Israel and The Sin of Expulsion

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We learn that when Yithro had heard all that Hashem had done for B’nai Yisrael, he left Midian with Tzippora and Moshe’s two sons and went to join with the Jews. Sefer Shemos, Perek 18, posuk 9 states “Vayichad Yithro” which Rashi renders as Yithro “rejoiced” at seeing B’nai Yisrael free of Mitzri bondage, at seeing K’riyat Yom Suf and at B’nai Yisrael’s victory over Amalek.

The commentary of R’ Shimshon Rafael Hirsch, z’l in the new Hirsch Chumash (published by Feldheim in 2005 and translated to English by Daniel Haberman), on page 302, Sefer Shemos, Perek 18, posukim 2 and 3 of our Parsha Yithro seems to concur with R’ Milevsky concerning the timing of Yitro’s coming to join B’nai Yisrael. R’ Hirsch writes:

…Yithro’s intention is that his daughter and grandchildren should continue staying with him, and he [Yithro] comes to the wilderness not so as to bring them to his son-in-law, but out of longing for Hashem…

Later in the Perek, on posuk 11, page 304, R’ Hirsch goes on to explain more background behind Yithro’s joining B’nai Yisrael with both his rendering of the posuk and with his commentary on it:

“Now I recognize that Hashem is greater than all the gods; for I recognized Him precisely in the evil that they [the Mitzriyim] plotted against them.” (posuk 11)

…Yithro recognized Hashem’s greatness precisely in those miracles that showed the Mitzri’s hidden machinations against Israel [which] were well-known to Him. Yithro now recognizes that all of the plagues… were closely related to the poverty, slavery and the status of strangers that the Mitriyim had intended to inflict upon Israel….

The makkos [plagues] thus revealed to Yithro not only Hashem’s omnipotence, but also His omniscience. He sees the inner thoughts of men, nations, princes and fashions their fate so as to teach and educate them.

“Measure for measure” is our sages’ expression of Hashem’s way of repaying a person for his deeds (citing Sotah 8b) and it is this way of Hashem that Yithro now recognizes.

But Rabbi Aba Wagensberg spoke out several years ago citing another possible event which Yithro may have seen, which when grouped with the other events performed by Hashem for B’nai Yisrael, compelled his joining with them. Rabbi Wagensberg indicated at that time that his vort was one which he felt that Kiruv people need to hear regarding reaching out to their fellow Jews.

Rabbi Wagensberg then cited a source indicating that there was a second crossing of the Yom Suf. This citing, not recalled for sure by this author, may have been in a Targum Yonaton Ben Uziel on Parsha Shemos, perek 14, posuk 3 (in Parsha Beshalach);

“And Pharoah will say of [or say to] the B’nai Yisrael, ‘They are locked in the land, the Wilderness has locked them in.”

According to Rabbi Wagensberg’s citing, the two Jewish rasha’im Dasan and Aviram “sat on the fence” observing the drama of Pharoah’s rushing the Jews out of Mitzrayim, followed by what appeared to them to be the Jews’ wandering aimlessly until they found themselves walled-in by the sea. The dilemma of Dasan and Aviram was; to stay in Mitzrayim with Pharoah, or join their brethren.

Targum Yonaton Ben Uziel renders perek 14, posuk 3;

“V’Amar Pharoah l’V’nai Yisrael…”, And Pharoah will say to B’nai Yisrael…”

indicating that Pharaoh is talking to what is left of B’nai Yisrael in Mitzriyim — Dasan and Aviram.

The point here seems to be that no matter one’s past errors and indiscretions, if sincerely contrite and sincerely seeking to do Teshuva and to regain closeness with Hashem, one is able to do so, as exemplified by the letter Hay where one can fall and yet climb back up in Kedusha. But is there also a red-line? Does this axiom even apply to Ehud Barak (who has nothing but disdain for Torah and all who follow it), or to Shimon Peres (who once equated PA prime minister Salam Fayyad to Israel’s first prime minister David Ben-Gurion), to Sharon who made 9,000 of his fellow Jews Gerim in the Land of Israel, or Ya’ir Lapid and a whole host of other modern-day Dasans and Avirams with their miles-long rap sheets of anti-Jewish, anti-Torah indiscretions??

Good Shabbos!

Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.

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Good Shabbos Subscribers;

A while back, we wrote that we are offering sponsorships for the weekly Parshat HaShevua. Three weeks ago, we announced the first of such sponsorships.

Those wishing to sponsor upcoming Parshiyot HaShevu’ot l’zechut an upcoming simcha or l’zechut the Yahrtzeit of a loved one, please contact me here.

Regards,

Moshe Burt

Near the end of our Parsha, we read:

“And the hands of Moshe were heavy and they took a rock and placed it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Chur supported his hands, one on either side, and his hands remained an expression of trust until sunset.” (Sefer Sh’mos, Perek 17, posuk 12)

Rabbi Pliskin in Growth Through Torah cites a Rashi which states;

“…Moshe did not sit on a comfortable pillow, but a rock. There was a battle going on with Amalek and Moshe wanted to feel the suffering of the people.

This, said Rabbi Yeruchem Levovitz, is a lesson in feeling for another person’s suffering. Not only should we mentally feel their pain, but it is proper to do some action in order to feel some of the discomfort yourself when someone else experiences pain. This way [through empathy] you actually feel his pain.” (Growth Through Torah, Rabbi Zelig Pliskin, page 177, citing from Daas Torah, page 152)

R’ Shimshon Rafael Hirsch, z’l comments in the new Hirsch Chumash (published by Feldheim in 2005 and translated to English by Daniel Haberman), Sefer Shemos, Parsha Beshalach Perek 17, posukim 9-12, pages 296-298:

Attacked by Amalek, Israel is compelled to meet the test of battle. However, it is not the sword of Israel, but the staff of Moshe, that defeats Amalek.

