On Friday morning, January 23, Rabbi Berel Wein, Senior Rabbi of Beit Knesset HaNasi and world-renowned author and lecturer, shared an inspiring shiur on Parshas VaEira at his shul. He began by sharing the difference between self-confidence and arrogance. Arrogance means belittling the challenge and saying you can do it. Self-confidence means admitting it is a hard job but saying that, nevertheless, you can do it.
Moshe Rabbeinu was shaken by his audience. The entire parshah involves the education of Moshe. The first level in the parshah is Moshe himself gaining emunah. The second level is the Jewish people gaining it when they are by nature sceptics. The question is how to inculcate emunah into everyday life. The people had to have emunah in Hashem and in Moshe, his servant. We must have faith in our leadership, our talmidei chachamim. This faith means we believe that what they do is in our best interest.
Moshe needed miracles to be imbued with emunah. The staff turned into a snake and the water turned to blood. This helped convince him that leading the Jewish people is his life’s mission and it isn’t something he can escape. There are various midrashim that say that different people, like the tribe of Efraim, tried to lead the Jews out of Egypt, and they were destroyed in the desert.
So, why should the Jewish people believe Moshe when he says Hashem will redeem them? That was a test for the Jewish people. Rabbi Wein pointed out that this applies now and is remarkable in our time. How did eight million Jews come to be living in Eretz Yisrael today? How did we survive all the challenges and wars? The answer is that the Jewish people believed it could happen, even though it took 1,800 years. Most people would lose faith after 1,800 years, but the Jewish people believe. This is true whether they are Zionist or not. The facts stare you in the face. The fact is that it happened, and the Jews believed it would happen.
He shared that in 1947 he heard a rav speak, and what this rav said has stayed with him all these years. This rav came to Chicago to raise money for war refugees and he spoke with such lovingkindness. The rav said that the British had arrested and also executed Jews who were fighting the British Mandate. He said, “There are six Jews in jail in Jerusalem who wanted to drive the British out of Israel. I am firmly convinced that they will drive the British out. If I had six Jews devoted to build a Torah state, we would do it, but I don’t have it.” Rabbi Wein shared how these words made an unforgettable impression on him. It was a statement. The Torah says that the Jews have to believe, and it’s a miracle that after 1,800 years they believe it would happen.
He noted how, just recently, a young woman being questioned by the Senate for a cabinet position was asked if she believes the Jewish people have a right to the West Bank. She replied, “Yes.” The questioner was amazed by her answer, and Rabbi Wein shared that he was also amazed.
He taught that in Parshas B’Shalach we learn that not everyone believed and not everyone left Egypt. Throughout the sojourn in Egypt, people complained and asked to go back to Egypt. Moshe’s great challenge was to convince the recalcitrant Jewish people that they are Hashem’s treasured nation. That deals with our essence. Rabbi Wein said that his rebbi used to ask: If Moshe came down today, would he recognize you? Would you recognize him? If that bond is broken, then little can be accomplished. That is the story that goes on today. Some Jews today are off the radar with no connection to Moshe Rabbeinu.
Finally, Moshe has to convince Pharaoh. There is a famous kal va’chomer: If the Jewish People won’t believe me then, all the more so, how can I convince Pharaoh? Logic is important when dealing with the world. However, logic is not the only criterion. There are other factors that affect logic and make it less logical or predictable in terms of what will happen. That is what gives Moshe the character and strength to pursue his mission to the end. The people hear Moshe’s sincerity, and this causes them to believe in his mission.
This parshah and Parshas Sh’mos show how the Jewish people became the Jewish people and how Moshe became Moshe. These are lessons for our time. Each person is Moshe today. In our personal struggles, we have a natural strength, and this helps us to have power over a hostile world.
By Susie Garber
