→ This is the theme of Purim to tell future generations that when we call out to Him, He responds to us.

Gemara in Megillah
The idea is based on this gemara to inform future generations this idea that when we call out to Hashem,
He comes close to us.

Devarim 4:7
:‫֚ ִכּי מִי־ג֣ וֹי גּ ָ֔דוֹל ֲאשֶׁר־ל֥ וֹ ֱא קים קְר ִ ֹ֣בים א ֵָל֑יו כַּיק ָֹו֣ק ֱא ֵ֔הינוּ ְבּכָל־ק ְָר ֵ ֖אנוּ אֵלָ ֽיו‬

Maharal
He quotes a gemara that Klal Yisroel was saved ‫מכוח התפילה‬, the power of tefillah, because we vanquish
Amalek through tefillah. Chazal explain on the pasuk, “hakol kol Yaakov vehayadayim yedei Esav,” that
the tefillah is strong so yedei esav won’t have the strength and the kol of yaakov will be predominant. If
we don’t have tefillah, then Esav will be stronger. They would put their trust in Hashem when Moshe
would put his hands to Hashem. He was lifting up his hands to Hashem through tefillah. When Moshe
lowered his hands, Bnei Yisrael started losing to Amalek.

Introduction to Or Chadash
There was no geula that happened to klal yisroel that they cried out to Hashem and He answered their
tefillah like this. This is the ultimate example of how geula can come through a tefillah like this because
there is no other geula that was so clearly attained through tefillah like this one. On fast days, there is a
koach hatefillah and such an important part of the megillah is the fast day.

Taanis Esther is a unique fast day because it’s not a sad fast day. It’s all about what we did in order to
accomplish the geula. Fasting is a tefillah. This geula is associated with tefillah and nothing was holding it
back. It was being actualized in its fullest way.

Gemara in Megillah
Why do we repeat the megillah twice?
The gemara quotes a pasuk from Tehillim which clearly refers to tefillah which expresses that although
the megillah isn’t tefillah, it completely embodies it.

Rashi
They would cry out to Hashem day and night - day and night means twice.

Gemara in Chulin
How do we know Haman from the Torah?
Esther we see from ‫ אנכי הסתר אסתיר‬and Mordechai we know from ‫( מר דרור‬pasuk that lists and refers to
spices). We can understand Esther, but what’s with Mordechai and spices?

Gemara in Megillah
Mordechai is described extremely, with a bunch of names.
→ ‫ בן יאיר‬- illuminates Bnei Yisrael with tefillah
→ ‫ בן שמעי‬- listens to his tefillah
→ ‫ בן קיש‬- knocked on ‫ שערי שמים‬and they opened

The gemara is totally connecting Mordechai with tefillah.

Gra
Why did they understand the pasuk in this way? There are 4 senses to a person: sight, sound, smell, and
speech. Three of them are associated with learning Torah:
- Sight = ‫תורה שבכתב‬
- Sound = ‫תורה שבעל פה‬
- Speech = teaching Torah to others
- Smell = Tefillah

Smell is more abstract and is difficult to describe. Mordechai is identified with smell because he is
referred to the spices which produce a smell and that is tefillah. He harnessed all the four faculties and
utilized them in his tefillos.
- Sight = illuminates the eyes of Klal Yisroel: Ben Yair
- Sound = tefillah: Ben Shimi
- Speech = noise or sound for tefillah: Ben Kish
The four faculties for the letters of Hashem.

Gra
Mordechai is outside the gates and he is wearing sackcloth because he heard the decree of Haman. Esther
wants him to come and there is a dispute between Mordechai and Esther.

Esther wants to talk to Mordechai about this so she said to take off your sackcloth and come talk to me,
but he didn’t want to take off his sackcloth for even one moment. The sackcloth corresponds to his tefillah
because all Mordechai wanted to do was daven and he didn’t even have time to do something so mundane
by speaking to Esther.

Megillas Setarim
In life, if we have something that causes a problem, then we address the problem. There is no purpose to
do anything that Mordechai thought. The reasons weren’t going to help at all, but tefillah always helps.
He tore his clothing to demonstrate that he is disassociating from what normal people think caused it
(‫)סיבות‬. If Hashem is the One who decreed it, then you are doing something superficial and it's all details.
If you want to undo a decree, you need to go back to Hashem. She sent him clothing and she said to be
practical. She said she knows that you need to daven, but you also need to put in hishtadlus. Human effort
isn’t significant here, tefillah is what will help. The primary preoccupation needs to be tefillah.
→ through the sackcloth, Mordechai was showing that this situation was not about taking action, the only
thing they can do is tefillah because hakol beyidei shamayim
→ end of pasuk says ‫ ולא קיבל‬- Hashem won’t accept any of the histadlus that you do for the situation to
change

Gra
Esther pointed to Achashveirosh and the malach moved her hand to Haman so that she wouldn’t accuse
the king. Imagination makes an impact upon a person. When you call someone the wrong name, it means
you’re thinking about the other person and there is an association. Machshava impacts a person and it gets
expressed. When a tzaddik talks to a king, it’s really that he knows Hashem is saving him. Esther was
davening to Hashem as she was talking to the king. She is thinking what she is saying to Hashem so she is
saying to save Bnei Yisrael from Achashveirosh, which is a natural thing, just like mixing up people. She
thought of Achashveirosh because she was preoccupied with being in her tefillah with Hashem.

Mar 9, 2023
Gra
The main kavanos is tears (a very intense kavana) because it is so sincere. After Shemoneh Esrei, there
are tachanunim (extra additions) after the tefilah because there we ask for the extra things.
→ Esther is, in fact, speaking to the king and asking for all these things, but it alludes to the fact that she
is engaged in tefillah - the ‫ מלאך‬had to slap Esther because she was pointing her finger towards
Achashveirosh when it should be pointed at Haman

Esther cried and pleaded to the king about Haman:

- ‫ותוסף אסתר = פסוקי דזמרה‬
- ‫ותדבר = קריאת שמע‬
- ‫נפילת אפיים‬/‫ותפל = תחנון‬
- ‫ותבך =תפילה = שמונה עשרה‬
- because we need extra intent in Shemoneh Esrei and tears express real tefillah
- ‫ = ותתחנן לו‬post Shemoneh Esrei ‫תחנונים‬

Why is the Vilna Gaon saying this? We know that Chazal says that the king not only refers to
Achashveirosh, but also to Hashem. So, yes, according to peshat, she is speaking to Achashveirosh, but
the Vilna Gaon says ‫ המלך‬also alludes to davening to Hashem.
→ recognize that tefillah runs through the megillah

What is taanis Esther?

We are supposed to avoid a eulogy or fasting because that day has great significance.

Rash on Masechet Megillah

The 13th of Adar is a day when one can’t read the megillah because this day in particular is ‫זמן קהילה לכל‬,
a time of gathering for everyone. Everyone gathers on taanis Esther to say special tefillos because that is
the day in which they gather and they need special compassion.

Moshe also engaged in taanis when fighting against Amalek. They went to the top of the mountain and he
was with Aharon and Chur and Moshe davened. This is a precedent for ‫תענית אסתר‬. The mishnah says
Moshe lifted up his hands towards shamayim and that’s how they won the war against Amalek.

