It states (1:12) יִפ ְרֹץ וְכֵן יִרְבֶּה כֵּן אֹתוֹ יְע ַנּוּ ֶׁרוְכַאֲש, "As much as they would afflict them, so will they multiply and so will they gain strength." This phrase is written in the future tense. Rebbe Yitzchak of Vorka zt'l (quoting Rebbe Dovid of Lelov zt'l) explains that this refers to all future generations. When their enemies afflict them, the Jewish nation grows even stronger, and they become even more successful than before.
For it is known that הרעה תצא לא העליון מפי, nothing bad comes from Hashem's mouth (see Eichah 3:28). When something appears bad, it is merely preparation for a greater good that will come from it.
It states (5:6-7) בָּעָם ה ַנֹּגְשִׂים אֶת הַהוּא בַּיּוֹם פ ַּרְעֹה וַיְצַו ... תֶּבֶן לָהֶם וְקשְׁשׁוּ יֵלְ כוּ הֵם שִׁלְשֹׁם כִּת ְמוֹל, "On that day, Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying: 'You shall not continue to give stubble to the people to make the bricks like yesterday and the day before yesterday. Let them go and gather stubble for themselves.'" Moshe complained to Hashem, "Why are things becoming harder for the Jewish nation, instead of better?" Hashem replied (6:1) ֶׁראֲש ת ִרְאֶה עַת ָּה ... לְפ ַרְעֹה אֶעֱשֶׂה, "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh, for with a mighty hand he will send them out, and with a mighty hand he will drive them out of his land."
The Kli Yakar explains that Hashem told Moshe that things were becoming better. The hardship of the workload that was increased would help them leave Mitzrayim. This is because it was decreed that the Yidden should be in galus for four hundred years. Due to the hard work, the decree was minimized, and they would leave Mitzrayim after living there for 210 years. What appeared like hardships was for their benefit.
It states (1:14) חייהם את וימררו, that the Mitzrim embittered the lives of the Jewish people. This refers to the slavery and hard work in Mitzrayim. The trop on these words are קדמא ואזלא, which is surprising, because ואזלא קדמא is a happy tune. Why should there be a happy tune when the words describe the bitter galus in Mitzrayim? Rebbe Yitzchak Vorke zt'l explains that this is because the bitter work enabled them to leave Mitzrayim after 210 years, instead of the initial plan, to be in Mitzrayim for 400 years. ואזלא קדמא can be translated literally as "they left early". This was due to חייהם את וימררו, the bitter slavery.
Three Days of Spiritual Growth
It states (3:18) א ֱלֹק ֵינוּ 'לַה וְנִזְבְּחָה בַּמִּדְבָּר יָמ ִים ֶׁתש ְׁלֹש דֶּרֶ ךְ נָּא נֵלְכָה, "Let us go for a three days' journey in the desert and offer up sacrifices to Hashem, our G-d.'" Why is there an emphasis on three days? Wasn't the plan that the Jewish nation should leave from Mitzrayim for good?
Reb Yaakov Kaminetzky zt'l (Emes l'Yaakov) explains that the original plan was that Bnei Yisrael should be in galus in Mitzrayim for four hundred years. As it states (Bereishis 15:13) לֹא בְּאֶרֶץ ָזַרְעֲך יִה ְיֶה גֵר כִּי תֵּדַע ַיָדֹע לְא ַבְרָם וַיֹּאמֶר ... שׁ ָנָה מֵאוֹת א ַרְבַּע אֹתָם וְע ִ נּוּ וַעֲב ָדוּם לָהֶם, "[Hashem] said to Avram, 'You shall surely know that your seed will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and they will enslave them and oppress them, for four hundred years.'" Rashi writes, "From the birth of Yitzchak until they left Mitzrayim was four hundred years." However, that wasn’t the original plan. Ideally, the galus in Mitzrayim itself should have lasted four hundred years. If it had been so, there would be no need for any other galus or tzaros afterwards. However, the Jewish nation couldn't stay in Mitzrayim for the full four hundred years. They fell to very low levels, and they were at risk of falling even lower. Had they remained in Mitzrayim any longer, they would never be able to leave. This is why Hashem took them out of Mitzrayim 190 years early.
There was, however, a solution that would have enabled the Jewish nation to remain in Mitzrayim for the full term of 400 years. That is, if they would leave Mitzrayim for three days. During this respite, they would have the opportunity to cleanse themselves from the impure ways of the Mitzrim and accept the yoke of heaven. That respite would have strengthened them so much that they would be able to return to Mitzrayim and complete the full 400-year term. Only, Pharaoh didn't permit them to go for three days, and therefore, this opportunity was lost.
We learn from this vort the great benefit of even a short period of spiritual growth. The yetzer hara comes to a person and says, "A moment of ruchniyus is so small. What will you gain from it?" But it isn't so. If Klal Yisrael had had three days of spiritual elation, that would have strengthened them with enough resistance to last them 190 years in Mitzrayim.
Now, during the days of Shovavim, the yetzer hara also says, "What will it help a drop of ruchniyus on these days? Anyway, by next year, you will be back to your old self." But it isn't so. Every moment of ruchniyus is of tremendous significance.
