Rabbi Benjamin Yudin Discusses Parshas Vaera on JM in the AM (5786)

Good morning Shabas everybody. Tomorrow we have the privilege of reading paras. Whoa. What do we have in paras? We have the first seven of the 10 makos that brings upon the Egyptians from the get-go. Let's get it very clear. And we'll see this again a little bit later on. The whole idea as to why why does Hashem bring the uh macos upon the Egyptians. So the first reason is well because Hashem told this exactly to Abrau. If you go back to Batius chapter 15 verse 13, God says to Ara at the Brisbane, you shall know with absolute certainty this is going to happen that your offspring, that your descendants are going to be one, strangers in a land which is not theirs. They're going to be enslaved. And finally, they're going to be oppressed physically. Okay. Now, afterwards, afterwards, they will leave with great wealth, which we know every aspect of God's prophecy came true. And then God continues and says to Abraham also the nation that does this to the Jewish people I will judge and Rashi tells you on the spot with 10 plagues. So the first of these seven first of the 10 plagues the first seven appear in paras but I'd like to focus and show that there is as we can see from the very beginning of the para a transition going on. Let's take a look at the opening by Moshe. Hashem speaks to Moshe love and he says to him, "Ani, I am God." Wait a second. This seems to be exceedingly repetitive having two names of God. And that is the point that we have to focus on. Elohim. Elohim is the name of God which denotes tea which denotes din justice. Hashem put a specific order in the world. There's a sunrise. There's a sunset. There is a natural order to the world which goes with elim which is the midin that of strict justice love. Hashem says to him, "Whoa, just know Moshe that in addition to my being Hashem, I am Hashem, God, which denotes the midas rahim, which denotes the midas of kindness, mercy." Now, what we have here is a transition from Elohim to Aniashem. How so? Let's go to the next p. God says and I'll translate. And I appeared to Abraov with what name? With the name of Kale Sha with the name of God who is as the Rambi explains Shakai Omar. What does that mean? Omar, I am the one, says Hashem, who have put boundaries into this world. You look at the ocean and it flows for 3,000 miles and then it comes to a stop. And as the waves keep coming in, the water stops at a certain point. It does not continue. Why is that? If God forbid it would continue 100 yards or a little bit more, it would come on wash away the buildings. People couldn't live there. And the answer is die sha who said die that the waters will stop here and the waters stop there. Die is there is boundaries. So I appear to Amra and Yakov says Hashem with the name of Kale Shakai where there is din and boundaries in this world but Hashem my identity as Hashem which is the God who breaks through boundaries. This I did not make known to them. This I did not show them. And basically what is being told to us in these first two sukim is that there is going to be on behalf of the Jewish people a breaking of the rules of nature which are enveloped encapsulated within elim and the breaking out is going to be with the characteristic of any which reminds me of the very powerful BI who says on the P in parash that hashem said to a raid I'm going down with you in Egypt and I will rise up with you or I will be elevated come al and on this the the says so powerfully that Hashem gave a promise to Jacob. Now listen carefully everybody because this is the introduction to the makos. This is the introduction to paras. The nitiv says that Hashem promised Yakov, I will only break the rules of nature. I will only go beyond the natural law on behalf of saving the Jewish people. And that's pinch yourself. Exactly what's happening in this week's para in order to and here we go. The two aspects of the makos is on the one hand punitive forim punishment for them as God said to on the one hand it's punitive but on the other hand it's educational for Israel it shows Hashem's love for claw Israel that is willing to bring water for Israel and dam for Mitim that the frogs will disturb only the Egyptians. And so it is with each of the plagues, Hashem showing his love for the cloud Israel. With this understanding, I'd like to remind all of us of a passage in the pess which at first glance like what's going on here. Now watch after we enumerate the 10 mos that Hashem brought upon the Egyptians. We then go on to say that there were additional macos to these 10 that raiosi says there were 10 in mitzim but alam there was 50 makos now let's go on taught how do I know that each mak that brought upon the Egyptians was had within it four macos. It consisted each one consisted of four plagues and he cites the verse from Tim 7849. Take a look. And the question is how to understand the verse and which translates as he sent upon his fierce anger, wrath, fury, trouble and a team of hostile angels. So according to Rabbi Elezar each plague had four additional