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We will try to understand this great transformation based on the ideas of the first Rebbes of Ger, the Chidushei Harim, as relayed by his grandson, the Sefat Emet. Their thesis is that the Ten Sayings with which Hashem created the world were fixed by the Ten Plagues He later would inflict upon the Egyptians and enabled the great advance that came about through the Ten Commandments. The Chidushei Harim claims that this is not a mere semantic connection. Rather, it represents a fundamental spiritual process in the development of human history.
The Ten Commandments correspond to the Ten Sayings. This has to with the idea that a person first receives a yetzer hara (evil inclination), and later the yetzer hatov (good inclination) enters. First there was a world of tohu vavohu (lack of order), and the Ten Sayings were close to nature. The Ten Commandments had to come to renew the world and restore its lifeline so that it would be clear that life flows only through Hashem, through the power of Torah. This is what Chazal meant by saying that "Bereishit" hints that the world was created because of reishit (the Torah).
The first period of the world’s existence was known as the era of tohu (void), in view of the prevalent spiritual level at the time, even after the world was created with the Ten Sayings. This is parallel to the period in a person’s life before his bar mitzva, when he has only a yetzer hara, which brings him to do childish things. The yetzer hatov is still not influential, and his life follows the rules of nature without the Torah’s influence. In the realm of world history, it was premature to have tikun olam (fixing the world) by means of true free will, in which one has to work to stay away from evil and do good. Before the giving of the Torah, which is called a "potion of herbs," physical powers ruled over mankind. The Egyptians under Pharaoh reached the nadir of spiritual levels, which we call the 49th level of impurity. According to this approach, the fact that Pharaoh had no free choice to decide what to do with Israel was not a punishment but was a natural outcome of the state of affairs before the Torah was given.
To rectify the situation, Bnei Yisrael had to be taken out of Egypt to freedom in order to elevate themselves during the 49 days of sefira from the 49 levels of impurity, and then receive the Torah on the 50th day. The Ten Plagues showed the Israelites, the Egyptians, and the world that there is a leader Who instituted the laws of nature and that one can break away from those laws of nature that keep us down.
The Torah lets us know that we have two inclinations, including a good one, which we must use to choose good. Our nation was chosen to teach the world that mankind has this power. We must use our freedom from slavery to choose properly. This is accomplished through the Ten Commandments, which show that which is good and that one must cling to Hashem.
Rabbis in Midrash
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P'ninat Mishpat A Non-Contractor in Changing Times – part II
(based on ruling 85128 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Moreshet Shaul Hashem Is your Shadow – part II
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 420 – an address from 1941
Parashat Hashavua Happiness for the Right Reasons
[With painful longing, we share these divrei Torah from our co-Rosh Kollel for close to 40 years, Harav Moshe Ehrenreich zt”l.]
Israel and the Nations A Few Minutes & Many Innovative Ideas on Antisemitism & What to do About It
As we approach the High Holidays, this short lecture (18 minutes) deals with the unfortunate situation of how Israel and the Jewish People stand against antisemitism, analyzing its cause according to Rav Kook, and how to deal with the issue pragmatically & via our prayers.
Ha'azinu PURSUIT is PERFECTION
p. Ha'azinu, Shabbat Shuva
Rav Kook deals with the question of the seemingly hopeless nature of Tshuva. For G-d Himself knows that He created us with free will, which inevitably means we will sometimes make mistakes and choose wrong. This can easily be frustrating, freezing us into inaction and ye'ush (loss of hope). If one sins even once, does he chalila have no choice but suicide?! Moreover, our Godly conscience demands justice, righteousness and perfection, but we all know this is impossible, so what's the solution? Rav Kook's innovative thinking, strongly based on chazal (our sages), offers an inciteful and important aspect to this topic, especially this time of year!
Sukkot Bug-Free Sukkah: Essential Halachic and Practical Schach Guide
How to inspect, clean, and store bamboo mats and palm branches to protect your mitzvah and holiday meals.
