Page 8 - HaMizrachi #28 Pesach USA 2021

TORAT MIZRACHI MIZRACHI EDUCATORS

Rabbi Reuven Taragin

Seeking The Geula

Going On Right Now

Being Geula-Focused This explains why our hope for and identifying and facilitating geula pos-
king exiled his son from his anticipation of future geula features so sibilities. This Pesach is a time for us to
court because of the latter’s lack prominently in the Haggadah. We begin reflect on how the yearlong pandemic
of
A maturity. Years later, missing and end Maggid by expressing our belief is meant to bring us, the Jewish people,
his son, the king sent his minister to that םִי ָ ל ָ שּורי ִּ ב/ל ֵ א ָ רׂ ְ שִי ְ ד א ָ ע ְ ר ַ א ְּ ב ה ָ א ָּ ב ַ ה הָנ ׁ ָ ש ְ ל, and the world, closer to the ultimate
find the boy and see if he had matured and the bracha thanking Hashem redemption. These ideas may include:
enough to return him to the palace. for Yetziat Mitzrayim includes “may • The pandemic reminded us of our
Upon finding the son, the minister asked Hashem our G-d bring us to new festi- dependency upon powers beyond
him what request he would make of his vals and holidays.” our control, i.e., Hashem, Who con-
father if he was given the opportunity. The Geula Continuum trols the world.
The boy responded, “I need a new pair • The separation and isolation
of socks.” Surprised that the boy did not Rav Kook (Yisrael U’Techiyato 28) took reminded us of the significance of
ask to be returned to his father’s court this idea a step further by describing our relationships with our nuclear
and saddened by his lack of meaningful redemption as a continuous process family and home lif.
aspiration, the minister could not rec- that began with the initial Exodus and • The struggle against a common
ommend returning him. continues straight through until the ‘enemy’ strengthened our relation-
ultimate, complete geula. Geula is not
Rav Simcha Bunim of Peshischa used a specific limited moment in time, but a ship with others and brought us
this mashal to bemoan the fact that constant continuum. The Gra (Avnei Eli- together as a people and humanity
Jews focus and pray for their daily needs yahu) saw the (re)building of Yerusha- together as a whole.
instead of for the geula, which would layim in a similar way, and explained the • Travel restrictions helped us appre-
return them to their full relationship present-tense formulation of the bracha ciate Eretz Yisrael, to where we are
with Hashem in His land. Too often of Boneh Yerushalayim in Shemoneh unable to travel for the first time in
we focus on the challenges of our daily Esreh as reflecting the fact that Hashem our lifetimes.
grind instead of on the more significant is constantly rebuilding the city. As we celebrate our continued redemp-
goals we have as a people. tion this year amidst (but, hopefully, on
Redemption is an ongoing, constant
Yetziat Mitzrayim in the Present process. Chazal compared it to the the way out of) the continued Covid
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reality, I recommend reflecting on how
The Torah often presents Yetziat Mitz- sunrise whose light increases slowly, Covid has brought us and our world
rayim in the present tense. The Ohr bit by bit. This principle of the geula one step closer to our ultimate geula.
HaChaim connects this to the fact continuum means that every event has By doing so, may we show Hashem that
that we are meant to re-experience the redemptive significance. The question we are worthy of fully returning to Him.
Exodus anew each year. Yetziat Mitz- is whether we recognize and appreciate
rayim was not a one-time experience, this significance or not.
but rather an annual event. Seeking Redemption This Pesach 1 See Midrash Shocher Tov Tehillim 22 based on
Yerushalmi Berachot 4b.
Yetziat Mitzrayim is also the model and
the basis of our belief in future redemp- Rav Kook (Olat Reiyah p. 279) explained
tion. Yeshayahu (11:11) describes the that the reference in the Gemara (Shab- Scan here to join Rabbi
future geula as Hashem redeeming us bat 31a) to ה ָ עּו ׁשי ִ ל הָּי ִּ פ ִ צ, seeking redemp- Taragin’s WhatsApp group
for the ‘second’ time. In fact, the Smak tion, includes constantly seeking geula with daily Divrei Torah
(Mitzvat Aseh 1) explains that belief in possibilities and what we can do to help

future geula is the practical significance facilitate the process. Rabbi Reuven Taragin is Educational
of the first of the Ten Commandments Though we should always be on the Director of Mizrachi and Dean of the Yeshi-
– belief in Hashem Who took us out of lookout for geula potential, Pesach is vat HaKotel Overseas Program.
Mitzrayim is meant to include belief in the most appropriate time to reflect A member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau
His future redemption of our people. upon current events with an eye on mizrachi.org/speakers

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