Two Steps To Freedom

Rashi in Mishpatim (21:6) explains why an eved ivri that wishes to remain after 6 years gets his ear pierced by the doorway, רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן הָיָה דּוֹרֵשׁ מִקְרָא זֶה כְּמִין חֹמֶר: מַה נִּשְׁתַּנּוּ דֶּלֶת וּמְזוּזָה מִכָּל כֵּלִים שֶׁבַּבַּיִת? אָמַר הַקָּבָּ"ה דֶּלֶת וּמְזוּזָה שֶׁהָיוּ עֵדִים בְּמִצְרַיִם כְּשֶׁפָּסַחְתִּי עַל הַמַּשְׁקוֹף וְעַל שְׁתֵּי הַמְּזוּזוֹת וְאָמַרְתִּי כִּי לִי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדִים – עֲבָדַי הֵם וְלֹא עֲבָדִים לַעֲבָדִים – וְהָלַךְ זֶה וְקָנָה אָדוֹן לְעַצְמוֹ, יֵרָצַע בִּפְנֵיהֶם. The Chizkuni asks this was not said when Hashem skipped over the doorways of Klal Yisrael, this passuk is only said later on in parshas Behar? 

The pessukim in Yirmiyahu (34:13-14) say אָנֹכִ֗י כָּרַ֤תִּֽי בְרִית֙ אֶת־אֲב֣וֹתֵיכֶ֔ם בְּי֨וֹם הוֹצִאִ֤י אוֹתָם֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם מִבֵּ֥ית עֲבָדִ֖ים לֵאמֹֽר׃מִקֵּ֣ץ שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֡ים תְּֽשַׁלְּח֡וּ אִישׁ֩ אֶת־אָחִ֨יו הָעִבְרִ֜י אֲשֶֽׁר־יִמָּכֵ֣ר לְךָ֗ וַעֲבָֽדְךָ֙ שֵׁ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֔ים וְשִׁלַּחְתּ֥וֹ חׇפְשִׁ֖י מֵֽעִמָּ֑ךְ וְלֹֽא־שָׁמְע֤וּ אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙ אֵלַ֔י וְלֹ֥א הִטּ֖וּ אֶת־אׇזְנָֽם׃. We see that there is a bris forged at the time of leaving Egypt that one should send any slave that one own's to be freed in the year of shmittah. When did this bris happen? 

We see from other brisot that happened in the Torah such as bris milah and the bris at Har Sinai that it takes place with blood. The bris at yitzias mitzraim therefore, was the blood placed on the doorway. It was at this time that Hashem commanded not to keep an eved ivri forever because כי לי בני ישראל עבדים. It was at this time, at the time when G-d passed over the houses that a bris was made כי לי בני ישראל עבדים. (Based upon this article.) Why was this bris made then and what was its nature?

In the Haggadah we say a beracha at the end of Maggid על גאולתנו ועל פדיון נפשנו. What is the difference between גאולה and פדות? Rav Chayim explains that גאולה means a mere transfer of possession but פדות means an intrinsic change in the object. He says that in Egypt we were worked by the Egyptians but we also had the status of slaves. Geulah means that the bondage of slavery was broken, the servitude was negated. Yet that doesn't remove the status of slaves from Klal Yisrael. That is pedus. That is Hashem saying עבדי הם. That is what we say על גאולתנו for the negation of the actual work על פדיון נפשנו that our souls were saved, we were transferred from slaves of Pharaoh to servants of Hashem.

