INSIGHTS TO THE PARSHA

SHEMOS

"They cried out because of their slavery,

THE FUTURE

By Dr. Yossi Shwartz

Adapted from the teachings of Lubavitcher Rebbe We live in a world that has a past, a present and a future. The past is our history. We study it, we learn from it, and we use it to guide us in the present. The present in now. We attempt to seize its numerous opportunities and we try to avoid wasting it. The future is often a question mark. Sometimes we plan and prepare for it and sometimes we just let it happen.

Let us examine two situations that involve events that will occur in the future. Imagine a young woman who learns that she is soon going to be reunited with her mother. This woman has been separated from her mother for many years and greatly misses her. Since the woman knows her mother extremely well and has had a strong relationship with her, she is tremendously excited about reuniting with her. In the weeks leading up to their reunion, the woman often finds herself visualizing and thinking about her mother. In her mind, she frequently reviews man of the "good times" which they have had together. She plans for this future get-together and she tries to prepare herself for it.

Now imagine another young woman. She has two loving parents who had adopted her in her infancy. From an early age in her life she was quite aware that she was adopted and that some day, she would have the opportunity to meet her biological parents. The only knowledge that she has of her bio parents is that according to someone who met them once, they seemed to be "nice people."

Throughout her life, she has never been particularly preoccupied or intrigued by the idea of meeting them although she has never objected to the idea either. She was always content with her busy life. She rarely wonders about her bio parents but when she does, she is just puzzled by the meaning of the phrase "nice people." Why do these two example of future events elicit such different responses? In the case of the woman who is going to be reunited with a mother that she knows and loves, she intensely anticipates the reunion. She plans, prepares and fanaticizes about it. These feelings and actions are fueled by her familiarity, closeness, and her detailed knowledge of her mother.

In contrast, the adopted child is passive. The opportunity to meet her bio parents in the future is something that she neither hopes for nor seeks. Although she will eventually meet them she is too content and too busy with the rest of the her life to pursue, plan, or prepare for that future meeting right now. Since she knows next to nothing about them, there is very little that drives and motivate her to seek them out. They are merely an amorphous and vague mystery to her. She is more or less satisfied with the way thing are in the present and her emotional connect to her bio parents is cold.

These two scenarios are metaphors regarding our potential relationship to Moshiach and the Messianic era. The key difference between the two illustrations is one's understanding and knowledge of the future reality. Since we have free choice, we certainly have the option of being passive and ignorant of this new reality that will transform the world. Since we are all busy with our jobs, our families, and our spirits, we have ample justification to our ignorance and our disconnection.

The other option involves a rich and meaningful understanding of this phenomenal new world order that lies in our future By learning about how our world will change, you will gain a profound appreciation for the vague thing that people call "moshiach." You will also realize that our present situation pales in comparison to the awesome nature of this period that awaits us in the future. Furthermore, by grasping the many concepts that comprise this transformation (in a manner you can relate to and internalize), you will actually begin to long for this special time.

Moshiach is something that every person can learn about and look forward to. It is something that we can plan for and ready ourselves for. By acquiring an intimate familiarity of its details, an individual can even begin to see how aspects of this new reality are already beginning to unfold.

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Tales for the Shabbos Table

This week's section begins THE ultimate story:

An entire nation of over two million slaves, through no power of their own, decimated one of the greatest superpowers of all time. They all escaped at once to freedom....to hear the Creator of the Universe tell them, in great detail, exactly what the purpose of the Creation is.

This story has no comparison in world history and barely a place in human imagination. No religion, even those that claim to replace Judaism. No author, even of the most surreal fiction, has even come close to duplicating it.

Yet it is the best documented and validated event ever to occur. It was observed by millions of people who repeated it in its exact form to their offspring non-stop till this very day for over 3,300 years.

And it is the most important and meaningful as well. It is the basis of all morality and without it even the most 'civilized' and 'ethical' of societies became monsters of death and destruction as we saw so clearly in Nazi Germany just years ago. Namely that G-d has a plan for, cares about and gets actively involved in His creation.

This is the firm foundation and unique message of Judaism. And every detail of this story has immense depth and purpose.

For instance:

In his week's section Moses sees a burning bush, approaches it and there G-d appears and requests from him to lead the Jews from Egypt. Whereupon Moses asks: (3:13)

"When the people ask Your name what will I tell them?"

