{"id":12397,"date":"2009-01-22T21:59:00","date_gmt":"2009-01-22T21:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/production.ou.org\/life\/other\/reflections_vaeira_5768_probing_the_code\/"},"modified":"2015-10-30T03:36:22","modified_gmt":"2015-10-30T08:36:22","slug":"reflections_vaeira_5768_probing_the_code","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/torah\/reflections_vaeira_5768_probing_the_code\/","title":{"rendered":"Va’eira: Probing the Code"},"content":{"rendered":"

Messianism is a brisk and dangerous business. A top story in the news about a year ago, was the halachic status of an erstwhile convert who believes in a Mashiach that is no longer alive. I will stay out of the minefield, other than to note that where there is tremendous pain, there is messianic fervor. The end of the 2nd temple period found no less than six false messiahs. Since that time, the business has only expanded; as the last 2000 years of Jewish history has seen its tragic share of Messianic charlatans foisting upon the very eager-to-believe masses.<\/p>\n

As our parsha commences, Moshe the redeemer gets off to a slow start. Yet the Jews believed in Moshe\u2019s authenticity. Chazal wonder how did the Jews know that Moshe was for real. They relate the fascinating tradition of the pakod code (1)<\/a>:<\/p>\n

[God says:] Once you (Moshe) tell it to them using this expression pakod pakadeti <\/u><\/b><\/i>(remember, I have remembered), they will listen to your voice, for this sign has already been transmitted to them through Yaakov and Yosef that with this expression they will be redeemed.” <\/i><\/p>\n

Leaving aside the obvious anybody could have used those words<\/i> question (2)<\/a> – let us ponder the inherent redemptive notion found in the pakod2 terminology. Why are these words specifically, chosen to verify the redeemer? First let us probe why the double pekidah<\/i> terminology. Herein, three classic approaches:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Ohr HaChaim<\/b> \u2013 I shall remember the end date of redemption. I shall remember to end their pain.<\/li>\n
  2. Midrash<\/b> \u2013 I will remember you and I have remembered you<\/li>\n
  3. Rabbeinu Bechayei<\/b> (2nd approach) \u2013 I shall mercifully<\/i> remember the pain of the Jewish people and judgmentally reckon with those Egyptians who inflicted the pain.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    It is Rabbeinu Bechayei\u2019s 1st approach however that yields stunning implications:<\/p>\n

    Pakod<\/b> \u2013 I remember the Jews, even after all these years; Pakadeti \u2013 I remember Me<\/u><\/b> (i.e. My pain of exile)<\/p>\n

    Conventional religious wisdom dictates that the classic (anthropomorphic) understanding of Hashem feeling our pain approximates the way we feel another\u2019s pain. Someone else\u2019s hurt affects our lives commensurate to the closeness of our relationship. In the end however, it is still the other\u2019s pain, and we the feelers, remain cloaked in the world of sympathy<\/b>. Rabbeinu Bechayei\u2019s notion is that God is empathetic<\/b>, for it His pain as well<\/i><\/u>. Hashem say pakod<\/i>, I remember your galut<\/i> (exile) pain; why? Because pakadeti<\/i>, it is My pain as well (3)<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    And why is it His pain? Because in Zohar lexicon and Talmudic explanation (4)<\/a>, Shechinta b\u2019galuta<\/i>. A (feminine) piece of Hashem, known as Shechina is in exile. God, as it were, experiences galut<\/i>. Now we understand the depth of Hashem\u2019s instruction to Yaakov as he is about to descend to Egypt: (Bereishit, 46:4).<\/p>\n

    I will go down with you to Egypt; and I will also surely bring you up again;<\/i><\/p>\n

    As Moshe sees the presence of God in the burning bush, the Rabbis wonder why such a diminutive place:<\/p>\n

    And not another tree because: “I (God) am with him (Israel) in his trouble.<\/i><\/p>\n

    And when we return, it will be a double return \u2013 for the Shechina will return with us (4)<\/a>:<\/p>\n