 

This idea of there being two types of freedom from the hands of the Egyptians in already found in the Gra. The Gra (Aderes Eliyahu Reah (13:6)) המוציא אתכם מארץ מצדים והפדך מבית עבדים. שב' גאולות היה ביציאת מצרים אחד בלילה והוא אתחלתא דגאולה שאמר משה לפרעה בלילה אם תרצה לפטור מיד מן המכות אמור להם בני חורין אתם. ולמחרת בעצם היום יצאו ממצרים ביד רמה ועל גאולת לילה היה פדיון של ישראל ממכת בכורו' כמ״ש כל בכוריהם הרגת ובכורך גאלת. וגאולה של יום הוא ביד רמה בחזקה לכך אמר המוציא אתכם ממצרים והוא ביום וזהו המוציא בעל כרחם. והפדך. הוא גאולת לילה שנתנו פדיון. וכן נאמר בישעיה הקצור קצרה ידי מפדות ואם אין בי כח להציל. ידי מפדות. הוא גאולה שע״י פדיון כמו במרדכי שניתן המן תחתיו. ובמצרים ניתנו בכוריהם תחת בכורי ישראל. לכך אמר לשון פדיון. ואם אין בו כח. הוא גאולה בלי פדיון. והוא ביד חזקה. It is clear from the Gra that the פדות took place at night, at the time of makkot bechorot. The גאולה took place during the day when Klal Yisrael actually walked out of Egypt. (The Gra is explaining the word pedus different than Rav Chayim, he is saying pedus means an exchange as opposed to geulah which means total redemption.) However, we see from the Gra that pedus is associated with the night and geulah with the day. In line with Rav Chayim that means that at night Klal Yisrael was taken out form the status of slaves to the Egyptians and entered into a bris with Hashem. The actual leaving of Egypt, the actual servitude itself only was entirely finished in the day. 

Rashi Yishayahu (43:3) supports the idea of the Gra that the pidyon took place at night. He says נתתי כפרך מצרים. והם היו לך לפדיון שבכוריהם מתו ואתה בני בכורי נצלת והייתם חייבים כליה כמו שנאמר (ביחזקאל כ׳:ח׳) ואומר לשפוך חמתי עליהם בארץ מצרים. It is during the night that the transfer from being slaves of Egypt to avadim of Hashem takes place. This is marked by the blood placed upon the doorpost which signified the bris of עבדי הם. 

That is why Klal Yisrael are given the mitzvot of milah and pesach. The Maharal explains that milah is the branding of Klal Yisrael as avadim to Hashem and pesach is the expression of that avdut by serving Hashem (see Gur Aryeh 12:6.) It was on the night of maakat bechorot that Klal Yisrael transferred from slaves of Egypt to servants of Hashem. (Mekoros from Yarech L'Moadim Pesach.)

 

It is also noteworthy that there were two steps to freedom. Everything could have taken place at night with Pharoah sending everyone out before further damage was done. However, that was not the case. Although בבהילו יצאנו ממצרים there was an order to how Klal Yisrael left. Hashem gave instructions exactly how the Pesach must be eaten with all of its laws and only the next day Klal Yisrael left during the daytime as is more apropos to travel. Everything has to be conducted כסדר. As Rav Yeruchem notes many times for anything to be successful there must be a סדר to it.

What's Bad Is Good

Why does the possuk open וידבר אלקים and then switch to name יקוק?  What is the connection between Hashem keeping His bris with the avot and hearing the cries of Klal Yisrael? 

The Tiferes Shlomo says derech derush והוצאתי אתכם מתחת סבלות מצרים is telling us the key to leaving Egypt is סבלות to have סבלנות through any situation one is put in.  When one accepts the situation without complaint, that will lead one to be able to get out of the situation. 

Moshe complained that after Hashem sent him, far from getting better, things just got worse.  Hashem responds that the middat hadin represented by the name of אלקים really is the same as the name יקוק, that which represents the name of rachamim.  The increased harshness of the labor is necessary to make the exodus occur sooner. Hashem is telling Moshe I also hear the cries of Bnei Yisrael.  However, that itself is the reason to make the work harder so that they can get out earlier.  Klal Yisrael recognize this, they act with סבלנות and hence they will be reddemed. 