And G-d replies to tell them that - "I AM THAT I AM".

Obviously this conversation has a deeper meaning than meets the eye.

G-d already told Moses His name at the beginning of the conversation. Not only that, but the Jews knew G-d's name since the days of Abraham, Issac and Jacob. So why did Moses ask? And why was Moses so sure the people would ask for G-d's name in the first place? What difference would it make? What is so important about G-d's name? And why would this new name of 'I AM' satisfy them?

To answer this here is a story.

This story started on a Shabbat which was a few days before Chanukah in the year 1974 in Brooklyn. The Lubavitcher Rebbe was speaking in his large synagogue to a group of almost a thousand Chassidim who were standing crowded on makeshift pyramids of tables and chairs to see this holy Jew and hear every word he spoke.

The speeches were long, deep and interesting and were separated by joyous song and occasional 'L'Chiams'. Then suddenly the Rebbe announced something
and everyone fell silent to hear.

"Where is Glick from London?!" People began looking around, asking each other if they had seen him. Again the Rebbe announced "Where is Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Glick?"

But he was nowhere to be found. In fact Rabbi Glick wasn't even there! He was in Spain, and the Rebbe knew it!!

But only a month later did it become clear what had happened.

Rabbi Glick was a successful businessman; his whole life had been devoted to business, until he met the Lubavitcher Rebbe ten years ago. At this first meeting the Rebbe said to him:

"You manufacture light bulbs, correct? A bulb lights only when one turns it on. Similarly, everywhere you happen to be you must 'turn on' Jewish souls."

And since then his life became 'turning on Jews' and his business transformed into a means of spreading Judaism where and whenever possible.

Back to our story. While the Rebbe was asking about him in Brooklyn, Rabbi Glick was on a business trip together with his wife in Barcelona, Spain. His plan was to travel from there to Madrid and then to Lisbon, Portugal. But the next day the phone in his hotel room rang; it was one of the Rebbe's secretaries. The Rebbe wanted him to travel to the isle of Majorca.

Because the message did not sound urgent, Rabbi Glick thought that he could put off Majorca until after he finished the circuit he had planned - but it wasn't so.

When he and his wife arrived in the airport for their Madrid flight on Thursday they discovered that mysteriously all the flights to that destination had been cancelled. So, seeing this as a sign from above, they bought two tickets to Majorca and boarded the next flight. Instead of spending Chanukah in Madrid and Portugal they would be in Majorca.

Only moments after the plane took off they began to understand why the Rebbe sent them. The skies suddenly blackened and severe storm winds began tossing the plane back and forth, up and down like a toothpick. The end was near! The passengers, even grown men, began screaming and weeping hysterically like children and pandemonium reigned.

But he and especially his wife were calm. They were sure that if the Rebbe sent them there was ABSOLUTELY nothing to worry about, and their calmness was the only thing that literally kept everyone sane.

When they miraculously landed in Majorca the pilots and passengers could not thank the Glicks enough. And meanwhile they discovered what happened to their Madrid flight; the Prime Minister of Spain had been assassinated by a terrorist bomb, Madrid had been closed off and the country was in an upheaval. They immediately headed for the largest hotel.

No sooner had they arrived then they received another call from the Rebbe's office. It was Rabbi Leibel Groner, the Rebbe's secretary, on the other end. The Rebbe had just finished writing two very long and interesting 'general letters' to be sent to all his Chassidim and he wanted Rabbi Glick to have both translated into Spanish and read them to all the Jews in the Hotel he was staying.

Rabbi Glick knew that this would be no small task. First of all, he was very tired from his trying journey and in those days there were no fax machines, it would take hours to properly dictate and copy the letters over the phone. Secondly, it would take most of the night to translate such a thing - providing he found a translator who would be willing and able to do the job. Thirdly, who knows if the people in the hotel were Jews? And even so, if they would be willing to listen to such a long religious megillah from an unknown Rabbi in New York!

But a Chassid follows orders joyously! That night Rabbi Glick didn't sleep. He copied the letters, found a translator and early the next morning went to have it copied.

The next evening was Shabbat Chanukah. After the meal in the hotel, Rabbi Glick who had already discovered that most of the guests were Jewish, stood on one of the chairs, yelled out a cheerful "Good Shabbos everyone!" made a
L'chiam and announced, in broken Spanish, that he had stayed up the entire previous night preparing a special treat for everyone - a letter to the world from the Lubavitcher Rebbe!! And now he wanted to read it to them.

