From Within the Boiling Pot!
The parshiyos that we are currently reading are saturated with messages of love and affection, from Hashem to Klal Yisrael. This is expressed in Parshas Bo, in particular, where ten wondrous makos are performed, each wrought not only to punish the Mitzrim, but for the sake of Klal Yisrael (to teach them emunah). This despite the fact that they were still in the mem-tess sha’arey tumah.
“lo al yedey malach v’lo al yedey shaliach”
The final makah, makas bechoros exhibited Hashem’s special affection for Klal Yisrael. He killed all the Mitzri firstborns, and, though they had hardly any zechuyos, He skipped over their homes, sparing them from the plague. In fact, unlike in many other cases, He did this “lo al yedey malach v’lo al yedey shaliach” - it was Him b’chevodo u’b’atzmo.
The obvious question is: Why did Hashem specifically perform this makah Himself? He has many malachim and serafim, each capable of following His orders perfectly. The malach Gavriel was able to destroy Sodom and Amora effortlessly. It was surely within the power of a malach to kill some Mitzrim.
All But Hashem!
Menasheh king of Yehuda was one of the biggest reshaim in history. His father Chizkiyahu Hamelech was a great tzaddik, so much so, that he put a sword at the front of the Beis Hamedrash and announced, “Anyone who does not toil in Torah will be stabbed with this sword”. Menasheh went the opposite way; he commanded that all those who learn Torah be killed. Due to this and many other terrible deeds, the churban Beis Hamikdash occurred.
Menasheh worshipped every single avoda zara in the world and even put a tzelem in the Beis Hamikdash. He abused his power and killed his grandfather Yeshaya Hanavi and the whole of Yeurshalayim was overflowing with his blood.
If You Will Save Me....
Eventually his downfall came and the Kings of Ashur captured him. They put him in a huge copper pot with water lit a fire beneath it and it started to boil. When feeling the heat Menasheh called out to each and every one of the avoda zara that he had worshiped during his lifetime and asked for help – of course to no avail. Only once he had exhausted all other options he recalled that his father would say “in times of pain look for Hashem, for He is merciful". Menashe thus called out to Hashem saying, “if You will save me, that will be great, however, if not it is a sign that you are no different to...”
The Small Opening
As his tefilos ascended the malachim closed all windows to shamayim. They said to Hashem: “How can You accept tefilos from someone who placed a tzelem in the Beis Hamikdash?" Hashem responded by cutting a small tunnel beneath the Kisei Hakavod – a place inaccessible to the malachim - for Menasheh’s tefilos to emerge. Hashem said "if I do not accept his tefilos I will be closing all openings for future ba’aley teshuva.
This is an astounding episode. Here we have a person who had caused the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash, served every avoda zara, killed his own grandfather, and fallen so low that even as when he was in terrible distress first approached every avoda zara and only then came to Hashem. Even when he did turn to Hashem, his teshuva was half-hearted. He bargained with Hashem in the most disrespectful way. It is no surprise that the melachim did everything in their power to block his tefilos.
What is the deeper meaning behind the malachim closing the gates to Menashe’s tefila and what is the significance in the fact that Hashem prepared a pathway beneath the kisei ha’kavod for the tefila to penetrate?
The Power of Chessed
R’ Pinkus offers a wonderful explanation. Hashem created a world of chessed - olam chesed yibaneh. In fact, chessed is mentioned multiple times in the Yud-Gimmel midos ha’rachamim. The first mention of “Hashem” refers to Hashem’s chessed before a person sins. The second Hashem refers to His chessed after the sin. “Rachum”, “Chanun”, “Erech Apayim” etc. similarly depict the ein sof of chessed and rachamim of Hashem.
Yet all of this was not sufficient basis to accept the teshuva of Menasheh! He had sinned so grievously, destroyed so much, and placed so much faith in avoda zara even as his life was dwindling, that he did not deserve a reprieve from Hashem’s trait of chessed. Turning to Hashem half-heartedly when nothing else was helping him escape his scalding death, was, in the eyes of the malachim at least, no basis for mercy.
A Level Above!
However there is a higher bechina, more profound than explained thus far. “Chasar ess ha’rakia mi’tachas Kisei haKavod”. Hashem’s greatness has no limit. When He comes, bi’chevodo u’b’atzmo, there is no limit to to His chessed and rachamim. He can prepare a place that nobody else can reach or even grasp, even the malachim, and accept even the remotest teshuva from even the most distant person. This was the saving of Menasheh.