In The Right Place At The Right Time

Midrash Rabbah כָּךְ אָמְרוּ בְּנוֹת יִתְרוֹ לְמשֶׁה, יִישַׁר כֹּחֲךָ שֶׁהִצַּלְתָּנוּ מִיַּד הָרוֹעִים, אָמַר לָהֶם משֶׁה אוֹתוֹ מִצְרִי שֶׁהָרַגְתִּי הוּא הִצִּיל אֶתְכֶם, וּלְכָךְ אָמְרוּ לַאֲבִיהֶן אִישׁ מִצְרִי, כְּלוֹמַר מִי גָרַם לָזֶה שֶׁיָּבוֹא אֶצְלֵנוּ, אִישׁ מִצְרִי שֶׁהָרַג.

Rav Chayim Walkin z"l says we see that Moshe realized the chain of events put him where he was standing that day.  He attributed the help he gave to the daughters of Yisro and being orchestrated by G-d to put him in the right place at the right time.  Wherever one goes, it is because they belong there.  The idea he cites from Rav Bloch was referenced in the past by my father in a hesped by Rav Michoel Sorotzkin for Rav Moshe Shapiro. 

Bad Voices And Which Lad Is It

וַתִּפְתַּח֙ וַתִּרְאֵ֣הוּ אֶת־הַיֶּ֔לֶד וְהִנֵּה־נַ֖עַר בֹּכֶ֑ה וַתַּחְמֹ֣ל עָלָ֔יו וַתֹּ֕אמֶר מִיַּלְדֵ֥י הָֽעִבְרִ֖ים זֶֽה

Rashi says why is he called a נער if he is a yeled?  Rashi says והנה נער בכה. קוֹלוֹ כְּנַעַר.  The Ramban objects, וכבר דחו זה ואמרו אם כן עשית למשה רבינו בעל מום (סוטה יב: שמו''ר א' כ''ח). ועוד, מה טעם שיזכיר הכתוב עובי קולו.

The source of this debate is the Gemarah Sotah (12b) וְהִנֵּה נַעַר בֹּכֶה קָרֵי לֵיהּ יֶלֶד וְקָרֵי לֵיהּ נַעַר תָּנָא הוּא יֶלֶד וְקוֹלוֹ כְּנַעַר דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אִם כֵּן עֲשִׂיתוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ בַּעַל מוּם אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁעָשְׂתָה לוֹ אִמּוֹ חוּפַּת נְעוּרִים בַּתֵּיבָה אָמְרָה שֶׁמָּא לֹא אֶזְכֶּה לְחוּפָּתוֹ.  

Rashi on the Gemarah says בעל מום - והוא לוי ונפסל בקול לעבודת השיר.  The source of this din is Chullin (24.)  What kind of voice is a blemish for a Levi?  Rashi Chullin (24b) says קול אחד - שצריכין לבשם את קולם שיהא נראה כקול אחד.  Rashi in Megillah (24b) says דעבי קלך - ותניא בהכל שוחטין (חולין דף כד.) בשילה ובבית עולמים הלוים נפסלין בקול.  This means any oddity in the voice of the Levi that makes him stand out will make him pasul.  However, the Rambam Kli Mikdash (3:8) says לְדוֹרוֹת אֵין הַלֵּוִי נִפְסָל בְּשָׁנִים וְלֹא בְּמוּמִין אֶלָּא בְּקוֹל שֶׁיִּתְקַלְקֵל קוֹלוֹ מֵרֹב הַזִּקְנָה יִפָּסֵל לַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ.  The Briskor Rav says we see from the Rambam that only if the voice becomes damaged from old age does the Levi become pasul.  (It is noteworthy that the Chafetz Chayim in Likutay Halachot does not learn the Rambam means only if the voice changes from old age is the Levi pasul.  The Rambam says old age to contrast from the time of the Mikdash where just age made a Levi pasul.)  How does this fit with the Gemarah here for Moshe's voice was not different due to old age?  

The Maharsha seems to learn the Gemarah is not a halachik issue of baal mum rather just that it would not be apropos for Moshe to be a baal mum.  In light of that interpretation, there is no difficulty in the Rambam. 