To his pleasant surprise the people were interested. Some of them had been on that flight from Barcelona and the word got around that he was a different sort of Rabbi.

He handed out the letters and then sat with the guests for several hours reading and discussing each idea late into the Shabbos night. The impression it made on them was awesome beyond words! Many announced they would begin to do commandments and some actually began to dance and sing with joy after hearing so many meaningful and positive Jewish ideas.

The rest of the week his work was made easy. He and his wife contacted other Jews in Majorca from a list that they were given and the news of that miraculous Shabbos went before them.

The excitement was great. Jews that had become almost completely estranged from Judaism suddenly became interested.

Even the wealthiest Jew (and perhaps most assimilated) on the island not only took on himself to begin to put on Tefillin daily but actually ordered a huge Chanukah Menorah to be built and immediately installed on the top of his penthouse where the entire island would see it burn for the remaining nights of the holiday!

Several weeks later, after they returned home, Rabbi Glick and his wife received a long letter of thanks from the Lubavitcher Rebbe in English (so as to advertise it more widely) that promised; "This success will serve as an inspiration and encouragement for even greater successes in the future!"

And shortly thereafter, Rabbi Hodokov the Rebbe's personal secretary called him and explained why the Rebbe had strangely called his name that Shabbos.

"The Rebbe said to tell you that he knew you weren't in the room. He just wanted to give you powers to succeed in your Chanukah mission in Europe. The Rebbe was with you all the time."

This answers our questions.

The Jewish people knew G-d's names; they had been passed down from the forefathers. G-d's names are important because they relate to His various aspects: One name relates to His kindness, another for His Severity, another His Mercy etc. By knowing G-d's names we realize that G-d is not just infinitely distant from the world but He relates and is connected to the every detail of creation as well: He is infinitely close.

This was what worried Moses. He was apprehensive that the Jews would ask him; "We know alot of G-d's names and the aspects they represent. We also know that G-d's main name is that of Mercy.

"What we want to know is...what is the name, the aspect of G-d, that allows his children to suffer in Egyptian bondage for two hundred and ten years!!!

To this G-d answered "I AM that I AM".

"Just as they suffer, SO I SUFFER WITH THEM!!! And it is that same infinite "I AM" that will miraculously take them out when the proper time has come, AND NOW THE PROPER TIME HAS COME!!!

They only have to WANT to follow you out.

(This is the explanation of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Shabbos Parshat Shmot
5744)

Something like how the Rebbe was with Rabbi Glick on the endangered plane and in the miraculous success that came thereafter.

This is very very relevant to each of us today.

For almost two thousand years we Jews have been suffering in a terrible exile yearning, praying and doing everything possible to bring Moshiach. Because, like Moses, ONLY Moshiach can free us.

There have been many disappointments, far too many! But now, in our generation, the Lubavitcher Rebbe announced time and time again that the awaited redemption has arrived. The Jewish people (and, so to speak, HaShem with them!) have suffered enough!!

Moshiach is here! All the work has been completed and the generation is ready. All we need to do is to learn about Moshiach (see www.ohrtmimim.org/torah Moshiach essay) and really WANT REDEMPTION NOW.

Even ONE person can tilt the scale and bring....

Moshiach NOW!

Rabbi Tuvia Bolton
Yeshiva Ohr Tmimim
Kfar Chabad, Israel

Tales for the Shabbos Table

This week's section is called, in Hebrew, 'Names'.

It begins with a list of the names of the tribes, and it contains an interesting dialogue between Moses and G-d by the burning bush about G-d's names (3:13).

At first glance this is not understood; we already know the names of the tribes from the book of Genesis why say them again?

It also isn't clear why Moses wants to know G-d's name and even more unclear what G-d answers him:

First G-d says His name is 'I will be' Then He says it is 'the L-rd', then 'The G-d of your fathers' then "The G-d of Abraham, the G-d of Issac, the G-d of Jacob".

What is G-d trying to say here? Why so many names?

Also is there any connection between G-d's names and the names of the tribes?

To answer I would like to tell a story.

The fourth Rebbe of Chabad, Rebbe Shmuel used to speak very highly of the Cantonistim; Jews of unusual self-sacrifice that had been 'snatched' from their homes from the age of five years and up to serve in the Czar's army as part of a cruel plan to 'persuade' them to leave Judaism. But overall, despite the years of tortures and brainwashing most of them clung to their Jewish identity.

