Musar zu Schemot 1:23

How pleasant is the Musar of Love. Anyone whom Hashem loves, God brings down upon them suffering. You find three good gifts that God gave to Israel; and they were only given by way of suffering. These are them: Torah, the Land of Israel, and the World to Come.

ויוסף היה במצרים. Rashi comments on Exodus 1,5, that this statement is to testify to the righteousness of Joseph who had tended his father's flock, and who was the same Joseph after he had become viceroy in Egypt. This teaches us to cleave to G–d with all our heart even when destitute and humiliated. Also, when one achieves great stature, one should not become arrogant but remain humble and use one's greatness to perform additional מצות.

Acquisiton of מעשים טובים, may not be something independent of the performance of so called מצות, rather it may be the manner in which the commandments are performed. There are 5 levels of performing the various commandments, which may elevate such performance into מעשים טובים, "good deeds." The five people mentioned in our Midrash may personify those five levels of "mitzvah performance." 1) "Ordinary הדור מצוה," i.e. Miriam's allowing the children to live; 1b) the additional dimension she displayed by financing the survival of these children herself. This made Miriam a paragon of the virtue of הדור מצוה, a level described by G–d elsewhere as בקרובי אקדש, "I will be sanctified through those that are close to Me" (when the sons of Aaron died, Leviticus 10,2-3).

The missing letter ו in the name of Jacob, (which is usually written defective), was added to the name ו-יוסף, on occasions such as in Exodus 1,5 (or altogether, since that name too could have been spelled defective). The "small" ו in the word שלום, Numbers 25,12, alludes to another verse in Zachariah 8, 19: והאמת והשלום אהבו "and the truth and the peace they loved." The attribute which distinguishes Jacob is אמת, truth, whereas the attribute הברית השלום is the one that distinguishes Joseph. The Zohar has already explained how the terms ברית and גוף overlap (cf. Sullam edition Lech Lecha page 134-135). We name something or somebody because we desire the name to reveal their nature. Joseph was the "revelation" of the mystical dimension of Jacob, the secret of how the covenant between G–d and man influences the ability of determining the nature of him who is about to be born.

The reason is that the whole tribe of Levi did not share the exile experience properly, because it did not have to perform slave labour. The tribe wished to demonstrate its empathy with the rest of the tribes who were suffering, and they did this by way of the names they gave to their children. For instance, the name גרשון alluded to the fact that they considered themselves as aliens in a land which was not theirs. The name קהת is symbolic of קהות שניהם, that their teeth were on edge in frustration. The name מררי, alluded to the bitterness experienced by their brethren, as we know from Exodus 1,14.

Therefore, I say that according to the strength of the soul and according to its sweetness, will the power of thought be seen. And if thought inclines to lofty things, then the acts which come from its power will incline towards piety and righteousness, and the acts of the five senses which we have mentioned will be drawn towards righteousness and piety. These five senses are like channels or arteries through which the blood courses to quench the thirst of all the limbs of the body. Similarly, the emotions are channels through which the powers of thought flow in order to quench the thirst of the soul. Concerning this, it is said: (Numbers 15:39), “And that ye go not about after your own heart and your own eyes.” And so did our Sages, of blessed memory, say in the first chapter of the Jerusalem Talmud, “The heart and the eye are two agents of sin, and when evil deeds are mingled in the soul, they corrupt its acts until they turn away from their regimen.” Just as extraneous juices corrupt the structure of the body, so do evil thoughts corrupt the function of the soul. The functions of the soul are knowledge, intelligence, speech, humility, fear and hope, and other good qualities. But when evil lust is mingled with the soul, it destroys all of these good qualities; just as extraneous juices destroy the structure of the body, so does the mixture of lust destroy the work of the soul. Therefore, we must heal the sickness in the same way as we heal the body—just as the sickness which comes from mixtures of the humors needs at the very beginning medicines that will cleanse and purify the wound from within so that the medicine from outside will be of value. For if you should give to the patient a medicament or an ointment or a bandage and the wound is still clearly discernible, the medicament will be of no advantage. It will only unite with the extraneous juices and increase the damage, as it is written (Exodus 1:10), “… and they also will join themselves unto our enemies.” Moreover, what can healing do from the outside when the enemy lurks in ambush from within. He spoils that which you would correct, and between the onslaught of both of them, the body perishes. Therefore, it is necessary to cleanse the body, and when the body is clean, the medicine will be effective. Just as with a soiled curtain—if you want to dye it, the dye will not be fast because of the stains. But if you wash it well it becomes clean. Then, according to its cleanliness, it will receive the dye well. So it is with the soul. When we wash away from it the taints of an evil thought and the lust which stains, then the power of repentance will cleave to it like to a garment which has been washed. And on this subject, King Solomon, peace be unto him, said (Ecclesiastes 9:8), “Let thy garments be always white.” By this, he means cleanliness of the heart, which is to say that your intention at all times should be that your heart be pure, and then you will be able to receive good deeds. So did the prophet say concerning repentance (Isaiah 55:7), “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the man of iniquity his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have compassion upon him.”

