When Moses, the great lover and redeemer of Israel, saw how Pharaoh was increasing Israel's burden, he came with a complaint to G-d, saying, "L-rd, why do you mistreat Your people? Why did You send me? As soon as I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he made things worse for those people." (Exodus 5:22-23)
G-d had a word with Moses about his harsh language: "G-d spoke to Moses and said to him, 'I am HaShem.'" (Exodus 6:2) He was telling Moses: 'Not in vain did I send you. I did it to fulfill My covenant with the Patriarchs of "giving them the Land of Canaan" (6:5). Do not desist from your mission! Realize that I shall be taking Israel out gradually, amidst temporary crises that will momentarily seem like steps backward. Take an example from the Patriarchs. I made promises to them without fulfilling them; yet, they still believed in Me under the most difficult circumstances.'
As Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi said: "The Patriarchs had such a high degree of faith and such pure hearts that although they encountered only evil all their lives, their faith in G-d never weakened." (Kuzari 2:2)
G-d commanded Moses to describe to the Israelites, who were sunken in distress, the stages of redemption, with the goal of comforting them and cheering them up: "I will take you out... I will save you... I will redeem you... I will take you..." and ultimately, "I will bring you to the Land." (6:6-8) Yet, the people "did not heed Moses due to their impatience and harsh labor" (6:9), and they did not accept his words of comfort (Rashi, ibid.).
Not just during the redemption from Egypt were there moments of crisis that led to speech such as that of Moses, but down through the generations and in our own times. We have experienced crises both great and small, such as the destruction of the First and Second Temples, and two thousand years of harsh exile. Yet, throughout those crises, the Jewish People did not despair. Rather, they clung to the traits of the Patriarchs, who believed under all circumstances in the redemption of Israel and the redemption of the world.
Even in our very own times, we have faced terrible crises, such as the expulsion of Jews from Gush Katif and northern Samaria, and their transformation into homeless, unemployed refugees. These crises, and everything that is happening in Hebron, look like a step backwards in the redemption process. However, just as an athlete doing a long jump has to take a step back before commencing his leap, so it is with us.
We shall persevere and be strong and advance with skips and jumps to the next stage of the redemption. We need patience, instead of the "impatience" of the Israelites in Egypt. By such means, we will advance forward on the upward winding path towards complete redemption.
G-d had a word with Moses about his harsh language: "G-d spoke to Moses and said to him, 'I am HaShem.'" (Exodus 6:2) He was telling Moses: 'Not in vain did I send you. I did it to fulfill My covenant with the Patriarchs of "giving them the Land of Canaan" (6:5). Do not desist from your mission! Realize that I shall be taking Israel out gradually, amidst temporary crises that will momentarily seem like steps backward. Take an example from the Patriarchs. I made promises to them without fulfilling them; yet, they still believed in Me under the most difficult circumstances.'
As Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi said: "The Patriarchs had such a high degree of faith and such pure hearts that although they encountered only evil all their lives, their faith in G-d never weakened." (Kuzari 2:2)
G-d commanded Moses to describe to the Israelites, who were sunken in distress, the stages of redemption, with the goal of comforting them and cheering them up: "I will take you out... I will save you... I will redeem you... I will take you..." and ultimately, "I will bring you to the Land." (6:6-8) Yet, the people "did not heed Moses due to their impatience and harsh labor" (6:9), and they did not accept his words of comfort (Rashi, ibid.).
Not just during the redemption from Egypt were there moments of crisis that led to speech such as that of Moses, but down through the generations and in our own times. We have experienced crises both great and small, such as the destruction of the First and Second Temples, and two thousand years of harsh exile. Yet, throughout those crises, the Jewish People did not despair. Rather, they clung to the traits of the Patriarchs, who believed under all circumstances in the redemption of Israel and the redemption of the world.
Even in our very own times, we have faced terrible crises, such as the expulsion of Jews from Gush Katif and northern Samaria, and their transformation into homeless, unemployed refugees. These crises, and everything that is happening in Hebron, look like a step backwards in the redemption process. However, just as an athlete doing a long jump has to take a step back before commencing his leap, so it is with us.
We shall persevere and be strong and advance with skips and jumps to the next stage of the redemption. We need patience, instead of the "impatience" of the Israelites in Egypt. By such means, we will advance forward on the upward winding path towards complete redemption.