Bs”d
Parshas Vaeira (5762)
by Mordechai Dolinsky
The parshios we have these weeks are the foundation of our belief and the greatest demonstration of Hashem’s sovereignty in the world. In our sedra 6:6-7 we find the four expressions of redemption, v’hotzase’ v’hitzalti’ v’goalti’ and v’lokachti. The four cups of wine at the seder are to internalize them. It is important to make a point at the seder night to designate each one of the four cups to one of the expressions of redemption.
The popular and conventional understanding is that these express four terms of the fact that Hashem redeemed Bnai Yisroel. I would like to share a deeper understanding and insight. In contemplating the galus there were four steps. 1) Separation from Hashem 2) They were confined to Egypt 3)Slavery and 4) Torture. Hotzaisi was a redemption from the torture, hitzalti from the slavery, goalti that they were able to lelave the land and finally v’lokachti was a redemption from the distance from Hashem.
Continuing this vein of thought we can add another insight that all this was produced from the plagues. Each plague contained the four elements of redemption. The first term of redemption ‘hotzasi’ was the release of Clal Yisroel from the torture. The torture the Egyptians suffered brought them to release Bnai Yisroel from their suffering.
The second term of redemption –hitzalti, the release of Bnai Yisroel from the slavery–was produced by the following. In the duration of the time the Egyptians were under the affliction of the plague, even when they weren’t actually suffering from the pain, they were under its spell, as if to say –“slaves to the plague”. This factor got them to release Bnai Yisroel from their slavery.
V’goalti, which was the release of Bnai Yisroel from the land of Egypt, was motivated by the fact that the affliction of the plagues were confined to the boundaries of Egypt. This forcibly persuaded the Egyptians to agree that Bnai Yisroel should leave Egypt.
In the framework of the ‘v’lokachti’ we can explain that every plague had an overflowing demonstration of Hashem’s abundant love for us. This rectified the distance between Hashem and Clal Yisroel.
We should again merit to see the glory of Hashem revealed speedily in our days through the coming of Mashiach Tzidkainu.
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