Shemot - Exile - A Reason for Redemption

1. a. Not "Precept After Precept"

 

Usually we look through the haftora to find some connection between its imagery and narrative and those of the parasha. It is always possible – and perhaps required – to find a few parallels. But in this prophecy, the prophet warns that God's word is going to become in the eyes of the nation, "precept after precept, line after line, a little here, a little there" (28:13) – i.e., a collection of scatterings with no single, unifying spirit that turns them into a living and whole word of God. Here we need to not only examine the details, but also seek a single idea which encompasses all the various minutae.

 

1. b. Mention of the Exodus in the Haftora

 

The exile in Egypt is mentioned in several pesukim in our haftora as well as in several of Hazal's commentaries thereon. For example: "And it shall be on that day that God will beat out His harvest from the strong river as far as the river of Egypt, and you shall be gathered up one by one, O children of Israel. And it shall be on that day that a great shofar shall be blown and they shall come... the outcasts in the land of Egypt..." (27:12-13). 

 

"Was he beaten as his beater has been?" (27:7) – Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Nehemia: Rabbi Yehuda says, "By the stick with which the Egyptians smote Israel they themselves were smitten." Rabbi Nehemia says, "By the sharp swords with which the Egyptians smote Israel they themselves were smitten." (Yalkut Shimoni)

 

"By measure, by exile, You fought with them" (27:8) – "... As it is written, "And it happened when Pharaoh sent out... (ibid).

"To whom shall knowledge be taught, and who shall understand what he hears?" (28:9) – this is (referring to) Moshe, teaching us that they brought him to all the Egyptian women, but he did not nurse (from them)." (ibid)

 

In addition, we may add other pesukim which echo the same theme, such as: "...Israel shall blossom and flower, and the face of the world will be filled with produce" (27:6) – reminiscent of the words in the parasha, "And Bnei Yisrael were fruitful and increased greatly and multiplied and grew very, very mighty and the land was filled with them" (1:7). Or "When He said to them, 'This is the rest – let the weary rest, and this is the comfort' – but they would not hear" (28:12), reminiscent of Moshe's hesitation to announce the imminent redemption: "They will not believe me and will not listen to my voice" (4:1) – a fear which was apparently realized, as we read in next week's parasha: "And they did not listen to Moshe for their spirit was crushed and because of the hard labor." (6:9)

 

1. c. A Haftora of Redemption for a Parasha of Exile?!

 

Let us see whether there exists a common thread between the general ideas of the haftora and the parasha. This is no easy task whereas in contrast to the parasha whose narrative and literal meaning are straightforward quite clear, the haftora is opaque, in terms of both its general direction and literal meaning. It is not even clear whether all the pesukim of this prophecy are connected to the same idea or whether it contains more than one message.

 

One thing is clear: the opening pesukim and the two concluding pesukim describe an image of redemption, which will take place "on that day" – i.e., in the days to come. But our parasha deals with exile. How does it connect with the pesukim referring to redemption?

 

This may be the very reason for this prophecy's selection as the haftora for our parasha: in order that we see a hint and promise of redemption even in the midst of this exile. Indeed, a picture of redemption is described by God to Moshe: "And I shall descend to save them from the hand of Egypt and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey" (3:8); "I shall bring you up from the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites... to a land flowing with milk and honey" (3:17).

 

1. d. Exile as a Stop along the Way to Redemption

 

Against the backdrop of the above pesukim we may see the rest of the pesukim in the parasha and see them, too, as stations along the way to redemption. In other words, exile and redemption are two visions not diametrically opposed but rather connected to one another, with redemption arising from the midst of the exile. The nature of the Egyptian exile itself bears testimony to this connection. In contrast with the other exiles "promised" by the Torah, where it was universally true that "because of our sins we were exiled from our land," the Egyptian exile was not a punishment (at least as far as we understand from the text itself). Forced upon Yaakov's family against his will, it was simply part of the process of building the nation towards its complete state. Hence this exile was a stop – perhaps the first one – on the road to the nation's redemption. 

 

However, this idea could be drawn from an examination of the parasha alone. The combination of this reading with the prophecy of the haftora must contain an additional message.

 

1. e. >From National Redemption to World Redemption

 

The parasha emphasizes several times the issue of national redemption, but the imagery of the future redemption as described by the prophets – and especially Yishayahu – refers at times to world redemption, as well. Israel is not redeemed alone; the whole world is destined to be redeemed together with them. The connection between these two redemptions finds expression in the very first pasuk of the haftora: "In the days to come Yaakov will take root; Israel will bud and blossom, and the face of the world will be filled with produce."

 

From the fruit of Israel the face of the entire world will be filled with produce; The redemption of Israel will bring tidings of freedom and redemption to the whole world. Israel's relationship with the inhabitants of the world arises from the various exiles. The dispersion of Israel among the nations has some benefit: it creates an unmediated connection between them, such that even when Israel return to their land and take root there once again, blossoming and bearing fruit, this bounty will not be reserved for Israel alone – the fragrance will enhance the entire world.

 

Thus there is a positive aspect to exile, which can be revealed only by looking backwards from the time of redemption to the time of exile. And this discovery is significant for us, as we read about this very first exile – an exile which was not a punishment for a sin, an exile which was purely a preparation for the redemption of both one nation and the world.

Translated by Kaeren Fish