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Volume I, Issue 27
PARSHA INSIGHTS "Moshe replied to Hashem, 'Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should take B'nei Yisroel out of Egypt' " (Shemos 3,11). Regarding this verse Rashi explains, "Of what significance am I that I should speak with kings? Even if I am significant (enough to address kings), why is Yisroel worthy that a miracle be done for them and that I should take them out of Egypt?"The Bais HaLevi zt"l questions the connection between Moshe doubting his self worth and his inquiring about B'nei Yisroel's merits for salvation. Additionally, if Hashem desired to redeem B'nei Yisroel, why would Moshe bring up the issue of B'nei Yisroel having sufficient merit to receive salvation? The Bais HaLevi explains that the root of Moshe's queries lie in the fact that B'nei Yisroel was only a little more than half way through the exile of Egypt when Hashem first appeared to Moshe. Moshe, as well as B'nei Yisroel, knew that the galus (exile) was supposed to be four hundred years. This concerned Moshe because if B'nei Yisroel would be liberated prematurely, he feared that future generations of Jews would be subjected to additional exiles in order to complete the balance of the four hundred years. Moshe's worry was supported by his knowledge of the fact that redemptions which are carried out by a shaliach (an agent) of Hashem are not permanent, and are followed by another exile (Midrash Tehillim 36). Moshe's questions were an attempt to insure that the redemption from Egypt would be a permanent one, so that B'nei Yisroel would not have to suffer any future exiles. Therefore, Moshe first tried to convince Hashem that he was not worthy of liberating B'nei Yisroel, and that Hashem himself should perform the redemption. A redemption carried out personally by Hashem is a permanent one and no other exiles will follow. However, when it became clear to Moshe that Hashem wanted him to execute the liberation, Moshe tried to persuade Hashem that He could not redeem B'nei Yisroel early, because they lacked merit to deserve premature redemption by Hashem. By stalling their liberation and trying to extend their galus the full four hundred years, Moshe's ulterior motive was to insure that future generations would not have to endure any exiles. This incident demonstrates the greatness of Moshe. Moshe was willing to forego his "place" in the annals of Jewish history for the benefit of the future of B'nei Yisroel.
Hashem commanded Moshe to "go and gather the elders of Yisroel and say to them, 'Hashem, the G-d of your forefathers, has appeared to me, the G-d of Avrohom, Yitzchok and Yacov, saying, I have surely remembered you and what is done to you in Egypt.' " (Shemos 3,16). Moshe's message to B'nei Yisroel, through the elders, was that Hashem heard their crying, sympathized with their plight and was planning to emancipate them from their bondage in Egypt. After Moshe fulfilled this command and convinced B'nei Yisroel that He would deliver them to the land of the "spiritual" and free of enslavement, Eretz Yisroel, Moshe was to fulfill another commandment from Hashem - "You and the elders of Yisroel shall come to the king of Egypt and say to him, 'Hashem the G-d of the Hebrews happened upon us. And now let us go on a three day journey in the wilderness, and we shall bring offerings to Hashem, our G-d' " (Shemos 3,18). In this command Hashem tells Moshe to instruct Pharaoh to release B'nei Yisroel from Egypt. The Alter of Kelm zt"l questions the order in which these commands were to be implemented by Moshe. If Moshe was supposed to convince B'nei Yisroel that they would be freed from Egypt, he should have first demonstrated that redemption was indeed on the way. Proof that emancipation was clearly beginning would have been achieved by the miracle of Moshe and Ahron meeting with Pharaoh in the palace. In general, one cannot walk into a king's court unannounced. Such behavior is deemed insubordinate and the perpetrator is punished with death. The fact that Moshe was able to enter the palace, visit with Pharaoh without an appointment and leave with his life was miraculous in its own right. Therefore, Moshe should have first had his meeting with Pharaoh, thereby proving that they were on the road to salvation. Moshe's message of deliverance would then have been easier for B'nei Yisroel to comprehend and accept. So why did Hashem command Moshe to speak to B'nei Yisroel regarding their redemption without showing encouraging signs of liberation? Rav Yechezkel Levenstein zt"l answers that B'nei Yisroel had to first believe in Hashem's promise of salvation before Moshe was able to actually meet with Pharaoh regarding his emancipating B'nei Yisroel. A fundamental principle in gaining siyata dishmaya (help from Hashem) is that one must first awaken himself to believe in Hashem's power of delivery and then he will merit Divine assistance. For Moshe to have the ability to gain entrance to Pharaoh and demand the release of B'nei Yisroel, they had to first believe in Hashem's powers on their own, without the assistance of signs or wonders. Once this unassisted emunah was achieved, B'nei Yisroel were able to merit Hashem's intervention in "arranging" a meeting between Moshe and Pharaoh. In fact, the entire redemption from Egypt was predicated on B'nei Yisroel arousing themselves to self-motivated emunah. Had B'nei Yisroel not been able to achieve their own awakening, they would not have merited Hashem's salvation.
