Israel and The Sin of Expulsion

We are told how Hashem, Kav’yochal, would call gently, affectionately “Moshe, Moshe” in a voice for Moshe Rabbeinu’s ears only and Moshe would respond “Here I am.” (Rashi on Perek 1, posuk 1 Metsuda Linear Chumash & Rashi with footnotes)

Moshe, always shirking honor, kavod, special treatment, or the perception of special treatment, fought “tooth to nail” that
this first word, which would typify Hashem’s greeting when he wanted to speak privately with him in the Mishkan, should read “Vayikar.” This loshen “Vayikar” was later used when Hashem “happened to meet Bila’am” (Rashi on Perek 1, posuk 1) in Parsha Balak.

But Hashem’s wish for “Vayikra” carried the day, although he made the concession of the small “aleph.” Rashi’s understanding of the dialogue speaks volumes about the Dar’chim of humility, modesty and selflessness of Moshe Rabbeinu; his dedication to Hashem and to the people he leads, the B’nei Yisrael. But let kindness and humility not be confused with weakness. For we learn that Moshe Rabbeinu was a strong, yet just leader.

“The Midrash Says” (Sefer Vayikra, pages 1-5) goes further than Rashi’s understanding regarding the beginning of our parsha and the dialogue between Hashem and Moshe Rabbeinu about “Vayikra”.

“Midrash Says” speaks about Moshe’s all-pervasive humility which led him at various junctures to shy away from leadership feeling that “a more suitable substitute might be found.”

It then outlines the scene of the crowd of extraordinary distinction which assembled in front of the newly completed Mishkan. There was Aaron HaKohen, Uri, Betzalel, the Seventy Elders, the Nesi’im of the Tribes. Surely, Aaron HaKohen, the one chosen to serve and to be the conduit for Brachot to the B’nai Yisrael — surely it would be Aaron who would be chosen to enter with Hashem. Or Uri or Betzalel from whom the Malchut would later be descended. But Hashem called out to Moshe Rabbeinu to enter, as witnessed by the dignitaries and by the entire B’nai Yisrael. Hashem called on Moshe Rabbeinu and told him that his work was beginning — to learn and to teach the people the instructions concerning the korbanos (sacrifices).

When a leader can be sooo colored by his own self-interest in arriving at decisions or taking actions, i.e. that he perceives that, to remain in power, he must appeal to the will of specific sectors out of lack of strength of personal principles, convictions or emunah (belief) in Hashem, and/or if he seeks self-aggrandizement above all else such that he will do anything and everything and at all costs — including bribery, graft, influence peddling, doing special favors for his friends and more in order to maintain his office, his title, his personal prestige and self-enrichment; how can we not question that leader’s true motivations at every step of his ill-gotten career? How can we not wonder what cynical sinat chinom lurks behind his total divorce from Torah, from his roots in Eretz Yisrael? How can such leaders be permitted, under force of agendized “legality” to, as Shem Mishmuel puts it, “defile Klal Yisrael both in the physical and spiritual sense?” (Shem Mishmuel, Parsha Zachor, page 159)

And is this seemingly willful complicity and systemic appeasement of Amalek-like Arab terror (by way of Kassam or Katyusha Missiles and Islamikazi Suicide bombers), in fact, cover for the true agenda of the nation’s failed leaders and politicians? Is blind sinat chinom toward anything Jewish, in and of itself not Amalek-like in its attempt at defilement? Are the regime leaders hiding their misguided hatred of anything Jewish behind the facades like “we can’t eliminate terror rockets”, “building freezes” or “I’m too tired …?” We need real leadership, strong and resolute yet with the attribute of humility, like of Moshe Rabbeinu, rather than the current crop of political Amalekim within the camp, who know our tendencies far better than the Amalek without and are thus more potent yet than the external Amalek?

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, that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard, captive Gilad Shalit and the other MIAs be liberated alive returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem. May we have the courage to stand up to prevent any further evictions of Jews from their homes and to prevent any further handing over of Jewish land 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!!!

Our Parsha Vayakhel is dedicated to teaching B’nai Yisrael about Shabbos which has always, until recent times, been the unifying, defining factor of Judaism. It alludes to all else — Yishuv HaAretz, Kiddushin, etc. It symbolizes the Jew’s faith in Hashem. The parsha begins by stating that “Moshe assembled the entire congregation of B’nai Yisrael…” (Perek 35, Posuk 1) However, Torah’s loshen (language) “Adat B’nai Yisrael”, in the context of learning the laws of Shabbos as related to the construction of the Mishkan, seems to indicate a unity, as one, amongst the Assembly of the B’nai Yisrael.