On the Rosh HaShanna of 5639 (1879) the Rebbe told the following awesome story of the Cantonist Shimon Levin.

The Rebbe's father (third Rebbe of Chabad the 'Tzemach Tzedik') often visited groups of these brave soldiers and in one of his speeches he included the words, "One must sacrifice one's life rather than one's Judaism. Even if the Czar himself personally tells you to change your religion you must sacrifice yourself rather than obey him."

These words, spoken from the soul, had a deep effect on one sailor by the name of Shimon Levin.

Shimon was an excellent and devoted soldier of the Czar. He loved his job and was one of the best, perhaps the very best, sailor in the Czar's royal navy to the point that he was called by his compatriots called him Semion Bodri (Shimon the brave).

He had been promoted to the rank of officer and served at the naval base in Svastopol on the Black sea. Then, one glorious day, the base received notice that the Czar was to personally make a visit.

It is hard for us to imagine the fear and awe that the very mention of the Czar's name inspired in every Russian citizen no less an actual personal visit by his Royal Highness! The very thought filled the sailors with trepidation and trembling.

When the glorious day arrived the base had been scrubbed and polished for the visit and the sailors had a grand reception prepared. The band played, everyone was dressed in immaculately clean and pressed uniforms, even the decks of the ships gleamed. But the highlight of the day was something very special.

The commander of the base climbed to a platform, stood to his full height. The music stopped, everyone was silent, and he announced before the Czar that in honor of his royal Majesty, one of the officers would to perform an act of unmatched skill and unequaled bravery. The commander swung his finger majestically up pointing to the highest ship mast in the harbor some twenty meters high.

Again the drums began to roll and suddenly stopped.

Shimon Levin, in full battle gear, stood at the foot of the mast, saluted and bowed to the Czar and then, without hesitating climbed briskly up the mast, stood erect on its very point and, as the crowd gasped in amazement, jumped into thin air, arched his back and dived gracefully into the sea.

The crowd broke into applause as Shimon swam to shore, walked up to the Czar and bowed deeply.

The Czar was ecstatic. "Who is this man!?" he asked excitedly.

"His name is Semion Bodri the commander proudly replied.

"The Czar called out "Semion Bodri! I want you reward you. We will have another celebration at this same time here tomorrow!" And everyone once again applauded.

The next day the scene was repeated, but this time there were tens of new officials that the Czar wanted to impress and Shimon was wearing dry garments.

The Czar was to the point. He stood proudly and announced "Semion Bodri, you are a true soldier, a credit to the Royal Navy, and a Jewel in the crown of Mother Russia."Because of your act of power and splendor that you demonstrated yesterday I hereby promote you to the rank of General! Congratulations!" The crowd broke into wild applause, the sailors began singing a patriotic song and the band played along.

But when it all ended Shimon just stood there without a smile on his face. "Your majesty" he replied. "I am truly grateful but according to the laws which your highness has made it is forbidden for me to accept your magnificent gift." Silence reigned, only the wind could be heard whistling through the masts. "I am a Jew, your majesty and it is forbidden for a Jew to rise above the rank of petty officer."

The Czar was surprised and embarrassed. He had planned to brag before his generals and ministers and this Jew had made him look foolish.

"Then you will change your religion!" He announced angrily. "Do you hear me officer Bodri?! You will change your religion and become a general! NOW! "

"Your majesty!" answered Shimon. "With your majesty's permission, first I would like to repeat the feat that I performed yesterday for your royal highness."

Without waiting for an answer and before anyone knew what was happening, Shimon ran in the direction of the mast, swooped up his gear and, without stopping, put it on as he was running. Even more swiftly than yesterday he climbed to the peak, stood there proudly, the wind blowing through his hair and announced loudly enough for all to hear.

"Your majesty, Twelve years I have been serving in the Russian navy and I love my service with all my soul. But know, my King, that above all I am a Jew. Through my entire service I have kept the Sabbath and never eaten forbidden foods. I will never leave the G-d of Israel. 'Shma Yisroel HaShem Elokenu HaShem Echaud!!"

Again he gracefully dived from the mast arching in the air like a javelin before plunging down into the blue sea. But this time he did not come up.

Shimon the brave had conquered the Czar of Russia.

