In this week's Parsha, Vaera, the opening two verses show us that G-D introduced Himself to Moshe as Hashem (Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey) and not the name that was used for our forefathers, Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, of kEl-Shaddai. Why is this significant? The verses say (Shemos 6:2-3):
The first verse seems superfluous because Moshe already met G-D by the burning bush in last week's Parsha. There must be a deeper meaning here that G-D is coming to teach us about the character trait of Yud-hey-vav-hey that is different than the character trait of kEL- Shaddai. For the answer to this question we should turn to Rav Moshe Feinstein and the Emek Davar.
Rav Moshe Feinstein tells us the difference between G-D's guidance of the world through the character trait of kEL-Shaddai and Yud-hey-vav-hey. He says that the guidance of the world through the name of kEL-Shaddai is more natural, let me explain. The world, when it is guided through the character trait of kEL-Shaddai, operates in a manner where wicked people are able to succeed. However, G-D limits their power in order that they can not destroy the world, but G-D allows them to have autonomy. Basically, nature runs its course, for the most part, and then G-D steps in before a complete destruction can take place. G-D's intervention is unexplainable, but, for the most part, nature takes its course while G-D guides the world with the character traits outlined by the name of kEL-Shaddai. However, when G-D guides the world with the name of Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey then open miracles occur in a similar fashion to how the world was created, open miracles.
The Emek Davar also brings in this idea, but in a different fashion. He says that when G-D introduced Himself as Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey he was telling Moshe that it is G-D that is guiding the world. Moshe thought that the Egyptian enslavement of the Jews was nature, therefore, G-D told Moshe that it was not a natural process that the Jews were enslaved, G-D made it happen. According to the Netziv (The Emek Davar) G-D was teaching Moshe that his view of reality was skewed. G-D directly guides nature as well as supernatural events and there is nothing that occurs without His say so.
I think these views represented by the Netziv and Rav Moshe Feinstein represent the views of the Rambam and the Ramban. The Rambam was under the idea that G-D created the world with nature and nature is how the world works. Sometimes G-D intervenes, but the world, for the most part, runs through nature. However, the Ramban says that nature, in and of itself, is guided directly through G-D. This is the age old argument of Hashgacha Klalis (generalized attention) vs Hashgacha Pratis (specified attention). This view of the Rambam can be seen in many places like his commentary on the Mishna (specifically in Mishna Avos) and in the Moreh Nevuchim (The Guide for the Perplexed). The Ramban's views are apparent throughout many of his works, the commentary on the Torah and in the Toras Hashem Temimah.
Rav Moshe's idea, which represents the Rambam's idea, teaches us something very important. Although the Universe is guided through nature, G-D intervenes when He feels it is necessary. Just like G-D created the world through miraculous means, so too he took the Jews out of Egypt through unnatural miracles. This revealed that G-D's power is supreme even though He usually lets the world run through nature. However, the Netziv, representing the Ramban, views the world and G-D's guidance of the world in an entirely different manner. The Ramban sees everything as a miracle, not just natural acts.
Whichever view a person finds more logical they should follow that view. Who is right? Is it the Rambam, who believes G-D created nature in order to guide the world and He only intervenes when absolutely necessary? Or perhaps the Ramban is correct and G-D guides every single aspect of the world personally?
Showing posts with label Vaera. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vaera. Show all posts
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
The Ten Plagues, A lesson in Repentance
The Midrash Tanchuma in Parshas Vaera can teach us a quite powerful lesson. It quotes a verse in Iyov, "Behold, G-D, in His omnipotence, will raise up. Who can instruct as He does?" (Iyov 36:22) The Medrash tells us that this means that G-D instructs the wicked how to repent their evil ways. This is done through G-D giving the wicked a certain illness or other hardship that relates to their misdeed. The ten plagues are the paradigm for this idea.
Blood: The reason for this plague was because the Egyptians did not allow the daughters of Israel to use the mikvah and purify themselves from their menstrual impurity. Thus, they effectively were prohibiting the Jews from procreating since a man can not lie with his wife unless she cleanses herself in the mikva. Therefore, the Egyptians were reminded of this sin by being punished with blood.
