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Moshaich in the Parsha
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VERY, VERY LARGE FAMILIES
Shemos 1:7.
Source: Rashi, Midrash HaGadol G-d blessed the Jewish people in Egypt that they should multiply miraculously. Women would give birth to sextuplets, and the children were all strong and healthy. R' Yochanan says that in the days of Moshiach, the Jewish people will have many children just as they did in Egypt. This is hinted to in the double phrase, "very, very" much -- "m'od m'od." One "m'od" refers to the many children they had in Egypt and the other "m'od" is for the many children to be born in the days of Moshiach.
BROUGHT UP IN EXILE
Shemos 2:10.
Source: Shmos Rabba 1:26 After finding Moshe in the water, Pharoah's daughter brought him into her father's house where he was treasured as a beloved member of the family. But later, he left their house and eventually ruled over Pharoah, forcing him to free the Jewish people. Moshiach will also live among the nations in exile. But he will separate himself from them to redeem the entire Jewish people at the time of the redemption.
WAITING IN THE DESERT
Shemos 3:1.
Source: Shmos Rabba 2:4. Yefei Toar. Devarim Rabba 2:9. G-d waited until Moshe led his sheep into the desert before speaking to him and appointing him as the one to lead the Jewish people out of Egypt. The verse says that Moshe, "led the sheep `behind' (achar) the desert." It could have more easily said "into" the desert; why does it use the curious expression "achar," which literally means, "after"? R' Levi says that G-d was giving Moshe a hint regarding what would happen "after" a long period of time, when the redemption comes. Moshe led the Jewish people as he led the sheep. He led them out of Egypt and into the desert, but both they and he would pass away in the desert and not enter Israel. But when the redemption comes Moshe will come back to life and, in his merit, all the others will also come back to life. Moshe will then lead them all from the desert into Eretz Yisroel.
"MOSHE MOSHE"
Shemos 3:4.
Source: Shmos Rabba 2:6. Midrash Chachamim G-d called out to Moshe from the burning bush; but why did He Moshe's name twice -- "Moshe, Moshe"? G-d hinted to Moshe that he will teach Torah twice - once in his lifetime and once in the days of Moshiach. In the future, the Jewish people will go to Avraham and ask him to teach them Torah, and Avraham will say, "Go to Yitzchak - he studied more than me". Yitzchak will tell them, "Go to Yaakov - he studied more than me". When they will come to Yaakov, Yaakov will say, "Go to Moshe - he learned it directly from Hashem". But there will come a time when all the tzadikim, including Moshe and our patriarchs, will all come to Moshiach to hear him teach Torah.
THE "ANOCHI" OF REDEMPTION
Shemos 3:12.
Source: Shmos Rabba 3:4. Yalkut Shimoni Hoshea 522 When G-d first spoke to Moshe and showed him the vision of redeeming the Jewish people, He said, "I (anochi) sent you". This word, "anochi," was said as a sign of the final redemption, when the Jewish people will be healed and redeemed, as Hashem says, "I, I (anochi, anochi) am the One who comforts you," (Isaiah 51:12) and "I (anochi) will send you the Elijah the prophet," (Malachi 3:23).
PURIFIED ONCE MORE
Shemos 4:7.
Source: Midrash HaGadol 4:6 When speaking to Moshe, G-d gave him several signs to show openly that His words were true. One of the signs was turning Moshe's hand white. He was told to place his hand beneath his clothing, and when he took it out, it had the impure appearance of leprousy. Moshe was then instructed to place his hand once again beneath his clothing, and when he took it out, it had returned to its previous pure, normal condition. This was a hint for later times, when the Jewish people will be become "impure" among the nations. But when the redemption comes, G-d will purify us, as it says, "I will pour pure waters upon you, and the waters will purify you" (Yechezkel 36:25).
LET MOSHIACH DO IT -- NOW!
Shemos 4:13.
Sources: Rashi, Midrash Lekach Tov When G-d gave Moshe the mission of taking the Jewish people out of Egypt, Moshe was reluctant to accept. First he said, "They won't believe me." Then he claimed, "I'm not able to speak well."
Finally he answered, "I'm anyway not going to be the one to bring the final redemption; you're going to send Moshiach for that. Therefore, you should bring Moshiach now to redeem them from Egypt."
* * *
"They cried out because of their slavery, and their plea went up before G-d. G-d heard their groaning, and G-d remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.."
(Shemot 2:23-25)
"..the cry of the children of Israel is come to Me.. Now go, I am sending you unto Pharaoh, and bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt."
(Shemot 3:9-10)
The Israelites were unable to endure the harsh galut of Egypt, and cried out unto G-d to redeem them from it. Indeed, G-d heard their cry and sent Moses to save them. It is likewise with our present galut: When we cry out "Take us out of the galut and bring about the redemption," the Al-mighty will surely hear our cry and redeem us. Moreover, our mere being in a state of readiness to call upon G-d is already enough for Him to respond, as it is written, "Before they call, I shall answer, and while they yet speak I shall hear." (Isaiah 65:24)
* * *
"Moses returned to G-d and said: 'Lord! Why have You mistreated this people.. Since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your Name, he made things worse for this people, and You have not saved this people at all!'"
(Shemot 5:22-23) Moses was a faithful shepherd. When he saw the suffering of Israel and the pain inflicted upon them by the galut, he ventured to cry out on their behalf with the daring argument, "Why have You mistreated this people." Moses did not doubt the Divine justice and knew very well that one is not to question G-d's ways. Nonetheless, he did not refrain from crying out and praying for an end to the harsh galut and an immediate redemption. To be sure, G-d responded by saying: "Alas for those who are gone and whose likes are no more to be found. I have good reason to lament the passing of the patriarchs.. who did not question My dealings with them, while you say 'Why have you mistreated this people'!" Yet G-d had this plaint of Moses recorded in the Torah which in all its contents offers everlasting instructions to every Jew of all times. There is then a lesson for all of us to learn from this conduct of Moses, as follows: When noting the persistence of the galut, we are not to resign ourselves to this situation. We are not to simply accept the galut by saying "thus is the will of G-d." The harshness of the galut is indeed a sign that the redemption is near, yet it is still bitter and painful. Thus even while reaffirming our absolute faith in the principle that "The ways of G-d are just," we are also to express our anguish with the prayerful outcry "Ad Masai - How much longer?" and ask for the immediate coming of Moshiach.
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