Shemos-2015-2

· Let’s discuss three insights that this Parsha can give into the way that Hashem acts towards people.

· MIDAH 1 - HASHEM HAS GREAT PATIENCE TOWARDS PEOPLE WHO DON’T SEE THINGS HIS WAY

· Hashem talking with Moshe at the burning bush

· 3:10 – “Now go.  I am sending you to Pharaoh and you will bring My people, the Benei Yisrael, out of Egypt”.
Moshe said to Hashem, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?  Am I able to bring the Bnei Yisrael out of Egypt?” 
Hashem said, “Because I will be with you.”
Moshe said to Hashem, “When I come to the Bnei Yisrael and say to them, The G-d of your fathers sent me to you’, they will say to me, “What is His name”, what should I say to them?”
Hashem said to Moshe, “I will be what I will be.”
Moshe answered and said, “They will not believe me.”
Hashem then showed Moshe 3 miracles to show them:

o turning stick to snake and back again,

o turning hand white and back again,

o turning water to blood

Moshe said to Hashem, “I beg you Hashem, I am not a man of words. I have clumsy speech.”
Hashem said, “Now go. I will be your mouth, and teach you what to say.”
Moshe said, “I beg you Hashem, please send the one You usually send.”
Hashem displayed anger towards Moshe and said, “I will teach you what to do. Take this rod in your hand, for with it you will perform miraculous signs.”

· Rashi, For an entire seven days Hashem tried to persuade Moshe to go on his mission.

· This is similar to Hashem’s talking so patiently with Kayen.
Bereshis 4:5 – Kayin became very angry and depressed. 
Hashem  said to Kayin, “Why are you angry?  Why are you depressed? If you improve, there is forgiveness, but if you do not improve, sin rests at the entrance. Its desire is directed towards you, but you can dominate it.”
Kayin rose up against his brother, Hevel, and killed him.

· Obviously Moshe was more responsive to Hashem than Kayin, story with Moshe has a better ending.
But you can see the great patience that Hashem shows.

· We can learn from this the way we should have patience towards are children, and students, when they don’t get the message of what you are trying to tell them.

· MIDAH 2 - HASHEM CAN EXHIBIT A SWIFT AND DEVASTING MIDAS HADIN THAT CAN COME WITHOUT WARNING AND WITHOUT EXPLANATION

· Immediately after dialog at burning bush, of Hashem’s patience for 7 days.

· 4:24 – Along the way, at the inn, Hashem confronted him, and wanted to kill him. Tziporah took a flint-stone and cut off her son’s foreskin, and threw it at his feet, saying, “You are a bridegroom of blood to me.”

· Rashi explains “Hashem wanted to kill Moshe because he did not circumcise his son, Eliezer, and because he was negligent, he was chayiv misah, deserved the punishment of death.”

· There is a Machloches in Nedarim 32b as to what was Moshe’s avera, sin.

· If it’s not clear to us, it probably wasn’t clear to Moshe.

· Chagigah 10a – The difference between what is permissible and what is not permissible is like a mountain hanging by a hair.

· Gives an example – digging a hole in the ground on Shabbos.  If the person want the earth, it’s OK.  If want to improve the ground, Chayiv Korase or even Misah if warning with 2 witnesses.

· This lightning strike of the Midas Hadin is similar to what happened with Nadav and Avihu.

· Right after the inauguration of the Mishkan, a joyous day.

· Vayikra 9:24 – A fire came forth from Hashem and consumed what was on the alter, the burnt offering and the fats.  All the people saw and they raised their voices in praise.”

· Right after that, “Nadav and Avihu, Aharon’s sons, took each of them his fire-pan, placed fire on it and then placed incense upon it and they brought before Hashem a strange fire which He had not commanded them.  A fire came forth from before Hashem and consumed them, and they died in the presence of Hashem.”

· Yevamos 121b – Hashem holds the righteous to a much higher standard of behavior.

· Machloches about what they were guilty of. 

· Rashi says, “Rabbi Eliezer says, they rendered halachic decisions in the presence of Moshe. Rabbi Yishmael says, they were intoxicated with wine when they entered the Mishkan.

· Sanhendrin 22a - Says they talked disrespectfully about Moshe and Aharon.

· MIDAH 3- HASHEM DOES NOT REVEAL THE PURPOSE OF HIS GRAND PLAN - HIS OVERALL STRATEGY IS INSCRUTABLE - HE ‘PLAYS HIS CARDS CLOSE TO HIS VEST’

· Every once in a while Hashem reveals glimpses of His grand plan, but it’s very difficult to connect the dots.

· Bereshis 12:1 – Hashem said to Avram, Lech Lecha from your land, from your birthplace, and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you, and I will make you into a great nation.  I will bless you and make your name great.”

· Bereshis 15:17 – Bris Habisorm, Covenant of the Parts - The sun set and it became very dark; and a smoking furnace and a flaming torch had passed between these pieces.”

· Shemos 2:23- Bnei Yisroel moaned because of their enslavement, and they cried.  Their plea about their enslavement went up to Hashem.  Hashem heard their groaning and He remembered His covenant with Avrahahm, Yitzchak, and Yaakov.”

· This was after almost 210 years of slavery. Hashem doesn’t say explicitly why He caused or allowed the Jews to be slaves in Egypt for so long, with so much suffering.

· Some people speculate that the Jews needed to be in a Coor HaBarzel, an Iron Furnace, so they would learn Avdus so that they could be avadim to Hashem.

· But this is mere speculation.

· Shemos 19:6 – “You shall be My special treasure among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine. You will be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation, mamlechet Kohanim ve Goy Kadosh.

· That’s about as close as Hashem comes to spelling out His grand plan – and it really isn’t that clear.

· Bottom line – Hashem’s overall strategy is basically inscrutable.

· This is a very useful Parsha for understanding the Ways of Hashem.

· But bottom line, it could be said that Hashem hides more of Himself than He reveals.

· As Hashem tells Moshe on Har Sinai – Shemos 33:20 “You cannot see my face, because no one can see My face and live.”

· Is this because Hashem is unknowable?

· Or because He hides His presence from us?

· Even this we don’t know.