Bostoner Torah Insights: Bostoner ‘Chassidus’ in Hebrew and English: Parshas Vaeira – 3 Shvat 5784
Bostoner Torah Insights - Yerushalayim
Bostoner Torah Insights
Bostoner ‘Chassidus’ in English
Parshas Vaeira – 3 Shvat 5784
Bostoner Rebbe shlit”a – Yerushalayim
Secretariat Email: bosto...@gmail.com
»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
“I appeared to Avraham, to Yitzchak, and to Yaakov as Kel Shakkai, but with My Name Hashem I did not make Myself known to them. I established My covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan…I have heard the groan of Bnei Yisroel…I have remembered My covenant” (Shemos 3-5).
The Ibn Ezra ponders the name ‘Kel Shakkai’ and how it is different from the name ‘Hashem’ used to describe HaKadosh Baruch Hu. He suggests that ‘Shakkai’ should be understood as ‘that said enough’, based on the Gemara (Chagigah 12), that when Hashem created the world, שאמר לעולמו די, ‘he told his world enough’, meaning he gave boundaries to the ocean, land, heavenly bodies, and other creations. We call these ‘boundaries’ the laws of nature and it is by these natural laws, such as gravity, conservation of mass and energy, three laws of motion, etc. that the world operates.
The Kuznitzer Rebbe, in his sefer Avodas Yisroel explains that we do not believe that Hashem established these laws of nature and withdrew, but rather that at every moment of existence, Hashem actively maintains the world. If Hashem, Chas V’Shalom, were to withdraw his ‘strength’, then all of these systems would collapse instantly, and the universe would revert to nothingness. This principle is expressed by the name ‘Kel Shakkai’, as the One who constantly maintains the world and its laws of nature that were established during the six days of Creation.
However, the ineffable four-letter name of Hashem, YKVK, which we refer to as ‘Hashem’ represents היה הווה ויהיה, the quality of Hashem’s past-present-future omnipresence. Furthermore, since Hashem operates outside of the boundaries of time and space that he created, he is able to manipulate these fixed laws of nature according to his will. For example, although Hashem made a pact with Avraham at Bris Bein HaBetarim that Bnei Yisroel would be subjected to servitude for 400 years, Hashem was also able to manipulate that time and shrink the servitude into 210 years. These calculations, which only Hashem can make, were realized by adjusting factors such as the manner and intensity of the servitude.
It was this expression of the name of ‘Hashem’, manipulating the seemingly fixed laws of nature, which was revealed to Moshe, but not to Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov. The Signs, the Ten Plagues, the Splitting of the Sea, the Giving of the Torah, the Clouds of Glory, the Mann, etc. were all elements in an era when HaKadosh Baruch Hu revealed himself to Moshe and to Bnei Yisroel in a perpetual state of ‘Hashem’, as opposed to the expression of ‘Kel Shakkai’
According to the Talmud Yerushalmi (Pesachim 10:1), the four cups at the Pesach Seder are based upon the four languages of Geulah, והוצאתי, והצלתי, וגאלתי, ולקחתי found in the opening section of Va’eira (Shemos 6:6-7). Another approach put forward by the Yerushalmi is that the four cups at the Pesach Seder correspond to the ‘four cups of retribution’ that Hashem will pour out in the future to the nations of the world for their crimes against Bnei Yisroel. “Take this cup of the wine of wrath” (Yirmiyahu 25:15); “A golden cup was Bavel in the hands of Hashem” (Yirmiyahu 51:7); “fire, brimstone and a burning blast are the portion in their cup” (Tehillim 11:6); “For there is a cup in Hashem’s hand” (Tehillim 75:9).
Upon further inspection, the preceding Pesukim in Parshas Va’eira contain an additional ‘four languages’. “I appeared to Avraham to Yitzchak and to Yaakov…I established My covenant with them…I have heard the groan…I have remembered My covenant”. One could suggest that these phrases correspond to the four cups at the Pesach Seder as well.
‘I appeared to Avraham to Yitzchak and to Yaakov’ hints to the Avos that gave Bnei Yisroel the sanctity to make Kiddush over wine, which is the first cup. ‘I established My covenant with them’ was by Yitziyas Mitzrayim, which correlates to the second cup, whose blessing concludes ‘the Redeemer of Yisroel’. ‘I have heard the groan’ expresses that Hashem promises to maintain Klal Yisroel, even though he took them out before 400 years and even though there will be other exiles, since Hashem has already heard in Mitzrayim the groaning of the other exiles. This corresponds to the third cup on Birkas Hamazon, which states that Hashem ‘has done good, is doing good and will do good’ to us. The fourth cup, which is poured before reciting the prayer, ‘Pour out your wrath upon the nations’, demonstrates that Hashem will bring the Moshiach and redeem us, which corresponds to the phrase, ‘I have remembered My covenant.’
At that time, Hashem will provide for us the ‘four cups of consolation’: “Hashem is the portion in my cup” (Tehillim 16:5); “My cup overflows” (Tehillim 23:5); and the two cups implied in “I will raise the cup of salvations” (Tehillim 116:13). May it be His will that we merit to drink from these four cups of salvation speedily in our days.--
If you would like to be a sponsor:
HELP SUPPORT MOSDOS BOSTON IN ERETZ YISROEL