Rash Masechet Taanis

How can there be a fast day on the 13th of Adar, the day before Purim (there’s an explicit rule not to have
a fast day before Purim and Chanukah)?
It’s a time when everyone gathers together to protect themselves in regard to the war and they ask for
mercy, they davened. It’s not a regular fast day because you aren’t thinking about all the terrible things
that happened. If Taanis Esther is about tefillah, when they gathered together to ask for mercy, and that is
‫עיקר הנס‬, part of the ‫ נס‬itself, then we have a reenactment of this when we appeal to HKBH. It’s not a
conventional kind of ‫…תענית‬

Rambam
There's a mitzvah from the Torah that at an ‫עת צרה‬, one must daven to Hashem. When a crisis happened to
klal yisroel, they had to cry out to Hashem and blow the trumpets. Anything that causes a crisis or
distress, whether a war, famine, etc., if it is causing a problem, then one must cry out and blow the
trumpets. When a ‫ צרה‬happens, they cry out, and everyone recognizes it’s because of their shortcomings
and when they cry out to Hashem and do teshuvah, Hashem will remove the ‫ צרה‬from them.
→ when you see a ‫ צרה‬happen, recognize that Hashem wants us to learn something from it

What does that Rambam mean when he says its ‫?אכזריות‬

We can break it into ‫אך זר‬, that we aren't connecting to the pain of others and we are disconnecting from
reality that ‫הכל משמים‬.

Mar 14, 2023

Latent Innate Kedushah of Klal Yisroel

Shir Hashirim Perek 2

The relationship between Hashem and klal yisroel - Hashem is standing behind our wall, watching from
the windows, and He appears in the cracks.
→ why the repetitions that He is watching from the windows and pearing from the cracks?

Gra
Hashem is standing behind our wall. I heard that my beloved is standing behind our wall (klal yisroel
doesn’t see Hashem, but they heard that He is present). The only thing separating us and Hashem is the
wall. When standing behind the wall, you can hear what is being said, but you can’t see one another.

How is there a wall? It is based on a pasuk, “Your sins separate between you and your G-d.” HKBH is
ready to redeem us, but this wall, created by our sins, causes a separation, preventing us from seeing
Hashem, and preventing the geula from occurring.

He is not only standing behind the wall, Hashem is also watching from the windows and pearing from the
cracks, and there’s a distinction between the two. Someone looking from a large window can see what is
out in the open, but when looking through a crack, you can see what is being done in private (what
otherwise would be concealed). Hashem sees what is out in the open and what is usually concealed. That
is why we have the double language.

Shemos Perek 2
Hashem heard their cries and remembered the promise with Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov. Hashem saw
Bnei Yisrael and He knew…
→ this second pasuk sounds repetitive and within the pasuk itself - why does it need to say that He saw
them and He knew?

Gra
These pesukim correspond to the idea we brought before: ‫ וידע‬,‫ וירא‬,‫ וישמע‬- corresponds to Hashem
standing, Hashem being mashgiach, and Hashem being meitzitz.
→ the word ‫ וישמע‬is Hashem listening from behind the wall
→ the word ‫ וירא‬is Hashem seeing from the windows, normal sight
→ the word ‫ וידע‬is Hashem peering from the cracks (seeing what otherwise is concealed) - Hashem knows
something that only Hashem can know
Hashem saw, ‫וירא אלוקים‬, that which Bnei Yisrael was doing which was good, and He also saw the
openings into their hearts (‫ )פתחי לבם‬that they were good.

Gra on Mishlei
He references the pasuk from Shir Hashirim (repeats the same idea).

Beis Halevi
What is ‫ וידע אלקים‬adding? The Yalkut Shimoni explains how the celestial officer of Mitzrayim was
prosecuting Bnei Yisrael and saying that they were ‫עובדי ע”ז‬. Klal Yisroel served avodah zara because they
were subservient to the Mitzrim.

Do you judge something which is done accidentally (‫ )באונס‬like it is done intentionally?

→ Example: a person is mechalel shabbos in order to save someone's life. If Hashem would ask why this
person was mechalal shabbos, they were forced to be! But what if this person wasn't going to keep
shabbos anyway? The baseline and starting point is different! Only if the person was careful about
shabbos in the first place!
If the coercion was absent and the person had a choice, the one is absent!

What does our pasuk mean? Hashem saw that they were doing ‫ שיעבוד‬and He knew what they would be
doing if not for the ‫שיעבוד‬. Hashem saw their actions, and then He knew what they would have done if
they didn’t have that coercion from Mitzrayim.
→ In that state of being ‫אנוס‬, they were punished, but the question is what would have they done if they
had the choice - only Hashem can answer that…
Hashem knew what they would have done absent of the ‫ שעיבוד‬of Mitzrayim. They didn’t do it
willingly/intentionally because they would not have done this if there was no coercion. Inside of our
hearts, we really are good and sometimes we deviate from the correct path because of the fact that we’ve
been oppressed, and we had no choice. Otherwise, we would have served you, Hashem. He quotes the
gemara in Brachos, that we really we want to do Hashem’s will (‫)לעשות רצונך‬, but the yetzer hara causes
us to sin.

Beis Halevi
How could Hashem harden Pharaoh's heart and then punish him? Pharaoh, in his essence, didn’t want to
send Bnei Yisrael away. It was the difficulties which ensued for the Egyptians (makkos and the suffering)
that caused him to act against his will. If Pharaoh was given free will, Pharaoh would not have chosen to
send them away. Now that the makos are introduced, Pharaoh still doesn't really want to send them away.
The hardening of Pharaoh's heart is re-establishing the bechira. It seems like it’s taking away his bechira,
but really it's giving it to him. It’s forcing him to choose what he wants to do. What is done through
coercion doesn't have significance. Hashem hardened his heart so that he's left with his real ratzon, his
original ratzon, not wanting to send them away. Hashem doesn't want Pharaoh to be coerced into doing
something, he wants him to have choice. He strengthened him in order for him to have a choice.

Mar 16, 2023

The fact that teshuvah helps with ‫יסורין‬, those ‫ יסורין‬awake a person from foolishness and the person will
reason what they did wrong and they sincerely regret it. Even if they now would remove the ‫יסורין‬, the
person won’t go back to his foolishness. Because of external factors or that the yetzer hara is corrupting
Bnei Yisrael, if klal yisroel strays and then does teshuvah, after the ‫ יסורין‬take place, it aligns with their
inner will.

The Gemara in Menachos explain that at the time of the churban, you do evil and you will be rejoiceful?!
Avraham said maybe now there’s nothing to do in order to correct klal yisrael. Even if they do teshuvah as
a consequence of their suffering, maybe it won’t really be sincere teshuvah because we can see that they
are rejoicing over the sins that they did. Wouldn’t their rejoicing show that they aren’t sincere in their
teshuvah?
→ how can they be rejoicing when suffering is going on?

A ‫ בת קול‬then says that it can still be because just as an olive produces oil from pressure, so too Bnei
Yisrael produce teshuvah through ‫יסורין‬. What’s the connection? The oil is there the entire time, it just
wasn’t discernable on the outside. Likewise with Bnei Yisrael, the teshuvah is there, it’s just not
discernable.

