Parsha
of Voayro
Dovid
Eidensohn
When
we get to the biblical teachings of Voayro, it begins with the argument between
Moshe and HaShem. HaShem told Moshe to go to Pharoah and demand that the Jews
leave Egypt. Pharoah became angry and decide to increase the suffering of the
Jews and make them give up on leaving Egypt. This began in the previous parsha
of Shemos, but now in the beginning of Voayro, HaShem has become aggravated.
The passage says, “And Elokim[1] spoke to Moshe, and said to
him, “I am HaShem.” See the footnote here that Elokim means justice and HaShem
means mercy.
Rashi
adds to this that HaShem is a mercy where HaShem fulfills his promise but not
Elokim, which is a promise which is not seen by others.[2] He promises to bring the Jews
from Egypt and settle the Jews in Israel, and Moshe repeated this to the Jews,
but “they did not listen to Moshe, because of their exhaustion, and because of
their intense forced labor.” But HaShem knew that He would eventually save the
Jews.
We
have previously discussed the argument between Avohom and HaShem in parshas
Lech, when HaShem promised him all kinds of protection and good things, and
Avrom replied, “L-d G‑d, what will you give me, and I am barren?” Hashem
replied that he will have a child. He then promised Avrom that just as one
cannot count the stars, so his children will be many. “And he believed in
HaShem, and it was construed as his merit.”
Then
the mood between HaShem and Avrohom changed. HaShem reminded Avrom that he
saved Avrom when he was flung into the furnace for not worshipping idols, in
order to give him the land of Israel as an inheritance. Avrom replied, “How do
I know that I will inherit it?” This antagonized HaShem, who then told Avrohom
several passages of frightening things. Finally, He said, “You should surely
know that your seed will be strangers in a land not their own, and they will be
oppressed four hundred years. And the nation that they serve I will judge, and
afterwards the Jews will go forth with great wealth.” Surely HaShem says the
truth and will fulfill his promise. But he doesn’t make that clear at this
point. Furthermore, if people sin, they can lose HaShem’s promise, so it really
is not so clear to those hearing the promise if it will be fulfilled.
We
return to the words of HaShem with Moshe, who after hinting his displeasure at
Moshe complaining “why did You send me?”, continues: “And I appeared to
Avrohom, Yitschok and Yaacov with the Name Mighty G‑d, but My Name HaShem was
not made known to them.” Rashi explains that HaShem means that HaShem intends
to fulfill his promise, but other Names mean that HaShem wants to fulfill His
promise, but He has not yet made it completely clear.
HaShem
then continues with Moshe many words of encouragement. The Vilna Gaon explains
these words[3] as
follows: “ ‘And I will bring you forth’ means from the slavery of hard work of
building bricks. ‘And I will save you’ means you will no longer be enslaved to
the Egyptians. ‘And I will save you’ means take the Jews from Egypt. ‘And I
will take you and you will be’ that is receiving from HaShem the Torah at
Sinai. ‘And I will bring you’ means their coming to the holy land. ‘And I will
give’ they will inherit the land and become established there.”
The
Klai Yokor explains “And I will bring forth, and I will save, and I will
redeem, and I will take” as follows. The Jews were punished to be strangers in
Egypt, an evil which led to the Jews being in a strange land, evil two, the
Shechina is not seen in a strange land, a third evil is being enslaved, and a
forth evil is torturing a slave such as forcing Jews to produce bricks.
Thus
HaShem did eventually save the Jews from the Egyptians.
[1]
Elokim is justice and HaShem is mercy. HaShem is saying that I am speaking
harshly to you, Moshe, because you complained about being told to go to Pharoah
who became angry and increased the suffering of the Jews, but “I am HaShem” the
L-d of mercy, and will save the Jews and punish the Egyptians. Which happened
soon afterwards.
[2] Sometimes
a sin can cancel a promise made by HaShem. Perhaps it depends on how strong was
the promise.
[3]
Voayro 6:6 for several passages
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