Divrei Torah Parshas Bo
Torah Table of Contents
An Elevating Gift, the Imrei Shaul in Yisa Bracha Lessons from the Moon, Ma'amarei Oraysoh - 5759 A Dvar torah from Reb Motti Rosen z"l. The Power of Rosh Chodesh, from the Rebbe Shlita The Relationship Between the Tzaddik and Clal Yisroel, Divrei Yisrael
based on a ma'amar by Reb Shaul in Yisa Bracha, Parshas Bo
"And Pharaoh summoned Moshe and said, 'Go and worship Hashem, just your sheep and cattle shall remain behind; even your children can go with you.' Moshe replied, 'You, too, will give us [animals for] sacrifices and elevating-offerings that we will offer to Hashem, our G-d. Our cattle will also accompany us, not a single hoof shall remain behind. We must take them to serve Hashem our G-d, for we don't know what we will need to worship Hashem until we get there.'" [Shemos, 10:24-26]
Why was it necessary to ask Pharaoh for animals for sacrifices and elevating offerings? The Gemara [Brachos, 17a] tells us that the Jewish People have a prayer to Hashem, "Master of the World, it is revealed and known before You that our will is to do Your Will. What prevents this? The 'yeast in the dough' [the evil inclination] and the subjugation to the nations [of the world]." We can deduce from this Gemara, says Reb Shaul, that Pharaoh and the Egyptians were a major cause for the Jews' failure to perform Hashem's Will, while they were in Egypt.
Elsewhere in the Gemara [Yoma, 86b], we are informed that one who does teshuva [repents] out of love, even his intentional sins are transformed into merits for him. Our verse, then, can mean as follows: "You, too, will give us sacrifices and elevating-offerings," for all the sins you caused us to commit over the years of subjugation, which will be transformed into merit and elevation before Hashem. Similarly, the Prophet Yirmiyahu [2:2] says, "I remember the kindness of your youth, your love as a bride, when you went after Me into the desert..." [Translator's note: the reference here is that Hashem remembers the "kindness" we did for Him by following Him into the desert, but he doesn't mention our shortcomings in Egypt].
The verse cited above says, "...we don't know what we will need to worship Hashem until we get there [ad bo'einu shama]." It could have said, "b'vo'einu shama - upon our getting there." Reb Shaul explains that this indicates that we needed to fix our transgressions which had accumulated "until we get there," before we can properly serve Hashem. This can be accomplished by doing teshuva out of love. The Midrash [Shemos Rabba, 18:1] on our verse explains that "we don't know what we will need," means that perhaps G-d will ask us to bring a sacrifice for [the entire] 210 years [of enslavement]. (Note: during this time, the Jewish People were unable to bring sacrifices to Hashem). This could only be done by doing teshuva out of love, as one's sins are transformed thereby into merits, concludes Reb Shaul.
Translated by Reb Yitzchak Dorfman of Yerushalayim, a Modzitzer Chassid
based on and excerpted from Ma'amarei Oraysoh - 5759, Parshas Bo
""Hashem spoke to Moshe and Aharon in the land of Egypt, saying, 'This month shall be for you the first [head] of [all] the months...'" [Shemos, 12:1-2]
Why was the mitzva of Kiddush HaChodesh - sanctification of the New Moon - given specifically [ davka] in Mitzrayim - Egypt [a land of defilement], and at a time when the Jewish People were "naked and bare" [devoid of mitzvos]? The Rebbe Shlita explains that the Midrash relates that when the ministering angels went in to Hashem to ask when is Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, Hashem answered: "You're asking Me? You and I will go to the earthly Beis Din [court]..." [ Devarim Rabba, 2:14]
From this Midrash we see that the mitzva of Kiddush HaChodesh is so important that the Jewish People reach a level that even the ministering angels need them; for they don't know when Rosh Hashana is, and have to go to Am Yisrael to ask them when they sanctified the Moon.
Therefore, when Hashem desired to elevate the Jewish People from the 49th level of tumah [spiritual impurity] to the 49th level of holiness, He gave them the mitzva of Kiddush HaChodesh, through which they can rise to a level that the ministering angels need them. Therefore, Hashem gave them this mitzva davka in Egypt.
Rashi explains that Hashem instructed Moshe in this mitzva by showing him "the Moon in its smallness." From this we learn that the way to rise to such a lofty plane is through humility [smallness]. It is by means of humility that one can rise from the deepest depths to the highest of levels, the Rebbe Shlita asserts.
Another matter hinted at in this Rashi is that even when the Jewish People are sunk in the lowest levels of tumah, like the Moon in its smallness, nevertheless, they should "see it like this [small], and sanctify it." That is, even at such a time they should fulfill the mitzvos, and not wait until they have reached a lofty spiritual level.
