The 42 Journeys in the Midbar correspond to the Name of 42 Letters with which Yisrael Were Liberated from Mitzrayim and Will Be Liberated Le’asid La’vo
Rabbi Pinches Friedman
Parshas Matos - Maseei 5785
Translation by Dr. Baruch Fox
The upcoming, auspicious Shabbas Kodesh is Rosh Chodesh “Menachem Av,” and we will read the double parshiyos of Matos and Masei. It is fitting that we explore the wonderful relationship between the three weeks of Bein HaMetzarim and parshas Masei, which is always read on the second Shabbas of these three weeks. Since we know that Ezra HaSofer arranged the weekly Torah readings of each annual cycle with specific intent, there is clearly a profound connection between parshas Masei and the weeks of Bein HaMetzarim. In this essay, we will endeavor to shed some light on the subject.
The First Letters of the Words א'לה מ'סעי ב'ני י'שראל Are the First Letters of the Four Galuyos א'דום מ'די ב'בל י'ון
The parsha begins (Bamidbar 33, 1): "אלה מסעי בני ישראל אשר יצאו מארץ מצרים לצבאותם ביד משה ואהרן, ויכתוב משה את מוצאיהם למסעיהם על פי ה' ואלה מסעיהם למוצאיהם". These are the journeys of Bnei Yisrael, who departed the land of Mitzrayim, according to their legions, led by Moshe and Aharon. Moshe wrote their goings forth according to their journeys at the bidding of Hashem, and these were their journeys according to their goings forth. The Megaleh Amukos writes that in this passuk HKB”H alluded to the four galuyos that followed galus Mitzrayim, i.e., Edom, Madai, Yavan (Greece), and Edom (the current exile initiated by Rome): Behold, Yisrael travelled 42 journeys in the midbar; they allude to all future events until the coming of the redeemer. In this parsha, the words א'לה מ'סעי ב'ני י'שראל allude to א'דום מ'די ב'בל י'ון".
In parshas Vayeira, the Megaleh Amukos presents another wonderful allusion related to this subject. In the first berachah of Shemoneh Esrei, we say: "ומביא גואל לבני בניהם למען שמו באהבה"—and He brings a redeemer to their children’s children for the sake of His name, with love. The word מבי"א can be interpreted as an acronym for מ'די, ב'בל, י'ון, א'דום. Thus, we have another remez to the four exiles from which HKB”H will redeem their children’s children for the sake of His name, with love. In light of these comments from the Megaleh Amukos, the intimate relationship between parshas Masei and the weeks of Beis HaMetzarim is evident. For, during these three weeks our focus is on mourning the churban of the Beis HaMikdash and the four galuyos we have had to endure.
Embellishing this thought, it is clear that HKB”H is conveying to us an encouraging, positive message. Galus is not a permanent situation, chas v’shalom! It is merely part of a journey. It is analogous to a person travelling from place to place to make amends and rectify certain flaws but upon completing his task, he will return home for good. This is the implication of the words: "אלה מסעי בני ישראל"—the Jewish people travel from galus to galus to accomplish the mission assigned to them. Upon completing the necessary tikun, HKB”H will liberate them and deliver them from servitude to geulah and from darkness to a brilliant light.
Galus Mitzrayim Encompassed All Four Galuyos and the Geulah from Mitzrayim Encompasses All the Galuyos
It appears that we can interpret the continuation of the opening passuk of the parsha by following the lead of the Megaleh Amukos. The Ohr HaChaim hakadosh notes that initially the text says "מוצאיהם למסעיהם"—their goings forth according to their journeys—whereas at the end of the passuk, it says "מסעיהם למוצאיהם"—their journeys according to their goings forth—the order is reversed. Additionally, why was it necessary for the Torah to inform us that “Moshe wrote their goings forth according to their journeys at the bidding of Hashem”? Undoubtedly, everything Moshe Rabeinu did was at the bidding of Hashem.
Now, we will introduce what the Bnei Yissaschar (Nissan 4, 3) writes in relation to a teaching in the Yerushalmi (Pesachim 10, 1): "מנין לארבעה כוסות, רבי לוי אמר כנגד ארבעה מלכיות"—from where do we learn the requirement of (drinking) four cups? Rabbi Levi said: They correspond to the four regimes (under whom Yisrael was in galus). The Yifeh Mareh explains that this demonstrates our faith in Hashem; we believe that just as he delivered us from Mitzrayim, so, too, He will deliver us from all four galuyos.