But there is question. Was Vayakhel meant only as a Mitzvah in the times of Moshe Rabbeinu and the Malchei Yisrael? Or was it also meant to have application for B’nai Yisrael throughout our travails in Galut? Was it meant to apply in our current troubled times where divisiveness, me-first self-centeredness and self-aggrandizement amidst a bitter war against murderous Arab terror threatens to destroy us from within in ways that the Arabs alone would never be able to accomplish were we truly “Adat B’nai Yisrael”?

And perhaps in our times, our Vayakhel conjures up a tikkun, an atonement for the disunity among us which has rendered us ineffective in opposing successive Israeli regimes which have merciful to the cruel and cruel to the merciful, as exemplified by the expulsion and by failure to remove and eradicate the resultant terror threat from Gaza. This regime mercy before the enemy has resulted in a vindictive cruelty to her own citizenry manifested by loss of life and crushing trauma amongst significant segments of Israel’s Jewish population, aside from the 10,000 former residents of Gush Katif and the 4 Shomron towns.

The Sefer L’lmod U’Lamed (Parsha Pekudei, pages 97-98) asks what the primary reason was for Moshe’s detailed accounting of the costs of the construction of the Mishkan. The Sages tell that “there were apparently some who suspected that Moshe might have keep some … contributions for his own use.” (L’lmod U’Lamed, page 98).

The Sefer “The Midrash Says” (pages 357-360) notes that Moshe Rabbeinu overheard mutterings among certain people, presumably sinful individuals such as Dasan and Aviram, who cast aspersions upon his (Moshe’s) honesty regarding the allocation of the people’s donations. Therefore, Moshe committed himself to account for the allocation and purpose of everything donated toward the construction of the Mishkan.
“The Midrash Says” (page 357) then relates that not only did Moshe account for all donations, but he “… gave his calculations to a second person, Ithamar Ben Aharon, for verification.” Perhaps this was the first real CPA-like audit.

The irony here is that when the jewelry and gold were collected for making the Chait HaEigel, no accountability or transparency, no source and allocation of donations was demanded of those who compelled the Eigel. However, when the donations came in and the Mishkan was constructed many demanded and expected such accountability and transparency from Moshe Rabbeinu.

Moshe Rabbeinu therefore was the model of, and set the standard for accountability, oversight and transparency of leadership.

Moshe is, for all times, the prototype of a true Jewish Leader — humble, modest, without desire for self-aggrandizement and self-enrichment. His first and foremost thought was for the welfare and well-being of his nation — the B’nai Yisrael. Moshe Rabbeinu was above corruption and self-enrichment. Nobody owned him as he could not be bought.

If only the modern-day “leaders” of Medinat Yisrael — from the prime minister and his cabinet; 120 Chavrei Knesset, even and perhaps particularly the so-called “religious” alignments, were to even begin to tip the scales toward moral integrity, fiscal accountability and transparency and caring for one’s fellow Jew as himself, then each of them would have been no files opened by the Attorney General’s office or be investigated by the state comptroller and no one would conjure up laws permitting the legalized ripping off one’s fellow Jews of their homes and possessions at politically agendized court sanctioned legalized gunpoint without proper lawful and transparent restitution.

The point of these twin parshiyot seems that the nation craves leaders who set the tone, model and standard for honesty, compassion and the good and welfare of the masses. When there is this standard of selfless morality among the leadership of Medinat Yisrael, there will inevitably be emulation by a unified Am (the people) who would then treat each other honestly and with loving compassion in their business and monetary dealings as well as in all levels of interaction Bein Adom L’Chaveiro.

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, that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard, captive Gilad Shalit and the other MIAs be liberated alive returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem. May we have the courage to stand up to prevent any further evictions of Jews from their homes and to prevent any further handing over of Jewish land 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!!!

The answer seems to be that Pinchas, who was born in Mitzrayim, before Matan Torah, did not get “grandfathered” into the Kehunah. Although his father, Elazar was a son of Aaron and thus, he (Elazar) and all future descendents of Aaron’s son’s inherited the Kehunah, Pinchas received the merit of the Kehunah only by virtue of an act of zealousness, L’Shem Shemayim, rak L’Shem Shemayim.

