Thursday, January 23, 2020

Makkos Of Chesed

The end of last week's parsha ends with Moshe asking a question of why things got worse and our parsha opens with Hashem telling Moshe how the Avos never complained despite the fact that they didn't see promises fulfilled, yet Moshe is complaining.  That may be, but why not answer the question?  Furthermore, the possuk opens with the name of דין, אלקים and concludes with the name of 'רחמים, אני ה, why switch in the middle?
The fist piece in the Maggid on this week's parsha in Or Torah sheds light on these questions.  The following is based upon what he says.  The answer Hashem was alluding to Moshe is that  the strengthening of the servitude is necessary to expedite the exodus.  That which appears to be דין is really חסד.  That is why the name of דין and רחמים are found in the same possuk for the דין leads to רחמים.  In order for the world to be able to exist there was must a הגבלה on the chesed so that the world wouldn't become enveloped completely in the אור א"ס.  Hashem tells Moshe until now that was the הנהגה of the world.  That is the הנהגה of שקי, שאמר לעולמו די.  However, for the Exodus to occur, the rules will be broken and there will be a התגלות של שם הויה.  What does that mean?  The makkos weren't acts of דין meant to break the Egyptians, they were brought about by a revelation of chesed.  How could a revelation if chesed bring about such destruction?  Because one must be on the right frequency to be in order to be able to receive the chesed of Hashem.  If one isn't capable of receiving the chesed then the great potential that Hashem is extending forth turns into destruction.
The possuk in Tehillim (94:1) says קל נקמות ה קל נקמות הופיע.  The Baal Shem Tov translates, Hashem is the G-d of vengeance by revealing Himself.  It is the revelation of Hashem, a tremendous act of chesed that wreaks havoc on those that aren't fit to receive such light.  It is akin to a person that has been sitting in a dark room that suddenly receives a tremendous light where instead of seeing now, s/he becomes blind.       
The Zohar in Bo (36a) says תָּנָא רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה, כְּתִיב, (ישעיהו י״ט:כ״ב) וְנָגַף יְיָ' אֶת מִצְרַיִם נָגוֹף וְרָפֹא. נָגוֹף לְמִצְרַיִם, וְרָפֹא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל.  I understand that the plagues afflicted the Egyptians and not the Jews but what does it mean that it was a רפואה for Klal Yisroel?  Because the plagues were actually a light of God that one had to be able to receive, if one is able to, it is a רפואה, if not, its a מכה.  A similar thing will occur in the future according to Chazal in Nedarim (8b) הקב"ה מוציא חמה מנרתיקה – צדיקים מתרפאין בה ורשעים נידונין בה.

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