And it is not the magical power of the staff, but the emunah, the devoted trust in Hashem, as signified and awakened by the uplifted hand, that prevails over Amalek.

…Aaron and Chur were at Moshe’s side as the representatives of the people. Not the leader’s faith, but the people’s faith, which the leader inspired, led to victory.

What this and other citings from our Parsha and from throughout Torah indicate is that Moshe Rabbeinu was as one with the entire B’nai Yisrael. He made himself to feel what the B’nai Yisrael was feeling in order not to lead from aloof or afar, and to beseech Hashem on their behalf, knowing what suffering they were undergoing. This attribute of empathy possessed by Moshe Rabbeinu stems back young days in Pharaoh’s palace.

Rabbi Dr. Yosef Gerber cites Shemos Perek 2, pasuk 11 and quotes Rashi in his sefer, “Today is Eternity” (page 164):

Moshe Rabbeinu…. in particular, his rise to greatness was a consequence of the outstanding way in which he was… able to identify with the needs and share the burden of others.

The pasuk tells us… “Moshe became great and he went out to his brethren.” Rashi explains that Moshe was being groomed by Pharaoh as a future ruler. When a person receives exceptional favors, he is normally drawn towards his benefactor. Yet despite Pharaoh having chosen and elevated him, Moshe “went out to his brethren.” He was not drawn towards the Egyptians. In fact, the reverse is true. He became profoundly involved with Am Yisrael and he saw and felt the depth of their suffering.

Rabbi Gerber then indicates that Moshe’s empathy was not limited to the view on a national level, but when he saw a Mitzri beating a Jew, he put his life on the line to get involved. And when, a short while later, he saw 2 Jews fighting, he again got involved. And after running away from Pharaoh, he had the courage and compassion to defend the daughters of Yithro from shepherds who threatened them. Rabbi Gerber notes that this empathy showed yet again in the story of the lamb who strayed from the flock which Moshe was shepherding.

Earlier on in our Parsha, R’ Hirsch renders translation of Perek 13, posuk 19, page 222:

“Moshe took with him the bones of Yosef, for he [Yosef] had bound the sons of Yisrael by an oath… you shall take up my bones with you from here.”

R’ Hirsch comments asking why this is mentioned as the Jews were enroute to the sea and not as they departed Rameses. He notes that:

Perhaps… to emphasize the contrast: 600,000 armed men on their way to the Promised Land could not be trusted to have sufficient confidence in Hashem, that he would grant them their victory in the battle for the Land, for the sake of keeping His promise. By contrast, the true Jew — like Yosef — trusts in the fulfillment of Hashem’s promise, even if it came after his death (c.f. Breish’t 50:24)…

From this perspective, the bones of Yosef, which were carried at the head of the procession, were a clear reproof to the people, who had to be led on a detour through the wilderness because of their faint-heartedness.

But it wasn’t just Moshe Rabbeinu who possessed these midos of inspirational leadership and empathy.

All of the above seems exemplified by citings of Rabbi Simcha Broide and The Maharal in Rebbetzin Shira Smiles’ “Torah Tapestries” on Sefer Shemos (pages 53-54). Rebetzin Smiles cites both sources in giving deeper meaning to “Az” (then) — the first word of the Shirat HaYam sang by Moshe Rabbeinu and B’nai Yisrael after crossing the Reed Sea and observing the utter destruction of Pharoah and the Mitzri army which pursued them:

Rabbi Broide (Sam Derech, Shemos page 336) wrote that not only did the sea split, but it split into twelve paths, one for each of the tribes. In addition, …the Jews would enjoy nourishing sustenance [fruit bearing trees and water fountains] while they crossed.

Rabbi Broide explains that Shirat HaYam demonstrated the level that the Am Yisrael reached at that time. They saw with clarity how nature itself is a manifestation of Hashem, just like the miracles…. They beheld the natural events with wonder and awe. To them, it was all a miracle. B’nai Yisrael understood the “natural” drowning of their enemies as a direct manifestation of Hashem’s Will. They saw Hashem’s Hand and burst into song.

The Maharal expounds (Gevuros Hashem, page 47) on the Torah’s use of “Az” — “Az yashir Moshe uVnei Yisrael” (Then Moshe and the Children of Israel sang) — “Az” is composed of two letters: aleph — which has a numerical value of one, and zayin which has a numerical value of seven. The Maharal quotes a Midrash which interprests “az” as a code word for… the one that rides on seven…. In Judaism, digits represent much more than their simple numerical value. As clarified by Rabbi Chaim Friedlander (Sifsei Chaim, Volume 2, page 416), the number six signifies a complete object which has six sides: top, bottom, right, left, front and back.

A few observations here by this author:

Now let’s return to Rebbetzin Smiles:

The number one [the Aleph] is the Only One. It represents the Highest Unity, the all-encompassing Unity of Hashem. The “az” of Shirat HaYam means that the Divine One “rides on” and dominates the… seven…. When Hashem turned the sea into dry land, the Jews perceived with clarity that Hashem is the source of everything and that all… are contained within His Unity.