The Bnei Yissaschar elaborates on the relationship between the geulah from Mitzrayim and the other galuyos. He refers to a question posed by the Arizal in Likutei Torah (beginning of Ki Seitzei). Throughout the teachings of Chazal, they only mention four galuyos—Bavel, Madai, Yavan, and Edom. We see this in the following Midrash (B.R. 2, 4): "והארץ היתה תהו זה גלות בבל, ובהו זה גלות מדי, וחושך זה גלות יון, על פני תהום זה גלות ממלכת הרשע שאין להם חקר כמו התהום". “And the earth was chaos” alludes to galus Bavel; “and void” alludes to galus Madai; “and darkness” alludes to galus Yavan; “over the surface of the deep” alludes to the galus of the wicked regime (Edom), which is unfathomable like the deep. In another Midrash, we learn (ibid. 44, 17): "והנה אימה חשיכה גדולה נופלת עליו, אימה זו בבל, חשיכה זו מדי, גדולה זו יון, נופלת עליו זו אדום"—the passuk states: “And behold—a dread, great darkness fell upon him.” “A dread” refers to Bavel; “darkness” refers to Madai; “great” refers to Yavan; “fell upon him” refers to Edom. It is perplexing that they do not include the galus of Mitzrayim among the other galuyos.
Our masterful teacher, the Arizal, explains that the four exiles of Bavel, Madai, Yavan, and Edom are individual entities; each one of them opposes one of the four letters of the blessed name Havaya. Bavel corresponds to the letter “yud”; Madai corresponds to the (first) letter “hei”; Yavan corresponds to the letter “vav”; Edom corresponds to the second letter “hei.” In contrast, the galus from Mitzrayim was a general, all-encompassing exile. It included all of the other exiles wrapped up in one. For, it corresponds to the tip of the letter “yud”—“kotzo shel yud.” “Kotzo shel yud” incorporates all four letters of the name Havaya. Hence, Chazal only mentioned the four individual galuyos and omitted galus Mitzrayim, since it is not a novelty in and of itself, but rather encompasses all of the exiles.
Apropos this subject, the Gaon Chida, ztz”l, presents a very nice remez in the commentary Simchas HaRegel on the Haggadah. The chronicle of galus Mitzrayim begins (Shemos 1, 1): "ואלה שמות בני ישראל הבאים מצרימה"—and these are the names of Bnei Yisrael who came (הבאים) to Mitzrayim. The word באי"ם is an acronym for the four exiles: ב'בל מ'די י'ון א'דום—indicating that all four exiles were included in Mitzrayim.
Returning to the remarks of the Bnei Yissaschar, he explains the rationale for Chazal’s institution of drinking four cups of wine on the first night of Pesach as follows: Seeing as the galus in Mitzrayim incorporated all of the subsequent four galuyos, we should feel heartened and confident from the fact that He liberated us from Mitzrayim that He is destined to liberate us from all four of the galuyos. After all, the klipah of Mitzrayim was so strong and all-inclusive that it contained within it all of the others. So, if He delivered us from Mitzrayim, all the more so that He will deliver us from each of the separate, individual galuyos.
This explains beautifully why Chazal also instituted the four cups corresponding to the four expressions of geulah (ibid. 6, 6): והוצאתי, והצלתי, וגאלתי, ולקחתי—I shall take you out, I shall rescue you, I shall redeem you, and I shall take you. Since galus Mitzrayim encompassed all four of the galuyos, it stands to reason that the geulah from Mitzrayim also encompassed all four of the geulos. Therefore, four expressions of geulah are mentioned in relation to the geulah from Mitzrayim, since it actually contained four distinct geulos from the four galuyos that were included in galus Mitzrayim.
“And Mitzrayim shall know that I am Havaya” Who Possesses the Power to Abolish All Four Galuyos that Oppose the Name Havaya
We learned above from the Arizal that each of the four individual galuyos opposed one of the four letters of the sacred name Havaya—the Tetragrammaton. Now, since galus Mitzrayim encompassed all four subsequent galuyos, this means that it opposed all four of the letters of the Tetragrammaton. Based on this understanding, we can begin to comprehend the following dialogue between Moshe and Aharon and Pharaoh. They said to him (ibid. 5, 1): "כה אמר ה' אלקי ישראל שלח את עמי ויחוגו לי במדבר, ויאמר פרעה מי ה' אשר אשמע בקולו לשלח את ישראל, לא ידעתי את ה'". So said Havaya, the G-d of Yisrael, “Send out My people that they may celebrate for Me in the midbar.” Pharaoh replied, “Who is Havaya that I should heed His voice to release Yisrael? I do not know (recognize) Havaya!”
