BREATHLESS IN EGYPT

Parashat Va’era

Shevat 3, 5784 / January 12-13, 2024

Torah Reading : Exodus 6:2 - 9:35

Haftarah: Ezekiel 28:25 - 29:21

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This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for all who have been wounded in the terrorist attacks and in fighting against the terrorists, as well as innocent non-combatants caught in the crossfire.

This d'var torah is offered in memory of all the victims of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah. Y’hi zikhronam liv’rakhah – May their memories be a blessing. And may the memory of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah and all their supporters be forever erased.

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Lunch and Learn meets Mondays at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook Live. On Monday, January 15, we'll be at BT Shabbat 121a, page 197 of Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) Volume 1 –  "...ת'ר מעשה ונפלה דליקה"  - "Our Rabbis taught that a fire once broke out ....”

Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) is available for on-line reading or as a downloadable PDF at:

https://hebrewbooks.org/9630   

A pointed Hebrew text version with different pagination is available at Sefaria:

https://www.sefaria.org/Ein_Yaakov?tab=contents  

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Check out our wonderful community, and get lots of info about our various programs and becoming a Member at: https://bnaihayim.org/ 

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Rabbi Van Leeuwen has a blog which you should read at: 

https://rebjasonblog.wordpress.com/blog/ 

Dr. Steve Pearlman writes up the "Midrashim of the Week", which you should read at: 

https://midrashsrp.wordpress.com 

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Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.

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BREATHLESS IN EGYPT

 
"And Moses spoke thus (as God had instructed him) to the Children of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses because of shortness of breath (mikotzer ruach) and hard work." Exodus 6:9

Rashi: Whoever is troubled, his wind and his breathing are short, and he cannot breathe a long breath.
 
Sforno: Their spirit prevented them from having faith in God, and they did not focus their hearts to understand.

 
Moses, following God's directions, has told the Israelites that they will be redeemed by God. But they ignore Moses, apparently because they are physically worn out - they are out of breath from being worked so hard by the Egyptians. 
 
The 16th-century commentator, Sforno, says “no”. (Note: the text says "shortness of breath AND hard work." {Emphasis added}) He understands kotzer ruach to mean a shortness of spirit (ruach can mean breath or spirit). He suggests that they were spiritually weak, unfocused, and consequently, they were punished by not being taken to the Promised Land - only their children, who had not had their spirits broken, would enter the land of Israel.
 
This seems rather harsh, somewhat like blaming the victim. But it is just the beginning of a pattern. No matter what God promises or does for the Israelites, before and after the exodus from Egypt, they never really believe - they never have faith. Even after all of the miracles, as we shall see in a few weeks, the Israelites create a golden calf to worship.
 
We often believe we are entitled to be redeemed simply because we have suffered. But we should also know that, just as one cannot recover from alcoholism (an insidious slavery) without working through the necessary steps, and just as one cannot firm up flabby muscles without physical exercise, one cannot be spiritually healed without doing spiritual work. We have to exercise our spiritual muscles the same way we work out at the gym - study Torah, pray, work at finding God, meditate, practice and live Judaism. You can get a spiritual rush - if you get pumped up!
 
Feel the burn - have a great Shabbat workout!
 
Shabbat Shalom!
 

Rabbi Richard A. Flom

Rabbi Emeritus, Temple B’nai Hayim/Congregation Beth Meier

הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם ?אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם

Who is wise? The one who learns from every person.

Ben Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1

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