Beis Halevi
The medrash says Klal yisroel are referred to as a rose in the valleys. They say, “I was in Mitzrayim, then
Hashem brought me to ‫רעמסס‬. Once there, I was filled with the moisture of mitzvos.” What does this
mean?

If something happens to an individual repeatedly, that repetition becomes ‫טבע‬, it becomes the nature of the
person. However, even if klal yisroel do aveiros repeatedly, there will be an abrupt change because even
those actions do not become the normal functioning of a Jew or of klal yisroel. The ‫ רשע‬will not stumble
in his wickedness when he does teshuvah. The teshuvah can be abrupt suddenly.

When one is immersed in sins, they are always really pure (‫)חביב‬. Hashem gives us the opportunities
through which we can grow and then suddenly it blossoms.

This is what happened in Mitzrayim: Bnei Yisrael sinned, but it did not become a part of them. He quotes
a pasuk from Yechezkel, “Sinners doing teshuvah will not be withheld.” How can that be? Because all of
the sins were never internalized so it only takes a day. For Bnei Yisrael, our essence is pure and our ‫עבירות‬
are never internalized. When we say we are ‫חביבין‬, it doesn’t stop when we sin because deep down we are
pure.
Back to the ‫מדרש‬, in the shade a rose can’t blossom, so in Mitzrayim, we are deprived, but once we go to
‫רעמסס‬, we were given mitzvos, aka the sustenance that we need to thrive. All of this happened in a short
period of time because it never became part of our nature.

Nefesh Hachaim
In regard to ‫חטא עץ הדעת‬, we see that Adam and Chava have an external yetzer hara (and not internal).
Ramban says that when they were created, they were like malachim and they naturally served Hashem.
The yetzer hara changed in that post-‫ חטא‬there was no more external yetzer hara. It’s as if to say that if
you want it so badly, you have to internalize it.
→ now we don’t know which is good and which is yetzer hara - we are confused
The essence is that Bnei Yisrael were created like malachim so that is our purity and now, with all the
confusion, we may sin, but that does not change our essence.

Mar 21, 2023

Meshech Chochmah
In regard to klal yisroel, a person’s thought is joined together with the action. But, if you have a bad
thought then it is not joined with the action. A ‫ מחשבה טובה‬is more meaningful than a ‫מחשבה רעה‬. HKBH is
not going to create a situation of unfairness with a clear bias which is why Chazal say that Hashem
provided neviim for the other nations of the world so that they don’t say if you would have given us
prophets, we would have been able to serve HKBH. Therefore, Hashem provided them with prophets.
When Yitzchak was ‫ מוסר נפש‬to be ‫( מקדש שם ה׳‬in akeidas yitzchak), from that point on, it became part of
the nature of the Jewish nation that it’s what Hashem wants us to do. The Jews in subsequent generations
had this tendency to be moser nefesh for a kiddush Hashem. This has been happening in the past 2
millennia. This all came from Yitzchak that it’s in the nature of a Jew.

The Rambam in Hilchos Geirushin discusses the halacha that if a husband gives a ‫ גט‬to his wife, it has to
be given willingly and he cannot be coerced into doing it. If one is coerced by the beis din to give a ‫גט‬,
then it is considered effective. This is because the person truly desires to do ratzon Hashem. Even if the
person says he doesn’t want to give the ‫גט‬, we assume that that is in line with his true ratzon even if it
seems like he is doing it because he has no choice. If a Jew wants to do a mitzvah and then something
happens where he couldn’t end up doing so, Hashem gives the person credit because he had ‫מחשבה טובה‬.
This good intention is a reflection of the person’s true will. They truly wanted to do this even if he
couldn’t end up doing so.

We have this in our ‫ירושה‬, in our spiritual DNA, from Yitzchak because just as he would give up his life
for Hashem, so too with our ‫ מסירות נפש‬that we would do for Hashem. As a consequence, we will be
rewarded for our thoughts because that reflects our true selves. However, a bad thought is not considered
significant. This is why the pasuk says that Hashem will see in the future. Only Hashem can discern this
which is why after the ‫עקידה‬, the pasuk says, “‫ה׳ יראה‬.” Now that Yitzchak has this desire for avodas
Hashem, in the future, Hashem will see these inner ‫מחשבות‬. Hashem will see their thoughts and what
motivates them because HKBH discerns everything that a person does.
When people were first created, there was a natural inclination to always do good. The yetzer hara, the
‫ נחש‬somehow was able to inject ‫זוהמה‬, a spiritual corruption. As a consequence, when the ‫ זוהמה‬was
injected into Chava, good and bad mixed up with each other. Then, a purification process takes place.
Avraham had two sons, Yitzchak and Yishmael. The two sons allow him to separate out the good and bad.
Avraham had this purification process where Yishmael took the bad and Yitzchak had the good. Yitzchak
had the same, also two sons, Yaakov and Esav. Esav took out the bad during the purification process.
Then, Yaakov had 12 sons and there was no more ‫זוהמה‬, there was no ‫ ערבוביה‬of the good and bad.
Ultimately, when klal yisroel is rounded, the bad is extracted. The essence of a Jewish neshama is leaned
towards doing good.

Devarim Perek 30
You will listen to Hashem’s voice to follow all the mitzvos when you return to Hashem with all of your
heart.

Meshech Chochmah
What does it mean we will listen to Hashem’s voice? What will be the determining factor or the root
cause? The underlying cause of teshuvah or we listen to Hashem’s voice when we return to Hashem with
all our hearts and souls. When a person distances oneself from passions that distract one from Torah, in
order to do teshuvah, one needs to distance influences that disrupt a person’s natural state which don’t
allow you to be yourself. If these influences cause you to deviate, and you distance yourself from them,
you will revert back to your usual state of serving HKBH.

Chazal say that there’s a voice which comes from Har Sinai and this voice is not external, it is G-dly,
calling out to follow the Torah that you accepted at Har Sinai. This ‫ קול‬is part of our natural essence.
When you return back to yourself, that’s when you will serve Hashem with all your heart and soul
because that’s who you truly are. The mitzvah to keep the Torah is not distant from you or detached from
you, rather it is very close to you because it really is inside of you. You don’t have to look for it, you just
look internally for it because it’s who you are.

Physical and Spiritual Freedom

Hallel at the seder is very different from every other time we say it: it is broken into two parts, there is no
bracha, and it is said sitting down. Why is this hallel so different?

Gra
The first part of hallel relates to the geula of Mitzrayim and the second part of hallel relates to us and the
geula in the future.

Levush Orach Chaim

*says the same as the Gra*

We constantly talk about the story of Mitzrayim and that culminates with hallel which logically discusses
‫סיפור יציאת מצרים‬. The Rav said that in our seder, we broaden our horizons with hallel hagadol. When we
say ‫כי לעולם חסדו‬, it isn’t only in the context of ‫יציאת מצרים‬. Before the fourth cup, we say nishmas which
doesn’t connect to ‫יציאת מצרים‬. We say it though because ‫ סיפור יציאת מצרים‬is a catalyst, but we thank
Hashem for all of life, not just ‫יציאת מצרים‬. When we bench and get to ‫נרצה‬, we have a broader thanks,
‫הודאה‬, to HKBH.