From these teachings of the Rebbe Shlita we can see what the Moon itself can teach us - that we have a tremendous potential to rise in levels of holiness and come close to Hashem, and that we must serve him even in our lowest moments. May we merit being able to do so in our daily Avoda [service] to Hashem.
Translated by Reb Yitzchak Dorfman of Yerushalayim, a Modzitzer Chassid
What does Hashem Elokecha ask from you, but to fear Hashem Elokecha and to walk in His ways? (Dvorim, 10:13)
A Dvar torah from Reb Motti Rosen z"l, grandson of Harav Shaul the Second Rebbe
Parshas Bo
"Daber Nah B'Aznei HaAm" (Perek 11:2).
Before the beginning of Macas Bechoros (the plague of the first-borns), Hashem tells Moshe that Bnei Yisrael should prepare themselves to leave Egypt. Part of that preparation is going to their Egyptian neighbors and borrowing gold and silver.
Rashi Hakadosh explains that "Nah," meaning please, is an expression of begging. Hashem tells Moshe that Bnei Yisrael should please do this so that Avraham Avinu will not complain that the nation suffered but did not receive their reward. (In the Bris Ben HaBisarim, Hashem told Avraham that Bnei Yisrael would be slaves for 400 years and work hard, but afterward they would leave with great wealth.)
There are two questions that can be asked on this Rashi. The first one is why wouldn't Bnei Yisrael want to ask for the gold and silver? Why did Hashem have to ask Moshe to seemingly beg them to do it? The second question is why would Avraham come to Hashem and complain? Wouldn't Avraham just be happy that his children were released from their prison?
The answers are simple. Bnei Yisrael would not want to take the money from the Egyptians because it would assure that they would follow them into the desert. But not taking the money would show that they had a lack of Emunah in Hashem. And that is what Avraham would complain about.
When Hashem told Avraham that Bnei Yisrael would be slaves for 400 years, one of the things Avraham was afraid of was that the nation would lose their Emunah. Hashem asked Moshe to please beg the Am to show Avraham that their Emunah was still strong. And they did. Bnei Yisrael went to the homes of their neighbors and took gold and silver. They did this knowing it would bring the Egyptians after them. After hundreds of years of Galus and great suffering their faith in Hashem was still that strong. It was that trust and Emunah that made them worthy of their Geulah. It will be our faith and Emunah that will make us worthy of ours.
Submitted by Chumi Friedman, daughter of Reb Motti Rosen z"l
Based on a Ma'amar in "Alei Deshe," from the Modzitzer Rebbe Shlita
Hashem spoke to Moshe and Aharon in the land of Egypt saying, "This month (Nisan) shall be the first of the months for you." (Shemos, 12:1-2).
Rashi explains that "this" indicates that Moshe had difficulty in determining the exact instance of the New Moon, until Hashem showed him the moon in its smallness and said, "When you see it like this you shall sanctify it." The Rebbe Shlita asks what is the emphasis on "the land of Egypt", for we know quite well that Moshe Rabbeinu and Bnei Yisrael were still in Egypt. Secondly, what is the significance of the moon in its "smallness"?
There is a rule, "All beginnings are difficult." Indeed, the Gemara (Ta'anis 29) tells us that Rav Yochanan would have established the fast for the destruction of the Temple on the 10th of Av, because on that day most of it was destroyed. He explains that the Rabbis who established the fast on the Ninth did so because "the beginning of punishment is more significant." It is also well known that to begin to earn a livelihood is very difficult. Certainly, to begin to observe and perform mitzvos is extremely difficult, for it contains two elements: one must change his ways, which is very hard; and there is the yetzer hara (evil inclination) not to do the mitzva.
The quality of Rosh Chodesh is renewal, firstly because it is the beginning of the month. Man was created on Rosh Chodesh, whether according to R. Eliezer that the world was created in Tishrei, which means that Creation began on the 25th of Elul, and man was created on Rosh Hashana. According to R. Yehoshua, the world was created on the 25th of Adar, and man on Rosh Chodesh Nisan. This power of renewal is given to man each and every month. We can see this by virtue of the Gemara in Ta'anis which tells us that there were people who would fast every day of the week except for Friday and Sunday. The Gemara explains that Friday was exempted to give honor to Shabbos (people should not enter Shabbos so hungry, and they need strength to prepare for it), and Sunday because it is the third day following the creation of man (man was created on Friday). Since on the third day following a major upheaval (e.g., birth, circumcision) a person is weak, even though this occurred only at Creation, nevertheless it is renewed each and every week. Similarly, the renewal that occurs on Rosh Chodesh occurs every month. "A merit comes about on a meritorious day, and a difficulty on a difficult day."
At the beginning of the Torah, ("In the beginning.."), Rashi tells us that Rav Yitzchak says that the Torah really should have begun with our verse - "This month shall be.." The Rebbe explains that the Torah should have begun with Rosh Chodesh so that it would be easier for us to perform the mitzvos.