Frogs/Crocodiles: The Egyptians would force the Jews to chase after these creatures and bring them to the Egyptians. Therefore, the Egyptians were punished with the very thing that they forced the Jews to do.
Lice: The Egyptians would force the Jews to sweep the streets and market places (a pointless task as well) therefore the dust that the Jews were forced to sweep turned to lice.
Wild Beasts: The Egyptians would force the Jews to capture wild beasts for them just to torture the Jews. Therefore, the Egyptians were tortured with wild beasts.
Pestilence (for the animals): The Egyptians forced the Jews to watch after their animals in the desert, the mountains and the valleys in order that the Jews should not procreate by being allowed to return home. Therefore, all of the animals that the Jews had to watch were killed.
Boils: The Egyptians would force the Jews to get hot water for their baths and cold water if it was too hot. They tortured the Jews in order to take care of their bodies so their bodies were punished by being covered in boils.
Hail: The Egyptians made the Jews plant gardens and orchards. Therefore, G-D brought the hail to destroy these plantations.
Locusts: The Egyptians made the Jews plant wheat and barely. Therefore, G-D made the locusts come and destroy these crops.
Darkness: The reason for this plague was in order to get rid of the Jews that were wicked. G-D could not bring a plague on them while the Egyptians could see because then the Egyptians would say that just like we are plagued so too are the Jews. Then the Jews would not be freed. Therefore, G-D cast darkness over the land of Egypt to punish the wicked Jews.
Death of the firstborn: The Eitz Yosef says that it was because the Egyptians killed many Jews.
Going into Pesach we can learn many important things from the ten plagues. However, I think that the most important aspect is that of reflection. This is a time of year where we can reflect and think about G-D's influence in our lives. What types of messages has He been sending to us. Should I be repenting for certain things? Have I made the wrong choices? Little signs, or big signs, can help guide us in the right direction, all we have to do is look.
Blood: The reason for this plague was because the Egyptians did not allow the daughters of Israel to use the mikvah and purify themselves from their menstrual impurity. Thus, they effectively were prohibiting the Jews from procreating since a man can not lie with his wife unless she cleanses herself in the mikva. Therefore, the Egyptians were reminded of this sin by being punished with blood.
Frogs/Crocodiles: The Egyptians would force the Jews to chase after these creatures and bring them to the Egyptians. Therefore, the Egyptians were punished with the very thing that they forced the Jews to do.
Lice: The Egyptians would force the Jews to sweep the streets and market places (a pointless task as well) therefore the dust that the Jews were forced to sweep turned to lice.
Wild Beasts: The Egyptians would force the Jews to capture wild beasts for them just to torture the Jews. Therefore, the Egyptians were tortured with wild beasts.
Pestilence (for the animals): The Egyptians forced the Jews to watch after their animals in the desert, the mountains and the valleys in order that the Jews should not procreate by being allowed to return home. Therefore, all of the animals that the Jews had to watch were killed.
Boils: The Egyptians would force the Jews to get hot water for their baths and cold water if it was too hot. They tortured the Jews in order to take care of their bodies so their bodies were punished by being covered in boils.
Hail: The Egyptians made the Jews plant gardens and orchards. Therefore, G-D brought the hail to destroy these plantations.
Locusts: The Egyptians made the Jews plant wheat and barely. Therefore, G-D made the locusts come and destroy these crops.
Darkness: The reason for this plague was in order to get rid of the Jews that were wicked. G-D could not bring a plague on them while the Egyptians could see because then the Egyptians would say that just like we are plagued so too are the Jews. Then the Jews would not be freed. Therefore, G-D cast darkness over the land of Egypt to punish the wicked Jews.
Death of the firstborn: The Eitz Yosef says that it was because the Egyptians killed many Jews.
Going into Pesach we can learn many important things from the ten plagues. However, I think that the most important aspect is that of reflection. This is a time of year where we can reflect and think about G-D's influence in our lives. What types of messages has He been sending to us. Should I be repenting for certain things? Have I made the wrong choices? Little signs, or big signs, can help guide us in the right direction, all we have to do is look.
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