Gemara in Pesachim
There’s a debate between ‫ בית שמעי‬and ‫בית הלל‬: the first two paragraphs of hallel (‫ קיד‬,‫ )תהילים קיג‬and we
only say the first two paragraphs first and the rest after ‫ברכת המזון‬, that’s ‫’בית הלל‬s opinion. But, ‫בית שמעי‬
believes to say the first paragraph of hallel and then after bentching, say the rest of hallel starting from the
second paragraph.
→ What are they arguing about?

We follow ‫’בית הלל‬s point of view…

Talmud Yerushalmi
‫ בית שמעי‬was saying, how can you say ‫ בצאת ישראל‬when at that point Bnei Yisrael hadn't left yet? They
ended up leaving the next morning. ‫ בית הלל‬says once you start a mitzvah, you complete it. If you start
talking about ‫ יציאת מצרים‬you should finish it.
→ they both agree that the first paragraph should be said before, but the point of debate is about the
second one - is it because it hasn’t yet happened or is it that once we say the first, we say the second?

The two paragraphs of hallel relate to different elements of geula. The first one refers to the fact that we
experienced a spiritual geula and the second one discusses physical work and geula. Klal Yisrael left
Mitzrayim in the daytime. However, we already started saying the first paragraph which is about the
spiritual geula, ‫גאולת הנפש‬. They are in Mitzrayim and the ‫ גאולת הנפש‬has already taken place. It takes
place in the first half of the night. Korban Pesach has already taken place. That's why regardless you
should say the first paragraph (beis Shammai) and geulas haguf has not yet taken place. Beis hillel says
that once you start one, you may as well continue it to geulas haguf.

Gemara in Pesachim
There’s a principle relating to the haggadah that we have to be ‫מתחיל בגנות ומסיים בשבח‬, start with the
negative and conclude with praise. How do we do that? Rav and Shmuel have a machlokes: One says to
start with the paragraph of avadim hayinu and the other one says to start with metechila ovdei…

Rif
We do like both of them and introduce both paragraphs in the haggadah - why?
They are both important because they each reer to a different aspect - one paragraph talks about how
Hashem took us out of Mitzrayim, the physical geula, and the other one focuses on the ruchnius, the ‫גאולת‬
‫הנפש‬.

Gra
First we talk about ‫ גאולת הנפש‬and then we talk about ‫גלות הגוף‬.

Shemos 12
Take for yourselves (‫)משכו‬...and then it says ‫ קחו‬- why do we need both?
Rashi
One has to withdraw from the avodah zara in order to then partake in mitzvos. They didn't have mitzvos
in order to be redeemed so Hashem gave them the mitzvos of dam pesach and dam milah. It was these
two mitzvos that allowed them to be redeemed.
→ the first half of the night, klal yisroel is involved in mitzvos

Maharal
Each of these blood represents something different. The bris milah is a sign or a seal which indicates that
there’s something transformed in the person’s body which indicates that they are now an ‫ עבד‬of HKBH.
You need both the person identified as an ‫ עבד‬and the ‫ עבד‬in practice. The ‫ דם פסח‬is the practice of
following Hashem, engagement in ‫עבודת ה׳‬. Being an ‫ עבד ה׳‬needs both a discernable identity and in
practice. ‫ הללו עבדי ה׳‬- as an avodah, as in Bnei Yisrael were ‫ עבדים‬already during the first half of the night,
it was discernible.

Yerushalmi
When Pharaoh let Bnei Yisrael out, he was yelling “‫קומו צאו‬.” At that moment, we can totally say that ‫הללו‬
‫ עבדי ה׳‬was being sung because Bnei Yisrael were no longer ‫עבדי פרעה‬.

Midrash in Tehillim
Moshe and Aharon said to Pharaoh that he must admit that Bnei Yisrael are free and can be servants of
Hashem, so he began yelling. Immediately after, Bnei Yisrael began singing ‫הללו עבדי ה׳‬.

Mar 28, 2023

Maaseh Nissim Al Ha’haggadah
In every generation: It doesn’t mean that one needs to see themselves as being taken out of Mitzrayim
because if yetzias mitzrayim didn’t take place, I would still be in it. Yetzias Mitzrayim is unique. It
doesn’t say that we have to see it as if it happened to me. It’s not applied everywhere. We find in other
places that if a ‫ נס‬happened to our ancestors, we thank Hashem for that. We say “who redeemed us and
redeemed our ancestors” (instead of redeemed our ancestors and redeemed us). Because of the fact that it
simply mentions our own geula, there’s an emphasis on us and even before our forefathers.

If talking about the bitterness of the servitude, it wouldn’t even make sense to mention ourselves at all
because we didn’t experience the ‫שעבוד‬. The main part of geula is that we become ‫ עבדי ה׳‬and we were
acquired by HKBH as His servants. In this way, we and the people in Mitzrayim are on equal levels
because we both became ‫עבדי ה׳‬. It mentions us first because geula has to do with the spiritual geula.
There's a spiritual connotation.
→ Hashem acquired us = spiritual geula
In regard to the simcha of leaving Mitrzayim, we and the generation that actually left are the same.

Or Hachaim
“Kel motzi am mimitzrayim,” Hashem takes us out from Mitzrayim - what does it mean ‫מוציא עם‬, it
should be ‫ ?הוציא עם‬Every year, Hashem reenacts yetzias mitzrayim and takes us out again each year.

Shemos Perek 3
When Moshe was speaking to Pharoah, he kept asking for them to be able to leave Mitzrayim and go out
to serve Hashem. It sounds like they are coming back. Hashem tells Moshe to go to Pharaoh and say to
send them out and they will work - “Shelach es ami veyaavduni.”
The pesukim make it seem like Moshe is asking Pharoah for Bnei Yisrael to leave so that they can serve
Hashem and then come back - how does that make sense?

Drashos HaRan
There are two different types of geulas and klal yisroel was asking for geulas hanefesh, not geulas haguf.
It is possible for there to be geulas hanefesh without there being geulas haguf. Their request is
meaningless, it has no significance. They were asking for geulas hanefesh and Pharaoh knew that, so he
kept saying he wouldn’t give that. He knew that if he would give into this request they wouldn’t be
Pharoah’s avadim and they would then be ovdei Hashem.

Mar 30, 2023

It’s possible that we can argue that Bnei Yisrael were asking for ‫ גאולת הנפש‬and not ‫גאולת הגוף‬. They were
going to actually serve Hashem and then return to Mitzrayim - becoming ‫ עבדי ה׳‬first because ‫גאולת הנפש‬
comes first. Pharoah understands that Bnei Yisrael were asking for ‫ גאולת הנפש‬to become ‫ עבדים לה׳‬and he
knew they would no longer be his ‫עבדים‬.

Haggadah Mibeis Levi

We say at the end of the bracha before the second cup, “‫על גאולתנו ועל פדות נפשנו‬.” What’s the difference
between ‫ גאולה‬and ‫?פדיון‬

Geula is taking something and moving from one domain to another. For example, a field is returned
during ‫ יובל‬to the original owner. A pidyon is redeeming something with kedusha. It is something that
takes place (transformative) with an object/essence that has changed. For example, ‫ הקדש‬into ‫חולין‬. This
comes up with maaser sheini.

