The Great Revelation

By Rabbi Moshe Krieger, Yeshivas Bircas HaTorah (www.bircas.org)

At the beginning of Parshas Va’eira, Hashem tells Moshe Rabbeinu, “I appeared to the Avos with the name Kel Shakkai, but with My name Havaya I was not known to them… I have seen the suffering of Bnei Yisrael, I remembered My covenant, and I will take them out of Mitzrayim” (Shemos 6:2–6). The pasuk seem to draw a sharp contrast between two names of Hashem and two different eras. The Avos knew Hashem as Kel Shakkai, while in Mitzrayim a new name, Havaya, is being revealed. What is the difference between these two names, and why is this change happening specifically now?

Rav Gedalya Schorr, in Or Gedalya based on the Ramban, explains that these two names represent two fundamentally different ways that Hashem relates to the world. Kel Shakkai represents Hashem’s control through teva, the natural order. Hashem is fully in charge, but He works within nature. The world runs in a regular, predictable way, and Hashem’s presence is, in a sense, hidden. This was the mode of Hashem’s relationship with the Avos. They lived in a world of teva. They did not experience open, world-shaking nissim (miracles). Even when Hashem helped them, it came through natural channels. Their avodah was to search for Hashem within the natural order, to find Him when He was concealed. They lived with deep emunah, clinging to Hashem without needing open miracles. This was the greatness of the Avos.

In Mitzrayim something changed. Now Hashem reveals Himself with the name Havaya. Havaya means that Hashem is constantly bringing the world into existence and can change it at any moment. When Hashem relates to the world this way, it becomes clear that He is behind everything, every detail of existence.

This is exactly what happened through the makkos. Every part of creation was affected: water, land, animals, people, light and darkness. The entire system of nature was turned upside down. These were not isolated miracles. They were clear, undeniable demonstrations that Hashem controls every detail of existence and can overturn the world whenever He wants.

Why was this revelation necessary? Rav Gedalya Schorr points to the words of the pasuk: “Veyedatem ki ani Hashem Elokeichem hamotzi eschem mitachas sivlos Mitzrayim” — “You shall know that I am Hashem your G-d Who takes you out from under the burdens of Mitzrayim” (Shemos 6:7). The purpose of Yetzias Mitzrayim was not only to redeem Klal Yisrael physically, but to create an open, lasting revelation that Hashem alone runs everything. There is no other independent power. Everything comes from Him. This revelation was meant to engrain emunah in Klal Yisrael forever. When we read these parshios we should go over them again and again and get a clear picture of what happened. This will make our emunah much stronger. Rav Yechezkel Levenstein would work on picturing Yetzias Mitzraim the entire year.

The Rosh, in Orchot Chaim (Shaar Ha’Emunah), explains that the main lesson of Yetzias Mitzrayim is to strengthen our emunah. Not only that Hashem exists but the deeper lesson is hashgachah pratis — that Hashem is involved in every detail of the world. Complete emunah does not stop at believing that Hashem created the world but that Hashem is controlling every detail of our lives. Nothing happens by chance. Everything is measured, directed, purposeful and ultimately for our good. As it say in Gemara Brachos 60b “Kol d’avid Rachmana letav avid”, all that Hashem does is good.

Rav Chaim Friedlander adds a powerful dimension. He explains that if a person wants to feel Hashem’s hashgachah in his life more clearly, if he wants to experience more visible help from Hashem, the key is to strengthen his emunah in hashgachah pratis. The more a person truly believes that Hashem controls everything, the more Hashem will help him — even l’maalah miderech hateva, beyond the normal rules of nature.

We see this already in Mitzrayim itself. Before Moshe went to Pharaoh, he first went to the elders to strengthen their emunah. The Sfas Emes explains that it was specifically through this emunah that Klal Yisrael was zocheh to the nissim. Later, when Moshe went to Pharaoh and things became worse — the work intensified and the burdens increased — even Moshe himself complained. What did Hashem do then? He repeated again, “I am Hashem… I will take you out of Mitzrayim, I will bring you to Eretz Yisrael.” Hashem was telling them to strengthen their emunah again. When emunah weakens, the revelation retreats; when emunah is strengthened, Klal Yisrael becomes worthy of greater nissim.

This idea is echoed in a Midrash Tehillim (121). The Midrash compares emunah to shade. When a person stretches out one finger, he receives a small amount of shade. When he stretches out his whole hand, he receives much more shade. The more a person extends himself in trusting Hashem, the more Hashem extends His protection and help to him.

There is a well-known story from the Rebbe of Zvhil that brings this idea to life. When he was newly married, he was very young and had no clear way to support himself. At first, he told his wife to go to his father and ask for a small amount of money, just enough for food for the day. After a few days, he stopped and said, “Why should we do this? I believe in Hashem. Hashem can send us what we need directly.” They waited, but nothing came. They waited longer, and still nothing came.

Finally, he said, “I can accept suffering for myself, but I do not want you to suffer,” and he sent his wife to his father after all. His father was happy to see her and gave her a whole ruble, a significant sum for food. When she returned, she told her husband something remarkable. While he was away, people had come to visit her to wish her mazal tov. One man, very moved by the simchah, took out a ruble and held it in his hand, clearly intending to give it to her — but then he put it back.

The Rebbe explained: “That ruble was already prepared by Hashem as a gift that would come directly through bitachon. When you went to my father, the money came through another channel, so the gift was no longer needed.” He would tell his chassidim, “Whenever a person has real bitachon in Hashem, Hashem sends him gifts.”

May we strengthen our emunah and Hashem will do nissim for us.