Rabbi Shmuel Eliahu is Chief Rabbi of Tzfat
People often ask - are we still in Exile or is this our time of Redemption?
The Jewish People are currently in a period of the ingathering of exiles, freedom from the subjugation of gentile empires, the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and the development of the Land – all of which are an intrinsic part of Redemption.
Especially in the last year, we are experiencing the prophetic words: "You will chase your enemies, and they will fall before you by the sword; five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall before you by the sword" (Vayikra 26).
Yet, at the same time, the State of Israel has made the dangerous decision to release thousands of terrorists. In my view, this agreement is as dangerous as the Oslo Accords and the Disengagement from Gush Katif, which were based on false dreams and lies. How do we reconcile the painful contradiction between this dangerous agreement with Hamas and the spilling of so much Jewish blood, with our view that we are indeed living in the time of Redemption?
Suffering is a Part of Redemption
At the beginning of the Book of Shemot, we read about Pharaoh’s fear as the Israelites multiply, "the people of Israel are more numerous and stronger than we." Pharaoh places over them "taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens." The Egyptians understood Pharaoh's intention, so they enslaved the Israelites with cruel labor. "And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage in mortar and brick and in all kinds of labor in the field" (Shemot 1).
The suffering started as forced labor for the purpose of building Egypt, but later it became an end in itself, seen in Pharaoh’s commanding the midwives to kill the male newborns. When they refused, he ordered "Every son that is born you shall cast into the river, but every daughter you shall keep alive."
These are the sufferings of Exile.
There are also sufferings of Redemption. The prayer of the Israelites opened the gates of Redemption, and this prayer comes from a place of despair. "And it came to pass in those many days, that the king of Egypt died, and the children of Israel sighed because of the bondage" (Shemot 2:23). Before the death of the king of Egypt, the Torah describes how Moses, who had been raised as the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter, went out to his brethren and saw their burdens. He sees the great injustice and acts like a king in Egypt, killing the Egyptian who struck a Hebrew man, and burying him in the sand.
When the Israelites see Moses, the Hebrew, striking their oppressors, they are filled with hope. Soon, Moses would be in a position to free them from their enslavement; maybe he would even be Pharaoh's heir.
But in reality, things unfold in the opposite direction. Pharaoh strips Moses of his dignity and seeks to kill him. Moses flees to Midian, marries, and has children. For the wedding, Moses swears to Jethro that he will not return to Egypt as long as Pharaoh rules with cruelty and oppression. When the king of Egypt dies, Moses is in Midian. The Children of Israel believe that the hope for Moses to bring them relief is gone, and they must rely solely on their Father in Heaven: "And they cried out, and their cry came up to G-d because of the bondage" (Shemot 2:23).
It turns out that the Redemption was already beginning but the Israelites didn’t know it. Their prayer is heard, and G-d visits His people. "And G-d heard their groaning, and G-d remembered His covenant with Abraham, and with Isaac, and with Jacob. And G-d saw the children of Israel, and G-d knew" (Shemot 2:24-25). The Israelites did not know that their prayer had been heard. At that time, they saw no signs of Redemption, but far away, G-d tells Moses to redeem the Israelites, "Go and gather the elders of Israel and say to them, 'The L-rd G-d of your fathers, the G-d of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared to me saying: I have surely visited you and seen what is done to you in Egypt'" (Shemot 3:16).
G-d calls out to Moses at the Burning Bush and tells him that the time has come to redeem the Israelites from Egypt and to bring them to Israel. Moses argues with G-d for seven days, trying to explain why Redemption from Egypt is not feasible at the moment. The Israelites, he maintains, are not ready to be saved: "And Moses answered and said, 'But behold, they will not believe in me, nor listen to my voice, for they will say, "The L-rd has not appeared to you"'" (Shemot 4:1).
Moses also claims that he is not fit for this important mission: "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?" (Shemot 3:11). "Send someone else, please" (Shemot 4:13). But G-d does not accept Moses' arguments and sends him to redeem Israel.
The Torah spends time on this argument to teach us that the first stage of Redemption is the belief that the Children of Israel are worthy, and that the Redeemer will come from us, not from other nations. Even if we seem far away from Torah and belief, G-d remains true to the promise he made with Abraham to redeem us and re-establish us in the Promised Land.
The Torah describes the second stage of the suffering of Redemption, which brings us one step closer to the Exodus from Egypt. This stage happens when Moses reaches Midian after the encounter with the Burning Bush on Mount Sinai. Our Sages in the Talmud explain that when Moses married Jethro’s daughter, he had sworn not to return to Egypt as long as they sought to kill him. Therefore, he returns to Midian from Sinai. In Midian, G-d tells Moses that his vow is no longer valid: "And the L-rd said to Moses in Midian, 'Go, return to Egypt, for all the men who sought your life are dead'" (Shemot 4:19).
