Page 23 - HaMizrachi #28 Pesach USA 2021

GLOBAL RELIGIOUS LEADERS

Mrs. Shira Smiles

Darkness Deciphered

ne of the most enigmatic of all could have redeemed Israel with one had light in their dwelling places instead
the plagues was the plague of plague. But G-d wanted mankind to of saying they did not suffer from the
Odarkness. The Torah tells us choose to recognize G-d in each ele- darkness.
that the darkness “was tangible” ( ׁש ֵ מָי ְ ו). ment of Creation rather than through
As properly understood, the plague one massive unconcealed truth. In this What the Torah refers to as light is not
lasted a total of six days, three days of way, G-d could create merits for the the daytime light, but actually a manifes-
a thick darkness and three additional righteous to earn rewards. Similarly, tation of the spiritual essence known as
days during which the darkness was so G-d could have redeemed Bnei Yisrael Truth. Truth itself was concealed during
“tangible” that no one could move from with one plague, but the message would the process of Creation. But if light is
whatever position he was in. This was have been lost, as each plague revealed truth and clarity, darkness is confusion
indeed a strange plague whose purpose another facet of G-d’s immanence on and a distorted view of reality. It was this
needs to be examined. earth. confusion, inner doubt and turmoil that
What was the source of this darkness? The ninth plague, darkness, parallels the paralyzed the Egyptians and prevented
Two of our great Tannaim pose contra- utterance, “Let there be light.” When G-d them from moving forward. In contrast,
dictory theories as to its origin. Rabbi created light, He also created its oppo- the Jews experienced heightened aware-
Yehuda claims it originated in the high- site, darkness. He can create a system ness. Seeing the light is not only literal,
est realms of heaven, in absolute purity. but also metaphorical, for one who “can’t
On the other hand, Rav Nechemia in which the two can exist simultane- see the light” has no understanding.
claims it emanated from the regions of ously, irrespective of their contradic- The time before the great light of
Gehenom. According to Rabbi Yehuda, tory nature, even though we, as humans, redemption is revealed is the darkest
this darkness was parallel to the state of cannot grasp this dual existence. time. The way for us to subdue our ene-
nothingness before Creation, when only In writing about Bnei Yisrael, the Torah mies today is no different from the way
G-d existed. But since the wicked are does not say they had no darkness. It
unworthy of witnessing such purity, Rav states, “For all of Bnei Yisrael there was it was then. Through the light of Torah
Nechemia claims, this darkness must light in their dwellings.” The Malbim and mitzvot we can move forward and
be a part of death, punishment and explains that the plague was not dark- paralyze them. May we soon merit the
destruction. ness or an absence of light, but rather an light of full redemption.

Rav Gedaliah Schorr observes that the original, completely spiritual bright light
10 plagues run parallel to the 10 utter- that Egyptian eyes could not tolerate
ances of Creation in reverse order. The and found blinding. The light shone for
purpose of the plagues, as noted multiple everyone, yet each individual perceived
times in G-d’s messages through Moshe, it differently. While the Israelites gained
was to know that G-d exists within the clarity with this light, the Egyptians were
world and runs the world, albeit in con- blinded by its intensity as one is blinded
cealment. The 10th plague, when G-d by looking directly at the sun.
personally (so to speak) comes down to
smite the firstborn Egyptians, parallels The verb ׁשּומָי often means “remove.” The
ְ
“In the beginning,” when all that existed Kedushat Levi explains that ך ׁ ֶ שֹח ׁש ֵ מָי ְ ו, Mrs. Shira Smiles is a sought-after interna-
was G-d’s presence, without a world of “the darkness was palpable,” includes tional lecturer, a popular seminary teacher,
concealment. within its meaning the removal of the and an experienced curriculum developer.
veils and shields that hid the original
Certainly G-d could have created the light. The Torah states that when the A member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau
world with one utterance, just as He plague of darkness came, the Israelites mizrachi.org/speakers

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