Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו, כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
The most celebrated section of our parasha is that of the Asseret HaDibrot. It begins with the well-known words: “And Elokim spoke all (kol) these words saying.” (Sefer Shemot 20:1) The Mechilta of Rabbi Yishmael focuses on the word, kol, and suggests: “This comes to teach us that the Asseret HaDibrot were said in one utterance (b’dibbur echad), something that is impossible for a human being to say in this manner…” (Mesechta d’b’Chodesh IV)  In his Commentary on the Torah, Rashi (1040-1105) cites this statement nearly verbatim, signaling that this is the correct interpretation.
 
This citation is further interpreted by the Maharal (Rabbi Yehudah Loew ben Betzalel, 1525-1609), in his supercommentary on Rashi’s Commentary, entitled Gur Aryeh: “…this is to say that the entire Torah is one entity and one word--inyan echad v’dibbur echad.” He bases his interpretation on two premises:

1)The entire Torah is derived (yotzim) from the Asseret HaDibrot. (See Rashi, Sefer Shemot 24:12)
2)These Asseret HaDibrot were stated b’dibbur echad; therefore, the entire Torah was [initially given in] one pronouncement. (Sefer Shemot 20:1, translation and brackets my own)
 
In an interpretative tour de force, the Maharal expands on this approach in his sefer, Tifferet Yisrael, chapter 34:

Based on the aforementioned, we can state that the Asseret HaDibrot were said in one word. This is coming to teach that the entirety of the Torah is one, and it is one ordered and inseparable entity. This is the case, since all of the mitzvot derive from the Asseret HaDibrot, and that each of the Taryag (613) mitzvot are included therein. Moreover, the Asseret HaDibrot were stated in one word, which teaches us that the Torah is completely indivisible. It is, therefore, proper to say, [as well,] that it is one order (seder) [that is, an undividable object]. (Translation and brackets my own)
 
Closer to our own time, my rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, provides a different analysis of the Mechilta. Rather than suggesting that the word, “kol,” encompasses the entire Torah, the Rav limits its scope to the Asseret HaDibrot:

Apparently, the Mechilta and Rashi have interpreted va’yidabare Elokim ate kol hadevarim ha’aleh in the holistic sense, and translated it as follows: G-d proclaimed the whole, the entirety, or the totality, of those Commandments. They did not interpret kol as referring to each and every one of those Commandments. Kol is not interpreted as in terms of every Commandment, rather, it is interpreted as referring to the totality, the organic unity of all Ten Commandments…kol injects a new idea, a new world. (This and the following quotations Norot HaRav, volume V, B. David Schreiber, editor, pages 18-19)
 
What exactly is the “new world” that is revealed in the word, kol? As the Rav explains:
The Decalogue is not an incidental sum consisting of mutually unrelated precepts. Rather, the Decalogue constitutes a primordial entity, whose unity and integrity are inherent in the very essence of the system. In other words, there are not Ten Commandments. There is one Commandment which branches out into ten aspects. The practical consequence of this concept is clear and obvious. The Decalogue is indivisible. One either accepts all of the Commandments or none at all…All of the precepts were pronounced and promulgated in one utterance, within an indivisible, infinitesimal period of time.
 
Rav Saadia Gaon (d. 942), cited in Rashi’s Commentary on Sefer Shemot 24:12, takes this one step further: “All 613 mitzvot are included in the Asseret HaDibrot.” I believe this the true essence of the Asseret HaDibrot, and the reason why they have captured our attention since time immemorial. For on the day they were given, the entire Torah was revealed to klal Yisrael, and we became Hashem’s nation forevermore.
 
