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Dvar for Vaeira (Exodus 6:2-9:34)

SP
Short, practical, relevant Weekly Dvar
Thu, Jan 7, 2016 5:11 PM

This Lelamed Dvar is also available in your local App Store (iTunes and
Android). As you hopefully enjoy this Dvar, it would be nice to share these
thoughts (and quote) with as many people as you can think of, either via
email which I will gladly include in these distributions, or by
word-of-mouth...


Reading the story of how the Jews became enslaved to Egypt in Parshat
Vaeira, and having the benefit of knowing how the story ends, we can wonder
why the Egyptians were punished for enslaving the Jews, when we know that
the Jews needed to be enslaved, either as part of the decree, or as the
process of becoming a cohesive nation?

The Ramchal explains that the answer lies in the Egyptian's intent, which
became clear when it was time to let the Jews go. Had the Egyptians done it
with the intentions of merely doing G-d's will, they would have immediately
let them go when the situation warranted it. The same is true of our lives:
We can sometimes justify not giving as much, not volunteering enough, or
not learning enough Torah by claiming not to have time. The truth comes
out, though, when we do have time, on weekends, vacations, or between
jobs/school. If we do what we can when we can, we will prove our
appreciation for the Torah, and improve our appreciation OF the Torah in
the process.

Shlomo Ressler


Quotation of the Week:
“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” - Theodore Roosevelt

This Lelamed Dvar is also available in your local App Store (iTunes and Android). As you hopefully enjoy this Dvar, it would be nice to share these thoughts (and quote) with as many people as you can think of, either via email which I will gladly include in these distributions, or by word-of-mouth... _______________________________________________ Reading the story of how the Jews became enslaved to Egypt in Parshat Vaeira, and having the benefit of knowing how the story ends, we can wonder why the Egyptians were punished for enslaving the Jews, when we know that the Jews needed to be enslaved, either as part of the decree, or as the process of becoming a cohesive nation? The Ramchal explains that the answer lies in the Egyptian's intent, which became clear when it was time to let the Jews go. Had the Egyptians done it with the intentions of merely doing G-d's will, they would have immediately let them go when the situation warranted it. The same is true of our lives: We can sometimes justify not giving as much, not volunteering enough, or not learning enough Torah by claiming not to have time. The truth comes out, though, when we do have time, on weekends, vacations, or between jobs/school. If we do what we can when we can, we will prove our appreciation for the Torah, and improve our appreciation OF the Torah in the process. Shlomo Ressler _______________________________________________ Quotation of the Week: “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” - Theodore Roosevelt