The Sifsay Tzaddik on this weeks parsha:
Most people need to be on the straight and narrow path but there are those that can take side roads. He may have also have been "justifing" why he did not follow in the ways of his Rebbe, the Kotzkor to ignore zmanaei tefillah.
Chazal say (see Rashi Yithro (18:9)) that no one was able to escape from Egypt. The Or Gedalyahu cites from the Ishbitzer that it wasn't just the security system and large walls that keep people in Egypt, it was the propaganda that they were living in Paradise. While for many this will ring a bell with the message of the Soviet Union, which is true of course, it also can take form in more "minor" forms. The very fact that I walk peacefully in the street and am yelled at by old people, wearing yarmulkes of course, to wear a mask is part of the stupid propaganda they have swallowed hook, line and sinker. I will end the rant here and just add what is a true fact, a maamer chazal. Bava Bathra (8a) Rebbe says אין פורענות בא לעולם אלא בשביל עמי הארץ.
Now I will resume my rant. Of course, everyone on the sides "of the debate" has their own proofs lined up leading from statements of Chazal to doctors' studies. They are removing people's right to breathe in order to protect others etc. All the garbage that they spew. However, the contradictions, picking and choosing when to be careful, the complete disregard for another person's feelings display what these "tzaddikim" really are, animals spewing propaganda!
The midrash (1:28) says on the possuk (2:11) ויהי בימים ההם ויגדל משה ויצא אל אחיו וירא בסבלותם that Moshe told Pharaoh that the slaves need a day of rest and asked for Shabbos to be the day off. How does the midrash see a hint to Shabbos in the possuk? After the days of creation it says וירא אלקים כי טוב, does Hashem need to see it to know that it is good, obviously he created it? Rav Tzaddok (Pri Tzaddok on Shemos #3) explains that it is because וירא אלקים that it was טוב. It is the power of Hashem "seeing" that made it good. At the end of the 6th day of creation it says הִנֵּה טוֹב מְאֹד which Chazal say refer to the evil things because even the bad things were able to be perfected. It is Shabbos that brings out that eving what appers to be evil has a good and proper purpose in thee world. Tzaddikim also have this power to bring good to the evil through their gaze. That is how Chazal derived that וירא means that Moshe brought out this power of Shabbos into the golus. The day of rest was not just to rest their weary bodies but to reinvigorate the hopes and spirits of Klal Yisroel to realize the geulah would come as the midrash continues that Klal Yisroel studied on Shabbos the promises of the geulah.
Of course Rav Tzaddok is talking about the levels of great tzaddikim who's minds are so pure that their mere gaze has a physical effect (see Chazon Eish's explanation of עין הרע in likkutim to Bava Bathra #21.) However, there is a lesson for the regular layman as well. Sometimes the definition of good and bad is not absolute but rather based upon the vision one has, how one looks at it. If one looks for problems, there are always problems to be found. However, one who has the Shabbos perspective will be able to see the geulah from within the golus, the טוב מאד inside the yetzer harah.
The month of Tevet is the 10th month of the year. The number 10 as the Maharal says, is associated with a a שלימות. What is the שלימות of Tevet? There are no holidays this month, in fact, there is a fast day on the 10th day of the month?
The point of the entire golus is for the geulah that comes forth from it. Although, of course 10 Tevet, the day of the siege of Yerushaliyim is a fast day because of the terrible events that occurred, the light of the redemption was already planted in the start of the golus. The cause of the golus was sinas chinum and in the siege was already the tikkun for everyone was forced to come together and support each other. The possuk in Yechezkal (24:2) says סמך מלך בבל אל ירושלם בעצם היום הזה. Why use the word סמך which indicates helping out and supporting? Because in the very planting of the seeds of golus itself, the road to tikkun was already being paved. That is why it is very fitting for the fast day to be on 10 of 10 because the fasting is to reach the teshuva that is demanded of the day which brings out the pnimious of the day, which is to lead to the geulah as will be appreciated when it will be turned to a day of שחמה וששון.
The Gemorah Megillah (13a) says that Tevet is the month שהגוף נהנה מן הגוף. This is a reflection of the way things are in the spiritual realm as well. Just as two separate bodies warm each other in the cold month of Tevet, so too the world in the month of Tevet is devoid of the open, warm rays of the presence of Hashem, and it is up to Klal Yisroel to bring a warmth to the world through their avodah. The month of Tevet is the month of warming the guf. This is also reflective of the ability to rise out of the golus. Klal Yisroel is united at the neshema level, it is the separate bodies that lead to sinas chinum and the need for golus. This month gives us the ability to become united at the גוף level as well.