Shabbat Shalom
​
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
 
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*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link: The Rav
​

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל, בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
The concluding section of our parasha contains the account of our ancestors’ mortal combat with Amalek, the marauding desert tribe that sought to destroy us following our departure from Egypt. The narrative begins with a pasuk that reverberates until our own historical moment: “Amalek came and fought with Yisrael in Rephidim.” (Sefer Shemot 17:8, this and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach). Moshe immediately recognized the gravity of the situation, and quickly responded to this existential threat against our fledgling nation:
​
So, Moshe said to Yehoshua, “Pick men for us, and go out and fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of G-d in my hand;” Yehoshua did as Moshe had told him, to fight against Amalek; and Moshe, Aharon, and Chur ascended to the top of the hill. (17:9-10)
 
Moshe’s reaction is swift and easily understandable. The next verse, however, is quite difficult to comprehend: “It came to pass that when Moshe would raise his hand, Yisrael would prevail, and when he would lay down his hand, Amalek would prevail.” The question is clear, “Why would Moshe raising or lowering his hand have anything to do with our people’s success or failure in their battle against Amalek?” Not too surprisingly, parallel versions of this question have been asked by Chazal (our Sages of blessed memory) in both Mechilta d’Rabbi Yishmael and Mishnah Rosh Hashanah III:8. The answer given by the Mechilta is particularly pertinent to our discussion:

And is it possible that Moshe’s hands could make the Jewish people victorious, or could they destroy (literally, “break”) Amalek? Rather [this is what the raising of Moshe’s hands actually means]: Whenever Moshe would raise them toward Heaven, the Jewish people would look upon him, and believe (u’ma’aminim) in the One who designated Moshe to act in this manner. For at those times, the Holy One blessed be He would perform miracles and mighty deeds for them. (Mechilta d’Rabbi Yishmael, Mesechta d’Amalek I, s.v. v’hayah ka’asher, translation and brackets my own)
 
The Mechilta is teaching us that Moshe’s hands pointing heavenward were heuristic devices to teach our ancestors to believe in Hashem and internalize the message, “Not by military force and not by physical strength, but by My spirit, says the L-rd of Hosts.” (Sefer Zechariah 4:6)  After all, there appeared to be no way an untrained and inexperienced band of Jewish guerrilla fighters could possibly win a pitched battle against Amalek’s impeccably skilled soldiers—whose stock-in-trade was murder and mayhem. Yet, when they looked toward Shamayim and focused upon the immanent presence of the Almighty in their lives, they won! Moshe passionately wanted the Jewish people to realize that there is one place, and one place only, from which authentic salvation will come. As Dovid HaMelech proclaimed:

I shall raise my eyes to the mountains, from where will my help come? My help is from the L-rd, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to falter; Your Guardian will not slumber. Behold the Guardian of Yisrael will neither slumber nor sleep. The L-rd is your Guardian; the L-rd is your shadow; [He is] by your right hand. (Sefer Tehillim 121:1-6)
 
Although the actual tribe of Amalek no longer exists, its successors continue to infect humanity with their vitriolic hatred. This idea was given powerful voice by my rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal, in his synopsis of the dark forces that continue to drive the Amalek way of life:

At a Mizrachi convention I cited the view expressed by my father [Rav Moshe Soloveitchik zatzal] and master of blessed memory, that the proclamation, “The L-rd will have war with Amalek from generation to generation” (Exodus 17:16) does not only translate into the communal exercise of waging obligatory war against a specific race but includes as well the obligation to rise up as a community against any people or group that, filled with maniacal hatred, directs its enmity against Kenneset Israel [the Jewish people].
 
When a people emblazons on its banner, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation: that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance” (Psalms 83:5) it becomes, thereby, Amalek. In the 1930's and 1940's the Nazis, with Hitler at their head, filled this role. They were the Amalekites, the standard-bearers of insane hatred and enmity during the era just past. (“Kol Dodi Dofek,” pages 65-66 from the English translation entitled Fate and Destiny)
 
We must never forget that anti-Semitism, and the denial of the existence of Hashem, are the principles—by which and for which—Amalek lives. Moreover, as we have seen in our own time, Amalek has one undeniable goal: to destroy each and every one of the Jewish people so that G-d’s name, chas v’shalom, would be obliterated from the world. Therefore, we must ever be vigilant, and stand shoulder to shoulder to ensure the physical and spiritual safety of our fellow Jews, wherever they may be. Perhaps, then, no truer expression was ever spoken by Chazal than kol Yisrael arevim zeh l’zeh (all of the Jewish people are responsible for one another). May the time come soon when these words will serve as a beacon of light as we join together and witness the fulfillment of Dovid HaMelech’s stirring words: “This was from the L-rd; it is wondrous in our eyes.” (Sefer Tehillim 118:23)  V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
 
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*** My audio shiurim for Women on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.