Three days later his body washed up on shore. The Czar was asked what to do and ordered that the body should be kept in a coffin under military guard for three days and then buried in the State cemetery.

But in Shimon's camp were two other Cantonists that had different plans. They could not bear the idea that a fellow Jew, especially their friend Shimon, should not have a Jewish burial.

They came up with a bold plan. Late the next night they stole into the cemetery, dug up a recently buried body, returned to Shimon's guarded body, left their corpse some distance away and managed to convince the guards to have a few drinks. When the guards were dead drunk, they switched corpses and whisked Shimon to his rest in grave they had dug earlier in a distant part of the forest.

But somehow their daring feat was discovered, perhaps it was one of the guards or maybe someone saw them in the forest. In any case they were arrested and tortured to make them reveal the grave but their lips remained sealed.

One died under torture and the other was killed by firing squad but to this day the location of Shimon's grave is unknown.

This answers our questions. A name is a connector. When one has a name he can be called; his identity can be felt in the world.

That is what is so special about the Jews not changing their 'names' in Egypt; despite the difficult two hundred year exile they did not change their identities, their connection to one another to life and to Judaism.

Similarly the Names of G-d are ways that G-d 'connects' to the world and how we connect to Him. That is what Moses meant when he said to G-d at the burning bush (3:13) "The Jewish people will as me what is Your name, what will I tell them?"

In other words, the Jews will want to know how to connect to You, G-d. Are you so distant that you are unapproachable? And if not then what is Your name; how can You be approached?

That is what G-d answered. I am certainly much nearer than you can imagine, but I am also much further:

According to Kabballa the name "I will be" is the mystery of mysteries and the concealed of concealed above even the spiritual.

The name "L-rd" however is closer; it implies that G-d is the Creator of all being, past, present and future at once.

Even closer is "the G-d of your fathers" A personal and intimate G-d that hears all prayers and forgives all sins.

But finally G-d reveals the true answer to the question. The way to approach Him is as the fathers did; 'M'sirut Nefesh' (self sacrifice).

Each person is different (therefore it says the G-d of Abraham, the G-d of Issac etc.) but the common theme and essence of their service and ours is self sacrifice.

And the result of such service is 'Kiddush HaShem' literally 'Sanctifying' or more properly 'Revealing G-d's NAME' just like Shimon the brave in our story.

This is why Abraham, Issac and Jacob are called the fathers of Judaism; they were the first to do it. And that is why the Rebbe's praised the Cantonists because they continued the path of the fathers.

But today the Lubavitcher Rebbe assures us that all this can be done through joy, charity and brotherly love. We are standing on the shoulders of the millions that have sacrificed themselves before us through the ages. Today can reveal G-d's name by spreading Torah, Mitzvoth and devoting all our energy; actions, speech and thought to do all we can to reveal.....

Moshiach NOW!!

Rabbi Tuvia Bolton
Yeshiva Ohr Tmimim
Kfar Chabad Israel

Torah Online Site: http://www.ohrtmimim.org/torah

Tales for the Shabbos Table

At the end of this week's section, we see Moses doing three "introductory" miracles for the Jewish people. The first of which was turning his staff into a snake and then back again.

Maimonides writes (Yesodi Ha Torah 8:1) that the Jews believed in Moses because they heard G-d speak to him at Mount Siani, but not because of the miracles he did; miracles can be done by magicians as well.

The reason Moses did the miracles, was only in order to provide for the needs of the people; when they were hungry and thirsty he provided Manna from heaven, and water from a rock. When they wanted freedom he did the ten plagues etc.

If so, why did he turn the staff into a snake and then back again? It didn't provide for any needs, and the Torah tells us that Pharaoh's magicians in fact did pretty much the same thing?

I'd like to explain with a story I heard from Rabbi Yosi Jacobson in Crown Heights.

The Rebbe once heard that a liberal law had just been passed in New York condoning certain immoral conduct in the public schools. The Rebbe wanted to protest publicly, but he knew it would be much more effective if the other orthodox groups would do so first.

He called Rabbi Jacobson's father, the editor-in-chief of a well-known Jewish newspaper the Algemainer Journal, and asked him to please contact all the groups (almost a hundred of them) and see if they would issue public statements in his paper.

Mr Jacobson did so and even succeed somewhat, but when he reported the results to the Rebbe he added that there were many that refused to participate, and even got angry and yelled at him saying, "What are you mixing into the problems of the Non-Jews? Haven't we got enough problems of our own, before you go out to cure the world?"