This seems to refer to Datan and Aviram, the two rebellious Israelites who had threatened Moses. They had been rivals for over sixty years, from the time of Moses’ youth until he was eighty. However, every generation, including ours, has its own opponents to Redemption. There are always people who help bring about the Redemption like Moses and Aaron, and there are those who oppose it like Datan and Aviram. These people hinder anyone who awakens the nation to Redemption, using slander against fellow Jews in front of the nations, quarreling internally with their brothers, and engaging in constant strife and gossip.
The books of Ezra and Nehemiah show that there were such negative people even in their generation, and certainly in ours as well.
We must not let any opposition, whether from foreign enemies or from our misguided brothers, to tumble us into despair. Isaiah prophesied about the End of Days, stating that "the day of the L-rd of Hosts will be against all that is high (with arrogance) and lofty." The verse says, "On that day, the L-rd will bring down every high tower and every walled city, every ship of Tarshish and every splendid vessel." At that moment, the pride of man, embodied in lofty towers, will give way to the glory of G-d. "The L-rd alone will be exalted on that day" (Isaiah 2). This signifies that those who are prideful cannot dwell with G-d in the same place.
The status and wealth of Datan and Aviram obscured from them the truth of G-d and he hidden ways of Redemption. They were swept away by the culture of Pharaoh who did not recognize G-d. In order to recognize similar figures in later generations, the Sages provided clues about them:
- They are quarrelsome – as it says, "Two Hebrew men were fighting."
- They spread negative rumors about Israel in front of their enemies – threatening to inform Pharaoh against Moses.
- They weaken the spirit of the people – when Pharaoh hardens his heart, instead of condemning Pharaoh's wickedness, they accuse Moses of demanding freedom and Redemption.
- They break the spirit of the people – when Egypt pursues Israel, Datan and Aviram complain to Moses, criticizing him for leading them out of Egypt, and suggesting they should continue working for Egypt instead of pursuing ideas of Israel’s salvation.
- They stir rebellion against leadership – even when Moses and Aaron work to provide manna for the people, Datan and Aviram do not show gratitude and instead leave the Heavenly sustenance until the morning to imply that manna is natural, not a Divine gift.
- They use their wealth to divide the people – they were part of Korah's rebellion.
- They despise the Land of Israel – when the people say, "Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt," Datan and Aviram are at the head of the people’s retreat back to Egypt.
Opponents of Redemption, like Datan and Aviram, were also present during the Second Temple period. Nehemiah describes false prophets like Shemaiah and Noadiah who worked against settlement in Jerusalem and who opposed the strengthening of the Jewish presence in the Land. There were also wealthy individuals who allied with Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arab - enemies of Israelite settlement in Eretz Yisrael.
The future Redemption mirrors the Exodus from Egypt. Therefore, just as there were figures like Datan and Aviram in previous generations, there are also wealthy, influential people in our time who try to thwart Redemption. These individuals attempt to return the people to the frightened spirit of Exile. They ridicule leaders working for the Land of Israel and for the proud sovereign stature of the Jewish People, and they sow division within Israel. We must be cautious of such people.
The Suffering of Redemption – To Know Hashem
When Moses descends to Egypt with his family, G-d reveals something new to him: "See that you perform all the signs I have given you before Pharaoh, but I will harden his heart and he will not let the People go." G-d did not reveal this detail to Moses at the Burning Bush - to send Moses to bring Redemption while simultaneously hardening Pharaoh's heart to resist Israel’s salvation.
It is very important that Moses understands that G-d works this way so that he does not despair when he sees Pharaoh breaking his promises, one after another. G-d explains that the reason He hardens Pharaoh's heart is to ensure Egypt is humbled and loses its world power. With each plague, Egypt is brought lower while Israel rises, so that ultimately Israel will inherit the world’s firstborn status. So too, in our day, we must not despair. When plagues inflict us, Redemption is near.
The Covenant and the Basis for Redemption
One of the most remarkable events in the Exodus story is G-d's fourth encounter with Moses at the inn on his way back to Egypt. Moses is about to endanger his wife and children, postponing his son’s circumcision until a more convenient time. G-d does not accept this delay. He considers it so serious that He seeks to kill Moses. Zipporah saves the situation by circumcising their son, thus fulfilling the covenant with Abraham.
This story highlights that circumcision is foundational to Redemption. G-d made a covenant with Abraham and promised that after Egypt's exile, "they will go out with great wealth," and now this is being fulfilled. It is important to understand that this is part of G-d's plan, established long before the Covenant of the Parts.