The Zohar, in commenting on the line יהי שם השם מבורך, (Job 1,21) divides the word מב-רך into מב =42, the name of the attribute of גבורה, i.e. that G–d had first planned to create the world based on מדת הדין הקשה. Subsequently, this attribute was softened through the co-option of the attribute of רחמים, mercy. After the first 42 letters, we have another 42 letters until the letter ר in the word ויאמר. This is followed by another 42 letters ending before the letter ד in ויבדל. The sign, סימן, of this sequence is ב-ה-ר-ד, with the letter ב referring to בראשית. You find a parallel in Israel's experience in Egypt, when the עבודה קשה, hard labour, was tempered by פה רך soft words, (Exodus 1,14) (the second time the expression פרך is used) The reason that this word also appears prior to עבודה קשה, is to remind us that the wicked are initially allowed to live in peace, only to face יסורים, afflictions, in the Hereafter. The opposite is true of the righteous whose experience in life begins with afflictions. G–d in His righteousness begins with מב i.e. the attribute of Justice, only to co-opt the attribute of Mercy, i.e. מצרף רך, at a later stage. This is why His name is blessed, i.e. מברך. Just as creation began with the מב, so the initial experience in Egypt which emanated from the wicked Pharaoh proceeded in the reverse order, i.e. commencing with פה רך, while ending in עבודה קשה.

The Zohar, in commenting on the line יהי שם השם מבורך, (Job 1,21) divides the word מב-רך into מב =42, the name of the attribute of גבורה, i.e. that G–d had first planned to create the world based on מדת הדין הקשה. Subsequently, this attribute was softened through the co-option of the attribute of רחמים, mercy. After the first 42 letters, we have another 42 letters until the letter ר in the word ויאמר. This is followed by another 42 letters ending before the letter ד in ויבדל. The sign, סימן, of this sequence is ב-ה-ר-ד, with the letter ב referring to בראשית. You find a parallel in Israel's experience in Egypt, when the עבודה קשה, hard labour, was tempered by פה רך soft words, (Exodus 1,14) (the second time the expression פרך is used) The reason that this word also appears prior to עבודה קשה, is to remind us that the wicked are initially allowed to live in peace, only to face יסורים, afflictions, in the Hereafter. The opposite is true of the righteous whose experience in life begins with afflictions. G–d in His righteousness begins with מב i.e. the attribute of Justice, only to co-opt the attribute of Mercy, i.e. מצרף רך, at a later stage. This is why His name is blessed, i.e. מברך. Just as creation began with the מב, so the initial experience in Egypt which emanated from the wicked Pharaoh proceeded in the reverse order, i.e. commencing with פה רך, while ending in עבודה קשה.

This experience led to a refinement of the character of the Jewish people. The Zohar, Parshat Shemot (Sullam edition page 48), quotes Rabbi Shimon: "When the Divine Presence descended into Egypt, (with Jacob), one חיה of the 4 חיות that form the Divine entourage descended with it. This חיה was called "Israel," i.e. it was accompanied by 42 angels (compare Ezekiel 1,5, and the Malbim's comment there. Ed.). These are the בני ישראל that are reported to have descended to Egypt with Jacob (Exodus 1,1).

