בס”ד
A THOUGHT ABOUT PARSHAT SHEMOT 5785
Introduction: The Promise to Abraham
In Exodus 1:5, the Torah recounts that:
| The total number of persons that were of Jacob’s issue came to seventy, Joseph being already in Egypt. | וַֽיְהִ֗י כׇּל־נֶ֛פֶשׁ יֹצְאֵ֥י יֶֽרֶךְ־יַעֲקֹ֖ב שִׁבְעִ֣ים נָ֑פֶשׁ וְיוֹסֵ֖ף הָיָ֥ה בְמִצְרָֽיִם׃ |
This number of seventy, representing the descendants of Jacob, fulfills the words spoken by G-d to Abraham in Genesis 15:13:
| 3 And He said unto Abram: ‘Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; | יג וַיֹּאמֶר לְאַבְרָם, יָדֹעַ תֵּדַע כִּי-גֵר יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא לָהֶם, וַעֲבָדוּם, וְעִנּוּ אֹתָם–אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת, שָׁנָה. |
These seventy righteous souls did not move to Egypt because of sin, but rather because G-d had foretold their exile. Everything that G-d decides to do is for the good, and we see that Abraham, unlike his intercession for Sodom and Gomorrah, did not pray that his descendants would avoid this fate. This exile, however, had an important purpose: to lead the Jewish people to a state of spiritual purity, which would allow them to receive the Torah. The “great substance” referred to in Genesis 15:14 encompasses not only material wealth but, as Netivot Shalom explains, especially the invaluable spiritual treasures that would enable the Israelites to receive the Torah.
| 14 and also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge; and afterward shall they come out with great substance. | יד וְגַם אֶת-הַגּוֹי אֲשֶׁר יַעֲבֹדוּ, דָּן אָנֹכִי; וְאַחֲרֵי-כֵן יֵצְאוּ, בִּרְכֻשׁ גָּדוֹל. |
This movement of going into exile and the redemption that follows would repeat itself three more times in Jewish history, and the sages teach us from Genesis 1:2 that this was already decided by G-d before He even began the creation of man. Therefore, before anything went wrong, a plan of redemption was already in place. Genesis 1:2 says:
| 2 Now the earth was unformed and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the spirit of G-d hovered over the face of the waters. | ב וְהָאָרֶץ, הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ, וְחֹשֶׁךְ, עַל-פְּנֵי תְהוֹם; וְרוּחַ אֱלֹקים, מְרַחֶפֶת עַל-פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם |
Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish1 explains that the chaos at the creation can be linked to the four exiles of Israel. He says:
- “The earth was formless” refers to the Babylonian exile, as described in Jeremiah 4:23.
- “And empty” refers to the Medes (Persians), with a link to the verse in Esther 6:14, where Haman is summoned.
- “Darkness” symbolizes the Greek dominance, which spiritually darkened Israel with oppressive decrees.
- “Over the deep” refers to the Roman (Edomite) exile, a period of deep and immeasurable suffering.
The “Spirit of G-d hovering” is explained as the spirit of the Messiah, who will come through the merit of repentance, which is compared to water (as in Lamentations 2:19).
The Redemption of Egypt and the Nations’ Knowledge of G-d
The exile and redemption of the Jewish people was not only of national significance but also important for Egypt, which, despite being one of the most advanced civilizations of its era, was regarded at the time as depraved. From
Midrash Tachuma 16:1 we learn that it is G-d’s will to have a dwelling place even in the lowest of places, just as He has a dwelling in the highest heavens. We see that there was a significant shift even in Egypt itself. In Exodus 5:2 Pharaoh declares:
| 2 And Pharaoh said: ‘Who is Hashem, that I should hearken unto His voice to let Israel go? I know not the Hashem, and moreover I will not let Israel go.’ | ב וַיֹּאמֶר פַּרְעֹה–מִי ד’ אֲשֶׁר אֶשְׁמַע בְּקֹלוֹ, לְשַׁלַּח אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל: לֹא יָדַעְתִּי אֶת-ד’, וְגַם אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא אֲשַׁלֵּחַ |
However, in Exodus 7:5 we read that the purpose of the miracles was also for Egypt to come to know Hashem:
| 5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Hashem, when I stretch forth My hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.’ | ה וְיָדְעוּ מִצְרַיִם כִּי-אֲנִי ד’, בִּנְטֹתִי אֶת-יָדִי עַל-מִצְרָיִם; וְהוֹצֵאתִי אֶת-בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, מִתּוֹכָם. |
This is the goal of every exile. Each exile of the Jewish people ensures that they rise to a higher level, and it is linked to the nations who will come to know Hashem better through these redemptions.
