In this week’s parshah, Hashem repeats his promise to Moshe Rabbeinu, emphasizing that he will redeem the Jewish People from Egyptian slavery: “And I will take you out from beneath the sivlos of Mitzrayim.” Sivlos can be simply understood as suffering — that which is being endured. However, there are other, more direct ways of referring to bondage.
The Rebbe R’ Bunim of Peshischa comments on this specific choice of word, explaining its deeper meaning in this context. At the start of the period of slavery, he notes, the hard labor was experienced as unbearable, almost impossible to endure. As time went on, however, the Yidden became accustomed to it to the point that they did feel able to endure it — as the truth is that people are capable of becoming accustomed to almost anything.
Once they do so, however, this indicates that they have become desensitized to the situation and that it is no longer having a distinct impact upon them. When things reached this point in Mitzrayim, the Rebbe R’ Bunim writes, Hashem realized that it was time to redeem the Jews as they needed to be shaken out of their despondency before they were lost forever, chas v’shalom.
Many situations in life involve suffering that we would prefer to avoid. When avoidance isn’t possible, there are two options remaining: trying to solve the problem; and trying to endure the problem. Although many people are convinced that their particular problem is unsolvable and must be endured (or ignored, which comes to the same thing), the truth is that there are no situations in life that are completely impossible to change.
Enduring a problem may seem easier; even though it certainly takes a toll, it demands less thought, creativity, and energy to deal with it. However, enduring difficulties instead of dealing with them has a deadening effect; it dulls our sensitivities and leads us to lose parts of ourselves. Putting up with a situation in which others are active participants can also enable them to continue inflicting damage. Hashem doesn’t want us to go through life passively, wasting the opportunities for growth that He sends us. Sometimes He shakes us awake; at other times, He waits for us to wake up ourselves.