The exposition of the Torah also began on Rosh Chodesh, as it says (Devarim 1:6), "In the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day, Moshe began to expound this Torah." Since Rosh Chodesh is a time of renewal, Moshe began then to explain the Torah to Bnei Yisrael, so that it would make the beginning easier.
For this reason one can say why Shabbos Breishis follows the High Holy Days. Since we begin the Torah, and all beginnings are difficult, we begin after these days - after we've attained a higher spiritual level, it becomes easier to begin. Our Sages say, "If it wasn't for Hashem's help, we could overcome (the yetzer hara). That is, with Hashem's help in starting, it becomes easier to continue.
The Rebbe explains that we can now understand the emphasis on the land of Egypt. The verse is hinting that Bnei Yisrael were in Egypt, a land where it was very difficult to fulfill the mitzvos. Hashem didn't wait to give us mitzvos in the land of Israel, but even in Egypt, a difficult land, and with the difficulty of beginning a new endeavor, Hashem gave us the mitzvos of Pesach and milah (circumcision). That is, the beginning is even before the person has achieved the level of performing mitzvos, while he is still involved in worldly matters. The beginning of the mitzva gives it sanctity. So Hashem gave us this power of initiation davka in the land of Egypt.
Hashem showed Moshe the moon "in its smallness" to indicate that even when we're on a low level, and just starting out, we have to sanctify ourselves and begin. As Rebbe Shmuel Eliahu of Zvolin said, "Sanctify for me all the firstborn..." refer to the beginning.
Usually Rosh Chodesh Shvat comes out during the week of Parshas Bo. This hints to us that even though every month has its power of renewal, Rosh Chodesh Shvat has it twofold. It was the day Moshe began to expound the Torah, and we read Parshas Bo, which contains the beginning of the mitzvos, in the land of Egypt. This Rosh Chodesh is indeed a most propitious time for beginning.
Finally, says the Rebbe, we can understand that the four-lettered name of Hashem that relates to the month of Shvat is derived from the verse, "Hamer yamirenu v'haya hu" [referring to one who wishes to "exchange" the sanctity of one animal designated to be sacrificed to another animal; the Torah tells us that both animals become holy.]. This hints that the beginning of Rosh Chodesh Shvat is as easy as temurah [this exchange]; that is, the sanctity of the latter comes from a prior sanctity and not a new sanctity of its own which is more difficult.
Translated by Reb Yitzchak Dorfman of Yerushalayim, a Modzitzer Chassid
by the "Divrei Yisrael" of Modzitz, Parshas Bo
What is the nature of the relationship between the Tzaddik and Clal Yisroel, vis-a-vis concern for the betterment of the Jewish people? This theme is developed often, and in many different ways by the first Modzitzer Rebbe, the Divrei Yisrael, as it is in many other Sifrei Chassidus. The Divrei Yisrael adds a key insight on this idea in Parshas Bo.
"Daber Na B'Ozanei Ha'Am, V'Yishalu .... Klei Kesef U'Klei Zahav..." Hashem tells Moshe Rabbeinu "Please speak into the ears of (i.e., make it very clear to) the Jewish people, that they should borrow/seek .... gold and silver vessels from the Egyptians". (Sh'mos 11:2) Rashi quotes the Yalkut Shimoni, "Please ask them to take from the Egyptians, so that the ancient tzaddik (Avraham Avinu) won't accuse (Hashem) of keeping only half of the pasuk - "and they shall work exceedingly hard and suffer", but not the half "and they shall leave Egypt with vast wealth".
The Divrei Yisrael asks why shouldn't Bnei Yisrael themselves ask this question? Why is Hashem "concerned" only that such a question shouldn't come from Avraham Avinu?
The answer is that the claim of a Jew, or even a group of Jews, who come and "claim" that Hashem "owes" them something, seeking only their own benefit, such a claim has no significant value "upstairs". Who are we to tell Hashem what to do?!?
But, a Tzaddik is different. He has dedicated his life to refining his character to the point that he has little or no concern for his personal benefit, but only for other Jews. He a person who strives with every ounce of his body and soul to become a living embodiment of Hashem's Torah and Mitzvos. Such a person's request for help/benefit for Clal Yisroel is listened to upstairs. The Tzaddik's request is pure and free of any personal taint or ego, the request of the average Jew is not necessarily so.
The Divrei Yisrael concludes by defining what the relationship between the Jewish people and the Tzaddik should be, "The group should learn to accept that all that Hashem does is for the best, even if we don't perceive it immediately, while the Tzaddik must be carefully attuned to the suffering and needs of the Jewish People. He should not learn to "live with it", but make every (pure) effort to improve the situation.
A stellar lesson to us, when we are surrounded by a world in which so many individuals seem intent of deciding for Hakadosh Baruch Hu what He should do, without the requisite refinement of the Tzaddik.
Translated by Reb Eliezer Weger of Rechovot, a Modzitzer Chasid.
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