    … as it says, \u201cThen the Lord your God will return with your captivity\u201d. It does not say veheshiv<\/i> [and He shall bring back] but veshav<\/i> [and He shall return]. This teaches us that the Holy One, blessed be He, will return with them from the places of exile.<\/p>\n

    If Hashem is in exile and feels pain, several amazing Rabbinic statements come alive. Witness:<\/p>\n

    a. Hashem “cries” (5)<\/a><\/p>\n

    R. Samuel b. Inia said in the name of Rab: The Holy One, blessed be He, has a place (where He cries) and its name is mistarim<\/i> (secret). [a play on the verse b\u2019mistarim tivkeh nafshi<\/i>].<\/p>\n

    b. Hashem \u201cneeds\u201d Nechama<\/i>(6)<\/a><\/p>\n

    [Hashem says:] To whom does one need to comfort when one\u2019s wife dies? Not to the husband?! So, Tzion is left dark like the dead<\/i>, don\u2019t I need to be comforted. Nachamuni Nachamuni Ami, Comfort me, Comfort me \u2013 my nation <\/i><\/p>\n

    c. Hashem \u201csuffers\u201d<\/p>\n

    [When a man is being put to death] what does the Shechinah utter? My head is heavy, my arm is heavy\u2019.<\/p>\n

    Remarkably, we also pray for<\/i><\/b> God. Every Friday night, in a famous prayer composed by the kabbalist, R. Shlomo Halevi Alkabetz [Tzfat, 1500-1580], we pray that the Shechina should be redeemed and reunited with Kudsha Brich Hu<\/i>(7)<\/a> The name of the prayer: Lecha Dodi! Similarly, in our preamble to mitzvos, many say l’sheim yichud kudsha brich hu ushechinta<\/i> \u2013 a prayer that seeks the reuniting of shechina with kudsha brich hu (8)<\/a><\/p>\n

    But why does God exile Himself? Is it solely to enact Divine empathy? Perhaps something even more fundamental is at work: The Talmud, in the context of the unintentional murderer (who must flee to the city of refuge), teaches:<\/p>\n

    A Tanna taught: A talmid (student) who goes into exile is joined by his Rebbe, as the text teaches: \u201cand he shall flee into one of the cities and he shall live\u201d, \u2014 provide him with whatever he needs to live.<\/u><\/b><\/i><\/p>\n

    Sans Shechina, the Jew cannot survive exile (9)<\/a>. Remarkably, Hashem exiles himself with, and for the sake of, His talmid<\/i> (the Jews). In so doing, He creates for Himself tremendous pain. The only way to stop that pain is to redeem the Shechina from exile \u2013 something that can only happen when his children\/students are redeemed.<\/p>\n

    And how are we to be redeemed?<\/p>\n

    Perhaps this is the secret of Pakod Pakadeti. Yes, God monologues to His children: I feel your pain (and Mine)<\/i>. But pakod pakadeti<\/i> is a dialogue. Hashem, as it were, is saying: I will remember you, but mein tyre kind<\/i>, my dear children, please don\u2019t forget me; your ability to be redeemed requires that you also must state pakod pakadeti<\/i> \u2013 you must feel My pain also. To the extent that we acknowledge His pain and His presence, we bring redemption.<\/p>\n

    Can we fathom the pain that our Creator must surely feel when so many of His children don\u2019t know Him; and even more significantly when we, the faithful, who should be so close, feel so distant. <\/i><\/p>\n

    In an incredible personal letter, the Piasetzner Rebbe, who inspired the broken-hearted Jews of the Warsaw Ghetto, upon reaching the milestone age of forty wrote (10)<\/a>,<\/p>\n

    “What should I accept upon myself?.. To learn more?I think that, to the best of my knowledge, I waste no time.To distance myself from lust and desire? Baruch Hashem, I think I have overcome that. What am I missing? Pashut, simply – to be a Jew! I visualize myself as a human being with everything but a neshamah, soul. Master of the Universe, Save me .. Draw me close and bind me to You forever<\/i><\/p>\n

