Vaeira - Shemot (EX 6:2 - 9:35) Part 1, to Part 2, Previous section, Torah Lesson Plan, or YHVH Homepage
The word Torah is an idiom of the word hora’ah (instruction). Therefore, every part of the Torah not only embarks for us laws, but there is to be found within it guidance on all aspects of life, for all places and all times. This is especially relevant in regards to the Exodus from Egypt, being that it was the “spring board” which launched us into the new era of the giving of the Torah. The union of Heaven and earth, and the first step to the final redemption. As we see in Deuteronomy 16:3, it is an obligatory commandment from Torah (mitzvah) to remember the Exodus from Egypt on a daily basis. It is part of our daily service. Therefore, the story of the Exodus is a lesson and a guideline which relates to our physical and spiritual being on a daily bases. The Exodus commenced with ten plagues which broke the ego of Pharaoh, and the pride of Egypt. As we will see within the following chapters of Torah, Pharaoh and Egypt are an allusion to that which is limiting us in our daily productivity. Physical and spiritual. Hence the word Mitzraim (Egypt), which means shackled, limited, trapped.
These types of restraints are the basis for all obstacles in our way. It is the separator between man and animal. Man has the ability, by his own choice, to break through these limits and enhance himself, as opposed to animals who only live as they live, not ever thinking about self improvement. They are merely slaves to their desires. If an animal (the animal soul) desires, their brain simply follow to where their bodies lead them. Man, on the other hand, is not limitted to such behavior. The brain, even though inclined to do so, is not entrapped to follow the body. Rather the opposite is true. The body has the ability to follow the brain. With this in mind, we will now focus on the “cure,” “remedy” or “instruction” from Heaven pertaining to this great task before us; “Breaking through our own limitations.”
The reading starts out with Hashem answering Moses to a question which he asked of Hashem at the end of last weeks reading. Moses asked Hashem; “Why have You caused evil to these people… and You have not saved Your people?” To which Hashem replied; “I have appeared to Abraham…” The first question which arises is; “If Moses was of such high understanding, why did he need to ask Hashem ‘why have You caused…’, did he not have 49 gates of understanding, as stated in the Talmud?” The answer is that the Exile in Egypt was so dark and obscure that it even surpassed the understanding of Moses, of who the Torah says; “There arose not a prophet again in Israel like Moses (Deut. 34:10).” Even after Moses repeated Hashem’s answer to the Jews; “Therefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the Eternal, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of Egypt (with all the four expressions of redemption),” they did not listen to Moses due to “anguish of spirit and through hard work” (their souls and bodies where numb to anything other than their present condition. Redemption was beyond their capacity of comprehension). Furthermore, at that time there was a manifestation of the Divine Name YHVH, as it is said, “Therefore say unto the children of Israel, I am YHVH (this is a tremendous manifestation), nonetheless, this did not break the Exile, “and they did not listen to Moses…”
The fact that they rejected cannot be blamed on Moses. He was only the messenger who spoke Hashem’s words, and to be such a messenger means that his physical body had become a channel and instrument for carrying the Shechinah (Divine presence). On this, it is interesting to note that all of our prophets had to remove their physical nature, including their clothes, because their bodies were not suitable to serve as a channel for prophesy. Moses, however, remained in his natural state, and when he prophesied, he did so with the term “ZE” (this is). “ZE” alludes to a clear vision, not labored, or focused upon, rather, it just appeared as it is. Other prophets became physically weak during prophecy, Moses remained intact, un-hindered. When Hashem mentioned to Moses, “I appeared to Abraham…” He was displaying the merit of our forefathers, and a reference to the merit of the Patriarchs is a protecting influence which goes beyond the restriction and limits of nature.
We can see from above three major conditions… 1) A manifestation of the Divine Name. 2) A revelation conveyed through Moses. 3) Hashem himself made the reference of the merit of the Patriarchs. After all of this, it still did not move the children of Israel to the gates of Exile. They remained numb. They did not “see” the possibility of Exile. Sight, being the greatest of verifications, was not apparent, and also hearing was not applicable to them, as it says, “and they did not listen…” All they could see was their own lowly condition. After the above is alluded to in our Torah reading, we are then presented with the next course, Plagues, actual breaker of Egypt. We are presented with a lesson to our daily service. We must realize that we all have our own “Mitzraim” (Egypt - limitation, entrapments). They may be of a spiritual nature, preventing us from advancing spiritually, or they may be of a physical nature. Either way, a “service” of the plagues enables us to break the power of Mitzraim and achieve a personal Exodus.
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