The Chasam Sofer (Orech Chayim #12) takes a different approach.  He suggests that the issue of Moshe being a baal mum is that he was part of the Sanhedrin and a baal mum is pasul to be part of Sanhedrin as the Gemarah Sanhedrin (36b) says.  The C.S .wants to say that even a mum for a Levi disqualifies one from being a member of the Sanhedrin. The Or Samech Sanhedrin (2:6) suggests the same chiddush that a pesul of Levi would also be disqualified from Sanhedrin.  However, the O.S. does not learn that is peshat in the Gemarah Sotah itself but only since the Gemarah says that Moshe was not a baal mum to be disqualified Levi do we say that even a pesul for a Levi disqualifies one from the Sanhedrin.  Why is that? 

The Gemarah Sanhedrin learns that a baal mum is pasul to be a member of the Sanhedrin from כולך יפה רעיתי ומום אין בך.  The Gemarah has a different limud from (שמות יח, כב) ונשאו אתך אתך בדומין לך ליהוי that to be a member one has to be מיוחס like Moshe.  Tosfos asks if there is a limud to be a valid member of Sanhedrin one has to be like Moshe, then why do we need a separate passuk to disqualify a baal mum, just have the same limud that they are not like Moshe, who did not have a mum?  Tosfos answers without the passuk of ומום אין בך we would have not said a baal mum is pasul.  The Briskor Rav (Vaerah) explains the answer is that we would have said only regarding yichus where the passuk spells out the yichus of Moshe in Vayerah, do we know that is important for a Sanhedrin member to have proper yichus but having a mum we would have said doesn't matter vis-a-vis being a member of Sanhedrin.  Therefore we need another passuk to tell us that being a baal mum also disqualifies one from being part of Sanhedrin.  Says the O.S., now that we know Moshe was not a baal mum even regarding a mum of Leviem, therefore to be a member of Sanhedrin one cannot even have that pesul for otherwise it is not simliar to Moshe, not אתך.  (There is room to disagree for if it is not included in the possuk of מום אין בך, then it doesn't create a pesul to be part of Sanhedrin for אתך is just to be מגלה that being a baal mum is an issue but what is a mum follows the normal standard like for Kohanim.) 

The Briskors have chakirah in this din that the Levi can no longer sing well, he becomes pasul.  Is that merely a din in the avodah of the shir or is it a chalos pesul in the Levi if his voice is unfit.   The Rambam (ibid) says וְיֵרָאֶה לִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִפְסָל אֶלָּא לוֹמַר שִׁירָה אֲבָל יִהְיֶה מִן הַשּׁוֹעֲרִים.  They say why does the Rambam say this a chiddush, יראה לי, of course the Levi can do other things if his voice is no longer good, it is only the chirah that is disqualified?  We see from the Rambam that it creates a pesul in the Levi and therefore one would have that the Levi can't do anything, קמ"ל he can still be from the שוערים just like in the Midbar after the Levi became disqualified due to age, they were still able to be from the שוערים (see Smah mitzvah 170.)  That maybe why the Rambam holds it is only when the voice is off due to old age does it disqualify the Levi for only then is the person unfit but if the person just doesn't have a nice voice that doesn't mean there is a pesul in the Levi.

(Post based upon ideas in Pninim Mibey Midrasha, Chemda Yekarah, Avodas Dovid on Sotah, Gevuros Yitzchak on Sotah and Chumash.) 

