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The B'nai Yisroel were distinguishable from the Egyptians by the fact that
they had many children. Previous to the bondage in Egypt, women had one child at
a time. However, the Jewish women in Egypt had six children at one time. This
was a factor which made the Jewish women unique. This factor of multiple births
led to them being great in size and number, Atzum. The Hagada brings a Pasuk to
show this: "U'vnei Yisroel paru va'yishritzu vayirbu vaya'atzmu b=EDm'od
mi'od, vatimalei ha'artez osam," "And the children of Israel were fruitful
and numerous, and they increased and they became very strong, and the land was
filled with them."
The Hagada compares the great number of people in the nation of Israel
("Va'rav") to blades of grass. The Leil Shimurim explains that this comparison
is alluding to the importance of Achdus, unity. Individual blades of grass have
no value. Only with the combination of countless blades is there any
significance to the grass. The same is true with the nation of Israel. The
greatness of the nation of Israel is their unity. No one individual can equal
the importance and level of the group working together.
The Ritva explains the comparison in a different manner. The B'nai Yisroel
were like the grass in the manner of their growth . Just as the more frequently
grass is cut, the more it grows than previously, so too by the Jews. The more
people tried to "cut them down", the larger and stronger they grew.
The next Pasuk that the Hagada analyzes in the chain of events is "
Va'yareinu osanu haMitzrim vayi'anunu, vayitnu aleinu avoda kasha"- that the
Egyptians treated us badly, afflicted us, and placed upon us hard labor.
The Pasuk that the Hagada cites in reference to "Va'yareinu osanu" is "Hava
nischachma lo, " the verse which discusses the advice given to Pharoah about
ensalving the Jews. The Gemora in Sotah tells us that Pharaoh had three
advisors: Yisro (Jethro) , Bilam and Iyov (Job). Bilam, because he gave the
above advice, was punished with death. Iyov, who did not respond to the advice
but kept quiet, was punished with suffering. Yisro, who fled in protest of the
advice was rewarded by having his descendants serve in the Sanhedrin, the
supreme Jewish court. The Gemora where this is brought down was discussing the
concept of reward and punishment being Mida K'neged Mida, that the reward or
punishment fits the deed. Rav Y. Z. Soloveitchik (aka the Gri"z) was puzzled by
this. One can understand why Bilam, who advised persecution, was punished with
death. But why was Iyov, who remained silent punished with suffering, and Yisro
who fled was rewarded with his descendants serving in the Sanhedrin ?
HaRav Soloveitchik answers that the reason why Iyov was silent was because he
thought any protest which he may voice would not be listened to, and therefore
not help. This may have been the case, but Iyov still had a responsibility to
protest against this evil plan. Because he didn't, he was punished with
suffering, as one who suffers cries out, even though he knows that the cries
will not remove the suffering. As Yisro protested, he was forced to flee from
the palace life (which he had by virtue of the fact he was a royal advisor).
Because of this, his children merited serving in the Sanhedrin, which met in the
Lishkat HaGazit, part of the Beit HaMikdash, the Holy Temple complex, the
"ultimate palace life." We now see how all three of Pharaoh's advisors were
dealt with Mida K'neged Mida.
The next Pasuk the Hagada cites is: "Vanitzak el Hashem Elokei
avoseinu.". "We cried out to Hashem, the G-d of our forefathers and Hashem
heard our cry, and saw our affliction, our burden, and our oppression."
The Pasuk that the Hagada brings down in reference to "Vanitzak" is "Vayehi
bayamim horabim haheim..." "And it was in the course of those many days that the
king of Egypt died and the children of Israel groaned because of the servitude
and cried; their cry because of the servitude rose up to G-d."
The Hagada cites that the cries because of the servitude rose up to Hashem.
Rabeinu Bachaya comments on this verse that we learn from here that there is no
"tefila shelaima," complete prayer, like that of a person who is praying out of
pain and suffering. This prayer is more readily accepted before Hashem than
others. However, we see from the Sages that in regards to teshuva, repentance,
the repentance that comes out of pain is not as accepted as that which stems
from love. A person should not be "forced" in to repenting. What is the
difference between the two?
