Parshas Bo 5775
In this week’s parsha, the Jews are commanded to perform the mitzva of korban Pesach. Among the halachic particulars of the mitzva was a command to eat the korban with “loins girded, shoes on your feet and your staff in your hand. You shall eat it in haste…”
Rashi explains that this was a command to eat as if they were ready to set out right away on a journey. Only we should ask: What was the rush? They only left Egypt the following morning, and they had the whole night, or at least until midnight, to finish the korban Pesach (see Pesachim 120b). Furthermore, mitzvos are supposed to be done with concentration, which usually requires that we calmly collect our thoughts (called “yishuv hadaas“). The mitzva of korban Pesach seems to require the opposite.
The Seforno explains that the mitzva of eating in haste, staff in hand, was intended to inculcate bitachon to the extent that even while in the depths of galus, they felt palpably that any moment would be the long-awaited redemption. After over 200 years of slavery in Egypt, they needed to have absolute faith that any minute Hashem would redeem them and they would begin the journey to Eretz Yisrael. It may have been easy to follow Moshe’s instructions that they prepare for a journey, but to be absolutely convinced that the redemption would take place immediately required them to reach a higher level ofbitachon. They had to feel that even in the midst of their enslavement, they were in essence already free men, and the actual call of liberation was just at hand.
Rav Yechezkel Levinstein notes that there is another aspect of bitachon that Klal Yisrael was being taught that night. The Jews knew that they were setting out for the desert, where they would have no food or shelter. Survival there would mean constant miracles from Hashem, and still they were commanded to await this eagerly, ready to leave their homes right away.
This was a test that many Jews did not pass. Many died in the plague of darkness because they either were not so eager to leave, or they lacked trust in Hashem that He could sustain an entire people in the desert. Even those who would be leaving Egypt still needed to strengthen their bitachon. The commandments that night were intended to achieve this. They were required to behave in a manner of bitachon, building on the bitachon they had gained over the past months, where they had seen Hashem’s miraculous punishment of the Egyptians. Bitachon was the key to their redemption; this was what Hashem was waiting for.
How can we grow in bitachon?
Rav Wolbe suggests that we can derive this from Rabbeinu Yona’s commentary on Brachos (4b). The Gemara there asks: Who is a ben olam haba? One who connects geula to tefilla, meaning just before beginning his morning Shemoneh Esrei he completes the last bracha of Keriyas Shema, Go’al Yisrael. Rabbeinu Yonah asks: That’s all that’s required to become a ben olam haba? Simply reading the siddur without skipping words?
He answers (in his second teirutz) that the last section of Keriyas Shema until the Shemoneh Esrei is replete with descriptions of the miracles of yetzias Mitzrayim. If a person envisions these miracles and puts thought into Hashem’s limitless power and His overseeing of all the world’s affairs, this should awaken in him a sense of bitachon. If he then takes all of this feeling and immediately applies it in his Shemoneh Esrei, his prayer becomes a strong expression of bitachon. He is making requests of the One whom he knows can do anything for him.
R’ Yona says that this act of strengthening one’s bitachon is the pinnacle of a Jew’s avodas Hashem and therefore makes him a ben olam haba. If each day a Jew would experienceyetzias Mitzrayim as if he is truly in Hashem’s hands and then begin his tefilla in this mindset, he would grow daily in bitachon.
My father-in-law, Harav Elimelech Meller, notes that not only speaking about yetzias Mitzrayim can bring to bitachon, but also hearing about it from a parent. This too can buildbitachon, sometimes even more, as we see from the story of Gideon [Shoftim, Chapter 6], who argued with an angel and demanded that Hashem perform miracles of the sort ofyetzias Mitzrayim in his time (when the Midyanim were ravaging Eretz Yisrael, burning crops, etc.). Where did Gideon get the boldness to make such a demand?
Rav Meller says that the answer lies in what Gideon said just before (see Rashi, Shoftim, 6:13): “Yesterday, I heard from my father about the miracles of yetzias Mitzrayim…” What exactly did Gideon hear from his father? He surely knew about yetzias Mitzrayim already; he was a shofet and navi! Rather, when a father relates the story of yetzias Mitzrayim to his son, the message penetrates deeper. A father has a natural influence on his son, particularly when he speaks about a subject for which he feels very strongly. This powerful impression was what enabled Gideon to reach greater levels of bitachon, and through this to demand that Hashem make miracles to save His nation. Every parent can instill in his children a sense of bitachon in Hashem by speaking about Klal Yisrael’s history and the many miracles Hashem has done for us.
In Eretz Yisrael today, even with all the difficulties and danger, one can easily gainbitachon in Hashem by thinking about the miracles the Jewish yishuv has witnessed. Think about the most recent war: some three thousand missiles were fired from Gaza at targets across Eretz Yisrael and yet they inflicted almost no damage. This is an open demonstration of how Hashem is protecting us. If Hashem doesn’t want it, no harm can reach us, no matter how many weapons they have. This awareness should build within usbitachon in all aspects of our lives.
My father used to say that living through the wars in Eretz Yisrael had in fact strengthened his bitachon. I recall that during the most frightening moments of war or waves of terrorist attacks, he used to say: “Don’t worry. We see that Hashem has always been with us. Right now Klal Yisrael is in a difficult situation but it will surely pass by.”
May we be zoche to grow daily in bitachon!