see that one must show gratitude towards others even for things in which they didn’t need.

The Gemara (Berachot, 7b) states that Leah was the first person ever to thank Hashem (after she gave birth to Yehuda–Bereishis, 29;35). However, how could it be that Avraham, Yitzchak, and all the other righteous men who lived before never thanked Hashem? The answer is that Leah recognized that she had received more than she deserved (for Yehuda was her 4th child and she knew there was only supposed to be 3 children per midwife) and therefore came to the realization that she had received a lot of things in which she didn’t deserve. That is real gratitude. Many times people feel as though everything they’re deserving of everything they have. However, that is not the case, for Hashem is constantly displaying mercy by giving things to people in which they don’t deserve. Similarly, we should all realize that we constantly receive things from Hashem in which we don’t deserve.

Rabbi Yochanan Zweig states that when one shows appreciation towards another he’s really telling the recipient that he care about him. Similarly, the Gemara (Shabbat, 10b) states that when one gives a gift to his friend he’s obligated to inform him that he was the giver. And why is that? The answer is to show him he cares. Many times people are scared to show appreciation for in essence they’re saying “I owe you.” However, when one shows appreciation towards another and gives him a sense that others care for him–he’s really giving back more than he received!

Summary: Rashi (7;19) notes that Moshe had to tell Aaron to hit the Nile River and perform the plague in order to show gratitude. However, why should one show gratitude to inanimate objects? The Sefer HaChinuch (mitzvah 33) states that the foundation of the mitzvah to honor one’s parents is showing gratitude, and through performing this mitzvah one will come to recognize all that Hashem has done for him. We therefore see that through gratitude one comes to recognize Hashem’s greatness. Thus, by showing appreciation towards the river, Moshe was really praising Hashem for his mastery over this world. One must show gratitude even for things they don’t need–for the commandment to honor one’s parents was given in the desert when children didn’t need their parents to feed them and provide all their needs (Hashem was doing it). Additionally, we should realize that we constantly receive things from Hashem in which we don’t deserve and thank Him even for that in which we do deserve–for that is real gratitude and the reason why Leah is considered to be the first person to ever thank Hashem (Berachot, 7b). Lastly, Rabbi Zweig notes that by showing appreciation one shows the recipient that others care for him and therefore actually gives back more than he received!

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