‫ עבדות‬has two elements: their essence is an ‫( עבד‬identity) and their reality is hard work (action). In
Mitzrayim, we no longer had to work for Pharaoh and our identity changed to be free. This is why we say,
“‫אמת ממצרים גאולתנו ומבית עבדים פדיתנו‬.” Bnei Yisrael used to work for Pharoah, but now, they no longer do,
and our essence has changed to ‫בני חורין‬, they are servants of Hashem now.

Now we can understand why we say, “‫ ”הוציאנו מעבדות לחירות ומשעבוד לגאולה‬in the haggadah, it’s not just
for emphasis. ‫ פדות נפשנו‬also makes sense because our essence changes and that could not make sense
with ‫גאולתנו נפשנו‬. It even explains part of benching where we say, “‫שהוציאנו ה׳ אלוקינו מארץ מצרים ופדיתנו‬
‫ ”מבית עבדים‬because that is the geula which again shows the physical geula and the spiritual geula.

Siach Yitzchak
The avodah is spiritual work, but the suffering sounds like physical slavery (as in spiritual suffering that
we will be saved from).

Gevuros Hashem
He explains the midrash that Bnei Yisrael were taken out of a furnace just as a gold worker reaches in to
take out the gold. The second mashal is that just as when an animal gives birth someone has to reach in to
grab the child, so too Bnei Yisrael were removed from Mitzrayim.

Why does the midrash have two mashalim? The first is because Mitzrayim was physically forcing them to
stay and the second is because Bnei Yisrael became part of Mitzrayim while they were there.
→ first mashal: location - gold is hard to get out of a furnace because of the fire and only with a miracle
can you get it out
→ second mashal: essence - child inside mother doesn’t have a separate entity, they are attached
This is why we have two mashalim…

Gevuros Hashem
We have been back and forth between freedom and slavery so many times. Why do we make such a fuss
for ‫שעבוד מצרים‬/‫ ?גאולת מצרים‬Their essence was, ‫טוב‬, it was intrinsic, and once they are ‫טוב‬, nothing
external can change that. Something that is transient can’t affect or change something that is part of an
essence. Them being slaves after is okay because their essence has changed and the external slavery can’t
affect them.

Kinos of Tisha B’av

‫שׁב ֶ ָֽרי ָה‬
ְ ‫שׂ ְחקָם עַל‬ ָ ‫ ְבּ‬.ָ‫שׂנְאֶ ֽיה‬ַ ‫שׂ ְמחַת ְמ‬
ִ ‫ ֲעלֵי‬.
‫ְהוֹרי ָה‬
ֽ ֶ ‫ נְדִ יבֶ ֽי ָה ט‬,‫חוֹרין‬-‫ֵי‬
ִ ‫ ְועַל עִנּוּי ְבנ‬:

How are they ‫ בני חורין‬if there is huge suffering and persecution? ^

Apr 18, 2023

Chessed and Ahavas Yisroel: Prerequisites for the Geula
The night of Pesach and the night of Tisha B’Av always fall on the same night of the week. We eat the
‫ ביצה‬at the seder because it is supposed to represent the korban chagiga - why specifically a ‫ ?ביצה‬Because
it's for ‫ חורבן‬BHMK and that Tisha B'av will be the same night. We see a connection between Pesach and
Tisha B'av even though they seem like polar opposites (‫בני חורין‬/‫ חורבן‬,‫גאולה‬/‫גלות‬, etc.). ‫ גלות‬is a
prerequisite for the geula so already during galus, we can see glimpses of geula.

It would seem that these are polar opposites so how can there be a correlation between the two of them?
There is a transition that takes place on Tisha B’Av that after chatzos, the aveilus is not as intense. Pesach
has the potential to lead towards geula. In Megillas Eicha, it says Tisha B’Av is considered to be a ‫מועד‬, a
yuntif. We don’t say tachnun on that day because of this. The galus is a prerequisite for the geula and the
geula is discernible in galus. There is a cause of Tisha B’av, sinas chinam, which also comes up on Pesach
(mechiras Yosef).

Kol Eliyahu on the Gra

Shemos Perek 12
Bnei Yisrael requested/borrowed the silver, gold, and clothing from Mitzrayim and gave them all their
property.
Rashi
Like they said in regard to Mitzrayim, “‫וישאלו איש מאת רעהו‬.” Moshe told Bnei Yisrael to ask their
neighbors for the goods - where? In this pasuk in Shemos…

Gra
One should be precise and understand what is being said. Rashi usually doesn’t tell you or reference the
pasuk because if you read it, you would know so Rashi isn’t adding anything. Why does Rashi have to
reference an earlier perek? Rashi has to be trying to tell us something specific.

When the Torah talks about when one person's ox gores the other person's ox, “shur reihu,” Reihu there
refers to a fellow Jew.
But, in Shemos, it uses the word reihu… isn’t that referring to the Mitzrim? But the gemara established
that reihu is only used when referring to Jews, not the Mitzrim.
→ Compelled to say they couldn’t take property from the egyptians unless they completed the
prerequisite

We are compelled to say that they couldn’t take property from the Mitzrim because before doing so, they
have to be able to share and do chessed with one another. Then, as a consequence, the world will be built
up to chessed, ‫עולם חסד יבנה‬. Once klal yisroel can take property from one another, “‫וישאלו איש מאת רעהו‬,”
then they can take from the Egyptians. ‫ רעהו‬refers to Jews giving to other Jews and it’s not simple to ask
someone else through ‫לשון בקשה‬.

Rashi was saying that they fulfilled that “‫ ”וישאלו איש מאת רעהו‬and shared their property with one another
and then the pasuk continues that as a consequence of that, they were able to take the property from the
Egyptians. Then, it says Hashem allowed us to find favor in the eyes of the Mitzrim, and because of that,
they allowed us to take from them.

Chofets Chaim al HaTorah

When Bnei Yisrael were in Mitzrayim, they sat together and were all united and made a decision that they
would all share and do chessed with one another. They also decided that they would only speak ‫לשון הקודש‬
and not Egyptian. When the enslavement was getting worse and worse, they decided they would maintain
their identity. The two causes of the geula were their chessed and ‫עוז‬. This is why klal yisroel earned the
geula.

Apr 20, 2023

Siftei Kohen
The midrash says, “What did Hashem see?” He saw them having compassion for one another. When one
would complete the requirement of the bricks before his friend, he would then assist his friend and when
Hashem saw this compassion they had for one another, it was ‫ מידה כנגד מידה‬and he then had compassion
on them.

Rav Soloveitchik
The gemara says that ‫ לחם עוני‬requires us to break the matzah because just like a poor person has a broken
piece of bread, we emulate that by having broken matzah at the seder and this is the reason for ‫יחץ‬. In
Mitzrayim, klal yisroel would always share his bread so they never had a full piece of bread. This is
symbolized by our matzah.

Gra
There’s a minhag of ‫ מאות חטים‬based on a Yerushalmi to provide for the needs of the poor people before
Pesach. This particularly is a minhag because the needs of Pesach are greater and more expensive. The
Rambam in Hilchos Yom Tov says that if a person knows poor people who don’t have the means to
provide for themselves with the needs of yuntif, it is an obligation.