So this author queries; what is the sum of “Az” — one and seven? Eight. And what does the number eight signify? Bris Milah (circumcision) — eight days from the birth of a male to his circumcision — his connection, his covenant with, his unity with HaKadosh Borchu.

Good Shabbos! Tu B’Shvat Same’ach!

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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.

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Good Shabbos Subscribers;

A while back, we wrote that we would soon begin offering sponsorships for the weekly Parshat HaShevua.

Those wishing to sponsor upcoming Parshiyot HaShevu’ot l’zechut an upcoming simcha or l’zechut the Yahrtzeit of a loved one, please contact me here.

Regards,

Moshe Burt

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Parshat Bo is the one which, for me, annually relates to that crazy tune which played back “in the Old Country” a few decades ago, “Does Your Korbon Pesach Lose It’s Flavor Tied to the Bedpost Overnight?” (Actually, the real title to the song was “Does Your Chewing Gum Lose It’s Flavor on the Bedpost Overnight?”)

With B’nai Yisrael chomping at the bit for the redemption, for freedom from Mitzri bondage, Hashem directs them to take the Korban pesach and to perform Bris Milah on all males.

Rebbetzin Shira Smiles, in her sefer “Torah Tapestries” on Sefer Shemos (pages 29-30) relates a citing from the Navi Yechezchel (Sefer Yechezchel, perek 16, posukim 6-7 regarding Sefer Shemos, Perek 12, posuk 6):

“I have passed by you and I saw you wallowing in your bloods and I said to you ‘By your bloods you shall live.’ …. and you [were] naked and unclothed.” Our sages (citing Yalkut Shimoni, Shemos, page 195) explain that “unclothed” means stripped of Mitzvot. Hashem initially determined that Am Yisrael was unworthy of being redeemed. Therefore, he “clothed” them, enabling them to earn the merit to live through the performance of the two Mitzvot. Note that the word “blood” in this posuk is actually plural “bloods”, referring to two Mitzvot that involve blood…. Korban Pesach (the passover Offering) and Bris Milah (circumcision): B’nai Yisrael’s implementation of these two “bloods” was the combined accomplishment that gave them life and sanctioned their salvation. Fittingly these verses from Yecherzchel are recited at both the pesach Seder and at a Bris Milah.

The Targum Yonatan… specifies (Commentary on Sefer Shemos Perek 12, posuk 13) that since circumcision was a requirement for males to participate in the Korban Pesach, both the blood of the korban Pesach and the blood from the Bris Milah were used in that fateful night. Further, regarding the placement of both bloods on the doorposts, Moshe told them (Sefer Shemos Perek 12, posuk 24) “Ushmartem et hadavar bazeh lechok lecha ulevanecha ad olam (You shall observe this matter as a statute for you and for your children forever). From this…, we see that these Mitzvot have eternal significance.

Rebbetzin Smiles, in her sefer “Torah Tapestries” on Sefer Shemos, makes repeated reference to the term “mesirus nefesh” which is translated as”giving over the soul.” She writes citing a Shabbos HaGadol drosh in 1900 by a Rabbi Friedman (”Torah Tapestries” on Sefer Shemos, pages 33-34):

Giving over your soul to something means making a statement of total committment. Serving Hashem with “mesirus nefesh” means coming to the deep realization that serving Hashem is all that matters to us. It matters more than life, and from that realization stems the act of serving Hashem”bechol nafshecha” (with all of your soul) (Sefer Devarim, Perek 6, posuk 5) — even if it means giving up that life… We also realize that the service of Hashem matters more than the selfish aspects of our lives.

So what is the sequel today to the “two bloods” where a Pesach Seder is accessable to all, whether at home, with friends or even in the local Chabad House, and Bris Milah is routinely done on all Jewish males on the eighth day (or if complications of birth occur — as soon as the baby’s health permits) and, in fact done routinely in the hospital on the vast majority of gentile male births?

And by what do we define today as “mesirus nefesh” (giving over the soul) in a context of B’nai Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael? Is it making aliyah? Is it committment to V’ahavtah L’rei’echa Komcha to one’s fellow Jews? Is it connecting and possessing Eretz Yisrael? Is it inserting one’s own body, at risk of billy club beating or arrest, to prevent further expulsions of Jews from Our Land? Is it even possibly the painless task of Likud members to cast their votes on 31 January FOR Jewish life, rather than surrender?

May we, the B’nai Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently settled and be made totally whole — be totally restituted for all that was stolen from them at leftist-agendized, supreme court legalized gunpoint, that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard, and the MIAs be liberated alive and returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem. May we have the courage and strength to stand up and physically prevent the possibility of Chas V’Challila any future eviction of Jews from their homes and the handing of Jewish land over to anyone, let alone to enemies sworn to Israel’s and Judaism’s destruction and eradication. May we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nai Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Ki Karov Yom Hashem V’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bim hay v’yameinu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!

Good Shabbos!

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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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At the conclusion of Parsha Shemos, Moshe and Aaron are confronted, upon exiting Pharoah’s Palace, by the B’nai Yisrael who are in deeper despair than before because of the increased workload, i.e. finding their own straw while the quotas remain the same, which resulted from Pharoah’s fury at Moshe’s first effort to secure their freedom and exit from Mitzrayim.