components to it. Four plagues. And Rabbi Kea says, "I'll top you." And he quotes that same pokim 7849. And he begins with understanding the words that is kono karon ao meaning that that is not as a result of his fierce anger but he sent fierce anger. So according to he counts five plagues within each plague. Now what might be the significance and difference of opinion between rebel and the answer might be as found in the commentary of entitled yad mitim and there's a perishad of Isaac who says very sharply as follows that rebelzar says that each mak had four arba makos each one had four. Why? Because there are four letters to the name of Hashem. Yud V that the makos were primarily mercy primarily to save CL Israel primarily for the benefit of the Jewish people. And therefore, as Hashem's name of mercy is consisted of four letters, so too the makos had four makos within each one. Rebeeka says, "No, my friend, it's not the name of Hashem of Yud V that is paramount in the makos, but rather it's the name of Eloim of Din." The God was showing his might and power and breaking through and bringing a polar bear into Egypt. the the climate of Egypt does not tolerate the uro, the wild animals that we had. So according to Khazal, Hashem didn't only bring the polar bear, but he had to bring within Egypt the environment of Antarctica, the environment of the extreme cold in order that the polar bear should feel comfortable in the environment. He had to bring the forest for the regular bear. Incredible what's going on here. And all this is done for the purpose of punishing the he's hashem is breaking through the laws of nature for the purpose of dan mitzim the purpose of bringing den upon the Egyptians and as a result the b Israel were saved. So the question is is the are the 10 makos a focus on midasim or a focus on the midas. Now I don't have to tell you there's no question about it. When hashem created the world what do we find the very first uh verse of the Torah and what pronoun what name of hashem is used in that very first verse? the name of Elohim. And Rashi says that Hashem wanted to create this world only with the name of Elohim. But Hashem saw that the world could not exist with only Din. So what does Hashem do in the beginning of chapter 2? Hashem, Hashem brings the mid of andah. He made a basim. He added to the midim. And therefore just as Hashem employs both meidos hashem which is the me ofimu which is the me of din hashem both when the hashem does both it is all hashem it is all hashem's kindness all hashem's goodness We don't always see it that way, but that's what we are affirming each and every time that we recite the schma. The important lesson that emerges from paras is Hashem is the master of combining midas and midasim. Very quickly your child gets their license two weeks later they come and say abba imma please could I have the keys for the at night first time so they look at each other the parents they say be home by 10:00 10:00 comes the child is not home 10:20 the child comes in okay plan a parent says do you know what time it is do you know what time I told you to get home you did not have the car. There goes after all 10:00 is 10:00. Child wasn't home. Plan B. Child walks in. The parent gives the child a hug and says, "Oh, I'm so happy to see you. I'm so glad you're okay. Next time, please call if you're not going to be home on time." Very simple. That's called midasim. I can't tell you always which one to use, but I can only tell you that there are 13. The idea is that we have to basically learn how to integrate the two. How to have both din within our lives. There has to be certain rules. There have to be certain standards. There certainly be certain lines which certainly cannot be crossed. But at the same time we have to have this element of in the den. That's what it is. When we blow the chauffeur on rash, hashem changes from his k of din to the of we have to be and therefore in our personal lives as well we have to have this combination of and okay and that is whether it's in the workplace that the employer sets rules and expects productivity from his employees. This is din. But he must also show kindness and appreciation to his employees, giving them encouragement and support. This is and what's true in the area of the workplace is true in friendship. We have to involve and we have to be loving, kind and generous. But sometimes we have to say no to a friend who needs to know some limits. And so it is in marriage as well. If you take a look at the OOS clearly, Abra was and Sor was D. was D and RA was and we each one have to work towards implementing within the marriage. The of marriage requires being gentle, loving towards one's spouse and interpreting their behavior as stemming from good intentions. But din is also a necessary aspect of marriage. Each spouse has alic responsibilities including financial as well as domestic obligations. It's a para whereby we see that is providing both and we as following the 611th mitzvah of we too have to do the same in this most difficult challenge. Shabbat shalom to all.