פרשת שמות which describes the tortures the Jewish people experienced in Egypt, shows how these experiences led to the repentance by the Jewish people, caused them to appeal to G–d. Afflictions cleansed them of their sins. This will be explained in detail in פרשת וארא, where repentance springing from a sincere heart will be described, i.e. repentance originating in the attribute of truth, אמת. The term עבודה will be explained in פרשת בא, whereas the focus of our commentary on פרשת בשלח will, of course, be פרשת יתרו .תפלה concentrates on תורה, whereas פרשת משפטים focuses on דין. The next פרשה i.e. תרומה, emphasizes generosity of heart, i.e. gifts for the erection of the Tabernacle, part of the צדקה syndrome, whereas פרשת תצוה describing the making of the garments for the High Priest, the איש חסד, the pious man, concentrates on the גמילות חסדים aspect of our duties in this world. The first letters of these eight portions suggest four duties that we have to perform, namely תשובה-תפלה-צדקה-תורה. The "word" שובבים, hints at תשובה, as in שובו בנים שובבים, "turn back, rebellious children" (Jeremiah 3,14). How is this to be accomplished? By ת"ת, i.e. through תשובה and תפלה. At the same time, the letters ת"ת are also an acronym for the words תלמוד תורה. The same acronym with the vowel segal under the first letter, i.e. tet "giving," also suggests charity, i.e. צדקה.

There is an interesting Midrash on Psalms 2,2, יתיצבו מלכי ארץ, "The kings of the earth will take their stand, and regents will intrigue together against G–d and His anointed." Rabbi Berechyah quotes Rabbi Levi as saying that the wicked are cursed, since they conspire against Israel. Each one claims to outdo the other in his devious plot. Esau describes Cain as having been foolish, since he killed Abel during Adam's lifetime, enabling Adam to replace Abel with other children. He, Esau was going to wait to kill Jacob until after his father had died and Jacob could no longer be replaced by Isaac siring any other children (Genesis 27,41). Pharaoh considered Esau as having been foolish, since he had overlooked the fact that while he waited, Jacob himself had a chance to sire many children, thus ensuring survival of the Jewish nation. He, Pharaoh, would not go about in in this way, but he would kill the Jewish males as soon as they emerged from their mother's womb (Exodus 1,22). Haman, on the other hand, considered that even Pharaoh had been foolish, since the latter had not realised that when the Jewish girls would marry they would multiply, the children being considered Jewish in Jewish law. Hence he decreed death for all Jews (Esther 3,13). In the future Gog and Magog will consider all former enemies of the Jews as having been fools for having ignored the fact that the Jews have a Patron in Heaven who may come to their rescue. Hence Gog and Magog plan to first contend with said Patron of the Jews, i.e. G–d, and only afterwards to attack Israel itself. This is why the verse in Psalms we quoted, reads "against G–d and His Messiah." G–d is reported as smiling, saying to Gog and Magog that their undertaking is both foolish and arrogant, since they have no idea how heavily outnumbered they will be when G–d employs His lightning, etc. After all, it is written (Isaiah 42,13): "G–d will go forth like a warrior, like a fighter. He will awaken His jealousy like a man of war." It also says (Zachariah 14,9) that "G–d will be king over the entire universe" (after having battled Gog and Magog).

This is why each one of them is quoted as saying "my plan is better than yours." This implied approval of the other party's plan while substituting a still better plan. It seems that Gog and Magog were even more foolish than their predecessors. If they did believe in G–d and in His power, how could they say that they would first attack G–d? If they did not believe in G–d's power, how could they say that Israel had a Patron in Heaven?The answer cannot be that, whereas they did believe in G–d, they only advised how to go about destroying the Jewish people, since this is exactly what Pharaoh tried to do, i.e. Pharaoh also knew that G–d makes the punishment fit the crime, and that therefore he tried to forestall the advent of the Jewish messiah (i.e. Moses) by having him die before he had a chance to develop into the redeemer (Exodus 1,10). It says there הבה נתחכמה לו, "let us outsmart him." It should otherwise have said הבה נתחכמה להם, "let us outsmart them."