This author has written, and Rav Malinowitz has spoken at various times, about peer group pressure as one of the cheshbonot which is often weighed regarding performance of a Mitzvah, and whether or not such a cheshbon is necessarily L’Shem Shemayim. That is, as this author understands, basing one’s actions or performance of a given Mitzvah on the perception of the esteem with which others will hold him.

It was the Tzaddik, Pinchas Ben Elazar who saw what was going on around him, was pained by what the Am was doing and what one of the Princes’ was into. Pinchas envisioned the possible dire consequences of the avodah zora taking place among B’nai Yisrael and figured that he better ask his Rebbe a crucial question, and fast.

It was the final year in BaMidbar and the B’nai Yisrael were deep in crisis. It was a time when the Jewish men once again backslid, as they had in doubting Moshe’s return — thus the eigel zahav, resorting instead to the avodah zora.

Thus they were enticed and seduced by the thousands to serve the avodah zora known as the Ba’al Peor. Moshe Rabbeinu and Aaron HaKohen were weeping with sorrow and fear in the Assembly of the B’nai Yisrael. What was to happen? Another 40 years in the Dessert? Destruction of the people and a new beginning from the seed of Moshe? Thousands were dying (24,000 to be exact) in the plague resulting from the avodah zora and the co-habitations. It was in this deadly crisis that Pinchas stepped up to the challenge in slaying both Zimri, one of the Princes of Israel, and the Moabite Princess Cosbi as they co- habitated. This act brought an instantaneous Divine cessation of the plague and the dying.

Not in this author’s lifetime, and probably not since the Holocaust, have we seen such heinous events planned and perpetrated against Jews as what has happened — the expulsion of thousands of Jews from Jewish land in Gush Katif and the expulsion, police violence and demolition in Amona, at the Federman farm and in Beit HaShalom as well as what is being planned by either the leftists or a so-called “rightist” Israeli government against Am Yehudi. We have seen hints in recent years of what could be in the offing against hundreds of thousands of Jews by way of government use of smart-cards, both on autos and as entry onto public buses, in order to track the travellings and whereabouts of significant segments of the population.

The overriding concern is ideological, however. “Why are we different than the residents of Tel Aviv?” they ask. “Why are we forced to show our ID cards to soldiers whenever we come or leave home? Why must are cars be identified? Can such a situation be imagined in Tel Aviv?”

Today, as in the time of Pinchas Ben Elazar and the Jews in BaMidbar, we need men of principle and integrity who act L’Shem Shemayim regardless of the popularity of their actions or of how others will hold of them.

Because we didn’t stand Hashem’s test in foiling the Gezeira Rah of Jew expelling Jew either in it’s legislative stages or in it’s implementation, Hashem has given us gradually sterner tests. Are we up to them?

Do we have the principle, zealousness and the “fire in the belly” of Pinchas HaKohen? Are we up to the tasks ahead? Just as Pinchas saw what was at stake, do we grasp all of the implications? Do we grasp that Eretz Yisrael, Am Yehudi both in Israel and worldwide, Torah and Kiddush Hashem are all at stake?

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, that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard, captive Gilad Shalit and the other MIAs be liberated alive returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem. May we have the courage to stand up to prevent any further evictions of Jews from their homes and to prevent any further handing over of Jewish land 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!!!

While preparing this Parsha HaShavua, this author came across a puzzling quote in Torah Gems by Aharon Yaakov Greenberg on our Parsha.

R’ Aryeh Kaplan z’l provides a well worth-reading detailed analysis of each of the stones of the Urim U’Tumim in his English translation rendering of our pasha (pg 420-423) in “The Living Torah.”

In this analysis, it would seem that only one of the stones mentioned could possibly be seen as less valuable or as “inexpensive.” The carbuncle, nopekh in hebrew, is deemed by some sources such as Ibn Janach and Radak as “a black stone,” as “coal.” Others refer to it as a “brilliant red garnet” or as “a ruby or ruby spinel.” Interestingly, some say that this is the stone of Shevet Yehuda, others say its the stone of Shevet Reuven.

But the message regarding righteous judgement and the Urim U’Tumim is pertinent nonetheless. It would seem to this author that there is a definite connection between righteousness and Ruach HaKodesh — Divine Inspiration. The Urim gave it’s reader a series of letters. The reader then needed the Divine Inspiration of the Tumim to understand the message of the Umim correctly.