    Orthodox Jewish life has many challenges; amongst the most subtle and significant is not to forget Hashem amidst our Torah, Tefilla and Avodah. One can do<\/i> all the right things and still feel so rachok<\/i>, so distant from Hashem, – enmeshed in a type of personal exile.<\/p>\n

    Redemption, individual and national can only occur when we respond to Hashem in deed and in thought – pakod pakadeti \u2013 We, your children, also remember You<\/i>.<\/p>\n

    Good Shabbos,\u00a0Asher Brander
    \n_______________________________________<\/p>\n

    FOOTNOTES:<\/p>\n

    1. Rashi, Shemos, 3:18. Pirkei D\u2019Rabbi Eliezer records a more expansive and fascinating version: \u05d5\u05db\u05dc\u05dd \u05dc\u05d0 \u05e0\u05de\u05e1\u05e8\u05d5 \u05d0\u05dc\u05d0 \u05dc\u05d0\u05d1\u05e8\u05d4\u05dd \u05d0\u05d1\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5 \u05d5\u05d0\u05d1\u05e8\u05d4\u05dd \u05de\u05e1\u05e8\u05df \u05dc\u05d9\u05e6\u05d7\u05e7 \u05d5\u05d9\u05e6\u05d7\u05e7 \u05de\u05e1\u05e8\u05df \u05dc\u05d9\u05e2\u05e7\u05d1 \u05d5\u05d9\u05e2\u05e7\u05d1 \u05de\u05e1\u05e8 \u05e1\u05d5\u05d3 \u05d4\u05d2\u05d0\u05d5\u05dc\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d9\u05d5\u05e1\u05e3, \u05e9\u05e0’ \u05d5\u05d0\u05dc\u05d4\u05d9\u05dd \u05e4\u05e7\u05d5\u05d3 \u05d9\u05e4\u05e7\u05d5\u05d3 \u05d0\u05ea\u05db\u05dd \u05d5\u05d9\u05d5\u05e1\u05e3 \u05d1\u05e0\u05d5 \u05de\u05e1\u05e8 \u05e1\u05d5\u05d3 \u05d4\u05d2\u05d0\u05d5\u05dc\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d0\u05d7\u05d9\u05d5 \u05d5\u05d0\u05de’ \u05dc\u05d4\u05dd \u05e4\u05e7\u05d5\u05d3 \u05d9\u05e4\u05e7\u05d5\u05d3 \u05d0\u05dc\u05d4\u05d9\u05dd \u05d0\u05ea\u05db\u05dd, \u05d5\u05d0\u05e9\u05e8 \u05de\u05e1\u05e8 \u05e1\u05d5\u05d3 \u05d4\u05d2\u05d0\u05d5\u05dc\u05d4 \u05dc\u05e1\u05e8\u05d7 \u05d1\u05ea\u05d5, \u05d5\u05db\u05e9\u05d1\u05d0\u05d5 \u05de\u05e9\u05d4 \u05d5\u05d0\u05d4\u05e8\u05df \u05d0\u05e6\u05dc \u05d6\u05e7\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d9\u05e9\u05e8\u05d0\u05dc \u05d5\u05e2\u05e9\u05d5 \u05d4\u05d0\u05d5\u05ea\u05d5\u05ea \u05dc\u05e2\u05d9\u05e0\u05d9\u05d4\u05dd \u05d4\u05dc\u05db\u05d5 \u05d0\u05e6\u05dc \u05e1\u05e8\u05d7 \u05d1\u05ea \u05d0\u05e9\u05e8 \u05d0\u05de\u05e8\u05d5 \u05dc\u05d4 \u05d1\u05d0 \u05d0\u05d3\u05dd \u05d0\u05d7\u05d3 \u05d0\u05e6\u05dc\u05e0\u05d5 \u05d5\u05e2\u05e9\u05d4 \u05d0\u05d5\u05ea\u05d5\u05ea \u05dc\u05e2\u05d9\u05e0\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5 \u05db\u05da \u05d5\u05db\u05da, \u05d0\u05de\u05e8\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d4\u05dd \u05d0\u05d9\u05df \u05d1\u05d0\u05d5\u05ea\u05d5 \u05de\u05de\u05e9, \u05d0\u05de\u05e8\u05d5 \u05dc\u05d4 \u05d5\u05d4\u05e8\u05d9 \u05d0\u05de’ \u05e4\u05e7\u05d5\u05d3 \u05d9\u05e4\u05e7\u05d5\u05d3 \u05d0\u05dc\u05d4\u05d9\u05dd \u05d0\u05ea\u05db\u05dd, \u05d0\u05de\u05e8\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d4\u05dd \u05d4\u05d5\u05d0 \u05d4\u05d0\u05d9\u05e9 \u05d4\u05e2\u05ea\u05d9\u05d3 \u05dc\u05d2\u05d0\u05d5\u05dc \u05d0\u05ea \u05d9\u05e9\u05e8\u05d0\u05dc \u05de\u05de\u05e6\u05e8\u05d9\u05dd, \u05e9\u05db\u05df \u05e9\u05de\u05e2\u05ea\u05d9 \u05de\u05d0\u05d1\u05d0 \u05e4”\u05d0 \u05e4”\u05d0 \u05e4\u05e7\u05d5\u05d3 \u05d9\u05e4\u05e7\u05d5\u05d3, \u05de\u05d9\u05d3 \u05d4\u05d0\u05de\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5 \u05d4\u05e2\u05dd \u05d1\u05d0\u05dc\u05d4\u05d9\u05d4\u05dd \u05d5\u05d1\u05e9\u05dc\u05d5\u05d7\u05d5,
    \n2. Cf. Ramban 3:18, that deals with this question.
    \n3. This causative reading of the Rabbeinu Bechayei is admittedly a subjective one – which does not impact the essential notion presented here.
    \n4. Cf. Megillah 29a
    \n5. Chagiga 5b
    \n6. Yalkut Shimoni, Yeshayahu Remez 443 \u05d3\u05d1\u05e8 \u05d0\u05d7\u05e8 \u05e0\u05d7\u05de\u05d5 \u05e0\u05d7\u05de\u05d5 \u05e2\u05de\u05d9, \u05d0\u05de\u05e8 \u05d4\u05e7\u05d1”\u05d4 \u05dc\u05de\u05d9 \u05e6\u05e8\u05d9\u05da \u05dc\u05e0\u05d7\u05dd \u05dc\u05de\u05d9 \u05e9\u05de\u05ea\u05d4 \u05d0\u05e9\u05ea\u05d5, \u05dc\u05d0 \u05dc\u05d1\u05e2\u05dc\u05d4 – \u05db\u05da \u05e0\u05de\u05e9\u05dc\u05d4 \u05e6\u05d9\u05d5\u05df \u05d1\u05de\u05d7\u05e9\u05db\u05d9\u05dd \u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05d9\u05d1\u05e0\u05d9 \u05db\u05de\u05ea\u05d9 \u05e2\u05d5\u05dc\u05dd, \u05dc\u05d0 \u05d0\u05d5\u05ea\u05d9 \u05e6\u05e8\u05d9\u05db\u05d9\u05dd \u05dc\u05e0\u05d7\u05dd? \u05e0\u05d7\u05de\u05d5\u05e0\u05d9 \u05e0\u05d7\u05de\u05d5\u05e0\u05d9 \u05e2\u05de\u05d9. \u05db\u05d9\u05d5\u05e6\u05d0 \u05d1\u05d5 \u05de\u05e9\u05dc \u05dc\u05de\u05d4”\u05d3? \u05dc\u05de\u05d9 \u05e9\u05e0\u05e9\u05d1\u05d5 \u05e9\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d1\u05e0\u05d9\u05d5 \u05d1\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05d5 \u05dc\u05de\u05d9 \u05de\u05e0\u05d7\u05de\u05d9\u05dd, \u05dc\u05d0\u05d5 \u05dc\u05d0\u05d1\u05d9\u05d4\u05dd? \u05db\u05da \u05d1\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d9\u05e6\u05d0\u05d5\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d5\u05d0\u05d9\u05e0\u05dd. \u05db\u05d9\u05d5\u05e6\u05d0 \u05d1\u05d5 \u05de\u05e9\u05dc \u05dc\u05de\u05d4”\u05d3? \u05dc\u05de\u05d9 \u05e9\u05e0\u05e9\u05e8\u05e3 \u05d1\u05d9\u05ea\u05d5 \u05dc\u05de\u05d9 \u05de\u05e0\u05d7\u05de\u05d9\u05dd \u05dc\u05d1\u05d9\u05ea \u05d0\u05d5 \u05dc\u05d1\u05e2\u05dc \u05d4\u05d1\u05d9\u05ea – \u05db\u05da \u05d4\u05e7\u05d1”\u05d4 \u05e9\u05e8\u05e4\u05d5 \u05d0\u05ea \u05d1\u05d9\u05ea\u05d5, \u05e9\u05e0\u05d0\u05de\u05e8 \u05d5\u05d9\u05e9\u05e8\u05d5\u05e3 \u05d0\u05ea \u05d1\u05d9\u05ea \u05d4’. \u05db\u05d9\u05d5\u05e6\u05d0 \u05d1\u05d5 \u05de\u05e9\u05dc \u05dc\u05de\u05d4”\u05d3? \u05dc\u05de\u05d9 \u05e9\u05e0\u05e7\u05e6\u05e5 \u05db\u05e8\u05de\u05d5 \u05dc\u05d0 \u05dc\u05d1\u05e2\u05dc \u05d4\u05db\u05e8\u05dd \u05de\u05e0\u05d7\u05de\u05d9\u05dd?
    \n7. the male counterpart of the Shechina, lit. the Holy One Blessed be He.
    \n8. Friday night we pray for the Shechina (bah) and Shabbos day for Kudsha brich hu (bo) and on Shabbos mincha we pray for the reunion atah echad v\u2019shimcha echad <\/i>
    \n9. According to many this is the deep meaning of the haggadah\u2019s statement: V\u2019hee she\u2019amda l\u2019avoseinu v\u2019lanu<\/i> \u2013 the hee<\/i> being the (feminine) Shechina
    \n10. \u05d5\u05de\u05d4 \u05d0\u05e7\u05d1\u05dc \u05e2\u05dc\u05d9 \u05dc\u05dc\u05de\u05d5\u05d3 \u05d9\u05d5\u05ea\u05e8? \u05db\u05de\u05d3\u05d5\u05de\u05e0\u05d9 \u05e9\u05de\u05d4 \u05e9\u05d0\u05e4\u05e9\u05e8 \u05dc\u05d9 \u05e9\u05dc\u05d0 \u05dc\u05dc\u05db\u05ea \u05d1\u05d8\u05dc \u2013 \u05d0\u05d9\u05e0\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d4\u05d5\u05dc\u05da \u05d1\u05d8\u05dc. \u05dc\u05d4\u05ea\u05e8\u05d7\u05e7 \u05de\u05df \u05d4\u05ea\u05d0\u05d5\u05d5\u05ea \u2013 \u05d0\u05dd \u05d0\u05d9\u05df \u05d9\u05e6\u05e8\u05d9 \u05de\u05e8\u05de\u05d4 \u05d0\u05d5\u05ea\u05d9, \u05d1\u05e8\u05d5\u05da \u05d4’ \u05d0\u05d9\u05e0\u05d9 \u05de\u05e9\u05d5\u05e2\u05d1\u05d3 \u05db\u05dc \u05db\u05da \u05dc\u05ea\u05d0\u05d5\u05d5\u05d4 \u05d2\u05d5\u05e4\u05e0\u05d9\u05ea \u05d7\u05e1 \u05d5\u05e9\u05dc\u05d5\u05dd \u05d5\u05de\u05d4 \u05d7\u05e1\u05e8 \u05dc\u05d9? \u05e4\u05e9\u05d5\u05d8 \u05dc\u05d4\u05d9\u05d5\u05ea \u05d9\u05d4\u05d5\u05d3\u05d9, \u05d7\u05e1\u05e8 \u05dc\u05d9. \u05d3\u05d5\u05de\u05d4 \u05d0\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d1\u05e2\u05d9\u05e0\u05d9 \u05db\u05e6\u05d5\u05e8\u05ea \u05d0\u05d3\u05dd \u05de\u05e6\u05d5\u05d9\u05e8\u05ea, \u05e9\u05d4\u05db\u05dc \u05d1\u05d4, \u05d4\u05d2\u05d5\u05d5\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd, \u05d4\u05e6\u05d5\u05e8\u05d4 \u05d5\u05db\u05d5’. \u05e8\u05e7 \u05d0\u05d7\u05ea \u05d7\u05e1\u05e8\u05d4.