We find that the very first thing that Pharaoh, the king of the klipah of Mitzrayim, had the audacity to say was: “Who is Havaya that I should heed His voice . . . I do not know recognize Havaya!” Based on what we have learned, the wicked Pharaoh was informing Moshe and Aharon of the magnitude of Mitzrayim’s power of tumah. Since galus Mitzrayim was an all-encompassing galus that incorporated all four individual galuyos, it possessed the power to oppose all four of the constituent letters of the name Havaya. Hence, he had the audacity to refuse to acknowledge the authority and power of this sacred name.
Accordingly, the exodus from Mitzrayim with miraculous feats was an exodus from a general, all-encompassing galus that opposed all four letters of the name Havaya. This is the implication of HKB”H’s declaration (ibid. 7, 5): "וידעו מצרים כי אני הוי"ה בנטותי את ידי על מצרים והוצאתי את בני ישראל מתוכם"—and Mitzrayim shall know that I am Havaya, when I stretch out My hand over Mitzrayim; and I shall take Bnei Yisrael out from among them. In other words, by taking Bnei Yisrael out of Mitzrayim, the incredible power of the name Havaya would be revealed—the power to abolish the klipah of Mitzrayim that opposed all four of its letters.
Based on what we have just learned, we can expand on the remez of the Megaleh Amukos presented above. In Shemoneh Esrei, we say: "ומביא גואל לבני בניהם למען שמו באהבה". He points out that the word מבי"א is an acronym for מ'די ב'בל י'ון א'דום—the four galuyos from which HKB”H will deliver us. We are saying that He will do so “for the sake of His name”—for the sake of the four letters of His name that these galuyos oppose. This will happen in the merit of "ב-אהבה"—two loves. One is the “ahavah” that HKB”H has for His children, Yisrael; the second is the “ahavah” that Yisrael have for their Father in Heaven. Hence, two times the gematria of אהב"ה (13) equals Havaya (26)—the source of the geulah from all of the galuyos.
“Their goings forth according to their journeys”
We will now explain how all this is alluded to by the opening passuk of our parsha: "א'לה מ'סעי ב'ני י'שראל"—these are the journeys of Bnei Yisrael. The first letters of these four words are the first letters of א'דום מ'די ב'בל י'ון. These are merely journeys from one galus to the next until we accomplish our mission of clarification and tikun. Once accomplished, HKB”H will liberate us from all of the galuyos with the future geulah.
The proof of this eventuality is the text: "אשר יצאו מארץ מצרים לצבאותם ביד משה ואהרן"—who departed the land of Mitzrayim, according to their legions, led by Moshe and Aharon. After all, we already departed Mitzrayim that encompassed all four of the subsequent galuyos; so, all the more so, that HKB”H will also deliver us from each individual galus.
This then is the way to interpret the continuation of the passuk: “Moshe wrote their goings forth according to their journeys”—in other words, Moshe explained the relationship between the “going out” of Yisrael from Mitzrayim and the “journeys” they would make in the subsequent galuyos. As explained, they would be journeys that we would complete and move on (be liberated) from; because “yetzias Mitzrayim” was “at the bidding of Havaya”—accomplished and facilitated by the four letters of Havaya, which the klipah of Mitzrayim opposed. So, if HKB”H took us out of Mitzrayim, which opposed all four letters of the sacred name, He will surely take us out of each of the four individual galuyos.
Then, the passuk concludes: “And these were their journeys according to their goings forth.” In other words, since the geulah from Mitzrayim was the root of all the geulos, it behooves Yisrael to always remember the association of the journeys in galus with the going forth (the exodus) from galus Mitzrayim. This will serve to hearten them always. For, just as HKB”H took them out of the all-encompassing galus of Mitzrayim, all the more so that He will take us out of every one of the individual galuyos. This is the implication of the word "ואלה"—and these. As we know, the “vav” indicates that these are in addition to something prior; it relates “their journeys” throughout the four galuyos to “their going forth” from Mitzrayim.