TABLE TALK THE DILEMMA Would your answer depend on the age of the child?
(Consult your Rav for a proper halachic ruling) WHO AM I?
1. My meeting with a fugitive went "well".
(Please send us your answer by e-mail to gkrainess@adelphia.net. The answer will appear in next week's issue) Last week's clues and answer: I failed as a "shochet"; I was judge and executioner; My partnership was dissolved; I was the last link to the past - Levi Congratulations to Ben-Tziyon Krainess, Rabbi Shlomo Newman, Yitzi Schabes and the Solomon brothers.
CAN YOU SAY THAT? Reuven's neighbor is a not yet observant Jew, whose lack of observance is due to his ignorance. Is it permissible for Reuven to make reference, by name, to the life-style of this person, in order to emphasize to the audience the weaknesses in the behavior of the not yet observant Jew and its consequences? Answer: Yes. One should, however, be careful not to condemn the person. As long as the listeners have previous knowledge that this individual engages in the specific behavior being discussed and the purpose of the discussion is to offer guidance, it is permissible. This discussion is also permitted even concerning the fault of an observant Jew, if the above conditions are met. However, one may not use examples from the past history of a baal teshuva, without his permission. (Sefer Chofetz Chaim)
TORAH RIDDLE What mitzvah in the Torah cannot be fulfilled through an intentional action? (Thank you to Mrs. Devorah ben Gedalyahu from Eretz Yisroel for providing this week's Torah riddle) (Please send us your answer by e-mail to gkrainess@adelphia.net. The answer will appear in next week's issue) Last week's question and answer: For which sin can any person be punished by a beis din without having first been warned? Conspiring witnesses, who were proven by other witnesses to not have been in attendance during the incident (aydeem zomemim). Congratulations to Yehuda Bechor, Shaya Manies, Menachem Neustadt and Rabbi Shlomo Newman THE KOLLEL FAMILY p>MAZEL TOVRabbi & Mrs. Yacov Weinberger on the birth of a son.
COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD proudly presents AN EVENING OF INSPIRATION featuring RABBI YISSOCHER FRAND
SUNDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 17, 2002 The Cedar-Green Community Kollel Friday Evening Parsha Classes will convene this week at 8:00 *Beachwood………………Contact Rabbi Katz 360-9153 *The Huntington-Green Apartments
Rabbi Levi's group……….Contact Rabbi Levi
381-1617
(Please inform us if you wish to have a happy or solemn occasion or a community or personal event posted on the Community Bulletin Board - Thank you.) To sponsor an issue of Oneg Shabbos, please contact Leib Chaim Krainess, Director of
Kollel Development at (216) 559-0638 or gkrainess@adelphia.net. THIS WEEK'S ONEG SHABBOS IS SPONSORED BY
CEDAR-GREEN COMMUNITY KOLLEL: |
Shema Yisrael Torah Network
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