Our Parsha begins with the dialogue which Moshe Rebbeinu has with Hashem prior to again speaking to the B’nai Yisrael. And so, after Hashem rebukes Moshe for his complaint and reassures him that redemption is at hand, Moshe again addresses the B’nai Yisrael as to his meeting with Pharoah;

“And Moshe spoke so [Hashem’s promise of imminent Redemption] to the B’nai Yisrael and they did not listen to Moshe for anguish of spirit and hard work.” (Sefer Shemos, Perek 6, posuk 9)

Rabbi Artscoll cites two interpretations;

One was held by “most commentators that the verse explains that their negative attitude was due not to lack of faith, but to the difficult physical and emotional circumstances under which they labored.” (Artscroll Stone Chumash, Sefer Shemos, Perek 6, pusuk 9, page 320)

The second interpretation was held by Sforno that Moshe’s message did not evoke in the people a faith in G’d as Avraham had as expressed in Breish’t Perek 15, posuk 6;

“And he trusted in Hashem, and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.”

The Artscroll Stone Chumash commentary on Sefer Shemos, Perek 6, posuk 9, page 321 therefore states;

“As a result, they lost the priviledge of going to the Promised Land and their children were the ones for whom the promise … was fulfilled. The reason for their failure was their insufficiency of spirit. The posuk concludes, however, that had it not been for the hard work, they would have overcome their impatience and heeded Moshe’s appeal.”

These interpretations are amplified with recollection of a vort from Shem Mishmuel who speaks about the disconnection between intellect and vocalization, and the heart and neshama which took place during the enslavement in Egypt (Shem Mishmuel pages 224-225).

The Israeli secular system seemingly has succeeded in creating the New Jew, the breeding ground for what Emmanuel Feldman once quoted from the Book of Isaiah in an article in Jerusalem Post; “Your leaders have become plunderers, associates of thieves, lovers of bribery, pursuers of payoffs.” (Isaiah 1:23).

There is one more point which needs to be brought here, and it goes back to a citing from Rav Hirsch z”l in the new Hirsch Chumash (published by Feldheim in 2005 and translated to English by Daniel Haberman) on Sefer Sh’mos, Parsha Sh’mos Perek 2, posukim 13 and 14.

In Parsha Sh’mos Perek 2, posuk 13, we learn that on the 2nd day, the day after Moshe kills the Mitzri who attacked a Jew, 2 Hebrew men (presumably those inevitable troublemakers Dasan and Aviram) fought and Moshe said to the one who was in the wrong, “Why are you striking your neighbor?”

In posuk 14, the one man responds:

Who has made you a man, a prince, as judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Mitzri? Moshe was frightened and said: So the matter is known.

R’ Hirsch notes on posuk 14:

This comment reveals, even at this early stage of our history, a trait that characterizes us to this very day, a trait that is the root of all of our flaws — and our virtues — as a nation.

Six Hundred Thousand men cannot muster the courage to defend their children against non-Jewish henchmen, but to the authority of a fellow Jew — noone will submit. Even the most justified reprimand from a fellow Jew is regarded as a presumption, as a violation of the principle of the equality of all.

And this author adds one more point to R’ Hirsch’s comment on reprimands, by way of questions; At what point does reprimand become a miniscule minority’s imposition of their chumra upon the majority of religious Jews? At what point does this imposition amount to two wrongs not making right and further exacerbating polarization between the sectors of the religious world?

Gutten Shabbos Mevorchin!
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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.

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Good Shabbos Subscribers;

A while back, we wrote that we would soon begin offering sponsorships for the weekly Parshat HaShevua. We are happy to announce the first of such sponsorships — Rabbi Feivel Smiles is sponsoring Parsha Shemos l’zechut the publishing of Rebbetzin Shira Smiles’ Torah Tapestries on Sefer Shemot, the 2nd of the five sefer Torah Tapestries series. Torah Tapestries on Sefer Breish’t was published in October, 2010.

Those wishing to purchase these 1st two S’forim, or who wish to sponsor Parshiyot in any of the subsequent 3 S’forim scheduled to go to print during the coming year — please contact Rabbi Feivel Smiles at his email address. Be sure to tell Rabbi Smiles that you heard about Torah Tapestries here.

Those wishing to sponsor upcoming Parshiyot HaShevu’ot, please contact me here.

Regards,

Moshe Burt

To sufficiently comprehend the evolution of the enslavement of B’nai Yisrael in Mitzriyim, it would seem that one needs to comprehend the closed nature of the two preceding Parshiyot; the concluding posuk of Vayigash (Sefer Breish’t, Perek 47, posuk 27);

“And Yisrael dwelt in the land of Mitzriyim in the land of Goshen, and they acquired property in it and… multiplied greatly”

and the first posuk of Vayechi (Sefer Breish’t, Perek 47, posuk 28);

“And Yaakov lived in the land of Mitzrayim for seventeen years… “

We need to understand the gist of the Kli Yekar; that the Sh’vatim, the Am, knowing that they were to be in Mitzriyim for a definite period of time beyond their lifetimes thus perceived a permanence. Therefore, they adapted themselves to living in Mitzriyim long-term and were thus vulnerable to Mitzri “encouragement” to melt, to assimilate into Mitzri society, to work for the nation, etc. The B’nai Yisrael began to accumulate wealth, land, assets, material possessions as they grew in numbers from 70 souls to 600,000 during Yaakov’s 17 years in Mitzrayim, as stated in the Judaica Press Chumash volume 3 re: Parsha Vayechi.

Ner Uziel on Parshat Shemos (p. 297-301) refers to Perek 1, posuk 7 which reads;

“The B’nai Yisrael were fruitful and they bred… they became so numerous that the land was filled with them.”

