Parshas Vaera 5786
- Torah Tavlin
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
והוצאתי את צבאתי את עמי בני ישראל מארץ מצרים בשפטים גדלים ... (ז-ד)
The question is asked: Grammatically speaking, the posuk should have said "את צבאות עמי בני ישראל". Why, though, is it broken up, forming two distinct items - "צבאותי" and also "עמי בני ישראל"?
Before we get to the known pshat, let us offer another explanation. There is a Medrash Seichel Tov on this posuk that says that the word "צבאותי" in this context refers not to Klal Yisroel but rather to malachim. These angels descended to Egypt when Hashem went down there to be with His Nation. Thus, the posuk here is actually referring to two different things. Hashem will extricate both the malachim and the Yidden from Mitzrayim.
This Medrash is truly mind-blowing. Bishlayma, the Yidden needed a yeshuah to be saved from Egypt. But once we were out, wouldn’t the malachim follow suit? Why would the angels remain there? Perhaps since the impurities of Mitzrayim were so powerful, even the angels were affected and needed help from Above to get out.
However, the Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh zt”l answers as follows: Had the posuk said "את צבאות עמי בני ישראל", that would have implied that Hashem has multitudes of armies and battalions, and us Yidden are one of the many. Maybe even the elite. But that is not the case. We are the only army and representatives of Hakadosh Baruch Hu. Therefore, the posuk clearly says "והוצאתי את צבאותי" - I will take out my army, period. Who is that one and only army? "את עמי בני ישראל".
While this is obviously a compliment, it is also, at the same time, a moiradike obligation to live up to. The concept of army connotes war. During wartime, even the infirm and second tier soldiers are conscripted. Thus, even if we feel inferior to the previous generations, we should feel exalted that even little soldiers like us can be a part of the King’s army!