| "All that HaShem has spoken, we will do and we will listen." (Shemot 24:7) When Moshe came to redeem the Jewish people from Egypt, HaShem revealed to him the Name of redemption: "Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh." However, Moshe conveyed to the people only the first part of the Name—"Ehyeh." Rashi explains there that this redemption would be followed by future exiles. HaShem told Moshe that He would be with them not only in this redemption, but also in the later exiles. Moshe, however, chose not to reveal this to the people—that there would be additional exiles afterward. Why? Because when a person is in exile and knows that even after redemption he is destined to fall again into exile, he may not want to be redeemed at all, preferring to remain where he is. Therefore, Moshe concealed the words "Asher Ehyeh." Yet in truth, the secret of a redemption with no exile afterward is hidden specifically within those very words. This same secret is alluded to in the phrase "Na'aseh veNishma—We will do and we will listen." When a person serves HaShem on the level of "na'aseh," investing all his strength, rising from level to level, feeling uplifted and inspired—if he knows that later, with age or weakness, or through the ambush of the yetzer hara, he may fall from his level, he can become completely crushed. It is true that every bit of holiness one "grabs" is precious—but then what? What comes afterward? Here lies the secret of a redemption that has no exile afterward: the level of "nishma." To simply listen. To wait. To internalize the knowledge that all one truly needs to do is to anticipate HaShem's salvation and seek closeness to Him in every situation. Even if I have fallen—even if I feel shattered—I continue to wait. I wait and wait for HaShem's salvation. I keep waiting, praying, engaging in hitbodedut, yearning and hoping for His deliverance. When a person lives this way, he is already living now in the future redemption—the redemption that has no exile afterward. Shabbat Shalom |
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