Rabbi Milevsky finds the Torah’s loshen for bred; “vayishretzu” disturbing. He notes that “vayishretzu” comes from the root word; sheretz = rodent, i.e. that;

“The Jewish people multiplied like rats.”

Rashi, on our posuk, notes that even with the miraculous birth rate of 6 children at a time, the Jews couldn’t have filled the land of Mitzriyim.

So why this loshen “vayishretzu”?

While the Sh’vatim lived, the Jews remained on Goshen and continued in the ways of their forefathers and were dedicated exclusively to Divine Service.

Following the deaths of Yaakov and the sons, the moral fabric began to unravel. The values of the forefathers eroded, particularly among the young and newly-married couples. Although the B’nai Yisrael maintained their Hebrew names, their distinct dress, their language, their kindnesses each toward the other, they begin to venture beyond the pale of seperation from the Mitzriyim which was Goshen and beyond exclusive Divine service.

Rabbi Milevsky notes that the Egyptians of the time “were notorious anti-semites.

We know that the Jews gradually assimilated into Egyptian society and excelled in all fields of endeavor. This is what is implied by Perek 1, posuk 6;

“Yosef died, and all of his brothers and that entire generation.”

Rabbi Milevsky noted that traditional Jews bore little resemblance to their neighbors, i.e. dress, laws and a different language. As a result, one could use an old R’ Motti Berger Aish HaTorah analogy; there was a “dislike for the unlike.”

Further, when the Jews excelled in their professional fields of endeavor such that everywhere the Mitzrayim turned, they found Jews, a perception developed that;

“…They became so numerous that the land was filled with them.”

And so Pharoah fed that perception.

How can this be? It is noted in the fictional storyline of Duaf of Memphis, one of a series of stories — “Almost Midrash,” by noted activist Jay Shapiro;

“Yosef saved Mitzrayim and will go down in the annals of history.”

But how quickly they “forgot” Yosef.

In reading the new Hirsch Chumash (published by Feldheim in 2005 and translated to English by Daniel Haberman) on the beginning of Sefer Sh’mos (pages 1-11), one could summarize R’ Shimshon Rafael Hirch, z’l as indicating on the first posukim, that it’s possible that Mitzrayim may have been conquered by a foreign power whose ruler (or could one conclude that it was the foreign ruler’s appointee?) became Pharoah over Mitzrayim. As such, the foreign ruler would have then set up another group of foreigners residing in Mitzrayim (in this case, Am Yisrael) for subjugation in order to compensate the Mitzri people in order to consolidate and solidify his power over the population which he sought to subordinate. R’ Hirsch also indicates that this modus operendi is seen throughout history when nations are conquered by foreign powers. As an observer of history, this author concludes that far too often, it was the Jews who bore the brunt of being set up for subjugation by conquering powers.

One could therefore question:

And so, a Pharoah schemed the enslavement of the Jews — mida keneged mida — to isolate the Jews from Mitzri Society.

R’ Hirsch then outlined the three steps which the Mitzriyim took to enslave and persecute the Jews:

1) Taxation where they, the foreigners “could be made to pay any price for very air they breathed.”

2) They were stripped of their citizen’s rights, were unprotected by law, forced into slavery and degraded in Mitzri eyes such that ALL Mitzriyim, not just those in powerful positions, could treat them as slaves.

3) Their slavery consisted of hard labor, incompatible with their individual strengths and abilities. This type of slavery was designed to crush their strength. This kept them from taking any pride in their labor and embittered their lives.

R’ Hirsch, in his commentary on Perek 1, posuk 14, contrasted the Mitzri treatment of foreigners residing in Egypt with Ger’im living in Eretz Yisrael and Jewish law concerning foreigners;

Complete equality to the native born and the stranger is a basic characteristic of Jewish law…. The homeland does not grant human rights, rather human rights grant the homeland…. Whoever accepted upon himself the Sheva Mitzvot B’nai Noach (7 Noachide Laws — this author) could claim the right of domicile in Yehudah.

We have seen this same storyline — assimilation of the Jews into Gentile societies and eventual, resultant persecution — play itself out in Jewish history again and again through modern-day in Chutz L’Aretz as millions of Jews to date have erred in choosing to melt into the society in which they live (actually; reside) and to accept what are often the distorted laws and mores of that society.

One could add that this reckless divide-and-conquer governance and politically-correct “justice” puts at peril ALL sectors of Jewish Israel, even and maybe particularly the Chilonim. R’ Hirsch makes this profound statement in his Chumash in concluding his commentary on posuk 14 at the beginning of Parshat Sh’mos:

Perversion of justice is the source of all wrongdoing.

Rebbetzin Shira Smiles, in her newly published “Torah Tapestries” on Sefer Shemot, pages 2-6 touching upon Moshe’s question of “why will the bush not burn up?” (madu’a lo yivar basneh? Sefer Shemot, perek 3, posuk 3) and on the Slonimer Rebbe’s loshen of kusta dechiyusa — kernel of vitality — which we may be more familiar with in the loshen “pintele yid.” Regarding the burning bush which won’t be consumed, Rebbetzin Smiles notes:

Many have marveled at the Jewish nation’s… tenacity in the faceof adversity. Even Mark Twain wrote about about the Jews: “The Egyptian, the Babylonian, and the Persian arose, filled the planet with sound and splendor, then faded to dreamstuff and passed away; the Greek and the Roman followed, and made a vast noise, and they were gone; other peoples have sprung up up and held their torch high for a time, but it burned out, and they sit in the twilight now, or have vanished. The Jew saw them all, beat them all and is now what he always was. What is the secret of his immortality? (”Concerning the Jews, ” Harper’s Sept., 1899.)