Harav Henoch Leibowitz explains that prayer has an intrinsic difference from
repentance. Prayer is Avoda Sheb'leiv, service from the heart, as we pour out
our hearts to our Father in heaven. The essential factor to prayer is Kavana,
concentrative intent. The prayer which stems from suffering tends to be said
with more Kavana, as the dire situation forces the person to pour out his heart
with full concentration. Therefore, as there is more Kavana, the prayer is more
readily accepted before Hashem, even more than prayer out of love. However, as
sincerity is the essential factor to repentance, repentance is more readily
accepted when it is self inspired sincerity, not motivated by dire
circumstances.
One infliction which the Hagada relates to the Pasuk is the killing of the
male new-born children. Rashi writes that on the day Moshe was born, Pharaoh's
astrologers told him that the redeemer of the Jews was to be born on that day.
They did not know if this child was a Jew or an Egyptian. They did know,
however, that the savior's demise was to come through water. Therefore, Pharaoh
decreed that ALL males born," KOL habein hayilud", and not just the Jewish born,
were to be cast in the river. However, they did not know that Moshe's demise was
because of the incident by Mei Merivah , when Moshe hit the rock instead of
speaking to it, and not their efforts.
The next Pasuk the Hagada cites is: "Vayotzi'ainu Hashem Mi'Mitzrayim...,
"Hashem brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm,
with great awe, with signs and wonders:"
The Vilna Gaon asks a question on the explanation of the Hagada on this
Pasuk. The Hagada writes that in the Pasuk of "Vayotziainu" , the stress is on
the word "Hashem" - that Hashem took us out of Egypt himself, "Bichvodo
Uv'atzmo" and not through an angel, "malach, saraph, shaliach". If that is the
case, the Vilna Gaon asks, what was Hashem referring to when he told Moshe that
he would not send the "Destroyer", the "Mash'chis", to kill the Jews during the
tenth plague, Makas Be'choros . This implies that Hashem himself did not carry
out the plague, but rather the Destroyer did, and that this is what the Jews
were protected from.
The Vilna Gaon answers that during the course of the plague, there would have
been two types of death: the death of the first-born, due to the plague; and the
normal death which the Angel of Death takes care of when a person reaches the
end of his years. In a nation of 600,000 men, there were most certainly people
destined to die that night. However, if even one of the Jews had died, the
Egyptians might have said that the deaths were due to the same plague that was
affecting them. Therefore, the Torah tells us that Hashem said that he would not
send the "Destroyer" - that even the Angel of Death was forbidden by Hashem from
making his normal rounds that night.
The Hagada continues in its explanation of the Pasuk and explains that the
Yad Hachazaka, the mighty hand mentioned is the fifth plague, Dever (death of
cattle). Rav Moshe Feinstein points out that nowhere in this Pasuk is Makas
Bechoros, the final plague, alluded to as being a contributing factor to our
departure from Egypt. Yet, Dever is. The reason why Dever was considered a
contributing cause to our departure is because the main fear of death which fell
upon Egypt arrived with the plague of Dever, and the warning of Hashem
beforehand (Shmos 9:15). The Egyptians vividly saw that Hashem did have power
over life and death at this point. However, they mistakenly concluded that this
power was restricted to animals (as demonstrated by Dever). However, when the
last plague occurred and the Egyptians saw the first born dying They now knew
that Hashem had the power of life and death over man as well. At this point, the
fear of Hashem's power of death which had set in at Dever, prompted the
Egyptians to release the Jews.
The Hagada brings down another allusion from the Pasuk. It says that each
attribute that Hashem associated with the departure alludes to ten plagues,
thereby alluding to the ten plagues which Hashem brought on Egypt.
The Passover Hagadah
Maggid - Relating the Chain of Events
Part 2
by Rabbi Yehudah Prero
Maggid - Relating the Chain of Events | Maggid - Relating the Chain of Events |