1. At the end of this week’s Parsha, the Torah tells us how Moshe confronted Hashem with the question ״למה הרעתה לעם הזה״, - Why do you do evil to this nation?” Hashem responded to Moshe by saying that He had revealed to the Avos His name of שד-י, but not the name יהו-ה, but He will reveal that name (which represents a higher level) to the Jewish people. The Alter Rebbe explains in תורה אור, that during the giving of the Torah, the Jewish people witnessed a revelation of G-dliness which had not been experienced even by the Avos. In order for the Jewish people to prepare themselves for this great revelation, they needed to first endure the pain of Golus Mitzrayim. The Alter Rebbe continues that this is also the reason why the Jewish people are suffering for so long in this final exile, being that the great revelations they will merit in the final redemption, require great preparation.
2. As we have discussed many times previously, every single detail which is mentioned in the Torah is everlasting and true. This would also apply to a question that arises in the Torah even after it has already been answered. Being that the question has been asked in the Torah, which is the ultimate truth, even after being answered, the question itself still contains the same element of truth. (This is why the Frierdiker Rebbe said that being that there is a question raised in Chassidus as to why Simchas Torah wasn’t established on Shavuos, even once the question was answered there is still room to say that it should be on Shavuos.) This can be applied to the question that Moshe Rabeinu presented to Hashem as to why he makes the Jewish people suffer. Even after Hashem explained that it serves as a preparation for the revelations that will come, there is still a place in the Torah for the question to be asked.
3. One of the explanations as to why there is still confusion regarding Jewish suffering even after Hashem explained its purpose, is as follows. The Jewish people must go through servitude and suffering in order to elevate themselves to greater spiritual heights in order to prepare themselves for the revelations that will follow. This physical strain can be transformed into spiritual “work” in the realm of Torah study. In תורה אור, the Alter Rebbe explains how every facet of the physical labour that was placed upon the Jewish people in Mitzrayim, represents different aspects within Torah learning. This is why there is still room to question the necessity for an actual, physical Golus, since it is interchangeable for toil in Torah.
4. Just like the actual Golus can be exchanged for toil in Torah, the same can be said regarding a person’s hard work and constant pressure to make money. A person’s primary concern regarding managing his livelihood, is deciding between two ideas. This rule can also be applied to learning Torah. A person should delve so deeply into his learning that he will have reason to understand it either of two ways, and he will be unable to decide which one is correct. This type of Torah learning corresponds to the worries of how to make money.
5. Regarding the idea of conflicting methods of understanding a specific concept, The Rogachover Gaon used to say that his hardest day was Shabbos. During any other day of the week, when ideas would be constantly flowing in his mind and he would be unable to ascertain which one was correct he had a very simple solution, to write. Writing down the ideas would organize them more clearly and slow down the flow of the concepts rushing through his brain. On Shabbos, being that he wasn’t able to write, he was forced to work very hard within the confines of his mind to be able to reconcile conflicting ideas. It is also told of the Mitteler Rebbe that when he would say Chassidus, although the room was quiet, he would say “Sha Sha”. The Rebbe Rashab explained that the Mitteler Rebbe was not asking for quiet but rather trying to tame the speeding flow of the concepts rushing in his mind. Seemingly, what would be the problem with a constant flow of ideas in the mind? According to the aforementioned clarification, it is understood that when the flow of intellect comes too fast, it is difficult to reconcile between conflicting ideas.
6. One of the primary difficulties which existed during Golus Mitzrayim, was the Egyptians giving the Jewish people ״עבודת פרך״. The Gemara explains that this refers to the Egyptians placing work of women upon the men, and work of men upon women. The struggle was that they were given jobs which they were not accustomed to, although technically the job may have been an “easier” one.
7. This type of work, doing a job that one is not accustomed to, also has its counterpart in the spiritual service of Hashem. This would be when a person is able to go beyond the type of Torah observance he has made himself comfortable with. Although the change may be something easy, being that it is something that he is unaccustomed to, it is considered to be ״עבודת פרך״. The Tanya explains that this is the reason the Gemara writes that one who reviews his studies one hundred times is considered to be one who does not serve Hashem. However, one who reviews his studies one hundred and one times is considered to be one who does serve Hashem. The Alter Rebbe explains that in those times it was the normal practice for a person to review one hundred times, therefore as soon as someone goes above the norm and reviews even one extra time, he is considered to be one who serves Hashem.
8. Furthermore, even when a person merely forces himself, against his own will, to surpass his natural tendencies, he is still called “one who serves Hashem”. This is because deep down, every single Jew has a desire to do the Will of Hashem, and it is merely that this desire has been covered over by the Yetzer Horo. Therefore, it is sufficient to force one’s self on an external level, since internally the desire already exists.
Further Elaboration
After the Alter Rebbe quotes the Gemara regarding a person who studies one extra time, he continues to explain the idea of going beyond what a person is accustomed to. He brings the משל of a marketplace of donkeys where the donkeys are rented out to travel ten Parsi for the price of one zuz and eleven Parsi for two zuz. Being that the normal distance for the donkeys was ten Parsi, even one additional Parsi would cost an entire Zuz more. We see from here that the value of one pushing himself to go beyond his usual habits is tremendous. Seemingly, it would seem sufficient for the Alter Rebbe to bring only the Gemara regarding the extra study in order to explain this concept. What further clarification is gained by bringing the משל of the donkeys?
It is well known that in a משל that is expounded upon in Torah, every single detail is precise and exact. In the משל of the donkeys, חמור is alluding to a person’s physical body, that everyone must work to refine. There are two ways in which a person can work to refine his physical side. 1) To elevate his body so it is no longer on the level of חמור, and it has been refined to a point where it can be considered מדבר. 2) Although the body remains in its coarseness, the person is able to “force” it to change its habits and do the will of Hashem. Such a person is called “one who serves Hashem”.
This idea of one who has not overcome the coarseness of his physical body, but rather constantly struggles, forcing it to fulfil the Will of Hashem, is alluded to in the משל of the donkeys in the marketplace. In the משל, the donkeys don’t belong to the rider, rather they are rented. This alludes to a body that is not “his” i.e. not completely under his control. But, he still pushes it to go beyond what it is used to, and extends it the extra mile. Although he has not “acquired” his body, and it has still remained in its coarse state, through constantly struggling to go above and beyond its usual habits, he is considered to be “one who serves Hashem”.