I have also told you that these "sparks," i.e. result of these emissions, first surfaced during the generation of the Deluge and the generation of the Tower of Babel. Those generations were similarly remiss. Joseph first circumcised the Egyptians and then transferred them in order to morally refine them. He wanted to repair the damage inflicted on the world through the wasteful seminal emissions by all those generations. He tried to lead those people back to sanctity and the holy covenant by his action. This is the real meaning of Genesis 47,21: ואת העם העביר אותו לערים מקצה גבול מצרים ועד קצהו, "He transferred the people from the cities from one end of Egypt to the other." Joseph had first circumcised the people whom he transferred. The transfer was to refine them morally. In the course of time the mixed multitude that joined the Jewish people at the time of the Exodus were people descended from those whom Joseph had circumcised. This is the mystical dimension of Exodus 1,9: ויאמר אל עמו הנה עם בני ישראל, He said to his people: "Here are the people of the children of Israel, etc." Pharaoh later on referred to the people who became the ערב רב, the fellow travellers.

The Torah refers to the children of Israel twice; once in verse 9, and once in verse 12. Only in the second reference are we told that the Egyptians abhorred the Israelites. The latter reference is to the Jews who were circumcised and who performed slave labour in their own cities while preserving their Jewish way of life, including circumcision. Pharaoh observed another group of people, who, though described as עם בני ישראל, were nonetheless not of Jewish descent. This is why the Torah says: "He said to his (own) people." Although the former (verse 9) group were Egyptians, they did not view themselves as the people of Pharaoh. We are told later of the Egyptians' reaction to the true Jews. This helps to explain the positive function of the exile, namely to collect (in a spiritual sense) the "sparks" of this impurity represented by the seminal emissions which had contributed to making Egypt the ערות הארץ, centre of immorality on earth. This is also one of the deeper reasons for the mixed multitude who joined the Jewish people at the Exodus. Just as it is possible to absorb "sparks" of impurity, it is equally possible to absorb ניצוצות, "sparks" of sanctity. In the case of the mixed multitude, they had absorbed "sparks" of sanctity from the Jewish people and at the right moment this translated into their desire to become part of the Jewish people.

Since Joseph was elevated to the position of king and rode in the מרכבת המשנה, this is a reference to the שר מצרים, the celestial representative of Egypt, who is the most highly placed of all the celestial representatives of the seventy gentile nations. Our sages in Ketuvot 112 have said that Egypt is second only to ארץ ישראל, hence "the second best chariot" is the vehicle suited for the angel representing Egypt in the Heavens. Even though Joseph rose greatly after having been elevated from the status of a slave to that of a temporal king, he did not rise sufficiently for his מרכבה to equal the level of that of his father until the Holy Spirit returned to Jacob. This is alluded to in אלה תולדות יעקב יוסף, that when Jacob was re-united with Joseph, the cherubs representing the male and female (in all their innocence) (cf. Kings I 7,36) were able to unite through the covenant of circumcision in the emanation of יסוד. Although Jacob and family resided in Egypt, they did not feel themselves in exile as long as Joseph ruled. Once a new King arose, as per Exodus 1,8, who reportedly "did not know Joseph," the situation changed. The mystical dimension of Jacob as "one" and of Joseph as "one," means that all twelve tribes are inextricably linked to both Jacob and Joseph. The letter א contains the secret of this unity.

Since Joseph was elevated to the position of king and rode in the מרכבת המשנה, this is a reference to the שר מצרים, the celestial representative of Egypt, who is the most highly placed of all the celestial representatives of the seventy gentile nations. Our sages in Ketuvot 112 have said that Egypt is second only to ארץ ישראל, hence "the second best chariot" is the vehicle suited for the angel representing Egypt in the Heavens. Even though Joseph rose greatly after having been elevated from the status of a slave to that of a temporal king, he did not rise sufficiently for his מרכבה to equal the level of that of his father until the Holy Spirit returned to Jacob. This is alluded to in אלה תולדות יעקב יוסף, that when Jacob was re-united with Joseph, the cherubs representing the male and female (in all their innocence) (cf. Kings I 7,36) were able to unite through the covenant of circumcision in the emanation of יסוד. Although Jacob and family resided in Egypt, they did not feel themselves in exile as long as Joseph ruled. Once a new King arose, as per Exodus 1,8, who reportedly "did not know Joseph," the situation changed. The mystical dimension of Jacob as "one" and of Joseph as "one," means that all twelve tribes are inextricably linked to both Jacob and Joseph. The letter א contains the secret of this unity.