The Rebbe answered and said, "What can I do? I just can't stand it if "Atzulus" is not united with Assia!"

("Atzilus" is the highest level of holiness, "Assia" the lowest - as it is in this world).

Here is a similar story I heard from one of the Rebbe's personal
secretaries, Rabbi Laibel Groner.

One of the Rebbe's distant relatives, a middle-aged woman, had been feeling very ill. She went to see a doctor who gave her a check up, and advised her that she had no other choice than to make a difficult and dangerous operation as soon as possible.

As could be expected, she was very apprehensive, and because of her family connection decided to call the Rebbe's wife at home and ask for the Rebbe's blessing and advice.

The Rebbe's wife said that although she could not promise, she would try to mention it to him when he arrived home. And sure enough that evening, she found an opportunity and asked. The Rebbe immediately replied that the woman should definitely NOT have the operation.

The next day when the relative called back to see if there was a reply, she was relieved to hear the Rebbe's advice. But on the other hand, she was feeling so poorly that she wasn't able to leave the hospital.

The next day the Rebbe's wife received another urgent call from the woman. The doctor's were driving her crazy. They said that refusal to have the operation was tantamount to suicide, and in fact she was feeling worse and worse every hour, and she felt she had no other choice than to let them carry out the operation. After all they were experts,they were so sure of themselves and it was becoming impossible to say no.

She begged the Rebbe's wife to ask the Rebbe again.

"Once the Rebbe says something he rarely changes his mind" she answered. "I won't ask him. But if he asks me about you then I'll tell him what you said".

Sure enough the first thing the Rebbe did when he arrived home was to ask about the woman.

"Well, she called again and said she is feeling very ill and the doctors are putting severe pressure on her to have the operation" his wife replied.

The Rebbe thought for a few seconds and said. "No, she has to search the entire hospital for a doctor who is willing to try another approach to cure her disease. But in any case she must NOT make the operation."

The Rebbe's wife relayed the answer and the woman's family began searching the hospital for another doctor.

Finally, late that night they found a doctor in another department who was willing to have a look, but only on the condition that no one knew of his visit. Somehow they got him into her room, and after a short examination he announced that he was willing to try something, but with absolutely no guarantees.

He would give her an injection of a certain drug. If she responded favorably, then they would have to move her to his department and only then would he be willing to finish the treatment.

They readily agreed. He gave her the injection, and sure enough an hour later they could see the improvement. She was moved into his department, he continued the treatment, and several weeks later she left the hospital a completely cured woman!

Of course the first thing she did when she arrived home was call the Rebbe's wife to thank the Rebbe for saving her life.

Rabbi Groner was present when the Rebbe's wife relayed the message of thanks and the Rebbe replied. "I just saw that if she made that operation she wouldn't come off the operating table alive."

Then he hesitated for a few seconds and continued. "People have to understand that when we (the Rebbes) say something they have to listen, even if they don't understand."

This is the meaning of this first "sign". Moses was trying to tell the Jewish people two things. Firstly, don't think that evil (represented by the serpant) is separate from, or more powerful than G-d (Moshe's
staff). Evil, even such powerful evils as Pharaoh and all Egypt, is just another creation. G-d creates it and He can negate it when He so desires. As G-d would later say in the first of the Ten Commandments: "I am G-d THAT TOOK YOU OUT OF EGYPT" - "Atzilus" must be united with "Assia".

Secondly, this transformation can be accomplished ONLY by Moses. Only he has the staff, and only he has the courage, vision and power to go into Pharaoh and demand freedom. But Moses requires the unquestioning support of all the Jewish people.

So this is why Moses did the "sign" of transforming the staff. To teach the people the theme of the plagues. And Secondly, to win their loyalty and assistance.

Similarly it will be in the final redemption by Moshiach. The Lubavitch Rebbe says this redemption has already begun and Moshiach has already arrived. Soon the evil will be transformed, as Maimonides says and as we say three times daily in the Alenu prayer, and the entire world will only be occupied only in knowing and living the truth.

But this depends on us. We must learn all we can about Moshiach (especially the books Lekuti Torah and Torah Ohr) and do, say, and even think of all we can to reveal him even one second earlier.

Moshiach NOW!