The Rebbetzin cites the Slonimer Rebbe who discusses how the Jews had deteriorated to almost the lowest level of impurity:

…Nevertheless, there remained one small kernel deep within them [the jews] that had not succumbed to the impure forces. This kusta dechiyusa would be the spark to reignite the life of the Jew is the power of emunah (belief). Emunah is the most basic element of the neshamah (soul) of the Jew. As long as it still existed within the neshamah of the Jews, there was hope. Emunah is the point of origin. When everything external is destroyed, we can still start anew as long as a spark of emunah exists.

Moshe Rabbeinu thought thaat this power of emunah had been lost or critically damaged in the impurity of Egypt. Later he explicitly states this concern: “And they will not believe me and will not listen to my voice, because they will say, ‘Hashem did not appear to you’.” (Sefer Shemot perek 4, posuk 1) When Moshe Rabbeinu did not see evidence of emunah in Am Yisrael, he doubted their ability to survive and asked “madu’a lo yivar basneh?”

We can only hope and pray that this kusta dechiyusa or pintele yid lives on despite pervasive assimilation of Jews in the Galut, and amongst Am Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael despite a cruel, evil regimes best efforts to squash it. May this kusta dechiyusa burn brightly and bring the Ge’ula Shlaima.

Good Shabbos!
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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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A couple of years ago, this author heard a profound vort on Parshat Vayechi at a Thursday night Mishmar which could be understood to amplify on a topic repeated on this blog numerous times over the years — that Jewish unity is prerequisite to bringing about a Halachic, Just State of Israel, the prerequisite to bringing about the Geula Shlaima — the Ultimate Redemption. This vort bears repeating.

Sefer Breish’t Perek 49, posuk 1 reads:

Hei-afsu — “Gather [Hei-afsu is rendered by Shimshon Inbal’s English-Hebrew, Hebrew-English Dictionary published by S. Zack & Co,: collect, gather, aggregate, provide shelter, public meeting] and I will tell you what will happen to you in The End of Days.”

Posuk 2 then reads:

Hi-kavtzu — “Gather [rendered by the same English-Hebrew, Hebrew-English Dictionary as; collect] and listen, sons of Yaakov, and listen to Yisrael, your father.”

The two loshonot of the word “Gather” could therefore be understood to mean come together as one. There are those who look around at the myriad of crises we currently face — the drought, last year’s deadly damaging fires in the North, sickness, the poverty faced by many, the petrified fear of those needing hospitalization in Israel but who are single with no one to watch their back or advocate for them when confronted with an insensitive, unfeeling, uncaring medical system, non-existent “law and order” administered by a police and internal security ministry concerned only with arresting and prosecuting Jews who love the land — we could go on and on, and hold that Hashem (kav’yokel — as it were) is as angry at us collectively for not bringing change in each of us ourselves as He is about the aveirot (the wrong) that we’ve done.

This author would like to suggest that the crises we face would seem directly attributable to our indifference, insensitivity and disdain for our fellow Jew within religious Jewry, i.e., he’s not like us, he’s not born here, he’s a late-life Ba’al Teshuva, he doesn’t dress like us, he doesn’t keep Rabbeinu Tam time for ending Shabbos and how dare his daughter travel to her Orot school, which borders their neighborhood and our neighborhood, everyday — LOOK: see how one religious sector’s unbridled hate for another is enblazened on Yahoo for all to see — potential new olim and well as the gentile world! And what about the attitudes of one Jew for another, i.e. he’s a friar waiting to be suckered — in business, in bureaucratic offices, by merchants toward potential buyers, etc? And each group vies with the other, as exemplified by the Rabbanim of the various sectors who refuse even to sit and talk with each other, for “who’s the most frum” and who will receive the coveted, strings-attached government funding. And he is no good because his party didn’t stand up for religious principles and, therefore, it serves him right if the government messes him/them around expelling them or giving his/their money to my group instead.

Good Shabbos!
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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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Every so often, over the past 6 1/2 years since the expulsion of our brethren from their homes and neighborhoods in Gush Katif and the 4 Shomron towns, we read a piece on one of the news sites or receive an email voicing regret from those who either supported the expulsion or who sat on their hands and did nothing and who now would beg forgiveness from their evicted brethren in the hope of bringing peace to within Am Yisrael.

There was an Israel National News report last year about how former IDF Chief Rabbi Yisrael Weiss expressed regret at having supported the expulsion, or as they call it the “disengagement.”

Rabbi Weiss expressed the following:

“Rabbi Yisrael Weiss, former IDF Chief Rabbi…, has expressed regret over his role in the 2005 “Disengagement” from Gaza and northern Samaria. At the time, Rabbi Weiss came out against refusing orders…, saying that IDF soldiers who are told to expel Jews from their homes by force must do so.”

“I think that many, many people, not just myself, are sorry for having supported the Disengagement,” he said in an interview with the Hebrew-language daily Yediot Aharonot.

So, what was Rabbi Weiss’s kavanah, intent in expressing regret? Was it true, genuine contrition?

The INN report goes on to say;

Rabbi Weiss did not blame himself or others for having supported the expulsion. “We have to measure things according to how they looked at that time,” he argued…

He accused then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of having lied to get his support. “I asked [Sharon], ‘Why uproot those communities?’ and he told me, ‘Rabbi Weiss, I understand defense, right? I promise the people of Israel 40 years of peace,’” he recalled.