The yom hilulah of the alter Rebbe is 24 Tevet. The Alter Rebbe sought to infuse the cold מוחין with the warmth of the light of chassidus. That is why his yom hilulah is this month of Tevet. The number 24 is the amount of letters of ברוך שם, which is the avodah of יחודא תתאה, to recognize Hashem's presence in this world. This was one of the major chiddushim of the Besht and elucidated in the works of the Alter Rebbe that Hashem's presence can be felt and accessed in this world. (Largely based upon Likutay Sichos volume 25 on 10 Tevet and volume 25 on Tevet.)
In the previous post, I wrote about holding on to the ways of the avos in order to survive through the golus. This is of course true. We do not believe in the Reform movement that holds the Torah has to be modernized to fit our current state of living. However, it is noteworthy, that although this is the case, the delivery of the message of the avos may [need] to be changed depending on the generation. Although, the dinim of the Torah are the same, the way it is communicated may be different in 1621, 1821, and 2021. Rav Hirsch points out that these two methods of the delivery of G-d's message are split between Moshe and Aharon. In his words, "נראה שכבר מההתחלה היה תפקיד כפול למילים הנאמרות, בשירותה של תורה: א. ניסוח מדוייק, מושלם ונאמן של תוכן הדברים; ב. הצגת תוכן זה אל העם, בדרך בה יקשיבו אליו, יבינו אותו ויקבלוהו." It was the job of Moshe to deliver the exact law, to carry on the Torah of the avos. However, it was the job of Aharon to make the message palpable to the nation. This division from the onset of the leadership of Klal Yisroel set the mandate for the future. "חלוקה זו של תפקידי הדיבור, חשובה מאד למען המסירה הטהורה והנאמנה של תורת ה׳. כדי לרכוש את לב העם לאמת שבתורה, אין די במה שעורכים ומסדרים גרידא את התוכן אותו ילמדו, יש לקחת בחשבון את רמת השכלתם של אלה שאת לבם רוצים לרכוש ולעורר. צריך להתחיל מהדעות, הרעיונות, ההשקפות, הרצונות והשאיפות המצויים עתה ביניהם, ומנקודת התחלה זו לעבוד בהדרגה לקראת התכלית הנכספת." The message remains the same, but the way it is communicated does change.
The sefer starts ואלה שמות, the vov means it is a continuation from beforehand, what is the continuation?
The Sforno says (1:7) פרו וישרצו – ואחר שמתו כל שבעים נפש נטו לדרכי שרצים, שרצים לבאר שחת. The Sforno is pointing out that the start of the golus was when there was a disconnect from the previous generation, when the leaders passed on and there was no one to carry on the torch from the alte haim, that is when the golus started. The physical hardship is an outgrowth of the spiritual weakening. From the problem, we can derive the solution. By remaining connected to the previous generations, by treading in the worn paths of the avos, then there is no problem of golus. That is the vov, the continuation. It is by being connected to the parshios of the avos, the previous sefer, that we can stay above the golus. (Based upon Alexender Rebbe and Rav Chayim Kamil.) It is also noteworthy that the slavery began with a מלך חדש. It was the change from the previous regime that brought about the evils of slavery. It was the deviation from the events until then that brought evil, ודו"ק.
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל רַ֛ב עוֹד־יוֹסֵ֥ף בְּנִ֖י חָ֑י אֵֽלְכָ֥ה וְאֶרְאֶ֖נּוּ בְּטֶ֥רֶם אָמֽוּת. The Emrei Menachem (Alexander) asks that the word עוד is extra, it could just say רב יוסף בני חי?
The possuk in Tehillim (37:10) says וְע֣וֹד מְ֭עַט וְאֵ֣ין רָשָׁ֑ע וְהִתְבּוֹנַ֖נְתָּ עַל־מְקוֹמ֣וֹ וְאֵינֶֽנּוּ. Rav Boruch M'mezbutch explained that even in the rasha there is a ועוד, a inner spark where there the wickedness doesn't reach; Dovid prayed to look at that ועוד and then there is no sin. The same idea is in the famous teaching of Rebbe Nachman (182) אזמרה לאלקי בעודי, the עוד that is not contaminated will sing to Hashem. The Emrei Menachem says that was the intent of Yaakov. He saw that the עוד of Yosef was not only contaminated in Egypt, rather it was רב עוד, it grew to greater kedusha.