To come back to the words: ראה נתתיך in 7,1, which we questioned on page 413. We must compare it to Deut. 2,24: ראה נתתי בידך את סיחון מלך חשבון האמורי, "See I have given into your hand Sichon the king of Cheshbon the Emorite." G–d humbled the spiritual שר of that king before the feet of Moses. The adversaries of the Jewish people are first defeated in the Celestial Regions, before the Israelites on earth execute a similar judgment on their proteges on earth. The words: ראה נתתיך, refer to what had transpired already in the Celestial Regions. The Zohar (Sullam edition Shemot page 26), commenting on Exodus 1,8: ויקם מלךם חדש על מצרים, "A new king ascended the throne in Egypt," explains that Egypt's predominance in the world only began after the Jewish people had been exiled there. In fact, the stability of any kingdom on earth is only due to Israel. This is why Moses ascended to G–d in order to humble that nation. Simultaneously, the people of Israel ascended to a loftier position to become the "armies" of G–d and to receive the Torah. Bereshit Rabbah 1,1 explains that the universe was only created for the sake of Israel and the Torah, and that the Torah is called ראשית דרכו, based on Proverbs 8,22: השם קנני ראשית דרכו, "The Lord created me at the beginning of His way." Israel is called ראשית תבואה, "first harvest," based on Proverbs 8,19. The Midrash there also mentions that Moses is called ראשית, based on Deut. 33,21.

When he responded, Isaiah only volunteered for the שליחות, G–d's mission, not for the הליכה, which could have passed for his own initiative. G–d had to tell him then that at that point in time He needed a messenger only for the unpleasant part of the mission. This is why He said to him לך ואמרת, "go and say." Similarly, in our case, G–d wanted to provoke Pharaoh so that out of the additional "darkness" the contrast with the "light" of the redemption would be so much greater. In other words, יהי שם השם מברך, first afflictions, then peace, serenity. G–d Himself is with us even while we suffer, i.e. His own name will become greater only in the future. This is the meaning of עמו אנכי בצרה, "I am with Israel when it is in trouble" (Psalms 91,15). There is no greater trouble than that G–d's Presence must exile itself on account of our sins. In Exodus 1,14, וימררו את חייהם בעבודה קשה, "They made their lives miserable with hard labour," the word חייהם refers to that which gives us our strength, i.e. G–d. In other words, the Egyptians made our lives in the Celestial Regions bitter.

This is also the deeper reason that the righteous Miriam and her companions took drums and cymbals (15,20). The word תף, drum is spelled defectively, without the letter ו. This is an allusion to the subjugation of לילית, whose name has the same numerical value as תף, =480. We have read about these destructive forces in page 474. The women's taking up of the מחולות, cymbals, is an allusion to the efforts on their part to neutralise the forces under the command of מחלת. It was most appropriate that righteous women should be the instruments whereby the two "harlots" and their underlings should be defeated.

Having this in mind, we can understand an enigmatic Midrash Rabbah Genesis 63,3 on this פרשה: "These are the descendants of Isaac the son of Abraham, Abraham begat Isaac. Abraham was called Abraham; Isaac was called Abraham for the Torah says "these are the descendants of Abraham, Abraham." Jacob's name was called Israel because the Torah says in Genesis 32,29: "He said to him: 'Your name will no longer be called Jacob but Israel.' Isaac was called Israel, as the Torah says in Exodus 1,1 'And these are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob.' Abraham is called Israel." Rabbi Natan added that there is a profound meaning in: ומושב בני ישראל אשר ישבו במצרים ובארץ כנען ובארץ גשן שלושים שנה וארבע מאות שנה. "The period that the children of Israel lived in Egypt, Goshen and Canaan respectively prior to the Exodus was 430 years."

Why did the Midrash have to mention that Abraham's name was Abraham? Why did the Midrash have to mention that Jacob was called Israel? Both of these facts are recorded in the Torah explicitly! Another difficulty is that since the patriarchs are viewed as a group, why are Jacob and Isaac not also called Abraham? Neither, for that matter, do we find Abraham called Isaac? Why does the Midrash quote the verse from the beginning of the book of Exodus instead of quoting from Parshat Vayigash in which the descent of all the family of Jacob to Egypt is recorded? We find the identical wording to that in Exodus in Genesis 46,8. From that verse it is easier to conclude that Isaac was called Israel than from the verse in Exodus 1,1, since the stress in that latter verse is on the words את יעקב באו, they had come with Jacob. Rabbi Natan's statement emphasizing its profound meaning is puzzling. What profundity is there in his statement?

