Rav Olshin shlita on Parshas VaAirah

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    Introduction

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    In this week’s parsha of Va’eira, we find the daled leshonos of geulah, which are “Vehotzeisi,” “Vehitzalti,” “Vego’alti,” and “Velokachti.” The Medrash at the beginning of the parsha tells us that these four leshonos weren’t just expressions of geulah – they were, in fact, four independent geulahs. Each represents an entirely new stage of geulas Mitzrayim.

    The Four Decrees and Their Redemptions

    The Medrash says each of these four geulahs was a redemption from another one of Paroh’s four key gezeiros. According to the Matnos Kehunah:

    1. First gezeirah: The actual avodas perech – the backbreaking labor
    2. Second gezeirah: Throwing male babies into the sea
    3. Third gezeirah: Decree to slaughter hundreds of babies daily for Paroh’s blood baths
    4. Fourth and final gezeirah: “Lo sosfun loseis teven lo’om lilbon haleveinim” – no longer providing straw for brick-making

    The Puzzling Questions

    Many meforshim are bothered by two major questions:

    1. Why did Paroh issue the seemingly less severe decree (collecting straw) after the harsher ones like infanticide? Usually kings start with lighter decrees before escalating.
    2. Why is the “teven ein nitun” (no straw provided) considered its own gezeirah? Isn’t it merely an extension of the original avodas perech? Why does the Matnos Kehunah count it separately as the fourth gezeirah?

    Rav Gedalia Schorr’s Answer

    In his sefer Ohr Gedalyahu, Rav Schorr explains that what made this gezeirah so severe wasn’t just that Paroh stopped providing straw. The key was his adding “heim yeilchu vekoshashu lohem teven” – they must gather their own straw. More specifically, as the posuk says “vayofetz ho’om bechol eretz Mitzrayim lekosheish kash lateven” – the Yidden had to spread throughout Mitzrayim searching for straw.

    The Core Issue of Division

    The main gezeirah, explains Rav Schorr, wasn’t simply about gathering straw. Rather, it was “sheyihyeh lohem pizur beMitzrayim” – that they could no longer work together as one unit. They were now scattered throughout Mitzrayim, each searching for his own straw. This, says Rav Schorr, was the “gezeirah hachi kosheh” – the most severe decree of all, because through this gezeirah of “pizur” – scattering them across the land – Paroh stripped them of their koach ho’achdus. This was, indeed, an extremely severe gezeirah.

    The Hidden Message in the Torah’s Language

    This idea, continues the Ohr Gedalyahu, is actually hinted to in the posuk itself. As Chazal tell us, if one studies the exact wording of the gezeirah “lo sosfun loseis teven lo’om” (you shall not continue giving straw to the people), he’ll notice that while it should have said “lo tosifun,” it instead says “lo tosifun” with an alef. By spelling the word with an alef, which is a loshon of asifah (gathering), the Torah alludes that the true gezeirah wasn’t about withholding straw, but rather preventing them from gathering in groups.

    The Connection to Torah Study

    The Medrash (5:18) teaches that the Yidden had special megillos containing divrei Torah and words of chizuk in bitochon. Every Shabbos, which was their day off from work, they would gather together and find delight in these words, encouraging one another that the Borei Olam would soon redeem them. When Paroh said “tichbad ho’avodoh al ho’anoshim… ve’al yishu bedivrei shoker” (let the work be heavy upon the men… and let them not engage in false matters), he was commanding that their day of rest be taken away and their labor be intensified so they would no longer have time for these “false words.”

    The Deeper Meaning of “Lo Tosifun”

    It was to this same gezeirah, says Rav Schorr, that Paroh referred when he said “lo tosifun” – do not allow them to gather. Do not allow them to gather together with the power of achdus, encouraging each other to strengthen their bitochon that the geulah would soon come. Rather, force them to disperse throughout Mitzrayim, each one gathering his own straw, thus ensuring they would be stripped of the power of achdus. This, says the Matnos Kehunah, was the most severe gezeirah of all.

    The Power of Collective Suffering

    This can be understood through the well-known concept of “tzoras rabim chatzi nechomoh” – when a tzorah is endured by many, it’s already half a comfort. When Yidden endure together, we are mechazek one another. We encourage and strengthen each other. This chizuk we receive from one another makes it easier to survive. However, when a Yid suffers alone, it’s much more difficult. There’s no one to be mechazek him, no one to encourage him. He’s suffering his own personal tzorah, which is therefore much harder to endure and survive.

    The Weekly Gatherings

    Until this point, Yidden had gathered Shabbos after Shabbos reviewing the megillos of Torah and bitochon they had received from earlier generations, strengthening and encouraging one another that the geulah would soon come. However, when Paroh decreed “lo sosfun loseis lohem teven” – don’t let them gather anymore and strengthen one another, forcing them to scatter throughout Mitzrayim searching for straw, they no longer had the power of achdus. They no longer had the power of “tzoras rabim chatzi nechomoh.” They were no longer suffering together – each one was suffering alone. This was indeed the greatest gezeirah of all.

    The Secret of Jewish Survival

    However, there’s perhaps an even deeper reason why stripping them of their ability to gather – stripping them of the koach of achdus – was the final and most severe gezeirah.

    How did Klal Yisroel survive hundreds of years in the dreaded golus of Mitzrayim? How does Klal Yisroel continue to survive thousands of years of this horrific golus?

    The Lamb Among Wolves

    As we know, during our years in golus we are referred to as “kivsoh achas bein shivim ze’eivim” – one tiny lamb amongst seventy wolves. How is it possible that this tiny lamb isn’t devoured?

