VAEIRA

"[VEHOTZEISI] I WILL BRING YOU OUT..[VEHITZALTI] I WILL SAVE YOU..[VEGAALTI] I WILL REDEEM YOU..[VELAKACHTI] I WILL TAKE YOU..[VIDAATEM] AND YOU SHALL KNOW..[VEHEVAISY] I WILL BRING YOU TO THE LAND..THEY DID NOT LISTEN TO MOSHE..BECAUSE OF THE CRUEL BONDAGE...(Shmos 6:6-9)"

The Sephorno explains the seemingly repetitious terms of redemption in these psukim. They are not redundant at all, rather each of these words has a different distinct and significant message. Hashem is telling Moshe to inform Klal Yisroel that the oncoming redemption from Egypt will come about in four phases. The first phase will be "Vehotzaisy- I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians." As soon as the plagues begin, the bondage will subside. The second phase will be Vehitzalty- I will save you." This will occur when they cro

ss the border of Egypt. The third phase will be Vegaalty- I will redeem you." This will occur when the Egyptians drown in the Red Sea. For after the demise of their oppressors, they were no longer runaway slaves. The fourth phase will be "Velakachti- I will take you to Me for a people.." When the Torah shall be given at Har Sinai, Israel will be taken for a people.

The Sephorno continues to explain these psukim that Hashem required of the Klal Yisroel now while in Egypt in bondage to have faith and trust in Hashem that the abovementioned oncoming redemption will truly occur. Hashem says, "Vidatem," - perceive and recognize, have Emunah and Bitachon that this redemption will actually occur. Then you will be worthy that Veheveisy - I will bring you into Eretz Yisroel. But the end result was that "they did not listen to Moshe." The cruel bondage that Pharoah subjected them to, rendered them incapable of concentrating their thoughts and beliefs on the impending redemption. On account of this lack of belief, they were severely punished in that they did not enter Eretz Yisroel.

Thus according to the Sephorno, Hashem required of Klal Yisroel prior to their redemption while still in bondage and affliction to firmly believe in Hashem's oncoming redemption. Pharoah's cruel bondage made them unable to concentrate their thoughts on this belief. Consequently, they were punished in not being permitted to enter Eretz Yisroel.

This is mystifying. How could Hashem require of Klal Yisroel something which is impossible? How could an oppressed and afflicted Klal Yisroel, broken-spirited and physically shattered, be capable of having that serenity of spirit and peace of mind necessary to have the proper emunah and bitachon in the oncoming salvation of Hashem?

Moreover, it seems from the Mesilas Yesharim (chapter two) that Pharoah was not merely a simple rasha but rather, someone with a profound understanding of the psychology of human nature. He utilized the same strategy as the Yetzer HaRah itself. Just as the Yetzer HaRah mounts unrelenting pressure against the hearts of men to keep them preoccupied with the trivialities of life, so did Pharoah do. The Yetzer Harah does not allow us a free moment to think into the spiritual qualities of the lives that we are leading. Should we continue what we are doing and improve them because they are righteous, or should we discontinue them because they are wrong. So too was Pharoah's strategy, pressuring the Klal Yisroel relentlessly. He intensified their work so as not to give them a chance to think. If so, how could an oppressed and afflicted Klal Yisroel, exploited and controlled by a master manipulator, the wicked Pharoah, not leaving them even a moment to think, be possibly required to achieve the impossible? How could they think and believe in the oncoming redemption of Hashem, now while they are in bondage?

Furthermore, there is yet another factor which made it impossible for Klal Yisroel while in bondage in Egypt to be able to think and believe in an incoming redemption. The aforementioned Sephorno in "vegaalty - I will redeem you" states that the third phase of redemption will be when they observe their Egyptian oppressors drowning in the Red Sea. They would now no longer be runaway slaves. This clearly implies that until they experience and see before their very eyes the death of their oppressors they would perceive themselves to be psychologically enslaved. This is true, notwithstanding the fact that they would have experienced until now the incredible miracles of the makos in Egypt (phase one of their redemption) and miraculously leaving the borders of Egypt (phase two). If so, that they would continue to have a slave mentality and still perceive themselves as victims of oppression, even after the first two stages of redemption, how would it at all be possible for Klal Yisroel now, while being oppressed and afflicted to project into the future, and think and believe that Hashem will bring about their redemption? How could Klal Yisroel be held responsible and punished, in not being permitted to enter Eretz Ysroel, for lacking this emunah and bitachon of the oncoming redemption, something that in their situation of bondage and affliction would be impossible for them to fulfill?

We see from here a powerful insight into the capacity and greatness of the human being. Hashem will never require and demand of us something that we are incapable of fulfilling. This was a tortured, oppressed, and afflicted Klal Yisroel, possessing a slave mentality. They were exploited by a diabolical and evil manipulator, who did not allow them any breathing space whatsoever. If Hashem requires and demands of them, while yet in bondage, to think and have faith and trust in Hashem that He will fulfill his promise to redeem the Klal Yisroel, then Klal Yisroel is fully capable of firmly believing, even in this depressed state, that this redemption will come to be.

As we journey through life and are confronted with various nisyonos, tests, and "pekelach of tzaros," we might despair and think that there is no way to cope with all of this. May we realize the capacity and greatness that we all have inherent within us. Hashem's creation, the human being, has within him that power and tenacity of spirit to rise above the greatest pressures and deal with the most difficult of tzaros. In the midst of the fog of unrelenting distress, he can think clearly and have faith and trust that Hashem with His boundless and limitless rachmanus can help him and bring about his salvation. May we be privileged to realize this tremendous inner strength that is inherent within us. May we be zocheh to strengthen and implement our faith and trust in Hashem in all and every situation in which we find ourselves, thus making our journery through life more meaningful and more pleasant. Amen.