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Redemption
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From these two pesukim, we learn that Hashem took us
out of Mitzrayim in four different ways, as expressed by
four different words. There are many explanations for
how to understand these four words and how Hashem
took us out of Miztrayim.
The Kli Yakar in his commentary on this
weeks parshah has an interesting way of understanding
these four terms. He connects them to the bris bein
habisarim; the promise that Hashem made to Avraham
back in Bereishis. The Kli Yakar explains that each word
has a corresponding aspect to the agreement that Hashem
made.
The pasuk in parshas Lech-Lecha says
(Bereishis 15:13):
The Kli Yakar explains that the first part of
this pasuk shows us Gayrus. The next part of the pasuk,
bieretz lo lahem shows us that gayrim are far from
the shechinah, as the gemara (Keusubos 110b) tells us that
its as if people who live in chutz laaretz dont have a God.
This proves to us that there is a strong connection between being a stranger in a land and the Divine Presence.
The next part of the pasuk, vaavadum, adds a new level
to gayrus, as a regular stranger cannot become a slave in
28 Teves 5776
the land that he is living in. The final part of the pasuk,
viinu osam adds yet another level to a slave, since a regular slave is not oppressed to the extent that the Jews were
in Mitzrayim.
The three different levels that the pasuk in Bereishis shows us, is demonstrated in our parshah as well, just
in the opposite order. When Hashem is telling Moshe
how he is going to save the Jews, he uses different forms
of saving to save the Jews from each aspect of their exile. The first word, vihotzeisi, corresponds to the most
urgent matter that the Jews must be saved from- the cruelty of the mitzrim. After this most critical saving is done,
the next level of saving can occur. Vihitzalti refers to
the need for the Jews to be saved not only from the cruelty of their slavery, but slavery in general. After all of
this saving is done, Hashem can finally save the Jews from
the least pressing issue of being gayrim- which is what the
term vigaalti refers to. The final aspect of saving that
Hashem did was vilakachti. This type of saving could
only occur after the Jews were taken out of Mitzrayim
because it shows that Hashem will take us as his nation.
With these different types of redemptions in
mind, we can learn a lot of different lessons. Most importantly that, thank God, we are not slaves, but we could
still use saving from our gayrus and ultimately be taken
back to our homeland and become His nation once again.
Optimism in Sub-Optimal
Situations
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