According to the Rogatchover we have a different answer for the Rambam.  The pessukim in Behaloscha (8:25-26) וּמִבֶּן֙ חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה יָשׁ֖וּב מִצְּבָ֣א הָעֲבֹדָ֑ה וְלֹ֥א יַעֲבֹ֖ד עֽוֹד׃ וְשֵׁרֵ֨ת אֶת־אֶחָ֜יו בְּאֹ֤הֶל מוֹעֵד֙ לִשְׁמֹ֣ר מִשְׁמֶ֔רֶת וַעֲבֹדָ֖ה לֹ֣א יַעֲבֹ֑ד כָּ֛כָה תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה לַלְוִיִּ֖ם בְּמִשְׁמְרֹתָֽם.  The first passuk Rashi says ולא יעבד עוד. עֲבוֹדַת מַשָּׂא בַּכָּתֵף, אֲבָל חוֹזֵר הוּא לִנְעִילַת שְׁעָרִים וְלָשִׁיר וְלִטְעֹן עֲגָלוֹת.  The Levi is disqualified only from carrying the aron but can do other things.  That is like the case of the Rambam where one's voice becomes bad due to old age.  The Levi in that case can do other things.  However, says the Rogatchover, the second passuk ועבודה לא יעבד means he does not serve at all.  That is says is talking about one who is born with a pesul such as with a bad voice.  That Levi will be disqualified from everything.  The issue is if this difference was agreed upon by the Rambam and being born with a bad voice is an even greater pesul why does he not say it in the halachot, וצ"ע. 

The Baal Haturim however, says a whole different peshat in the possuk.  He says the נער is not Moshe, it is Aharon, והנה נער בוכה – זה אהרן שהניחתו אצל התיבה. נער בכה. בגי׳. זה אהרן הכהן.  The Hadar Zekanim says the same interpretation and says that is how she knew he was Jewish for if Aharon who was Jewish (he has a Jewish nose,) was crying about him obviously the child is Jewish as well.  We see from here that even as a young boy Aharon's midah was to care about others, to care for his brother and that is why he merits to care for Klal Yisrael in the avodah of the Mikdash. 

The Sichos Mussar asks why is Moshe called Moshe, the name given to him by an Egyptian woman if the Midrash says he had 10 names?  He explains, אלא הן הדברים, מכוח מסירות נפשה של בתיה בת פרעה, שהמרתה פי אביה, והצילה את משה נגד גזירת פרעה, ומכוח גמילות החסד שגמלה עמו בגדלה אותה בהקרבה ובמסירות, קיבל משה רבינו אל תוך נפשו ובשרו את הכוחות הללו, ועל ידם נתעלה והוכשר להיות גואלן ומושיען של ישראל, כי בהקרבה ובמסירות נפש ניהל את צאן יתרו בתחילה, ובהקרבה ובמסירות נפש הושיע אח”כ את ישראל, בין בעמדו לפני פרעה ובין בעלייתו למרום, וכל ארבעים שנה במדבר היו חייו רצופים הפקרת נפשו עבור ישראל, מסירות נפש תמידית עבור כל אחד ואחד מישראל עד לאמירת ואם אין מחני נא מספרך אשר כתבת.

כל זאת היה טבוע בנפשו והתפתח בו מן הגרעין של המסירות נפש שהשקיעה בו בתיה בת פרעה במשותה אותו מן המים, על כן נקבע בו השם משה יותר מכל עשר שמות שהיו לו, כי שם זה ממצה את גדולת משה רבינו יותר מכל השמות, וזהו שכרן של גומלי חסדים, שהחסד שעושים, עושה פירות, ומי שגמלו עמו חסד, על שם החסד הוא נקרא ושמו חי וקיים לעד, כשמו של משה רבינו גואלן של ישראל.  

The leaders, Moshe and Aharon, were the leaders of Klal Yisrael because they were willing to give up of themselves to help others.  The golus was due to the דלטורין.  The geulah had to come about by people who went to the opposite extreme.  Those who were willing to sacrifice themselves, their own gain, for another. 

