Parshas Shemos 5786
- Torah Tavlin
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
וישמע אלקים את נאקתם ויזכר אלקים את בריתו ... וירא אלקים את בני ישראל וידע אלהים ... (ב-כד,כה)
Finally, after so many years of back-breaking labor, the Yidden under duress cry out to Hakadosh Baruch Hu to save them. The posukim then use a variety of verbs recording Hashem’s response: He heard, He remembered, He saw, and He knew. What’s the pshat? Many meforshim offer various explanations.
The simple pshat in those four actions is that first Hashem heard the cries of the nation, but Klal Yisroel wasn’t necessarily worthy to be freed at that time, so He remembered the חסדי אבות. He then stopped looking away and as Rashi says, He paid much attention to the downtrodden people knowing their suffering.
Perhaps there’s a deeper and more subtle message being conveyed. The posuk depicts many different senses, כויכול, of the Ribono shel Olam, here. Hashem heard with the ears; ויזכר - exhibited cognitive brain action; saw with the eyes; and using the heart, as Rashi says, felt the pain. To really be a proper נושא בעול, to truly feel the suffering and plight of another individual, it is not enough just to see or hear what’s transpiring. It is incumbent upon every Yid to actively think and utilize his emotions to try and feel, to truly emphathize with what the other person might be going through. Feel his pain, understand his condition. Then, and really only then, can one properly offer meaningful assistance.
It is said about the holy Vilna Gaon zt”l, that as his end drew near, he cried and stated that for a mere few pennies, a live person still has the opportunity to buy a pair of tzitzis. Adding to the words of the Gaon, R’ Chaim Shmuelevitz zt”l said, “And I, Chaim’l said, that while alive, mir ken mitfeelin mit a tzveita - we can commiserate with, and truly feel for another Yid.” May we also use these powers “mitzufeelin” not only in yenem’s tzaros, but in yenem’s simchos as well.