Matzah should be eaten for seven days. Also, the first time it mentions matzahs with no vuv and the
second time it is mentioned with a vuv. Why does it mention the command to eat matzah twice?

The first lashon is a ‫( פועל‬eat matzah) and the second is ‫( נפעל‬matzah should be eaten). The first is missing
a vuv and the second is ‫מלא‬. Pasuk ‫ ו‬commands you should eat matzah and, in addition, pasuk ‫ ז‬adds a
command that matzot should be eaten, but this isn’t a command for you to eat, it’s for the ‫עניים‬.
→ Why is there a ‫ חסר ו‬and then it is ‫ ?מלא‬Because when you give, it should be ‫ מלא‬- make sure they are
full, but for yourself, you don’t need to provide 100%

Haggadah of Pesach
Ha Lachma Anya…

Rabbi Yitzchak Elchadav

Just like when we were subservient to the Egyptians, we were on the same level, we were all equals.

Ksav Sofer
How do these words flow? There’s a pasuk in Parshas Re'eh that you should supply the needs of others
and then it says that you should remember that you were enslaved in Mitzrayim. Usually, a person isn’t
satisfied with what they have. That certainly is a problem that comes up with tzedakah. On Yom Tov, it’s
even more of a problem because the needs are greater and the expenses are greater. However, if everyone
thinks as if they just left Mitzrayim, and they just had the barest necessities in order to survive, then even
a poor person would be able to say that they have enough. If one reflects back with what happened in
Mitzrayim, then they will certainly be satisfied.

There is a mitzvah for the poor people to be together with them, but how do we have the frame of mind
where we are happy to have poor people at our table? Once they remember what was in Mitzrayim, they
will be satisfied and be willing to give to them. If we address the needs of the poor people, we will then
be helping to bring the geula.

Ben Ish Chai

Mah Nishtanah: In a subtle way, Pesach is riddled with themes of ‫אבילות‬. There are two times of ‫ טיבול‬in
the Torah: brothers of Yosef dip the ‫ כתונת פסים‬and by the korban pesach. The first ‫ טיבול‬corresponds to
‫שנאת חינם‬. How can we say that those are related? Rebbeinu Manoach explains that the origin of the word
karpas comes from ‫ כתונת פסים‬to remind us of Yosef going down to Mitzrayim and the beginning of ‫גלות‬.
The second ‫ טיבול‬is being ‫ מתקן‬everything.
→ first dip is in salt water, something bitter (galus), while second dip is in the charoses, something sweet
(tikkun/geula)

Rav Shlomo Kluger

He quotes the gemara which tells us how to carry the korban pesach and then Rav Eilish says, this is
“‫טייעות‬.” - what does this mean? Rashi says that it’s the way the ‫ ישמעאלים‬carry. Now we are carrying the
korban pesach which is the tikkun so let’s remember the galus of ‫ מכירת יוסף‬which was when Yosef was
sold to the ‫ ישמעאלים‬and now we are being ‫ מתקן‬that.

Abarbanel
Another reason for galus Mitzrayim: It started with the sons of Yaakov being shephards and then Yosef
was sold to those who worship sheep and then we shecht the sheep for the ketones pasim and then Yosef
becomes the leader of the sheep worshippers and finally they were ‫ מכפר‬with sheep at korban pesach.
→ the galus came with sheep and geula followed with that same sheep

Meshech Chochmah
The purpose of korban pesach is unifying together.

Baal Hareikatni
The reason we eat korban pesach in a group is to atone for ‫ מכירת יוסף‬where everyone was involved in the
sin. Now, all families being together in a group atones for that.

Mesores Habris
Why do we have ‫ שה לבית אבות‬for the korban pesach?
Avos comes up in two contexts: ‫ איש שה לבית אבות‬and ‫ פוקד עוון אבות על בנים‬- What’s the connection? Why
are we responsible to bring a korban for what our fathers did? The Torah says yes, for as long as we do
the same sins (‫)שנאת חינם‬, we have to especially bring the korban.

Apr 25, 2023

Smichas Chachamim
It quotes medrash - eating the korban pesach was what protected Klal Yisrael in the times of Haman.
What does one have to do with the other? The midrash rabbah says that you sold your brother Yosef in the
context of eating and drinking. As a consequence, your safety will be compromised and “sold”. Here there
will also be food and drink which will put Bnei Yisrael in peril! After they sold Yosef, they sat and ate. In
that context is also how Haman was able to endanger Klal Yisrael.

Why is Klal Yisrael in peril in the time of Haman? It has to do with the seudah of Achashveirosh. When
Yosef was sold, they sat down for a seudah also. Eating the korban pesach is the tikkun for the selling of
Yosef. It's a kapparah for this. That's why the korban is the same animal. That's why the korban pesach
was able to protect us in the times of Haman, because it addresses the sin of Yosef. Klal Yisrael is in
trouble because they will be punished for the mechira of Yosef, but, because they have the mitzvah which
is a tikkun and kapparah for selling yosef, that is why Haman was not successful in destroying Klal
Yisrael.
Mishnah Sachir
Hashem is speaking, “I have seen the suffering of My people in Mitzrayim and now…”

The BHMK was destroyed because of sinnas chinam. There was one critical mitzvah that Bnei Yisrael
fulfilled that was significant to Hashem, the ‫ ברית‬we made to be there for each other. Because of that
achdus, Hashem didn’t need to turn his chessed towards every individual, but instead could turn to the
entire nation and zechus rabim is greater than zechus yachid.

This is why the midrash quotes that if we are zoche, then Hashem will see us as “‫עמי‬.” If we were united,
we would be zoche to another yeshuah like in Mitzrayim. But, when we aren't ‫מתאחד‬, it is in a lashon of
yachid so now that requires much more ‫רחמים‬. When there’s achdus, it’s more effective when you don’t
have to share the wealth so much. In conclusion, the aspects that brought the geula were the achdus
(chessed with each other and ahavas yisroel). This is why right before yetzias mitzrayim, Bnei Yisrael
were all sitting and eating the korban pesach together.

Nissan, Yetzias Mitzrayim, Matan Torah: Briah Chadashah

There were two creations of the world: one in Sefer Bereishis and one by matan Torah/yetzias mitzrayim.

Drashos HaRan
It teaches us here that in the context of this mitzvah, when we do the mitzvos of Hashem, we’ll be saved
from dangers. Through this mitzvah, it offered them protection in Mitzrayim. A person who keeps a
mitzvah is protected from the normal laws of nature (ex. ‫ )שליח מצוה‬and nature doesn’t have the same
control or influence over a person. Hashem rules over people and a ‫ צדיק‬rules over Me, Hashem Himself.
Hashem can make a ‫ גזירה‬and a tzaddik’s actions can be ‫ מבטל‬what Hashem determined. That person has a
very high degree of influence over nature.

There are three beginnings to the Torah. One is this mitzvah of ‫ החודש הזה לכם‬which tells us that the ‫מציאות‬
changes (including also the mitzvah of ‫)קרבן פסח‬. The second beginning is in ‫ מרה‬when they were crying
out to Hashem because they didn’t have water and Hashem took a piece of wood which had a bitter taste
and the water became sweet where, once again, Hashem changed nature. The third beginning is by ‫מעמד‬
‫ הר סיני‬where everything was ‫למעלה מן הטבע‬. Bnei Yisrael saw and experienced how the Torah and mitzvos
transcend the natural world.

