GOLUS AND REDEMPTION
By Roy S. Neuberger
The Torah goes at great length into Golus Mitzraim because we have to understand the reality of Golus. The Torah goes at great length into the Redemption through Moshe Rabbeinu because we have to understand the reality of Redemption.
It is vital to understand how Golus and Redemption are connected.
They both arrive “b’keref ayin … in the blink of an eye.” Yosef was sold and suddenly the world darkened. Yosef was whisked from prison and suddenly light appeared.
The prerequisite to Redemption: we have to feel the pain of Golus. If we don’t feel it, then we will not cry out to Hashem to free us. That pain causes us to beg Hashem to take us out. “The Children of Israel groaned because of the work and they cried out. Their outcry because of the work went up to G-d. G-d heard their moaning and G-d remembered His covenant with Avraham, with Yitzchak and with Yaakov. G-d saw the Children of Israel and G-d knew.” (Shemos 2:23-25) Thesepossukim immediately precede the passage in which Moshe Rabbeinu is summoned to return to Mitzraim: “An angel of Hashem appeared to him in a blaze of fire from amid the bush.” (Shemos 3:2)
Our Redeemer is waiting, but we need to cry out to Hashem.
We are dangerously in love with Golus. I am afraid that we just don’t understand our condition. Several weeks ago, “out of nowhere,” a decree was issued by the New York State Department of Education which, in one blow, threatened the future of our entire yeshiva system. The specter of enemies prowling through our holy institutions of Torah with the power to control them was astonishing to us who have enjoyed this “medina of chessed” for so long.
“If the Jewish People repent, they will be redeemed .… If they do not repent, they will not be redeemed? …. Rather, the Holy One, Blessed is He, will appoint a king over them whose decrees will be as harsh [as those of] Haman, and the Jewish People will repent and [in this way G-d] will bring them back to the right [path].” (Sanhedrin 97b)
My friends, we have to know, “Halacha hi … It is a law. It is known that Esav hates Yaakov ….” (Rashi on Bereishis 33:4)What has changed? Has this law been repealed? HHaHNothing has changed, except that we have been lulled by the acceptance we have enjoyed in the lands of the West into thinking that we are at home here.
It is Mitzraim all over again. We are in terrible danger. At any moment a king as cruel as Haman could appear, G-d forbid, and our entire world could be turned upside down. All it takes is the blink of an eye for Haman to appear … or Moshiach to come. We have to cry out to Hashem!
Remember a few weeks ago when we read, “Ani Yosef … I am Yosef?” Redemption dawned in an instant! That’s how Moshiach will come. May we see him soon in our days!
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Roy Neuberger, author and public speaker, can be reached at roy@2020vision.co.il.
© Copyright 2019 by Roy S. Neuberger
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