“Today I know that he lied to me,” he added.

R’ Weiss seems to offer no real personal heart-felt contrition — only that “Sharon lied.” There seemed more contrition from Pete Rose regarding his baseball gambling than from Rabbi Weiss’ expressions to Yediot Aharonot. It seems that Rabbi Weiss had no concern for the fact of eviction of Jews from Jewish land, their long-term displacement, their trauma and their resultant failure to acquire employment and thus again become independent. Further, it seems apparent and obvious from the intent expressed in his words, that if called on to help to expel more Jews, i.e. from Yehuda and the Shomron, he’d expedite it again.

And further, the political protexia-class hellenists have learned more than we have — they know our weaknesses intimately and they how to divide and conquer us by virtue of our own machlokesim (internal disputes/disagreements). Each religious sector seems set against the other with little if any effort by any of the sectors to sit together and thrash out the unity and consensus which is crucial to overcome a Hellenistic regime and to ultimately restore Torah Halachic justice as law of the land.

Good Shabbos!

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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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In last week’s parshat Vayeishev, this author wrote about Yosef’s being thrown in a bor (pit) seething with snakes and scorpions — and the miracle of his emerging unscathed, of his being sold, of his ensuing journey to Mitzrayim and his slavery, his imprisonment on false charges and his liberation and ascendency to the position of Viceroy, second only to Pharoh.

But what happened to the child? Seemingly, we never hear of the resultant offspring.

The Encyclopedia of Biblical Personalities by Yishai Chasida (pages 97-98) cites Sofrim 21:9 which states that:

Dina was six years old when she bore Asenath (Asnat). The brothers sought to kill Asenath to avoid accusations of immorality in Yaakov’s tents.

And so, as Chasida cites from Pirkei d’Rabbi Eleizer Perek 38, Yaakov wrote all that had transpired on metal foil, or on gold foil (as Chasida cites from Midrash Aggadah, Breish’t 41:45), placed it on Asnat as a necklace and sent her away. The Moloch Michael brought her down to Mitzrayim, to the house of Potiphar. The Midrash Aggadah, Breish’t 41:45 relates how;

Potiphar found the child crying while out strolling with friends, read the foil and said; “This is the daughter of a great man. Take her to my house.”

There we learn that his wife (named Zelichah, according to Chasida’s citing of Sefer HaYashar on Vayeishev) in the Encyclopedia page 497, unable to give birth, raised the child, Asnat as her own.

As we learned, Joseph ends up in Mitzrayim and incarcerated, on trumped up, false charges having to do with the wife of Pontiphar. Chasida cites Yalkut Shimoni on Vayeishev 146 which states that Asnat went to Potiphar and testified to the truth, thus sparing Yosef the death penalty:

Said Hashem, “By your life, since you have spoken on Yosef’s behalf, the tribes which I will raise from him will come through you.”

And so, as cited in Pirkei d’Rabbi Eleizer Perek 38, Targum Yonatan and Da’at Zekenim by the Judaica Press Chumash, Parsha Mikeitz, page 523b, after Yosef was appointed Viceroy by Pharoh;

When Yosef traveled throughout Mitzrayim, every maiden who saw him cast a trinket or an item of Jewelry at his feet. Asnat, too, cast her amulet at Yosef’s feet. He ignored all of the jewelry cast before him, but when he saw the amulet bearing Hashem’s name, he examined it and determined that the maiden who had cast it… was of the seed of Yaakov.

The Judaica Press Chumash, Parsha Mikeitz also indicates that Pharoh called to Potiphar (Poti-phera denoting emasculation, i.e. that he was bi-sexual and also had designs on Yosef — stuff of a different shmooze) to give his young daughter to Yosef for a wife;

The damsel was beautiful, a virgin, and no man had been intimate with her, and Yosef took her for a wife.

And so may the spirit of Yosef and Asnat, and Divine miracles done to both, where their union came only after each of them were singularly committed to the same causes, hashkafic values and spiritual pages, inspire us all this Chanukah in the modern-day emulation of the Maccabees, to stand up against an evil regime, a regime set on self-destruction driven by their disdain for who and what they are.

Good Shabbos! Chanukah Same’ach!

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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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With Chanukah 5772 coming almost on the heels of Shabbos Vayeishev, we recall again a short article which appeared on the INN website entitled;”Mortar Shells Filled With Chanukah Light” (url for article no longer accessable) which told about the Menorah which Neve Dekalim residents made from some of the spent Islamic mortal shells which were launched on their Gush Katif town over the years. Reading about this special Menorah which was lit at one of the Jerusalem hotels which temporarily housed many evicted Neve Dekalim residents, took this author back in time to Philadelphia, in “the “old country” and to a point made by Rav Yehoshua Kaganoff about the pit in which Yaakov was thrown. The point bears repeating.

In retrospect, if only successive evil regimes who have been hard at work; first in forestalling pre-statehood Jewish immigration to the Land and then trying to give away the store by way of hijacking, subverting Jewish hearts, minds and neshamot away from Derech Hashem (just as the Greeks tried in that era of Jewish history), realized what they have repeatedly abandoned and abrogated! If only they; Bibi, Barak, as well as Olmert, Livni, Ramon before them, were spiritually equipped to recognize the extent of the miraculousness of day-to-day life in what was the Jewish Yishuv of Gush Katif., as well as in Yehuda and Shomron. If only they realized the monumental extent of the physical, economic and spiritual assets which they (the regime) frittered away, while hiding behind the bogus cloaks of “security,” “demographics,” “American pressure,” “blackmail for graft and corruption crimes”, etc., but in retrospect, acting out of the folly of raw, unchained, mindless, blind, sinat chinom (causeless hatred) of Torah and derech Hashem.