\u05d4\u05e0\u05e9\u05de\u05d4 \u05d7\u05e1\u05e8\u05d4.\u05e8\u05d9\u05d1\u05d5\u05e0\u05d5 \u05e9\u05dc \u05e2\u05d5\u05dc\u05dd \u05e6\u05d5\u05e4\u05d4 \u05d5\u05de\u05d1\u05d9\u05d8 \u05db\u05dc \u05e0\u05e2\u05dc\u05dd, \u05dc\u05e4\u05e0\u05d9\u05da \u05d0\u05ea\u05d5\u05d5\u05d3\u05d4 \u05d5\u05de\u05dc\u05e4\u05e0\u05d9\u05da \u05d0\u05ea\u05d7\u05e0\u05df…\u05e4\u05e9\u05d5\u05d8 \u05e8\u05d5\u05e6\u05d4 \u05d0\u05e0\u05d9 \u05de\u05e2\u05ea\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d4\u05ea\u05d2\u05d9\u05d9\u05e8, \u05d5\u05dc\u05d4\u05d9\u05d5\u05ea \u05de\u05e2\u05ea\u05d4 \u05d9\u05d4\u05d5\u05d3\u05d9.\u05e8\u05d9\u05d1\u05d5\u05e0\u05d5 \u05e9\u05dc \u05e2\u05d5\u05dc\u05dd \u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05d9\u05e2\u05e0\u05d9… \u05e7\u05e8\u05d1 \u05d0\u05d5\u05ea\u05d9 \u05d0\u05dc\u05d9\u05da \u05d5\u05d4\u05db\u05e0\u05d9\u05e1\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d4\u05d9\u05db\u05dc \u05dc\u05e4\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd \u05de\u05d4\u05d9\u05db\u05dc.\u05e7\u05e9\u05d5\u05e8 \u05d0\u05d5\u05ea\u05d9 \u05d0\u05dc\u05d9\u05da \u05dc\u05e2\u05d5\u05dc\u05dd \u05d5\u05e2\u05d3<\/p>\n

    \n

    Rabbi Asher Brander is the Rabbi of the Westwood Kehilla, Founder\/Dean of LINK (Los Angeles Intercommunity Kollel) and is a Rebbe at Yeshiva University High Schools of Los Angeles<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Messianism is a brisk and dangerous business. A top story in the news about a year ago, was the halachic status of an erstwhile convert who believes in a Mashiach that is no longer alive. I will stay out of the minefield, other than to note that where there is tremendous pain, there is messianic<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":223,"featured_media":44908,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[83],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12397","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-torah"],"yoast_head":"\nVa'eira: Probing the Code - OU Life<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Orthodox Jewish life has many challenges; amongst the most subtle and significant is not to forget Hashem amidst our Torah, Tefilla and Avodah\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/torah\/reflections_vaeira_5768_probing_the_code\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Va'eira: Probing the Code - OU Life\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Orthodox Jewish life has many challenges; 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