לא תעשה כל מלאכה. There are thirty nine categories of work which are forbidden on the Sabbath. Rabbi Menachem Habavli writes that these categories correspond to the types of work the Israelites had to perform for the Egyptians during their years of bondage, i.e. the nnfl nnap mentioned in Exodus 1,13. When you look at the letters in the word עבודת פרך by using a method called את,בש,גר,דק, etc., you will find that the letters פ-ר-ך when exchanged with each other according to this method, when added together amount to 39. [compare Sanhedrin 22 on how Daniel deciphered the writing on the wall of Belshazzar's palace by using this method. Ed.] Thus far Rabbi Menachem Habavli. The Sabbath and the Exodus are part of the same utterance by G–d, as I have explained. The mystical dimension of the "private domain" on the Sabbath is that it must be a minimum of י (10) טפחים high and occupy an area of not less than ד (4 by 4) טפחים. 4 by 4 plus 10 equals the numerical value of the Ineffable Name י-ה-ו-ה=26.

On the verse "There was famine in the land" (12,10), Nachmanides writes as follows: Abraham descended to Egypt on account of the famine, in order to spend some time there to keep alive during the drought, and the Egyptians oppressed him by robbing him of his wife. G–d took revenge on them by striking them with great afflictions and G–d led Abraham out from there with livestock, silver and gold. Pharaoh even ordered his men to make sure that Abraham would depart. Abraham's experience was repeated when Jacob and family descended to Egypt to escape the famine in Canaan, when they were eventually oppressed and the Egyptians separated them from their wives. The Israelites were eventually liberated but only after the Egyptians had been smitten with many plagues. Everything that their patriarch Abraham experienced, his descendants experienced on a national scale. The whole matter is explained by Rabbi Pinchas in the name of Rabbi Oshiyah in Bereshit Rabbah 40,6 who has G–d tell Abraham that he should pave the way for his descendants, and that as a result you find that Abraham's experiences foreshadowed those of his descendants. Example: Abraham experienced famine and moved to Egypt; Joseph told his father Israel that there would be five more years of famine (Genesis 45,6).

Some commentators even claim that the tribe of Yehudah had already begun its journey, but was forced to return in her honour. The author of צרור המור writes at the end of Parshat Beha-alotcha, that there was an element of מדה כנגד מדה in this, since it was Yehudah who had exclaimed at the time the brothers wanted to kill Joseph "מה בצע כי נהרוג את אחינו … לכו ונמכרנו" "what profit is there in killing our brother, let us rather sell him!" This comment was held against him (Genesis 37,26). Miriam, by her very nature ignored material gains, as is evident from the danger she put herself in when defying Pharaoh's instructions to kill all male Jewish babies. On the contrary, she actively helped them survive. The repetition of the statement ותחיינה את הילדים in Exodus 1,18, suggests that she provided victuals for them out of her personal funds. This is why she experienced the honour of the tribe of Yehudah returning to wait for her until she had been healed of her צרעת.

Some commentators even claim that the tribe of Yehudah had already begun its journey, but was forced to return in her honour. The author of צרור המור writes at the end of Parshat Beha-alotcha, that there was an element of מדה כנגד מדה in this, since it was Yehudah who had exclaimed at the time the brothers wanted to kill Joseph "מה בצע כי נהרוג את אחינו … לכו ונמכרנו" "what profit is there in killing our brother, let us rather sell him!" This comment was held against him (Genesis 37,26). Miriam, by her very nature ignored material gains, as is evident from the danger she put herself in when defying Pharaoh's instructions to kill all male Jewish babies. On the contrary, she actively helped them survive. The repetition of the statement ותחיינה את הילדים in Exodus 1,18, suggests that she provided victuals for them out of her personal funds. This is why she experienced the honour of the tribe of Yehudah returning to wait for her until she had been healed of her צרעת.