Apr 27, 2023

Siach Yitzchak
From the time Bnei Yisrael left Mitzrayim, they entered into the domain of the shechinah. This started
during chatzos on the 15th of Nissan. This is the first month for klal yisroel that even though the world
was created in Tishrei and it is therefore the beginning of the year, that’s according to the natural order of
the world. Nissan, however, was the beginning of a new world order, reorganizing creation through a
distinct hashgacha of Hashem which is influenced by Torah and mitzvos. This is why the Mishna in Rosh
Hashana says that when you're counting a king’s rule, for a non jewish king you do it according to Tishrei,
but for a Jewish king, it is counted according to Nissan because we have a different calendar order. That is
the significance of hachodesh hazeh lachem rosh chadashim. Rosh Chodashim is also about the elevated
status of Bnei Yisrael with their new order. On the 15th, that's when the moon is 100% full. When
Hashem first created the world it was in Tishrei, but Nissan is above the laws of nature, the rosh chodesh
of geula.

Yad Mitzrayim
Yetziat Mitzrayim was an actual new creation of the world. The way the new world works is based on us.
If we do mitzvos, then we will be treated with ‫ ניסים‬and ‫נפלאות‬. Why did this happen in Mitzrayim?
Mitzrayim was the most powerful so Hashem chose to destroy them to show that Hashem is being ‫למעלה‬
‫מן הטבע‬.

“‫ ”ברוך המקום ברוך הוא‬- Why is this repeated twice? Because of creation, man has a cosmic impact. At first
creation, Hashem didn’t introduce Torah and mitzvos, but now we have a new creation with Torah and
mitzvos. Before the haggadah tells us how Hashem took us out, it initially introduces the new
order/creation. Before the Torah was introduced, the world was almost working on cruise control, teva.
But, even if the world is working naturally, it's still working according to hashgachas Hashem. Baruch
Hamakom refers to Hashem running the world according to Teva. Makom connotes Hashem making
makom for the world, He is mitzamtzaim Himself and leaves a place for us to exist. The heavens are for
Hashem and the aretz is for man. The kavod of Hashem doesn't fill up the world, He almost exits. Baruch
Hu - it looks like the world is working according to teva, like on autopilot, but ultimately it is Hashem
that is determining everything. Baruch Shenatan Torah - all the more so, when Hashem gave us the Torah,
everyone could acknowledge Him. This is keneged arba banim because this is about a new world order,
everyone has to understand this. Was the world created in Nissan or tishrei? It is a machlokes. There's a
view on the rishonim that both are correct (according to Reb Elezar Ben Kalir). ‫ ברוך המקום ברוך הוא‬is in
this spot to convey this central theme before going so deep into maggid.

ּ“‫ ”תם מה הוא אומר‬- When was the world created? The world was created in both Nissan and Tishrei. How?
The machshava of the brias haolam was in Tishrei, but it was materialized in Nissan. Another way of
explaining this is that Tishrei is the beginning of the natural world and Nissan is the beginning of the
supernatural world. What is the hava mina of celebrating pesach from rosh chodesh nissan? Rosh chodesh
is when the shift in the world's functioning took place.

Shemos Rabba
The first mitzvah given to Klal Yisrael is rosh chodesh. It is really 2 mitzvos. The malachei hashereis
asked when the holidays would be. Hashem said whenever Klal Yisrael decides. In the past, time was in
Hashem’s control, when He decided when the months would be, but now it's in Klal Yisrael’s control (like
when rosh chodesh is). If we decided to add a month to make everything lined up, that's up to Klal
Yisrael.

Pirkei D’rabbi Eliezer

Hashem defers to Klal Yisrael and says whatever you decide with the calendar will be, even if there's a
mistake. That's the power of the maysah adam! What a person does impacts the world greatly!

May 2, 2023
Tehillim 114
Betzeis yisrael mimitzrayim…yisrael mamshelosav - what does that mean?

Gra
Bnei Yisrael ruled because we were ruled over. We are servants of HKBH and as a consequence, we have
power. When we left mitzrayim, we ruled over the entire world. “The sea saw and ran away” - klal yisroel
is approaching the sea and the sea sees klal yisroel and it runs away because of their power.

Chayei Adam
Quotes the same pasuk, “‫ ”הים ראה וינס‬and explains it in the same way…

Nefesh Hachaim
“The horses and chariots of Pharoah, I have compared to you, My beloved.”
Just like the horses and chariots of Pharoah, it was the opposite of the world functioning that the
horsemen is the one which controls the horse, but on the other hand, the opposite happened in regard to
Pharoah and his army. The horses caused those riding them to fall off and the horses therefore took over.
That is what this means that there’s a reversal of the normal way of who is controlling and being
controlled. Klal Yisroel is like what happened in regard to Pharoah. Hashem is the one who ‘rides on the
heavens’ and klal yisroel is given the opportunity of doing the opposite of that where they can control
Hashem. This is determined based on your actions and Hashem will follow our lead and will be promoted
to act based on what they do. That is what the pasuk means that Hashem is ‫רוכב שמים‬, but He needs your
help, ‫בעזרך‬.

Shemos Rabba
Now that we know yetziat mitzrayim and matan torah is a new creation, we would assume there will be
an overlap in details. Just as there are 7 days of ‫בריאה‬, there are 7 days of geula.

Alshich
On the 7th day of Pesach, Hashem wants to instill in them that HKBH created the world. Shabbos
corresponds to ‫שביעי של פסח‬. The first and 7th day are the most critical. Until the 7th day, there was a
lacking in the world and that’s why it says, “‫ ”שבת וינפש‬to show that the ‫ נפש‬finally came into the world.
The same is true for Pesach that the 1st and 7th days are most important. The first day was the origin of
geula and the last day was ‫ קריעת ים סוף‬where emunah was brought into this world (like the 7th day,
Shabbos, where the ‫ נפש‬was brought in).

Maharal Gevuros Hashem

Pesach corresponds to the creation of the world and Shabbos completes all creation and Pesach completes
the ‫ סדר‬of the world.

Psiktah Zutratah
Another common denominator is #10: The world was created with 10 ‫מאמרות‬, the 10 ‫ מכות‬and ‫עשרת‬
‫הדברות‬. They both show that HKBH is the ‫בורא עולם‬.

Tzaror Hamor
Pharaoh was a kofer in regard to creation and this is the real reason for the makkos. That is why altogether
they targeted all parts of creation. Hashem wanted to bring the world back to ‫תהו ובהו‬, but He didn’t, so
instead He made Pharoah see the truth about creation.

Yad Mitzrayim
It explicitly says that we find 10 ‫ מאמרות‬in the 10 ‫ מכות‬for creation. Yetzias Mitzrayim was a briah
chadasha, a renewal of the entire creation. Klal Yisrael is introduced, the Torah is introduced, and the
world will be operating in a whole new way.

Yad Mitzrayim
When they came down to Mitzrayim and when they left, it was in order to lay the foundation of the Torah
through the miracles. It was so that Hashem could take us out to show that we are above the laws of
nature and, as a consequence, we are given Eretz Yisrael which also does not work according to teva.

