Four hostages were released this past Shabbos, and BEZ”H three more this week, and then three more this coming Shabbos. There was such a simchah with the return of the four girls. We pray that the rest will also be released soon. Yet, there is still nervousness about the high price being paid.

The ceasefire with Hezbollah has been officially extended for another month. We’ll see how that works out. The Houthis are also holding their fire as things progress here. And so far, it seems like President Trump is really coming through for us! Such a positive change!

Are we really deserving of all these good tidings? For all the miracles Hashem has done for us - saving us from all the rocket attacks, Iranian missiles, etc. - and for everything we hope He’ll keep doing for us? There’s so much at stake! Are we really deserving of it all? We know we are far from perfect and there’s much we need to do teshuvah for.

The following idea from this week’s parshah may shed some light on our situation.  

We have the first Pesach happening in our parshah, with its unique korban Pesach Mitzrayim, different than all future korban Pesachs. B’nei Yisrael were instructed to stay indoors the entire night, and to have the first Pesach seder, with the korban Pesach, matzah and maror. They were instructed to smear the blood of the korban on the doorpost and lintel, inside the home. It was not visible from the outside. This sign would be “seen” by Hashem that this was a Jewish home, and by midnight, the firstborns would die and Hashem would be pasach – pass over the Jewish homes and strike the Mitzri homes. Many Mitzriim, terrified of the upcoming makas bechoros, brought their kids over to the Jewish homes, begging for them to be allowed to spend the night in the hope they’d be safe there. False hopes. It didn’t work, and they still died.

Wy did Hashem make the miracle happen in this fashion? Why jump over? Why was that such a big necessity? And why is the entire Yom Tov called Pesach, after that part of the miracle? Why not call it Makos, or just use the other names of the Yom Tov, chag hamatzos, chag ha’aviv… why Pesach?  

To suggest an answer, we need to back up 210 years, to when Bnei Yisrael first arrived in Mitzrayim. Yosef sent them to live in Goshen. He ruled over them for about 71 years. Yosef Hatzadik passed away, followed by all the Shevatim, and that is when Pharoh and the Mitzriim began to become nervous about B’nei Yisrael. They began making plans against them. What triggered this? There are several reasons, and the Torah says one outright: The Mitzriim were scared of the high birthrates. But why did that bother them so much? B’nei Yisrael were loyal citizens, and Yosef saved Mitzrayim and turned it into a wealthy superpower!

The Torah says, “Yosef died… Bnei Yisrael were fruitful and multiplied…the land became filled with them…There was a new king who did not know Yosef.” These are all directly related. Yosef had given clear and precise instructions to Bnei Yisrael. Remain in Goshen and don’t spread throughout the land! Goshen was a wonderful area, also inhabited by Mitzriim. If B’nei Yisrael would have all remained in Goshen, eventually all the Mitzriim would have moved out on their own, making way for more Jewish families. It would have eventually become crowded, but there are great positive results from having all the generations living together.

An esteemed Mashgiach told us the following story. When he was a bochur, more than 50 years ago, he was passing through Meah Shearim, when he passed by an American tour group made up of mostly older women. Being American, he slowed down as he passed them, and overheard them asking each other, “How come these Hareidim all live on top of each other like this?” (He said to us, I was a young bochur and couldn’t control myself.) He stopped and said to them, “You see, these people are all family, and they respect their elders and wish to learn and emulate them. The kids want to live near their parents, and the grandkids want to be near their parents and grandparents, and the great-grandkids want to be near their parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents!” I watched as their faces turned color with envy. They were lucky if their one or two kids (if they had any!) would even visit or just call them more than once or twice a year! 

It could be that some Mitzri families would have wanted to remain in Goshen because they liked living among B’nei Yisrael! Such fine, upstanding, moral, and kind people! As opposed to the general Mitzri society, which encouraged immorality, slavery, and disregard for human dignity! (Also, in Tana D’bei Eliyahu Raba 23, it says, that B’nei Yisrael chose to live together in order to be together and to do chesed with one another.)

I heard from a lady who’s been living in Passaic for over 40 years, that initially her family was the only Jewish family in the area. During the holiday season, her house was the only unadorned house. Today, there’s only one non-Jewish couple still living in the area, and they don’t want to leave! These Orthodox-Jews are such kind and lovely neighbors, with big beautiful families, modest and crime-free!

The Chiddushei HaRim says Yosef was giving Klal Yisrael instructions for all future times. Don’t mingle with the nations socially. Live among yourselves. Interaction should only be when necessary, not out of desire to emulate or live like them. 

B’nei Yisrael did not listen to Yosef. They spread throughout the land and it became full of B’nei Yisrael. And they were very successful, mitzuyanim! The Mitzriim were very happy initially with B’nei Yisrael’s contributions. It all changed once there became too much of a bond. Feelings of suspicion, and eventually disgust, came out.

Moshe warned the Mitzriim before makas bechoros. Many brought their children to their Jewish neighbors, hoping to keep them safe in the Jewish homes. Why were there any Mitzriim left in Goshen after so many years, and why were there Jews throughout Mitzrayim? Because B’nei Yisrael had not listened to Yosef to stay in Goshen, and the Mitzriim were still living there as neighbors.

Rav Gedalia Schorr (Ohr Gedalyahu) says, had Bnei Yisrael stayed in Goshen, golus Mitzrayim could have been the complete 400 years (and it would have been a relatively easy golus). It would have included and fulfilled the obligations of every golus, and it would have been followed by the complete geulah! However, since Klal Yisrael spread throughout Mitzrayim, it led to them being negatively influenced and dropping to the second-to-lowest level of tumah (the 49th level). Hashem needed to intervene and quickly speed up the golus and take them out after only 210 years. (Counting the 400 years from the birth of Yitzchak was Hashem’s method of making it all possible.) They had bothered Hashem to “change His plans,” which He would have preferred not to do. Despite their mistakes, and creating a situation needing Hashem’s intervention, Hashem still made a huge miracle and saved them!

We were saved with the “Pesach” miracle - the passing over of the Jewish homes. This was done intentionally, highlighting that Hashem “troubled” Himself to save B’nei Yisrael, despite the mistakes they caused, by needing to pass-over the Jewish homes to get to the Mitzriim! He still saved us!

In His great kindness, mercy, and love for Klal Yisrael, Hashem performs miracles for us, even if we are not deserving. Thank you, Hashem! Let us do our part, by being the best we can be. May we be merit to continue to see Hashem’s chesed and miracles, and greet Mashiach very soon!

Based upon shiurim given by R’ Yisrael Altusky shlita, Yeshiva Torah Ore, Yerushalayim.