Feeling Of Dept

The Shem MiShmuel (5674) 

לשון מנשה יש לפרש מלשון נושה עפ"י מה שהגיד כ"ק אדמו"ר כהן הגדול זצללה"ה מאלכסנדר בפי' הכתוב שנאמר בדוד המע"ה שמואל א' כ"ב ויתקבצו אליו כל איש מצוק וכל איש אשר לו נושא (א' במקום ה') וכל איש מר נפש ופירש הוא זצללה"ה על עבודת ה' כל איש שהי' נפשו בצרה ומצוקה על מה שהרגיש מצבו כי ברעה הוא וכל איש אשר לו נושה שידע בעצמו שהוא בע"ח גדול מחובת הלבבות, והי' לו בעצמו הנושה שהי' נושה בעצמו בחזקה לשלם את חובתו, וכל איש מר נפש שהי' נפשו מרה עליו על התרחקו מאת פני ה' עכת"ד

He goes on to explain the machlokes between Yaakov and Yosef over if Efraim or Menasha should be first.  Yosef thought what should come first is one's feeling of responsibility toward Hashem and then one will be a proper receptacle to receive Godliness.  Therefore, Menashe, feeling indebted to Hashem must come before Efraim, before one can expand in kedusha.  However, Yaakov said one must not wait until one has sch a thirst for Godliness but one must apply themselves at all times to avodat Hashem. 

In the book Reb Shlomo (Freifeld) pg. 140-141 he says in the name of the Alexander a different idea which he took as a guiding principle for his life.  He says that despite these people's hardships and failures Dovif Hamelech still saw in them that they were איש, they were men full of potential which could be utilized.  That is what it means Dovid was טוב ראי, he was able to use his eyes to see properly, to see the vaue in the person despite the harsh external veneer.  

Maybe the two ideas go hand in hand.  What Dovid saw in them was that despite their lowly spiritual state, they felt a yearning, a dept that they owed to become better people.  Those where the types of people Dovid was looking to surround himself with.  People that weren't satisfied with the status quo.  Those that wanted to improve.  Even though they looked like damaged goods Dovid saw he colud light a spark within them.  

Shoulder

 Why did Yaakov give שכם to Yosef?  Why did he tell him he obtained it בחרבי ובקשתי, why is that important to know?   

The possuk in Tzafanyah (3:9) says כִּֽי־אָ֛ז אֶהְפֹּ֥ךְ אֶל־עַמִּ֖ים שָׂפָ֣ה בְרוּרָ֑ה לִקְרֹ֤א כֻלָּם֙ בְּשֵׁ֣ם י״י֔ לְעׇבְד֖וֹ שְׁכֶ֥ם אֶחָֽד.  The word שכם is associated with everyone serving Hashem.  Yosef is the only one of the shevatim that can bring kedusha to even the land of tumah, Egypt.  Yosef is able to gather kedusha from all places.  Rav Kook (Kovetz 1 867) says that is why Yehoshua (a descendent of Yosef,) was not mevatal avodah zarah (see Arachin 32b) because he was able to see the good in it.  Yosef units the world in the service of Hashem.  

The Sfas Emes says that שכם stands for שם כבוד מלכותו.  When we say שמע we acknowledge Hashem's presence.  When we say ברוך שם we acknowledge that presence of Hashme even as it is concealed in the העלם of the world.  It is Yosef that is able to draw out the kedusha from within the darkest areas.  Hence it is befitting that he receive the city of Shechem.  (See also Meor Vashemesh.) 

The Sfas Emes (Titzaveh 5657) ובאפוד היו ב' אבני שוהם שהם בחי' יוסף שמעלה השבטים למדריגה עליונה כמ"ש קמה אלומתי כו' תסובינה אלומותיכם כו'. וכתיב נתתי לך שכם אחד על אחיך. כמו משכמו ומעלה גבוה. ולכן בזכות אבנו העלה כל השבטים על כתפות האפוד.  Again, Yosef is associated with the shoulder raising up all of the shevatim. 

בחרבי ובקשתי the Targum says means prayer.  When one prays, they draw themselves closer to Hashem.  Only when there is a Yosef who can bring kedusha to שכם can one then fully recognize the power of prayer and bring it closer to Hashem.  The actions of Yosef help fulfill the חרבי ובקשתי (see maamer of Rebbe ואני נתתי 5632.)