In this week’s parsha, we encounter a remarkable exchange between Moshe Rabbeinu and the Ribbono Shel Olam.
Hashem instructs Moshe to go to Paro and to Klal Yisrael and announce that the time has finally come for the Jewish people to be taken out of Egypt.
Moshe responds with a question: “What if they don’t believe me?”
Hashem is not pleased with this, and immediately the staff in Moshe’s hand turns into a snake.
Rashi asks: Why specifically a snake? What is the message here?
Rashi explains that Moshe’s question amounted to speaking Lashon Hara about Klal Yisrael—assuming they would not believe him. To show His displeasure, Hashem turns the staff into a snake, the very symbol of Lashon Hara.
But Hashem doesn’t stop there. To drive the point home, He afflicts Moshe’s hand with tzaraas, another classic sign of Lashon Hara.
This raises a powerful question: What were the Jews in Egypt actually like, that Moshe’s words were considered Lashon Hara?
Were they tzaddikim?
Let me share something that isn’t often emphasized: Chazal say openly that the Jews in Egypt were idol worshippers.
The Midrash states:
?ואמרו מלאכים הללו עובדי עבודה זרה והללו עובדי עבודה זרה מה נשתנו אלו מאל
“The angels said: These are idol worshippers and those are idol worshippers—what makes Israel different from the Egyptians?”
And further:
שה"ר פרשה ב או הנסה אלהים לבא לקחת לו גוי מקרב גוי, ר' יהושע בשם ר' חנן אמר גוי מקרב עם ועם מקרב גוי אין כתיב כאן, אלא גוי מקרב גוי, שהיו אלו ערלים ואלו ערלים, אלו מגדלין בלורית ואלו מגדלין בלורית, אלו לובשי כלאים ואלו לובשי כלאים, אם כן לא היתה מדת הדין נותנת שיגאלו ישראל לעולם, אמר ר' שמואל בר נחמן אלולי שאסר הקדוש ברוך הוא עצמו בשבועה לא היו ישראל נגאלין לעולם, הדא הוא דכתיב (שמות ו') לכן אמור לבני ישראל אני ה' והוצאתי אתכם מתחת סבלות מצרים, ואין לכן אלא שבוע
They were uncircumcised, they dressed like the Egyptians, they behaved like the Egyptians. According to Reb Yehoshua in the name of Rav Chanan, there was almost no visible difference between the two nations. And Rav Shmuel bar Nachman teaches that if not for Hashem swearing that He would redeem them, the attribute of justice would never have allowed it.
And yet—despite all this—Hashem was upset with Moshe for questioning the belief of these very people.
Charedim took The name of Harav Avraham Yitzchok Kook z"l and rubbed it into the mud? Why?
Because he dared believe in the Chilonim that were building Eretz Yisrael!
Woe to those who denigrate and badmouth those living in Eretz Yisrael!
They may very well be "Gedoilim" nevertheless they are עתיד ליתן דין וחשבון!
Hashem wasn't "mevater" when the greatest of prophets "hinted" that the Jews would not believe him, HE will certainly not be "mevater" for anyone talking ill of those living in the Land of Israel! Be they frum or even Oivdei Avoda Zara!
12 comments:
So then why do some have a bone to pick with those that don't serve... oh - THAT group? We must speak bad about!
Sheker 7:43
The immortal words of Moshe Rabbeinu
האחיכם יבוא למלחמה ואתם תשבו פה?
Ok at least you agree that Chilonim/Zionists are Ovdei Avoda Zora (as evidenced by the title). You're getting somewhere DIN!
DIN you say "Charedim" is relativity a new made-up word! I don't even think its 20 years old! (https://shorturl.at/h0bcA)
Who in the world do you consider "Charedim" - this is quite confusing.
What are the criteria to join the club?
I remember someone explaining to me that if you think our ancestors were sinners, chas v'shalom you should believe that. Yes, they worshipped idols but that was their only aveirah. Otherwise they lived kosher lives at a level we can only dream of! So no, in Egypt everyone wore a shreimel - the Midrash says we kept our distinctive clothes, right? - and everyone spoke Yiddish - we kept our language, right? - so in fact the worry was that Moshe Rabeinu wouldn't be believed because he had never gone to Yeshivah. He was the Chiloni!
8:18
I don't think you learned anything in Yeshiva, you have learned nothing from my post and the Parsha!
9:29
Again "Chareidim" is a made up term, relatively new!
People were frum or not frum, Chassidish or Litvish!
Wow, you're so carried away trying to prop up the mistaken & failed Kookian shita (with all due respect to Rav Kook who meant well & was a tzaddik but in error) that anti-Torah Chilonim are so swell, that you forgot the posuk that Hashem wants us to hate the reshoyim that He himself hates ...
Cooks for Satmar 9:18
Wow, you're so carried away trying to prop up the mistaken & failed Satmar Shit'a (with all due respect to Rav Yoilish who meant well & was a tzaddik but in error) that anti-Torah Chilonim are so swell, that you forgot the posuk that Hashem wants us to hate the reshoyim that He himself hates ..
If Rav Kook, ztk"l, was in error, The Gedolim(tm) would've pointed it out. Instead they banned his books or burned them. That's what you do when you realize the other guy didn't make a mistake but you hate his conclusion.
DIN "Chareidim" is a made up term, relatively new! People were frum or not frum, Chassidish or Litvish!"
____________________
Many people (me too) think that with "Chareidi" you are referring to all frum Chassidish Litvish Jews.
1. Please make a poll and see what everyone else that visit this blog consider a 'charedi'. You maybe surprised.
2. WHAT IS A CHAREDI ACCORDING TO YOUR UNDERSTANDING?
🗳️Thanks
4:51 Sheker
I don't need to take a poll!
20 yeas ago I lived in Monsey, and the first time I heard the term the "Charedie" term was the name of the Satmar Shul on Maple Avenue called "Chareidim"
I learned in Chassidishe Yeshivas, Oberlandeh Yeshivas and one Litvishe, that term didn't exist!
from your comments it is obvious that you grew up in a MO environment and you hate it!
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