These truths seem soo apparent that one does not need Ruach HaKodesh, the Urim and Tumim to see the message of Southern Israel, of Jerusalem, of Yehuda and the Shomron, of central Israel, of the Golan. For those of us with common sense, it seems soo obvious.

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, that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard, captive Gilad Shalit and the other MIAs be liberated alive returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem. May we have the courage to prevent the eviction of Jews from their homes and the handing of Jewish land over 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!!!

In our Parsha, we begin learning about the construction and the contents of the Mishkan.

He then defines the loshen for crowns, for rims: zer — the decorative crowns on the sacred objects in the Mishkan which signify rising above human desires to a holier, more spiritual realm and related it to the nazir, one who dedicates his life to kedusha “by abstaining from wine and certain other things for a designated period.”

Therefore, it would seem to follow that numerous contemporary so-called “leaders” of many stripes and sectors — who are seemingly so assured of their own self-rectitude — should take heed of the spiritual parallels and implications inherent in their intentions and how those intentions impact on the development of a good and pure name.

Although Torah places Yithro’s advise as to appointment of Judges and the formation of B’nai Yisrael’s Justice and Judicial systems in the parsha bearing his name, it seems fitting in Parshat Mishpatim to discuss Yithro’s advice and contributions to the system in light of the halachot taught in our parsha.

In questioning that very point, there are numerous pertinent citings regarding Yithro in Yishai Chasidah’s Encyclopedia of Biblical Jewish Personalities (pages 306-309).

So why was it that Hashem made it that the outline for the Jewish
Judiciary would flow from the Ger Yithro?

Was it Yithro’s prior experience as a minister to Pharaoh which provided him insights regarding the Judiciary and positioned him to express them to Moshe?

If Betzalel, a Jew-from-birth, was instilled with the ability and insight to build the Mishkan, why does the evolution of the Judiciary come by way of a Ger?

After all, we learn Hashem imparted to Betzalel ben Uri the insight and ability to build the Mishkan. We learn that Betzalel was the grandson of Hur who was the son of Calev and that the Malchut was promised to Miriam — Moshe’s sister and Calev’s wife. Just as we learn that later the Malchut, under Dovid and Shlomo, built the Beit HaMikdash, so too Betzalel’s building of the Mishkan seems the fulfillment of the Divine promise to Miriam.

It would seem that Yithro, like in the case of Betzalel, was also case of mida-keneged-mida, as Chasidah cited from Yalkut Shemoni, that Reuel (one of Yithro’s 7 names) was the only one of Pharaoh’s ministers to speak out against Pharaoh’s plans for the Jews and to act against the edict by running from Mitzrayim.

Chasidah also cites from Shemos Rabbah (perek 1, posuk 26) that Yithro saved Moshe’s life as a young child when Pharaoh’s sorcerers were concerned when Moshe played with Pharaoh’s crown placing it upon his own head. Yithro was the one who suggested the test of the gold and the burning coals set on a plate before Moshe. We know the story of how Moshe’s hand moved toward the gold, by the malach Gavriel moved Moshe’s hand toward the burning coal which Moshe picked up and put in his mouth causing his speech impediment.

In our parsha Mishpatim, many basic laws of civilized existence are enunciated for B’nai Yisrael. The purpose of the Mishpatim, the civil laws, are to protect the moral fiber of society by regulating relationships between men, encouraging truthfulness, sincerity and
kindness while condemning immorality and deceit.

And imagine building on that national kindness and unity with the rock-solid, unified, unequivocable principle — Kol Ha’aretz Shelanu (This is Our Land)! This seems a logical evolvement of Bein Adam L’Chaveiro applied to Bein Adam L’Mokom, an outgrowth of fair and righteous dealing between one and his fellow as extended to our relationship with Hashem.

Finally, there is a Torah Gems citing of Ibn Ezra on Parsha Yithro regarding the appointment of a judicial system, and the application of that lesson to all of us, “the Torah did not mention ‘G’d-fearing men’ because only Hashem knows what is in man’s heart.” (Torah Gems, Aharon Yaakov Greenberg, Parsha Yithro, page 131)

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, that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard, captive Gilad Shalit and the other MIAs be liberated alive returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem. May we have the courage to prevent the eviction of Jews from their homes and the handing of Jewish land over 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!!!

Upon arriving home after checking the mail, this author posed the question to a neighbor — Rabbi Hillel Horowitz who first suggested looking at our Parsha — Shemot, Perek 18, posuk 9; “Vayichad Yithro”, then suggested to go back review perek Cheilik — Gemora Sanhedrin chapter 11, Perek 94A (Perek 94 A3 in the Schottenstein Gemora Sanhedrin).

