Through The Ups And Downs
By: R’ Mordechai Young
This week is a double parashah, Nitzavim and Vayeilech. In Nitzavim 30:3, the pasuk states, “Then Hashem your G-d will restore your fortunes and take you back in love. You will be brought together again from all the peoples where Hashem has scattered you.” Rashi teaches that instead of writing “veshav,” the pasukshould have been written “veheshiv,” which would imply returning you. Rashi writes this is the source that Hashem is with us in galus.
I was wondering why is this the source and not the burning bush? In Shemos 3:2 when Moshe Rabbeinu saw the burning bush, an angel of Hashem appeared to him in the blazing fire. Yet although the bush was all aflame, it was not consumed. Rashi asks why a thornbush and not a tree? He answers by quoting the pasuk in Tehillim 91:15: imu anochi b’tzarah: Hashem says “I am with him in his distress.”
So we see that Hashem is with us in the troubles of galus Mitzrayim. When seeing the pesukim by the burning bush (Shemot 3:2) it states that a Malach of Hashem appeared to Moshe in the burning bush. We can easily say it was different there as it was a Malach, whereas in Devarim, it teaches that the Shechina went with us into galus. As you look further at the pesukim of the burning bush, Moshe approaches to see why it is burning but not being consumed by the fire. In pasuk daled, it states that Hashem saw that Moshe looked away and Hashem called to Moshe from the bush. So, who was in the bush: the Malach or kivyakhol (metaphorically speaking) Hashem’s Shechina?
The mefarshim deal with this question. Rabbeinu Bachya Al HaTorah answers that since this was Moshe’s first nevuah, Hashem wanted to ease him into it little by little to strengthen his level of readiness for nevuah. He gives a Mashal of a person who was sitting in darkness for a long time. You can’t take him out to the sunshine right away as the light is too strong and can damage his eyes. So, you let in a little light at a time until his eyes are accustomed to the light. Here, Hashem started with a Malach to ease Moshe Rabbeinu into the lofty level of nevuah. So, how can we say that Hashem was with him in distress if it was just a Malach?
We might be able to state the principle in the Gemara Kiddushin 42 that “Shlucho Shel Adam K’Moso,” a person’s messenger is like the one who sent him. So here was a Malach, but acting as Hashem’s agent so it’s like Hashem was in the bush. Since, according to Rabbeinu Bechya, it was Hashem, the original question comes back as to how we can discern from the burning bush that Hashem is with us in galus?
We might be able to answer this as follows: The incident at the burning bush shows that Hashem was there to give us chizuk and is there during times of great trouble (harsh slavery in Egypt), but not for future generations. In Devarim, it states as well that Hashem will be taken out of exile, demonstrating that He was there the whole time. I was happy to see in the footnotes of Gur Aryeh that the pasuk of the burning bush is a source for the idea that Hashem is with us in galus (footnote 4).
Rashi in Devarim learns this from the Gemara Megillah 29a, so he preferred this answer and felt thatDevarim was the better source. As a Mashal to Hashem going into galus with Am Yisrael, the Gemara Makkosteaches that if a student kills someone by mistake, his Rebbi must go with him to galus (to the Ir Miklat, city of refuge) to protect him from the victim’s closest relatives from taking revenge. The Gemara teaches the Rebbi goes because the Torah says “vechai,” we have to live by the Torah so he needs to have his Rebbi by him to teach him and give him his life source.
Hashem wants us to have what we need in times of trouble, so the Rebbi would have to go with his talmid. And when the nation is in galus, Hashem is there with us. I heard Rabbi Sruly Bornstein teach on Gemara Megillah 29a that the Maharal wonders if Hashem is with us in trouble and galus. What’s the novel teaching? He answered that when one goes through a time of trouble the Shechinah comes to the aid, like when a person is sick, the Shechinah rests at the top of his head. We would think that when trouble leaves, like when the galus ends, the Shechinah will depart as well. Not so. When the galus ends, the Shechinah will depart with us, guiding and blessing us in the next chapter. Let us remember that Hashem is with us through all the ups and downs. We hope to feel that through all the stages until the final geulah shleimah.
Written as a zechus for a refuah shleimah for Golda bas Tanya.
Have a great Shabbos!
R’ Mordechai Young can be reached for comments at [email protected].
