It states (Yechezkel 16:6) ֲיִיח ַ יִ ךְָמבְּד ָ ךְל ַרוָאֹמ ֲיִיח ַ יִ ךְָמבְּד ָ ךְל ַרוָאֹמ ָ יִ ךְָמבְּד ֶתֶסְבּוֹסִתמ ֵ ךְֶרְאוָא ַ יִ ךְָלע ֱבֹרֶעוָא, "Then I passed you and saw you wallowing in your blood, and I said to you, 'In your blood you shall live'' I said to you, 'In your blood you shall live.'" Rashi writes, "It states twice (חיי בדמייך) to tell us that through the blood of Pesach and the blood of milah, they were redeemed."
When the avodas Hashem is difficult, as is implied in ָ יִ ךְָמבְּד ֶתֶסְבּוֹסִתמ, "wallowing in your blood" and one craves forbidden matters and he holds back with all his might, Hakadosh Baruch Hu says, ֲיִיח ַ יִ ךְָמבְּד, "in your blood, you shall live." That blood of your firm resolve will bring you life. Life includes spiritual life, physical life, and chiyus in avodas Hashem.
The Divrei Yichezkel of Shinov zt'l answers that due to our low generation, the little we do is extremely precious to Hashem. Hashem measures our good based on our challenges. Therefore, it is certainly possible that our generation will be deemed זכאי כולו, a totally worthy generation, worthy of redemption, even though the generations of tzaddikim in the past didn't attain this title.
It states (Tehillim 116:6) ִַׁיעיְהוֹש וְלִי ִידַּלּוֹת, "I was low, and He saved me." The Gemara (Pesachim 118:) explains, "Knesses Yisrael say before Hakadosh Baruch Hu, 'Ribono shel Olam, although ִידַּלּוֹת, we are at a low level, ִַׁיעיְהוֹש וְלִי, we are worthy of being saved."
The Shinover Rav says that it is difficult to understand this pasuk. If we are at a low level, why are we fitting and worthy to be saved?
The answer is that in the past generations, it wasn't a great chiddush when someone served Hashem. But when someone serves Hashem in this generation, it is a great chiddush, and our Torah and mitzvos are incredibly precious to Hashem. This is the meaning of ִידַּלּוֹת, since I am at a low level, וְלִי ִַׁיעיְהוֹש, I am worthy to be saved.
It states (Bereishis 49:1) ֶרֲׁשא ֵתא ֶםָכל ָהַגִּידוְא ְ פוָּסֵאה ִיםַיָּמה ֲרִיתַחבְּא ֶםְכֶתא ָאְריִק, "Assemble yourselves and I will tell you what will happen to you in the End of Days." The Satmar Rebbe zt'l explained that ָאְריִק also means calling. In the End of Days, Hakadosh Baruch Hu calls to every Yid, a call of love. This is because in these generations, when the yetzer hara is so strong, and the struggles are so great, when a Yid serves Hashem, Hashem calls to him with love.
A human being can't imagine or measure the immense pleasure that our Father in heaven has from every good deed we do when we have challenges and overcome the yetzer hara.
Rashi (12:23) writes that a korban Pesach is called פסח, which means דילוג, jumping. This is because Hakadosh Baruch Hu jumped over the homes of the Jewish nation to save them during makas Bechoros.
Rebbe Moshe Leib Sassover zt'l has an amazing pshat in Rashi. He says that (12:27) במצרים ישראל בני בתי על פסח אשר, means "Hashem jumped and danced above the homes of Bnei Yisrael in Mitzrayim." Hashem saw that the Jewish nation was moser nefesh to shecht the korban Pesach, the avodah zarah of Mitzrayim, and they were even courageous to place the blood on the doorposts and lintel, as Hashem commanded. Hashem had much joy from this, and therefore, Hashem danced above their homes.
After the makah of Arbeh, locust, it states (10:16) 'לה חטאתי ויאמר ולאהרן למשה לקרא פרעה וימהר ולכם אלקיכם, "Pharaoh hastened to summon Moshe and Aharon, and he said, "I have sinned against Hashem your G-d and you," and Pharaoh asked Moshe and Aharon to daven for him. Why did he mention that he sinned to Moshe and Aharon? The main point is that he had sinned against Hashem because he didn't send Bnei Yisrael.
Reb Yonason Eibshitz (Tiferes Yonason) zt'l answers, "The way of good Jews is that if someone sinned against them, they try even harder to do kindness to them. They overcome their yetzer hara not to take revenge. As the Gemara (Bava Metzia 32:) says regarding the mitzvah of ופריקה טעינה (to help to unload or to load your fellow man's donkey), one should help his enemy first before he helps his friend. The reason given is יצרו לכוף, to overcome his yetzer hara. Going against one's yetzer hara and natural inclination creates a great nachas ruach for Hashem.
Pharaoh was concerned that perhaps Moshe wouldn’t daven for him. Therefore, he said, ולכם אלקיכם 'לה חטאתי "I sinned to Hashem, and I also sinned against you. You have reason to be upset with me for how I treated you, and therefore, you should certainly help me in order יצרו לכוף to overcome your yetzer hara."
This is written in the Torah to teach us what Hakadosh Baruch Hu desires from us. Even Pharaoh the rasha understood that if Moshe and Aharon had a valid reason to be angry with him, this should be the reason to daven for him.
These ideas help us understand the value of avodas Hashem, specifically in our times. Today, to serve Hashem, one has to go against his natural inclinations and desires. The tests are very great. But whenever one goes against his tendencies to serve Hashem, it is very precious to Him. Even if we are on a far lower level than the generations before us, due to the challenges and mesirus nefesh we have, we can be considered a generation that is זכאי כולו, entirely righteous, and we can merit therein the coming of Moshiach, may it be speedily in our days.