Rashi on the posuk indicates that Yithro “rejoiced” at seeing B’nai Yisrael free of Mitri bondage, at seeing K’riyat Yom Suf and at B’nai Yisrael’s victory over Amalek. The Gemora, however, cites that Rav and Shmuel disputed the meaning of “Vayichad Yithro”.

But there is more to Yithro’s story regarding Bris Milah. The Midrash Says on parsha Shemot indicates that Yithro cut a deal with Moshe in exchange for Moshe marrying Tzippora. The deal was; in exchange for Moshe marrying Tziporah, that one or both sons must be “consecrated” to avodah zora — meaning that Yithro wanted one or both sons to come to the truth, as Yithro did, by trying avodah zora, by analysing the options and seeking truth by coming to Hashem rather than simply following instructions. The Midrash Says, as well as Rav Harry Greenspan, indicate that the Midrash is understood to refer only to Moshe’s first-born son Gershom. Rabbi Arye Gordon however, understands that the agreement meant consecration of both sons to avodah zora.

And so we learn out the centrality of Bris Milah — the first siman of the birth of a Jewish male as unifying the B’nai Yisrael, the Jewish people in their closeness with Hashem.

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, that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard, captive Gilad Shalit and the other MIAs be liberated alive returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem. May we have the courage to prevent the eviction of Jews from their homes and the handing of Jewish land over 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!!!

We are not absolutely certain as to whether any one specific event Yithro heard boosted him to circumcize himself and to go out to join the B’nai Yisrael, and if so, which exact event it was, or whether it was the sum total of all he had heard which convinced him to become a Jew.

In the sefer Ner Uziel: Perspectives on the Parsha, Rabbi Uziel Milevsky z’l writes on Parsha Yithro (p. 380-383) indicating that were Yithro to have come to join the Jews after Yetziat Mitziyim or after the cri’at Yam Suf, it would have been unlikely that he could have joined with the Jews due their concern as to what his motivations might be; i.e. whether he was anxious to be on a winning team, on the right side, not unlike many athletes who, when reaching free agency status, seek the best deal, to earn more that their peers, to join onto the team which has gone all-the-way. This concern for one’s true motivations in converting seems to this author to be why Rabbi Milevsky cites indications that B’nai Yisrael didn’t accept Gerim during the reigns of David HaMelech and Shlomo HaMelech when B’nai Yisrael was at the zenith of prestige and power in the world.

When Yithro came to join with the B’nai Yisrael after their difficult war with Amalek, the B’nai Yisrael saw that his motivations were true, pure and sincere to throw his lot with B’nai Yisrael out of recognition that their connection with Hashem was the one true path.

But Rabbi Aba Wagensberg spoke out several years ago citing another possible event which Yithro saw, 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 indicated that as Yithro watched events unfold, he longed to join with B’nai Yisrael but feared doing so out of inferior feelings due to his own background of having served every possible avodah zora throughout his life to that point.

According to Rav Wagensberg’s depiction, when Yithro, having known Dasan and Aviram had been rasha’im in Mitzrayim, saw that Hashem made a special opening in the Sea to enable them to return to their brethren, he reasoned that if Hashem accepted their Teshuva, that there was a strong chance that He would accept him (Yithro) into B’nai Yisrael. According to Rabbi Wagensberg, it was then that Yithro set out with Tzippora and Moshe’s two sons to join with the Jews.

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, that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard, captive Gilad Shalit and the other MIAs be liberated alive returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem. May we have the courage to prevent the eviction of Jews from their homes and the handing of Jewish land over 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!!!

But it wasn’t just Moshe Rabbeinu who possessed this mido of empathy.

Rabbi Dr. Gerber (ibid, page 178) writes how David HaMelech became a Torah giant without diminishing his care for his flock (of sheep) amd how he smote lion and bear to rescue a single sheep which way carried away from the flock and about to be devoured. And we know about this act only because David revealed it to Shaul HaMelech in begging him to be permitted to do battle with Golias.