We see this directly in Isaiah 19:21 which speaks of the time of the Messiah:
| 21 And Hashem shall make Himself known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know Hashem in that day; yea, they shall worship with sacrifice and offering, and shall vow a vow unto Hashem, and shall perform it. | כא וְנוֹדַע ד’ לְמִצְרַיִם, וְיָדְעוּ מִצְרַיִם אֶת-ד’ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא; וְעָבְדוּ זֶבַח וּמִנְחָה, וְנָדְרוּ-נֵדֶר לַד’ וְשִׁלֵּמוּ. |
The Messianic Age is directly tied to the redemption of the Jewish people from the fourth exile. Just as the Egyptians came to know Hashem during the first redemption, so too will the nations come to recognize Him through the final redemption.
As the Rambam writes, ‘at that time the world will be rectified… as it says, ‘For then I will turn to the nations a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of Hashem, to serve Him with one accord.'”2
After the first redemption from Egypt, the people received the Torah and with it the commandment to teach the nations the Seven Noahide Laws., This way, G-d’s will for the world was revealed.3,4
The Final Redemption: A Universal Revelation of G-d’s Glory
After the final redemption, the glory of Hashem will be revealed, and all flesh together shall see that the mouth of Hashem has spoken5.
Hashem has promised to redeem His people and return to Jerusalem (Zechariah 8:3). The nations will recognize that what they saw as a curse upon them (Zechariah 8:13 and Isaiah 53) could have been a blessing for them if they had listened to the teachings that the Jewish people wanted to share. Now, as the nations witness the redemption of His people, they come to the recognition that G-d is with Israel. At this moment, their eyes are opened, and they will take hold of the garment of a Jew to go with him, as we can read in Zacharia 8:23
| 3 Thus saith Hashem of hosts: In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold, out of all the languages of the nations, shall even take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying: We will go with you, for we have heard that G-d is with you.’ | כג כֹּה-אָמַר, ד’ צְבָאוֹת, בַּיָּמִים הָהֵמָּה, אֲשֶׁר יַחֲזִיקוּ עֲשָׂרָה אֲנָשִׁים מִכֹּל לְשֹׁנוֹת הַגּוֹיִם; וְהֶחֱזִיקוּ בִּכְנַף אִישׁ יְהוּדִי לֵאמֹר, נֵלְכָה עִמָּכֶם–כִּי שָׁמַעְנוּ, אֱלֹקים עִמָּכֶם. |
Just as the first redemption led to Egypt coming to know Hashem, so too will the final redemption cause the nations to recognize Hashem and desire to be taught, as we read in Jesaja 2:2-3
| 2 And it shall come to pass in the end of days, that the mountain of Hashem’s house shall be established as the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. | ב וְהָיָה בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים, נָכוֹן יִהְיֶה הַר בֵּית-ד’ בְּרֹאשׁ הֶהָרִים, וְנִשָּׂא, מִגְּבָעוֹת; וְנָהֲרוּ אֵלָיו, כָּל-הַגּוֹיִם. |
| 3 And many peoples shall go and say: ‘Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Hashem, to the house of the G-d of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Hashem from Jerusalem. | ג וְהָלְכוּ עַמִּים רַבִּים, וְאָמְרוּ לְכוּ וְנַעֲלֶה אֶל-הַר-יְהוָה אֶל-בֵּית אֱלֹקי יַעֲקֹב, וְיֹרֵנוּ מִדְּרָכָיו, וְנֵלְכָה בְּאֹרְחֹתָיו: כִּי מִצִּיּוֹן תֵּצֵא תוֹרָה, וּדְבַר-ד’ מִירוּשָׁלִָם. |
This will lead to all nations praising and worshiping G-d, as we read in Psalm 86:9
| 9 All nations whom Thou hast made shall come and prostrate themselves before Thee, O L-rd; and they shall glorify Thy name. | ט כָּל-גּוֹיִם, אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ–יָבוֹאוּ וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לְפָנֶיךָ אֲדֹנָי; וִיכַבְּדוּ לִשְׁמֶךָ. |
Finally, G-d will dwell on this earth, and He will be King, as was the plan from the beginning. As we read in Zacharia 14:9
| 9 And the L-RD shall be King over all the earth; in that day shall the L-RD be One, and His name one. | ט וְהָיָה ד’ לְמֶלֶךְ, עַל-כָּל-הָאָרֶץ; בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא, יִהְיֶה ד’ אֶחָד–וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד. |
By Angelique Sijbolts
With thanks to Rabbi Tani Burton for his feedback
Sources:
- Bereshit Rabbat 2:4 ↩︎
- See Zephaniah 3:9 ↩︎
- Hilchot Melachim 8:10 – By the same regard, Moses was commanded by the Almighty to compel all the inhabitants of the world to accept the commandments given to Noah’s descendants. ↩︎
- Only the Rambam is of the opinion that there is a commandment to teach the seven laws (or rather, to enforce them).
↩︎ - Likutei Sichot – from the talks of the Rebbe, 19 Kislev 1982 and 1983. (LINK MAKEN TEKST WEBSITE) See also Isaiah 40:5
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