Rabbi Tuvia Bolton
Yeshiva Ohr Tmimim
Kfar Chabad Israel

Torah Online Site: http://www.ohrtmimim.org/torah

Tales for the Shabbos Table

This week’s Torah Portion section talks about the Exile of the Jews in Egypt and it is filled with questions from the beginning to the end.

First, what has the title ‘Shmos’, which means ‘Names’, got to do with the topic of this Portion; exile?

Next… Why did G-d put the Jews into Egypt for 210 years of torture and slavery for no apparent reason! Certainly Almighty G-d, could have accomplished what He wanted without all that Jewish suffering.

Third … One of the highlights of the entire Torah (found in our section) is when G-d personally appears in the burning bush (‘Sneh’). It is here that Moshe receives what is probably the most historically important message of all time; “I am going to take the Jews from bondage.”

Why wasn’t such a monumental message given from a mountain of fire, or an ocean of blinding light! Why a ‘Sneh’? A Sneh is a type of bush that doesn’t even have berries! What is the King of the Universe doing in a place like that??!

Finally; in the very end of our section Moshe follows G-d’s orders and convinces the Jews that the bondage is over and he is going to lead them out of Egypt … and instead of getting better the bondage actually got WORSE! What was the point?

To help answer, here is a story.

Shlomi and Mendel had been friends from youth. They went to Cheder and Yeshiva (elementary and advanced Torah school) together, entered into business together and now succeeded together. Today it was even possible to say that they were millionaires by Russian standards. Their success had been dizzying. Just five years ago they were sitting in Yeshiva learning Talmud all day and their entire world was within the boundaries of the Jewish quarter in Minsk and now they were international entrepreneurs.

They were so busy making money that neither had married yet; they simply had not found the time. And then there was the problem of religion.

It seems that as they rose to riches they had left not only their financial pasts but their Jewish ones also. Travel had ‘opened their eyes’; the black and white pages of the Torah did not compare to the colorful landscapes and free lifestyles of Berlin, Paris or Vienna.

Most important, they were now happy, successful and on the move. In fact at that moment they were in a carriage traveling to Minsk for an important business deal. They had made good time today, the weather was beautiful and their spirits were high.

As the sun was setting, and in those days, over two hundred years ago, night travel was impossible, they stopped in a village on the way and entered an inn in order to have a meal and a good night’s sleep.

The small dining room was empty when they entered but there soon appeared the innkeeper, a rather large friendly old man who greeted them with a smile, showed them to a table and asked them warmly what they wanted to eat. When they requested a menu he stared at them deeply for a few seconds and asked in a pleasant tone, “Excuse me, but aren’t you gentlemen Jewish?”

They smiled and looked at each other briefly with raised eyebrows’ and replied, “The fact is that we are Jewish, but what difference does it make?” “Well” answered the innkeeper “I can bring you kosher food, that’s what you call it isn’t it, ‘kosher’? Well I can get you some; it will just take a few minutes longer, maybe a half hour. Do you want to wait?”

They looked again at one another gave a sigh of relief and answered with a chuckle, motioning with their hands as if to say ‘don’t make a big deal out of it Please bring us some good meat and wine. Don’t worry about the price, just make it the best you have.”

“Fine,” the innkeeper replied, “just wait here for a few minutes, and I’ll be right back with some wine. The meat will take a bit longer.” And the old man left the room.

They sat back and lit up cigarettes, blowing smoke rings in the air and talking business.

Suddenly the door burst open and the innkeeper entered like a wild animal, his face red as a beet with fury and an insane murderous look in his eyes. His sleeve was rolled up baring a muscular arm and in his upraised hand he held …. a huge razor-sharp hatchet. “You are going to die!!” he screamed, “You are both dead men!! I am a robber and a murderer, and you two fat Jews are just what I’ve been waiting for!! Put your hands on the table and don’t move. THAT’S IT put ‘em on the table fast. One move and I start chopping!” He raised the hatchet even more menacingly, as though any instant he would bring it sweeping down upon them. “NO!!! NO!!” They screamed, weeping, hands glued to the table, petrified with fear. “NO!!! Please, OH G-d PLEASE NO!!!”

“AAAHH” Said the innkeeper “You Jews like to pray ehh? You don’t look it, do you!! Well, you know what? If you want to pray I’m giving you a few more minutes. Get up! Hands on your heads!” By this time his son entered the room, frisked them both to see if they perhaps had a weapon, and pushed them into a small bedroom on the first floor. “You have five minutes. The window is boarded in and there is nothing in the closets so don’t think you can
save yourselves.”