This spirit within both Moshe Rabbeinu and David HaMelech set a standard which we, in contemporary times, are hard-pressed to emulate. That is, when situations are critical, there is the need, the compulsion to act in tangible, meaningful ways to manifest our oneness, our unity and bonding both with our Land and with our Brethren, even that poor, lonely Jew absorbed in his matzav — perhaps in danger of being devoured. This is at least as important as the myriad gross injustices, harrassment, persecution, explusions, high court legalized thefts, at gunpoint, and more suffered at the hands of a regime in Israel diabolically opposed to and divorced from Torah and which seeks to eradicate the Jewish spirit from Israelis.

And more, this spirit of empathy is not just lacking at the national level regarding harrassment, persecution, explusions, legalized thefts at gunpoint sanctioned by a so-called “high court” against Torah Jews as a whole, this empathy of spirit exemplified by Moshe Rabbeinu seems lacking on a local and individual basis.

This same standard of empathy within both Moshe Rabbeinu and David HaMelech is needed regarding bonding with one’s fellow Jews on a local, communal level concerning no less important needs; shidduchim problems for the 30s, 40s and 50s plus and for Kohanim accross the board, parnossa and unemployment, spousal abuse — physical, psychological, financial and otherwise, child abuse — at home, b’derech as well as at school. Someone has to stand up, act and advocate for the aggrieved. Or do we let the secular lawyers do it?

The mark of a real Jewish leader then seems to be empathy — as much for and with each Jewish brother as with the broad Jewish national purpose.

And it appears that by Parsha Bo, Rabbi Milevsky (Ner Uziel, Parsha Bo, pages 342-343) brings a special clarity to both the “tangible darkness” and the “supernal light” — the double whammy with which Hashem afflicted the Mitzriyim while simultaneously adding a dimension to the perceptions and clarity of believing Jews.

As to the darkness, Rabbi Milevsky defines this “tangible darkness” as
“an extension of confusion and distorted view of reality” — of “a state of indecision and inner turmoil, in which simple, everyday activities become impossible” for lack of the element of clarity due to overwhelming self-doubt and confusion. In such a state, man loses the ability to function and to act. Indecision causes functional impairment rendering him cripple.

Meanwhile, when Hashem brought this “tangible darkness” upon the Mitzriyim, at the same time, He brought a “supernal light” upon the Jews. This light, unlike daytime light which we are accustomed to, was of an exclusively spiritual nature.

Rabbi Milevsky brings that it is this light which was created during the 6 days of creation — “Let there be light and there was light” (Beish’t perek 1, posuk 3), unlike the other creations which concluded “and it was so.”

Rabbi Milevsky explains that light, we know, is merely corporeal manifestation of a higher, more abstract essence — truth. The Upper realms of light are truth, while in our lower domain. light manifests as electromagnetic radiation visible to the human eye. “Truth” is supernal light which Hashem concealed at creation lest the wicked acquire and misuse it. He stored it for the righteous to use at the opportune time in the future.

He explains that during the plague of darkness (Mako of Choshech), the Jews were granted the use of this “supernal light” on this corporeal, spiritual level which was concealed from Mitzri eyes.

Okay. So, what has the “tangible darkness” and “supernal light” to do with Jonathan Pollard?

And let us not forget the supernal light of clarity which was Pollard’s when he first discovery of the intelligence which the U.S. was not supplying Israel — in violation of the information exhange agreement which America had made with the Jewish State. Jonathan knew what he had to do, and didn’t waver.

In this author’s humble opinion; in the darkness into which Jonathan was cast, he confounded them all. Rather than the darkness bringing about what Rabbi Milevsky described as having overcome the Mitzriyim;
“a state of indecision and inner turmoil, in which simple, everyday activities become impossible” for lack of clarity due to overwhelming self-doubt and confusion, this very darkness appeared, appears to have become a “supernal light” for Jonathan who fought against the confinement, eventually winning release from solitary and placement in more “normal” prison conditions in Fort Butner. And it is this same “supernal light” which helped Jonathan in 2003 in the weeks leading to his hearing and helped him to avoid making what would have been life-threatening mistakes when he was brought into the hearing room after 2 weeks of confinement under the most dire sanitary conditions.

And it is this same “supernal light” which seems to guide him daily according to all the texts of his website and according to all of the writings and interviews of Esther Pollard and all who are able to visit him in prison. May Jonathan and we know ASAP the happiness and simcha of his immediate release to join all in Eretz Yisrael for the coming Ge’ula Shlaima.

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, that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard, captive Gilad Shalit and the other MIAs be liberated alive returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem. May we have the courage to prevent the eviction of Jews from their homes and the handing of Jewish land over 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!!!