Why the Suffering of Redemption?
In Parashat Va’era, G-d teaches Moses that the hardening of Pharaoh's heart is meant for Israel, and for the whole world, to know the Kingship of G-d. Initially, Moses asks Pharaoh to let the People go, and Pharaoh refuses, increasing the burden on the Jews. The suffering comes as a result of the demand for Redemption for Israel.
Moses approaches G-d with complaints: why has G-d allowed suffering for the People? G-d explains to Moses that the purpose of Redemption is not just to escape the suffering of Egypt, to reach the Land of Israel, and to enjoy its bounty. The ultimate goal is to know G-d's Name, that He is the one who sustains all life. This is a new revelation to Moses which he only learns at this moment. Previously, G-d had explained that the purpose of the Redemption was to save Israel from Egypt's troubles: "I have seen the affliction of My People who are in Egypt, and I have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their pain. I have come down to rescue them from the hand of Egypt..." (Shemot 3).
Now, G-d reveals a higher purpose for the Redemption.
The higher purpose of Redemption is that the world will come to know G-d through the Exodus from Egypt. This is why the phrase "I am the Lord" appears four times in the first seven verses of this section. The first mention is to teach Moses: "G-d spoke to Moses and said to him, 'I am the Lord.'" The second mention is for Israel to know: "Say to the Children of Israel, 'I am the Lord.'" The third mention reveals the depth of G-d's love for Israel: "I will take you as My people, and I will be your G-d, and you will know that I am the L-rd your G-d who brought you out from under the burdens of Egypt." The fourth mention is to show that knowing G-d’s Name is fulfilled in the Land of Israel: "I will bring you to the Land..." (Shemot 6:2-8).
G-d continues by explaining that the plagues are meant for Egypt to know Him as well: "And Egypt will know that I am the L-rd when I stretch out My hand against Egypt and bring out the Children of Israel from among them." Initially, Pharaoh recognizes G-d's power in the plagues of blood, frogs, and the firstborn, and Egypt acknowledges G-d's power during the splitting of the Red Sea.
G-d tells Moses that this knowledge of Him must be passed down through generations, and so the Israelites are commanded to tell their children about the miracles and Redemption that G-d brought to them in Egypt.
The Suffering of Our Generation
In our generation, suffering brings us closer to understanding that we are ready for Redemption. We must recognize that the entire world will be redeemed, but Israel, as the Chosen People, will be the key to the process. The ultimate Redemption will bring all humanity to know G-d: "The glory of the L-rd will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together" (Isaiah 40:5).
The prophet Jeremiah speaks of the ultimate Redemption, which will involve the return of the Jewish People to their Land and the restoration of G-d's Kingdom. In the future, the world will experience G-d's justice, and Israel will experience G-d's eternal closeness.
Redemption: A Process
Just as labor pains precede birth, the Redemption process can be painful but will ultimately lead to a great deliverance. Israel will break free from the oppressive yoke of the nations, and the Kingdom of G-d will be established through the lineage of David. G-d promises that Israel will be healed from all the pains of Exile and will return to a state of peace and security.
This Redemption will bring about the reign of the Davidic dynasty, and the Jewish People will live in harmony with G-d, with no fear of the nations. Am Yisrael will be redeemed and restored, and all of this will happen in the timetable established by G-d, in the way He decides – and not according to how we think it should be done.
Patience is Key
An example from the ways of Chief Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, my father, of blessed memory, shows how patience and trust in G-d's timing can bring about a resolution even in difficult circumstances. The Ethiopian Jewish community struggled with certain aspects of Jewish law, but through the patience of Rabbi Eliahu, many eventually embraced the path of Torah and halakhah.
Often he met with leaders of their community, and with lenience, he guided them in their adaption to the country and to complete Orthodox practice. Again and again, he traveled to their communities and gave classes to packed synagogues and meeting halls, his face shining with simcha as he inspired in the new immigrants a broader understanding of Torah and the importance of Torah education for their children. This is a modern example of the spiritual "labor pains" Israel undergoes before the final Redemption. Like a loving father, he encouraged them in their struggle to remain true to Torah in the face of the seemingly exciting temptations of modern Israeli society. Their struggle, and ours, still continue.
The teachings of Rabbi Eliyahu zts"l emphasize the importance of living with both patience and anticipation and readiness for the coming of the Mashiach. Despite challenges and delays, seeming setbacks and wars, the Jewish People must remain hopeful and vigilant for the complete Redemption, which is near, and which, with the aid of our prayers and brave and holy deeds, will come when the Shepherd of Israel decides to bring it to completion, may it be soon.
[Translated and adapted by Tzvi Fishman]