    The Divine Presence

    The answer lies in the words of Chazal. The Gemara in Megillah tells us, “Kamoh chavivin Yisroel lifnei HaKodosh Boruch Hu shebekhol mokom shegolu Shechinah imohen. Golu leMitzrayim Shechinah imohen… Golu leBovel Shechinah imohen…” – How beloved is Klal Yisroel before the Borei Olam that wherever they went in golus, the Shechinah went with them. When they were exiled to Mitzrayim, the Shechinah went with them. When they were exiled to Bavel, the Shechinah went with them.

    Yaakov Avinu’s Assurance

    In fact, when Yaakov Avinu expressed fear about going down to golus Mitzrayim, the Borei Olam reassured him, “Al tira meirda Mitzraymah… Onochi eireid imcha Mitzraymah ve’Onochi aalcha gam oloh” – Don’t be afraid of going down to Mitzrayim… I will go down with you to Mitzrayim, and I will also bring you up. The Borei Olam promised He would descend to Mitzrayim with them and remain with them and protect them. Only after receiving this assurance did Yaakov agree to go.

    The Condition for Divine Protection

    However, as the Sefer Chareidim tells us, there’s something we must do to ensure we maintain the Shechinah’s presence and protection. The posuk says “Im Hashem lo yishmor ir shov shokad shomer” – If we are not zocheh to the Borei Olam’s protection, no one can possibly protect us. We are entirely dependent on the Borei Olam’s shemirah. This is what we ask for every day at the end of Tachanunim when we say “Shomer Yisroel, shmor she’eiris Yisroel ve’al yovad Yisroel ha’omrim Shema Yisroel.”

    Understanding Shema Yisroel’s Significance

    The first bakasha seems difficult to understand. We ask the “Shomer Yisroel” to watch over the “she’eiris Yisroel” who say “Shema Yisroel.” What special zechus lies in the words “Shema Yisroel”? The important part of Shema is “Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echod” – the kabolas ol malchus shomayim. That zechus is mentioned in the next bakasha when we say “Shomer goy echod… hameyachadim shimcha Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echod.”

    Yaakov’s Final Teaching

    The Rambam tells us in the first perek of Hilchos Krias Shema that we have a mesorah that when Yaakov Avinu gathered his children before his petirah, he was “tzivom vezirzom al yichud Hashem.” Similarly, the Chareidim writes that shortly before his petirah, Yaakov gathered Klal Yisroel – the Shivtei Koh – and instructed them how to properly be mekabel ol malchus shomayim.

    The Double Language

    The Chareidim explains that when studying the hakdamah Yaakov gave, we notice it seems repetitive: “He’osfu ve’agidah lochem es asher yikrah eschem be’acharis hayomim. Hikovtzu veshimu bnei Yaakov” – why say both “he’osfu” and “hikovtzu”?

    The Chareidim explains that with “he’osfu” he told them to literally gather around him. But with “hikovtzu” he commanded them to unify as one – to cleanse their hearts of jealousy, hatred, and competition, and become one person with one neshamah. Without this, they could never be meyached the name of the Borei Olam.

    The True Meaning of “Shema”

    The mekubalim tell us that “shema” doesn’t mean “hear” but rather “gather.” As the posuk says “vayishma Shaul es ho’om.” When a Yid prepares to be mekabel ol malchus shomayim, he begins with “Shema Yisroel” – with these words he unifies his heart with the rest of Klal Yisroel. We declare our ahavah for one another, that there is no sinah or kinah between us. Our hearts are unified as one. Only then can we say “Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echod.”

    Unity and Divine Presence

    In fact, says the Chareidim, this is the meaning of a well-known posuk in Iyov: “Vehu be’echod umi yeshivenu” – why does it say “be’echod” instead of just “echod”? Rav Shimon bar Yochai explains that the Borei Olam only rests His Shechinah “be’echod” – when Klal Yisroel is “beyichud lev” – completely unified like the malachei hashoreis.

    The Angels’ Example

    The Avos D’Rav Nosson tells us that the malachim are “nosnim reshus zeh lozeh” – when it’s time to be mekabel ol malchus shomayim, each one urges the other to go first. There is no kinah among the malachim. This, says the Chareidim, is the madreigah that we Yidden must reach.

    The Final Understanding

    As the Chareidim writes in Perek 7, only by coming together as one can we enable the Shechinah to rest among us. Without that achdus – without that lev echod – the Borei Olam cannot rest His Shechinah among us, and we remain unprotected.

    The Chofetz Chaim’s Solution

    An adam godol recently related that the Chofetz Chaim said: if it was indeed machlokes and sinas chinam that led to this golus and causes it to continue, then to be zocheh to the geulah we must strengthen our ahavas chinam. We must love and care for Yidden simply because they are Yidden. Therefore, the Chofetz Chaim suggested that every person daven for one choleh they don’t know personally – showing true ahavas chinam and connection to every Yid. Only through such achdus and ahavas chinam can we be zocheh to the protection of the Shechinah that enables us to survive this long and bitter golus and merit the ultimate hashroas haShechinah of the binyan bayis shlishi.

     

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    Dovid
    Dovid
    24 days ago

    Regarding Ahavas Chinam, the phrase first appears in print in the name of רבי יחזקאל טאוב מקוזמיר
    נדפס בספר “נחמד מזהב” (פיוטרקוב תרס”ז) עמ’ 77, וכן הובא בספרו של נכדו, האדמו”ר הראשון ממודז’יץ, “דברי ישראל”, פרשת בחקותי ד”ה ואתכם.

    It was later popularized by and closely associated with Rav Kook and appears in print:
    אורות הקודש, חלק ג’ עמוד שכג-שכד; עוד קודם לכן הובאה בשמו גרסה קצת שונה אצל: אפרים צורף, חיי הרב קוק, מוסד הרב קוק, תש”ז, עמ’ 192