But alas, successive elitist, protexia-class, hate-blinded hellinistic evil regimes, including the so-called “religious”parties will never own up and admit to the perilous danger which they have caused to the nation that they have solemnly sworn to defend and govern.

Good Shabbos, Freilichen Chanukah!

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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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We learn at the end of Parsha Vayeitzei that Yaakov and his family were escorted by a group of Melachim to the border of Eretz Yisrael where a second group of melachim took over and escorted them inside Eretz Yisrael. Yaakov declared both groups to be Holy and named this border point Mahanaim for the two camps of Melachim.

It was about this second camp that our Parsha begins by informing that Yaakov sent Melachim (angels) — some render a translation of messengers:

“… ahead of him to Eisev to the land of Seir, to the field of Edom… Thus shall you say … to Eisev, so said your servant Yaakov: ‘Im-Lavan garti’ (I have sojourned with Lavan) …” (Sefer Breish’t, Perek 32, posukim 4 & 5).

We learn that the Gematria (numerical value) of the word ‘garti’ is 613; that Yaakov “… sojourned with Lavan, but yet … kept all of the 613 commandments and … did not learn from his [Lavan’s] wicked deeds.” (Torah Gems, Aharon Greenberg, Parsha Vayishlach page 251)

This is the Parsha where we learn of Yaakov’s climactic reunion with brother Eisev which was reminiscent of the old Four Tops song from the 1960’s, “if you bite my neck, I’ll turn to stone, turn to stone…”

Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar comments;

“Whenever there is more text than dots, one expounds on the text. Whenever there are more dots than text, one expounds on the dots. But here, there are an equal number of of letters and dots. From this we learn that at that moment Eisev’s mercy was aroused, and he kissed Yaakov with all of his heart.”

Shem Mishmuel writes on this kiss;

“Eisev wanted to inject his poisonous philosophy into Yaakov, to draw him toward the evil life which Eisev personified. At this moment, Yaakov’s neck miraculously turned into marble. Vessels made from stone (…marble is an example) are not subject to the laws of tumah and taharah (ritual purity and impurity). Given this, we can understand why the Midrash chose to use the symbolism of marble, rather than the more usual hard materials of iron or brass. Yaakov’s neck was unable to contract any impurity from Eisev’s malicious advances! He was completely impervious to Eisev’s designs, and marble, which is unable to receive tumah, is a perfect metaphor for this.”

In a message which needs to be both intellectualized and internalized by contemporary Jewry, Shem Mishmuel then suggests:

“That Yaakov was able to resist Eisev’s attack in the way described was purely because of his attitude toward the meeting. The very fact that he was more concerned for his spiritual rather than his physical well-being … protected him when the moment of truth arose. Indeed, we can be sure that Yaakov would rather have submitted to physical death rather than lose his integrity by associating with his vile brother.”

Returning to the Midrash stated above, Rabbi Yannai replied to Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar’s premise that Eisev kissed Yaakov with all of his heart, “If that’s the case, then why are there dots at all? (Shem Mishmuel footnote: “The simple meaning of the text implies that the kiss is genuine.

Rabbi Yannai notes that the dots must change the simple meaning of the text, not confirm it.) “Yaakov’s neck turned to marble, and the wicked one blunted his teeth on it. Indeed, that is the meaning of ‘they wept’ — Yaakov cried because of his neck; Eisev because of his teeth.”

There seems a message in the reunion between Yaakov and Eisev which seems both timely and crucial in light of the recurring equivocation and fruitless appeasement of Israeli corrupt politics and governance.

Rebbetzin Smiles explains Levado this way (Torah Tapestries, Rebbetzen Shira Smiles, pages 115-117, 125):

The night before Yaakov Avinu was to encounter Eisev, something strange and important took place. “Yaakov was left alone and a man struggled with him until the dawn. He saw that he could not beat him and he touched his hip and the hip of Yaakov became dislocated in his struggling with him.” (Torah Tapestries citing of Breish’t Perek 32, posukim 24-25)

This “man”, actually an angel, asks Yaakov Avinu to release him, and Yaakov Avinu gives him an ultimatum: “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” (Torah Tapestries citing of Breish’t Perek 32, posuk 26). The angel complies. He blesses him changing his name from Yaakov to Yisrael — a name later endorsed by Hashem… — for the reason that “You have struggled with the Divine and with men and prevailed.” (Torah Tapestries citing of Breish’t Perek 32, posuk 28)

…Levado… elucidates the relationship between the Jew and the outside world…, “Vayivaser Yaakov levado (Yaakov was left alone)” (Torah Tapestries citing of Breish’t Perek 32, posuk 24). Yes, physically Yaakov Avinu was alone. Just prior to this battle…, he had led his entire family to the other side of the Yabok River, and then was left alone.

Levado is the path that Yaakov Avinu forges for us — a path through the confusing tangle of diversions and amusements offered by society today, a path leading us to Hashem. Yaakov Avinu is telling us that if we go to battle with the world outside, we must do so with the strength that comes from our uniqueness as a nation and as individuals. Our motivating factors, our strength must come from within. If they do not, we will be easily swayed and pressed upon by multiple distractions, internal and societal.

Sound familiar??

Good Shabbos!

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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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