The Shabbos Table – Shemos: R’ Y. Sacks Shlita: Sefer HaGalus V’HaGeulah
This D’var Torah should be a Zechus L’Ilui Nishmas my mother Chaya Rochel Bas Dovid Tzvi A”H, my sister Kayla Rus Bas Bunim Tuvia A”H, my maternal grandfather Dovid Tzvi Ben Yosef Yochanan A”H, my maternal grandfather Dovid Tzvi Ben Yosef Yochanan A”H, my paternal grandfather Moshe Ben Yosef A”H, my paternal grandmother Channah Freidel Bas Avraham A”H, my uncle Reuven Nachum Ben Moshe & my great aunt Rivkah Sorah Bas Zev Yehuda HaKohein,
It should also be in Zechus L’Refuah Shileimah for:
-My father Bunim Tuvia Ben Channa Freidel
-My grandmother Shulamis Bas Etta
-MY BROTHER: MENACHEM MENDEL SHLOMO BEN CHAYA ROCHEL
-Mordechai Shlomo Ben Sarah Tili
_R’ Simcha Yitzchak Ben Mirela Yudka
-Chaya Rochel Ettel Bas Shulamis
-Yonatan Menachem Mendel Ben Orly, Eli Aharon Michel Ben Chaya
-It should also be a Z’chus for an Aliyah of the holy Neshamos of HaRav HaGa’on V’Sar HaTorah Shmaryahu Yosef Chaim Ben HaRav Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky A”H, Dovid Avraham Ben Chiya Kehas—R’ Dovid Winiarz ZT”L, Miriam Liba Bas Aharon—Rebbetzin Weiss A”H, as well as the Neshamos of those whose lives were taken by terrorists (Hashem Yikom Damam) and other tragedies.
-It should also be a Z’chus for success for Tzaha”l as well as the rest of Am Yisrael during this dire time, in Eretz Yisrael and in the Galus.
-The wounded should experience Refuah Shileimah, the captives should be returned safely, the fallen should experience Kevurah and Aliyah for their Neshamos and Nekamah for their Dam, their Krovim should experience Nechamah, the Chayalim should be Matzliach and Minatzei’ach, and Am Yisrael should experience Geulah.
בס”ד
Be”H, I will be translating / transcribing / paraphrasing Divrei Torah of my Rebbi, HaGaon R’ Yonason Avner Sacks Shlita. (Any inaccuracies, whether added, misrepresented, or due to omission and/or points lost in translation or context should be attributed to me alone. * = My addition.)
Shemos
“Sefer HaGalus V’HaGeulah”
Based on:
“MiSefer Yetzirah L’Sefer HaGalus V’HaGeulah” (Yomim MiKedem – Shemos, Page 29)
Sefer Bereishis – “Sefer HaYetzirah”
The Ramban writes in his Pesichah (introduction) to Sefer Shemos that the completion of Sefer Bereishis marks the end of the formative generations of the world, that Bereishis was and is the Sefer HaYetzirah (lit., Book of Formation). That is to suggest and to reiterate that not only are the “Ma’aseh Avos” (actions of the forefathers) a “Siman L’Banim,” not just mere omens for the children, but that all of the “Mikrei HaAvos” (happenings of the forefathers) are a “Yetzirah L’Zar’am,” a “formation” for their offspring.
Sefer Shemos – “Sefer HaGalus V’HaGeulah”
The Ramban continues that after Sefer HaYetzirah comes the Sefer HaGalus V’HaGeulah (lit., Book of Exile & Redemption). And it is for this reason, writes the Ramban, that the Torah repeats the “names” of all of Shevatim who descended to Mitzrayim. It was from their descent that the Galus had ultimately begun.
The “Vav HaChibur” – “V’Eileh Shemos”
Perhaps this comment of the Ramban could explain another phenomenon, how the second Sefer of the Torah surprisingly begins with a Vav HaChibur (connective letter “Vav” – “and”), “V’Eileh Shemos…”-“And these are the names…”
The Vav indicates that Shemos is a Hemshech (continuation) of the Galus which started at the end of Bereishis.
“Who are Coming / Arriving”
We might suggest that this may also explain why the Chumash describes the Shevatim as “HaBa’im Mitzrayimah,” literally those are only now arriving to Mitzrayim. Naturally, the Sefer HaGalus V’HaGeulah begins with the Galus, so it is not surprising that the Sefer would describe the Galus from its very beginning, the descent to Mitzrayim.
The Geulah – Ma’alas Avosam
Having established that the beginning of Shemos describes Galus, we have to understand how indeed Sefer Shemos concludes with Geulah. Shemos describes the Nissim of Yetzias Mitzrayim, but it does not end there. Yetzias Mitzrayim is evidently not the end or the completion of the Geulah. Sefer Shemos concludes, not with Yetzias Mitzrayim, but with Hakamas HaMishkan.
What exactly is the Hagdarah (parameter) of Geulah? In a line, the Ramban writes that the Geulah is attained when Klal Yisrael returns to Ma’alas Avosam (the lofty level of their forefathers). The Avos were a Merkavah (chariot) for the Shechinah (Divine Presence). And it was with Hakamas HaMishkan that we experienced Hashras HaShechinah (Resting of Divine Presence) and when we finally managed to come full circle and return to Ma’alas Avoseinu HaKedoshim.
*We should aspire and be Zocheh to become the Vav HaChibur, to reconnect the Sefer HaGalus V’HaGeulah back to Sefer Yetzirah, to achieve Geulah from our Galus by returning to Ma’alas Avoseinu, positioning ourselves as much as possible on a Derech of Kedushah and Taharah to become worthy of Hashras HaShechinah with Binyan Bayis Shlishi and the coming of Moshiach, Bimheirah BiYomeinu! Have a wonderful Shabbos!