As soon as the bedroom door closed the two men fell to the ground and began weeping to G-d for forgiveness. What good was their money now, or the plays and operas they had attended or the ‘connections’ they made? Every moment they had wasted on that foolishness returned and burned like poisonous needles in their hearts. All they wanted to do was to clean their sinful souls before …. the end. They tried to remember prayers from the siddur (prayer book) they were sobbing, begging and pouring themselves out to G-d.

Ten minutes later the door opened gently and the innkeeper stood with a kind smile on his face. The hatchet was gone and he even bent over to help them to their feet. “I wasn’t really going to kill you” he said apologetically, “G-d forbid, I’m not a murderer or even a thief. Are you both all right? Sorry that I scared you, but I had to do it.” He was brushing them off. They couldn’t believe their eyes, was it a miracle? Or maybe a dream? “Let me explain, come sit back down here at the table and I’ll explain.” The innkeeper escorted them back to the table sat opposite them and continued. “About twenty years ago in the middle of winter, near the end of the war with Napoleon, there arrived at my inn here a whole group of about 30 Jews in carriages. Not Jews like you, real ones, religious Jews with beards. And they tell me that their Rabbi is laying in one of the carriages sick and needs a place to sleep. Everyone in this village hates Jews and I didn’t really want to give them a place either, but I went out and took a look at their sick Rabbi. “Well, I want to tell you that I never saw anything so pure and Holy in my life, it made me feel like a little baby and I almost started crying. “I told them that I would give the Rabbi a place if he promised me three things. First, that my oldest son not get drafted into the army, second that I live a long healthy life, and third that my inn should succeed. So far I’ ve received all three; my son who was healthy like a bull, got thrown out of the draft office the minute he stepped in, I’m over eighty years old and have never been ill, and my inn has been very successful. “Anyway, the Holy man promised and I let him in. After short time he passed away and was buried nearby in the town of Haditch. But before he died he requested from me that if ever two Jews enter and refuse to eat Kosher food I should frighten them and threaten them even with death, but G-d forbid not to harm them. And you are the first Jews since then that fit that description”

Our two heros were so affected by the story that they traveled to Haditch and discovered that the Holy man was Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the author of the Tanya and first Rebbe of Chabad. (The anniversary of his passing is the 24th of Teves, which this year is Fri. Jan. 19). They prayed and wept at his grave and then traveled to Lubavitch to the Rebbe’s successor, Rebbe Menachem Mendel and completely returned to Judaism.

The point of the story is that these two men had to suffer, humble themselves and contact the Rebbe in order that their Judaism should affect them actually and physically.

That is why this Parsha is called ‘Names’. A name does the same thing; it awakens one’s inner being (like awakening an unconscious person by calling his name) and attaches it to the external world (a name is only for others to call).

Judaism, until the giving of the Torah was a mostly spiritual affair. Except for circumcision there was no other real physical commandment. The purpose of the Egyptian exile, then, was to awaken the Jews, like a ‘name’ and like the two businessmen in our story; to teach them humility, attach them to Moshe and prepare them to receive the Torah in order to make this world a G-dly place. That is the purpose of the Jewish people, and the theme of this entire chapter and the entire book. (That is why Moshe at the burning bush asked G-d for His Name; Moshe’s job was to show the Jews how to link the hidden to the revealed.)

That is why G-d revealed Himself in a burning bush.

Moshe was about to assume the leadership of an entire nation, there would surely be difficulties, differences in opinion, even power struggles, and Moshe might be tempted to befriend the powerful, the popular, the Torah Scholars. Therefore G-d showed him that the place where the real fire of Judaism and holiness is really found is in the simple, humble people. The ones that, like the ‘Sneh’, have no fruit; they aren’t geniuses, popular or powerful … all they have is HaShem.

But the last question is the most difficult. Why didn’t HaShem release the Jews immediately when Moshe announced that the time has come?

In fact I ask myself that same question several times every day. The Lubavitch Rebbe said, ten years ago that the Moshiach has arrived, the redemption is beginning!

So why doesn’t HaShem release us immediately, why must the Jewish people and the rest of the world have to suffer ????

We need Moshiach NOW!!

Rabbi Tuvia Bolton
Yeshiva Ohr Tmimim
Kfar Chabad Israel

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