Image Courtesy Yoram Raanan
 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו, כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
Two pasukim in our parasha tell the story of our people’s departure from Eretz Mitzrayim:
It came to pass at the end of four hundred and thirty years, and it came to pass in that very day, that all the legions of Hashem went out of the land of Egypt. (12:41, all Tanach translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
It came to pass on that very day, that Hashem took the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt with their legions. (12:51)
 
At first glance, with the exception of the phrase, “It came to pass at the end of four hundred and thirty years,” it seems that 12:51 is a repetition of 12:41and adds little to our understanding of the Exodus. We know, however, that this cannot be the case, since one of the fundamental principles of Torah exegesis is that each pasuk has an essential purpose and teaches something no other verse imparts.
 
As such, in order to comprehend the deeper meaning of these pasukim, we need to examine another text in Parashat Yitro, in the prologue to the Asseret HaDibrot: “You [the Jewish people] have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and [how] I bore you on eagles’ wings, and I brought you to Me.” (19:6)  A mesmerizing Targum Yonatan on this verse goes far beyond an Aramaic translation in that it is, by all accounts, a “midrashic text” in and of itself:
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You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on the clouds, as if you were on the wings of eagles, from Pilusin [town in southern Egypt]. And I brought you to the place of the Beit HaMikdash to offer your korban Pesach there. And on that same night, I brought you back to Pilusin, and from there, brought you to the place of My Torah [Har Sinai]. (Translation my own)
 
Looking back at our parasha’s original two verses, we note that 12:41 states, “all the legions of Hashem went out of the land of Egypt,” whereas in 12:51 we find, “Hashem took the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt with their legions.” I maintain that in 12:41, our ancestors went out of Egypt in a naturalistic manner, that is, on foot, namely, a yetziah gufanit--physical departure. I believe this is supported by the latter part of the Targum Yonatan passage: “And on that same night, I brought you back to Pilusin, and from there, brought you to the place of My Torah.” What was that “same night?” The night of the 15th of Nissan, Lail Pesach, and from Pilusin, He ultimately brought us to Har Sinai.
 
In stark contrast, Hashem is the active agent in 12:51, that is, He is the subject, and we were the objects. Consequently, this departure was unique in that it was a yetziah ruchanit--a spiritual departure, above and beyond the physical realm, planned and executed by the Almighty.  This is supported by the first part of the Targum Yonatan passage: “I bore you on the clouds, as if you were on the wings of eagles from Pilusin. And I brought you to the place of the Beit HaMikdash to offer your korban Pesach there.” When did HaKadosh Baruch Hu do this amazing miracle? On Erev Pesach, at the precise time we were obligated to bring the korban Pesach! After so doing, then and only then, did He bring us back to Mitzrayim, and the rest of Jewish history, began to unfold.
 
Just as our redemption from Egypt was a physical and spiritual journey, so may HaKadosh Baruch Hu bring us Mashiach Tzidkeinu and redeem us from galut, soon, and in our days. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
 
Please contact me at [email protected] to be added to my weekly email list.
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link: The Rav
 

Image with thanks to Chabad.org

Rabbi David Etengoff

ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו, כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי האר
 
Our Sages maintain that Hashem performed ten miracles for our forefathers in Egypt. (Pirkei Avot V:4). The Rambam (1135-1204), Rabbeinu Yonah (d. 1264) and the Ritva (1260-1320), among others, interpret this statement as referring to the ten Makkot. Pharoah is warned in our parasha that if he refuses to let our ancestors go and serve the Almighty, arov, the fourth of these will pummel his nation:

 … I [Hashem] will incite against you and against your servants and against your people and in your houses the arov, and the houses of Egypt will be filled with the arov, as well as the land upon which they are. And I will separate (v’hiflati) on that day the land of Goshen, upon which My people stand, that there will be no arov there, in order that you know that I am Hashem in the midst of the earth. And I will make a division (v’samti fedut) between My people and your people; this sign will come about tomorrow. (Sefer Shemot 8:17-19, this and all Tanach translations with my emendations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
Arov connotes a mixture of some kind; the text, however, does not reveal its composition. This leads Rashi (1040-1105) to suggest the following interpretation: “[it includes] all species of wild beasts, snakes, and scorpions in a mixture, and these played havoc among them. (Commentary on the Torah, Sefer Shemot 8:17)  In addition, Rashi opines that use of the terms v’hiflati and v’samti fedut in our pasukim underscores the notion that the Egyptians, alone, will suffer makkat arov. As such, Rashi states: “This [fedut] will make a division (sh’yavdil) between My people [the Jews] and your people [the Egyptians].” (8:19)
 
My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as the “Rav” by his followers and disciples, expands on Rashi’s explanation, and uses it as an opportunity to explore the first three havdalot found in tefilat Havdalah: the separations that obtain between the holy and profane, light and darkness, and between the Jewish people and the nations of the world. While at first glance they may appear to be similar, the Rav notes that there is a fundamental difference between them:

The havdalah between light and darkness is clear for all to perceive. Indeed, even animals and plants respond to these stimuli; with the arrival of sunset, flowers close their blossoms, and when the sun rises, the blossoms open to face it. The havdalah of light and darkness is a havdalah that is seen or sensed by all. (This and the following quotations, Chumash HaRav, Sefer Shemot, page 67)
 
In short, the havdalah bain ohr l’choshek is recognized by all living beings, whether plants or animals. This is not the case, however, regarding the distinction between kodesh and chol: “The eye cannot perceive this havdalah. A person needs to have special intuition, to see with his heart, as this separation can only be sensed.” Thus, the first two havdalot are markedly different; the havdalah between light and darkness is clear to one and all, whereas the havdalah between the holy and profane is “the most hidden.”
 
According to the Rav, the havdalah between the Jewish people and the nations of the world shares elements of the first two havdalot, that become fully actualized through holiness: “When Jews keep the commandments, when they live their lives as a holy nation, the contrast between Israel and the nations becomes evident to all. When the Jew abandons God, however, no longer is there obvious evidence of havdalah.” This, however, states the Rav, should not lead to a loss of hope, for even when our people have turned away from the Almighty, the connection between ourselves and the Holy One blessed be He remains eternal: “Yet as mired in sin as the Jew may be, deep in the Jewish soul there remains something holy and mysterious, which can neither be erased nor destroyed.”
 
What is this holy and mysterious entity that remains deep in the Jewish soul? It is the pintele Yid, the nitzutz haYehudi, the eternally burning spark that can never be extinguished, no matter how far a Jew may drift away from Hashem, the Torah and the mitzvot. Chazal note in a variety of midrashim and kabbalistic sources, that both the Egyptians and the Jewish people at this time were idol worshippers (Midrash Tehillim 1:20, 15:5, Zohar, Parashat Terumah 170). As the Rav explains, however, even though “one could barely perceive a contrast between them…the Master of the Universe indeed separated between them.” He did this because, “He discerned holiness in the soul, which was profane and full of sin, and therefore saved His people.”
 
May the time come soon, and in our time, when the nitzutz haYehudi will burn bright as the sun in the souls of us all, and may Hashem bring us back to Him b’ahavah rabbah--in great love. As Yirmiyahu the prophet said so long ago: “Hashiveinu Hashem alecha v’nashuvah, chadeish yameinu k’kedem—Cause us to come back to You, Hashem, and we will return! Renew our days as of old.” (Megillat Eichah 5:21)  V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org

Please contact me at [email protected] to be added to my weekly email list.

*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
​
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link: The Rav