BS’D
This week’s Torah Portion of Vaera discusses Moshe Rabbeinu’s promise to B’nai Yisrael that redemption was imminent. Yet at the same time they experienced an increase in hard work. “And Moshe spoke these words to the children of Israel, but they did not hear …” There are 4 possible reasons why B’nai Yisrael did not trust in their geula.
- The Rashbam ztk’l, grandson of Rashi teaches that the Jewish People could not trust in Moshe’s comforting words since they judged the situation according to what they saw. They analyzed their condition and could only focus on how much worse it appeared; it seemed impossible for it to ever change.
- Rashi ztk’l teaches that their disbelief was not intellectually based. Ahm Yisrael had reached a point of total despair and could not accept emotional comfort. They found themselves in self-pity and their spirits could not be uplifted.
- The Rambam ztk’l brings down that they were not even aware that Moshe was talking to them. They lost all patience in having to live another moment of misery; they denied themselves any possibility of redemption.
- The Sforno ztk’l, Rav Ovadia ben Yaakov of Italy teaches there was a blockage between that which they intellectually knew and that which they emotionally felt. Trust is born within. What we intellectually know needs to result in unwavering trust and deep intuition.
Many of us can find the root cause of our own lack of emuna in one of the above mentioned approaches. It is important to honestly contemplate the reasons why we struggle in our emuna. It is also possible that Moshe Rabbeinu whispers in our ears that our individual geula is shortly approaching and we should be comforted. Does anyone hear him?
Please share your comments, thoughts and questions in the comment section.
Would love to hear from you.
Today’s daily dose of emuna is dedicated to the refuah shleimah of Leah bas Perel Merel. May Hashem shower her with a complete healing among all of Klal Yisrael who are sick and suffering b’karov, b’rachamim, Amen.
