Every week we could say how there is so much to say on the parasha, but this week is a real power packed one! If we would sit and study from now until Pesach we would maybe have a better idea of what The Seder and Pesach itself is all about. But for now we'll suffice with a few points to think about.
The word has been spreading like wildfire that "It's all about Emunah!" I happened to accidentally (Is there really such a thing?!?!?) open The Nesivos Shalom today to the following lesson. I will try my best to translate, but would highly recommend that anyone that could see it inside do so. "Bezchus Emunah Nigaloo Avoseinu/In the merit of Emunah our fathers were redeemed." (Page 63) The Yalkut Shimonee says that in the merit of Emunah our fathers were redeemed from mitzrayim, and in the merit of Emunah we will be redeemed in the future. We could say that the midrash's use of the word "zechus/merit" comes from "zach/pure" and "bahir/clear." It wasn't in the merit of "stam/plain" Emunah that our fathers were redeemed but clear and pure Emunah. The Toldos Yackov Yosef quotes the Rambam as saying that were the Jewish people to have today the "clear" Emunah that our fathers of that generation had then we would also receive the manna from the sky and drink water from the rock. The Be'er Avraham (The Saba Hakadosh M'Slonim) brings down the well known fact that when the Jewish people were taken out of mitzrayim, they were holding at the 49th level of tumah, the lowest of the low, so the only thing that could get them out of there was their clear and present Emunah. The Saba Hakadosh from Lechovich explains the gemara (Shabbos 31.) In the beginning of a persons judgement (In the beis din upstairs after 120 years) they ask him, "
Did you give and take (in business) with Emunah?" as follows: Just like a businessman does whatever he could to enlarge his business, so to should every Jew do whatever he or she can to reveal and greaten the clear Emunah in Hashem.
The gemara (Eiruvin 13:) Rabbi Meir was referred to by that name because he enlightens (Meir) the eyes of the chachamim in halacha. That is in the halacha that he says "No matter what the Jews are always called the sons of Hashem." Even though we see that in most places when there is a disagreement between R' Meir and R' Yossi we go according to R' Yossi, in this halacha of "all Jews are called the sons of Hashem" we paskin like R' Meir in this one halacha. Therefore he is said to have enlightened the chachamim's eyes in halacha in general. This is the reason why we always refer to Hashem as "the One who took us out of mitzrayim." Why not "the One who created the world?" It was and is to show us that the reason Hashem took the Jews out of mitzrayim, the reason why He will take the Jews out of mitzrayim, both on a personal and on a national level was because of pure Emunah. This explains what the holy rabbis have said, that what makes a person a big tzadik is not the amount of mitzvos that he does, but rather the high level of clarity of Emunah that he has. The Pri Ha'aretz says that "Dveikus/Clinging/Closeness/etc" is Emunah. Emunah is the soul of all of the mitzvos. When a Jew puts on Teffilin, for example, and has clear Emunah that this is what Hashem wants, even if he doesn't understand the mitzva fully, that Emunah brings it to such a high level.
This makes sense of that which it says "Shabbos brings redemption to the world." Shabbos is Emunah. True redemption means coming back to Hashem, and through Shabbos one can come back to that closeness to Hashem. This is why it says "Someone that is shomer Shabbos "c'hilchasa/according to the letter of the law," even if he served avoda zara like the generation of enosh, he is forgiven. Like we said before we can say that c'hilchasa is going on Emunah. If he kept Shabbos with true Emunah then even the gravest of all sins is forgiven. The message is clear, its all about Emunah!
During the plague of barad/hail it says: "V'hachita v'hacosemes lo nakoo kee aphilas hena/The wheat and spelt were not damaged, for they were late ripening?" Rashi explains that since they were late ripening, they were soft when the hail struck and were able to bend with the wind. This flexibility on their part enabled them to bounce back and they were not uprooted.
The gemara (Taanis 20:) says that a person should always be as soft as a reed and not as hard as a cedar tree. We see an elaboration on this in Avos D'reb Nosson (21:1) When a strong wind comes, a reed bends in the direction of the wind. Because of its ability to bend it does not become uprooted. A cedar tree does not bend at all. A soft wind that may move the reed has no effect on it. But when there is a powerful wind, the cedar tree breaks and falls. A person needs to be very strong in his Torah principles and ideals. So strong that no power on earth should make him or her veer from the truth. Nothing should uproot him from his values. But the way to do this is to be like the reed. A person needs softness and flexibility when talking to others. A person who is not flexible may seem to be stronger. But that is only an illusion. Such a person can be broken easier. His lack of flexibility will cause that if he is moved even the slightest bit he will be entirely broken.
This really fits in well. Because this Shabbos is also Rosh Chodesh Shvat. Rosh Chodesh is a time of renewal. Shevat is the beginning of the light after the darkness. The days start getting longer. The light starts to break through the darkness. We have Tu B'Shvat, the new year for the trees. Man is compared to a tree in the field. Tu B'Shvat is a holiday of the Oral Torah. The Oral Torah along with the Written Torah are our roots. May we strengthen our roots everyday, by looking back to our glorious past and striving towards our glorious future. May we strive to become softer like the reed so that nothing can uproot us. And may we come together as a nation in true and clear Emunah, and therefore be zoche to greet Mashiach Tzidkeinu! Speedily in our days! Amen!
A great Shabbos! And a wonderful Rosh Chodesh to all of the Jewish people!!
Peace and joy,
Etan
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