May 4, 2023
Biur HaGra on the Haggadah
“Baruch Hamakom Baruch Hu, Baruch Shenasan Torah L’amo Yisrael” - The world is created twice:
initially when the world was first created, and after at matan Torah it was a new creation that was
introduced specifically for klal yisroel.

Haemek Davar
What is the name of Sefer Shemos?
The Rambam calls it sefer geulah. Rabbeinu behag calls it sefer sheini. But, on the surface, it sounds like
he couldn't come up with a name… He is actually telling us something extremely important. First is sefer
bereishis, and this is bereshis part 2! It is the second part of that sefer! Now, the creation is being
completed! Berieshis had creation part 1, and this is creation part 2. Bereishis means that the world was
created for reishis, which is Klal Yisrael. The whole purpose of creation is for the sake of Klal Yisrael.
The world is not fully created until we get to sefer Shemos. Because the purpose of creation was for
Hashem glory, and we didn't do that until yetzias mitzrayim and matan torah. These both are the
completion of the briah. This is why Hashem made the condition that the whole creation is dependent on
kabbalas hatorah. Yetzias Mitzrayim is the prep step in order for Klal Yisrael to be able to receive the
Torah at har sinai. It's called har sinai because it is part 2 of bereishis, because it is the finishing part of
creation.

Shelah
Shavuos is the yom hadin in regard to peiros. Just like on RH …. The world was created in Tishrei and we
assume that we should examine our actions and see if the world is running like it is supposed to. On
shavuos, which is matan torah, where the world is renewed, it's also a yom hadin for HKBH. The
neshamos of people are judged on shavuos, there is a judgement whether we have fulfilled our
responsibilities in terms of torah and mitzvos and whether our neshamas are where they're supposed to be.

Chassid Yaavetz on Pirkei Avos

The Torah is the kli chemda, the precious vessel, to which the world was created. It’s a mashal of
someone who has many children, but he has one child he wants to give most of his property to. He gives
him the tools to which he can acquire these things. Hashem did this with the Torah. The Torah is able to
create things in the world; it is a means through which you can control and influence the world. The
materialistic world is given shape and form by the Torah. It is the ‫ כלי‬through which we are able to mold
and influence the world.

If you go with the laws which govern the world, that is Torah, and if you guard the world according to
how Torah operates, if you acquire the Torah and embrace it, since it governs the world, then basically the
world is yours and it is given to you. That is why the Torah was created first because the world is
governed by the observance of Torah. If you keep Torah, then the ‫ גשם‬and the world at large becomes
yours (you acquired it).

May 9, 2023
Shemos Rabba
When Hashem gave the Torah, the birds didn’t make noise or fly, the oxes didn’t make noise, creations
didn’t move, and even in shamayim, the malachim were not flying. The serafim were not saying “kadosh
kadosh.” Then, Hashem’s voice came out and HKBH silenced everything. The world was ‫ תהו ובהו‬like
there was no creation in the world at all.
→ Matan torah was a briah chadasha, the world starting all over again. That is why it was like there were
no creations in the world when it was happening. Then it happened, and the world started again.

A person is the center of creation and the Torah and mitzvos one learns/does has an effect on the way of
the world. When you look at creation, the framework of Torah is also different.

Earning Geula

.‫ ו ְתִ קְ ו ָתָ ם ְבּכָל דּוֹר ו ָדוֹר‬,‫ תְּ שׁוּעָ תָ ם הָ ִי ֽיתָ לָנֶ ֽצַח‬.‫ בּ ְִראוֹתָ ם ַי ֽחַ ד תְּ ֵ ֽכלֶת מָ ְרדְּ כָי‬,‫שׁוֹשַׁ נַּת י ַעֲ ק ֹב צָהֲ לָה ו ְשָׂ ֵמֽחָ ה‬
. ‫ וְ א יִכָּלְ מוּ לָ נֶ ֽצַח כָּל הַ חוֹסִ ים ָבּ‬,‫הוֹד ֽיעַ שֶׁ כָּל ק ֹוֶ ֽי א י ֵבֹֽשׁוּ‬ ִ ְ‫ל‬

Ramchal
I trust in you Hashem and I take refuge in you, and therefore I wont be embarrassed. What is this
embarrassment? This is the bread of embarrassment (nahama dechisuva). If a person eats bread that
doesn’t belong to him, it is embarrassing. When Klal Yisrael goes through galus, Hashem will provide the
geulah for them without any distress. It may give Klal Yisrael extreme distress if Hashem gave them
something that they didn’t deserve. But nonetheless, they accepted it with love and didn’t rebel against
Hashem. On the contrary, they took refuge in Him. Our belief in Hashem only increases, even though they
had many difficult times, they accepted with ahava and hope for the geulah. This is why they weren’t
embarrassed because they put their trust in Him!
→ We put trust in Him, so we won't be embarrassed when the geulah happens! It is the fact that we have
the zechus of trusting him that we won't feel that we don’t deserve it.

Tehillim 13:6
I trusted in your chessed and therefore my heart rejoices in your geulah and therefore I’ll sing, for
Hashem has done chessed for me ...?
Rebbe Avraham (Son of Gra)
A person can never fully exhaust their obligations to Hashem. When I see that I am lacking everything
and when I see Hashem’s absolute chessed, I won't have full joy because I feel that I have done nothing to
earn this. Inside, I feel the gila, but it is not something which I will demonstrate or give expression to on
the outside, because I feel joy but I also don't deserve to have it. When do I give the full expression of
simcha? When a person earns things because of their good deeds, that Hashem is repaying them for
something that they did.
→ When a person earns something from Hashem, it gives us more of a sense of joy that we don’t feel
Hashem is providing and we aren’t deserving because we are lacking.

Afikei yam
“Eizehu ashir? Hasemach bechelko” - When is it our chelek? when we’ve earned it. That gives us a sense
of being enriched.

Siyach Yitzchak
“Or zarua letzadik vyishrei lev simcha” - There is potential that a neshama has before it comes into the
world. The neshama didn’t deserve it. When you work on it and invest effort in it, then a person
straightens out his heart. This comes through effort. A person listens to his yetzer tov and puts effort into
it. Then, he will have full simcha.

Davening
“Vehaer eineinu…Vlo neivosh l'olam vaed…Ki b’shem kadshecha…Nagila vnishmecha bishuasecha”

Siyach Yitzchak (Siddur HaGra)

We won’t be embarrassed because I have bitachon in you. If we didn’t, then we’d feel a sense of
embarrassment when you did things for us, especially the the geulah. Everything we’ve said so far is
condensed in this line of tefillah. “Hekel hagibor vehanora” - The gemara famously says that in the time
of the chorban, they wanted to take out the word gibur from davening because where was Hashem’s
gevurah? At a time where Klal Yisrael is experiencing tzaros, we don’t experience Hashem’s gevurah.
Vehaer is talking about a time when we have trust in HKBH when Hashem’s gevurah seems to be absent.
Now that Klal Yisrael are subservient to other nations, where is Hashem’s gevurah? This is about
maintaining trust in Hashem when His gevurah is not evident. This bitachon will make us not be
embarrassed when the geulah comes.