From the Lowest Place
Klal Yisrael in Mitzrayim had sunk to the lowest spiritual level - a place from which there would seem to be no recourse. There was surely no basis for them to be redeemed, certainly not by dint of fabulous makos, rechush gadol and kri’as Yam Suf. In the words of the malachim, “halalu ovdey avoda zara v’halalu ovdey avoda zara” - the Jews worshipped idols as much as the Mitzrim did.
So why were they saved? It was based on the idea delineated above. According to ordinary reckoning there was indeed no basis for redeeming them - no malach could justify or execute it. However, Hashem Himself came, lo al yedey malach v’lo al yedey shaliach. With limitless love and kindness He came to pull us out from the mires of the deepest galus, from the deepest tumah, and brought us all the way to Matan Torah.
Current Times
As we have discussed on previous occasions, the nisyonos of today, the era of ikvesa d’meshicha are akin to those of the mem-tess sha’arey tumah. We see first-hand the lowliness of the world around us, and at times we despair. How can we extricate ourselves from the dreadful state in which we find ourselves? How is it possible for us to return to Hashem and his Torah?
This is one of the messages of the powerful weeks of Shovevim, a time when Hashem cries out to us, “shuvu banim shovavim”. Hashem is calling specifically to the rebellious of his children to return. During these special weeks we too receive the special shefa that Hashem visited upon Klal Yisrael in Mitzrayim. As far as we may have fallen, if we just reach out to Hashem, He will set aside all of the usual mechanisms and take us, b’chipazon. We can be reborn as a nation, attain great closeness to Hashem, and achieve great levels in Torah and avodas Hashem.
Tu biShevat
This message is also present in the upcoming day of Tu biShevat, as we will explain the coming paragraphs. People tend to believe that the world was created in Tishrey. However, the gemara cites two opinions on this matter; one that it took place in Tishrey and the other that it took place in Nissan. The mefarshim maintain that elu v’elu divrey Elokim chaim; the world was created in both Nissan and Tishrey. What does this mean?
The Arizal explains that “bi’techilah alah b’machshavaso...” - the idea of Creation came into existence in Tishrey, however, it only came into fruition in Nissan. R’ Yitzchak Isaac Chaver explains further that during Tishrey the idea of the world - the concept - was created, however, it was only in Nissan that the world came to fruition, with the creation of Klal Yisrael.
The Fruition of the World!
Adam haRishon was created on Rosh Hashanah. However, the beginning of ma’aseh Bereshis was five days prior to that on 25th Elul. The same is true of the world’s “fruition”. The world came to its fruition on Rosh Chodesh Nissan but the origin of that creation, in other words the origin of Klal Yisrael, took place five days prior to that, on 25th Adar.
It Starts Now!
The Bney Yissaschar takes this a step further. The planning for a birth or creation takes place 40 days beforehand. This is why Chazal say that “arba’im yom kodem yetziras ha’vlad, a bas kol announces ‘bas ploni l’ploni’”. Forty days before the 25th Adar is Tu biShevat. That means that our plan for the birth of our nation at Nissan must take place already now.
The message of the parshiyos of Shovevim is that Klal Yisrael can be redeemed and born as a nation even with next to no merits. Tu biShevat teaches us about the time before they were even conceived, the very start of their existence.
From beginning to End!
Let us take this a stage further. During Nissan and on Pesach Klal Yisrael are born and begin the process of growth and building ourselves as Jews. When does this process finish? 50 days later with the Yom Tov of Shavuos and kabalas haTorah, following the days of the omer.
Tu biShevat is the Rosh Hashanah of the ilanos, the start of the process that eventually yields the fruits. Shavuos is the climax; the end of the process when we are nidonim al peros ha’ilon - the Yom Tov of the fruits -the results.
Let us use these special times of ahava and dveykus and maximise the opportunities. Even if we sometimes feel far and distant, let us remember that we currently enjoy the special shefa by way of which Hashem Himself - not a malach nor shaliach - comes to pull us out of even the lowest levels of tumah, even if we are not merit-worthy.
May this be an auspicious start of a new process of leida leading us to the ultimate kabalas haTorah and connection to our dear Father who waits for us with open arms.
