{"id":28697,"date":"2025-01-17T09:24:24","date_gmt":"2025-01-17T12:24:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tuviaserber.com\/?p=28697"},"modified":"2025-01-17T09:24:27","modified_gmt":"2025-01-17T12:24:27","slug":"parashat-shmot-change-exile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tuviaserber.com\/en\/parashat-shmot-change-exile\/","title":{"rendered":"Parashat Shmot - Change exile"},"content":{"rendered":"

Parashat Shmot In this week's Torah reading we find the beginning of the Exodus. But, as always, beginnings are not easy\u2026 After Moshe went to the Pharaoh to ask for the liberation of the Jewish people, the slavery became even worse. Moshe went back to question Gd: Why were you bad to these people? We can learn deep concepts out of this question. Based on Likutei Sichot vol. 1, p. 115.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This week's Torah reading is called Shmot<\/em>, meaning \u201cnames.\u201d The story begins with Gd choosing Moses as the leader to take the Jewish people out of Egypt, where they were suffering greatly under slavery. Armed with the Gd tools provided, Moses went to speak to both the Jewish people and Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to demand the release of the Jewish people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pharaoh, however, reacted with anger and disbelief. He dismissed the idea of this \u201cGd\u201d and refused to let the people go, saying, \u201cThese people are my slaves; they are building my cities and storage cities.\u201d (It's worth noting that the Jewish people did not build the pyramids.) Not only did Pharaoh reject the demand, but he also worsened the slavery, making life harder for the Jewish people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This created a significant dilemma for Moses. Gd had promised to take the Jewish people out of Egypt, yet things had only gotten worse since Moshe's mission began. At the end of this week's Torah portion, Moses turns to Gd with a heartfelt question: \u201c"Why have You been so bad to these people? Why did You send me?"\u201d<\/em> (Exodus 5:22). This question remains unanswered in this portion but is addressed in the next week's reading, Va'era<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Va'era<\/em>, Gd responds to Moses by saying that He had not revealed His full essence to the forefathers\u2014Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob\u2014but now He will. Gd assures Moses that He will demonstrate His power and take the Jewish people out of Egypt with great miracles. The story from this point is well known, with the eventual redemption of the Jewish people from Egypt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eternal Questions in the Torah<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When a question is recorded in the Torah, it remains relevant and eternal, even if it is eventually answered. Moses' question, \u201cWhy have You been so bad to these people?\u201d<\/em>, is one that resonates with us even today. We, too, are in a form of exile (golus). We do not see G-d's revealed presence, and we face suffering and challenges. Thus, we can also turn to Gd and ask: \u201cWhy have You been so bad to us?\u201d<\/em> This is a valid question, rooted in a desire for redemption, for the arrival of Mashiach (the Messiah), and for a world filled with G-d's presence, as the prophet describes: \u201cAll humanity will serve God together, shoulder to shoulder.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Deeper Lesson<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Beyond simply asking why exile continues, we can learn something profound from it. The purpose of exile, as Gd explained to Moses, is refinement. Just as the Jewish people in Egypt needed to endure hardships to appreciate the eventual revelation of Gd, we, too, can use the challenges of exile to prepare ourselves for a greater connection with the Divine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transforming Exile<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

How can we address the bitterness of exile and use it to bring about redemption? The Torah offers two lessons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Bitterness in Torah Study<\/strong>
    The Egyptians made the lives of the Jewish people \u201cbitter\u201d with hard labor. We can transform this bitterness by immersing ourselves in the \u201cbitterness\u201d of Torah study. This does not mean Torah is bitter in the literal sense\u2014on the contrary, Torah is sweet and precious. However, the process of learning Torah, grappling with difficult questions, and striving to understand the debates of the sages can feel challenging, even frustrating at times. By dedicating ourselves to this kind of \u201cbitterness,\u201d we nullify the bitterness of exile. Our efforts in Torah study refine us and prepare the world for redemption.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Hard Work in Service of God<\/strong>
    The Jewish people endured hard labor in Egypt, which became even more severe after Moses' first encounter with Pharaoh. We can exchange this kind of oppressive hard work for a more meaningful \u2019hard work\u201c\u2014pushing ourselves beyond our comfort zones in serving Gd. For example: