VA'EIRAH - YET

 YET

At the end of the parsha after the ברד elicited a viduy from Pharoah along with him begging Moshe to pray for its end, Moshe tells Pharoah you have yet to fear Hashem. But then the parsha seems to rehash what took place during the makkah itself. והפשתה והשעורה נכתה....והחטה והכסמת לא נכו  - The flax and barley were smitten… The wheat and spelt were not… This seems very out of place describing more details of the makkah after it has already been discussed and especially after moving on to Pharaoh and Mosh's exchange!

The Malbim explains that these details were actually part of Moshe's response to Pharoah. He wasn't just souring the mood by telling everyone, "Hey, things could still get worse!" 

After Pharaoh confessed and beseeched Moshe to pray for him, Moshe made it clear that now is not the time for throwing up your hands in despair. Don't think all is over and there isn't any worse to worry about. Hashem's goal was not for Pharoah to break under pressure and release the Jews. The goal was for PHAROAH to reach a level of Yiras Hashem and send the Jews out of recognition and respect for The King of the world. Hashem WILL fulfil His goals. And so Moshe was telling Pharoah, Hashem purposefully set up Barad to destroy what it did, and to specifically leave over some greenery - for another level of fear inducing lessons to come. ידעתי כי טרם תיראון - I know that you are YET to fear Hashem. Now you are just giving into pressure and saying viduy and begging, but there are more lessons to come. 

We like to keep an optimistic view of things and it is especially helpful for encouragement. But sometimes we must also be aware - Hashem hash His goals for us. For our growth, teshuvah, improvement in many different ways. We need to keep in mind, things could get worse. Chas V'Shalom, if we don't nudge ourselves in that direction, Hashem's goals will get us there one way or another.

So if we know we are lacking in a middah, falling short of our potential, tripping into a sin that we could avoid, we need to be careful not to throw up our hands and accept that this is the situation. "This is just who I am". "I know I'm flawed but it won't change." "You can't teach an old dog…" Hashem will get us where He wants us to be. We have to get used to this wonderful word that Moshe used; YET. Keep the potential open. Nudge yourself in the right direction. We have YET to reach tremendous achievements in our growth and we hope to get there as soon as possible. We just aren't there YET.  

VA'EIRAH - PRIDE FRACTURES VIDUY

This week's parsha contains a strange 5 word Roshei Teivos that should spell out Hashem's four letter שם הויה in perfect sequence except for one letter which is repeated. 

When Pharaoh made his startling viduy after Barad, he said "י' הצדיק ואני ועמי הרשעים"  - an impressive confession indeed. It must have drawn out some powerfully good roots deep within Pharaoh to be expressed in the acronym of Hashem's name. But it didn't actually make the cut. Hashem's name is "interrupted" with an extra letter! Strangely enough, the letter actually, IS  part of Hashem's name and IS  actually in order! It's just extra!

I would like to suggest, that it was Pharaoh's own pride, his Ga'avah, that ruined his viduy and blocked Hashem's name from being properly expressed in the acronym. He could have just said ועמי, including himself in the guilt of his people, or he could have just humbly said ואני, taking all the guilt for himself. But by splitting himself from his people, it fractured his viduy and the resultant name of Hashem. Not only that, but now that he did split himself from his people, there may be another subtle meaning to his words. "י' הצדיק ואני - Hashem is righteous and myself as well! ועמי הרשעים - And my nation, -they- are wicked!

VA'EIRAH - HAKORAS HATOVAH

We are all familiar with message of Hakoras HaTovah gleaned from Moshe's avoidance of smiting the Nile with blood and frogs because the water had saved him as an infant. 

It is not so clear in what regard the water saved him. Some say it served as an "escape" for Moshe from the Egyptians seeking him.

Some say, his being in the water ended the decree against himself and all other male babies, as it was assumed that the savior of the Jews was already thrown in and drowned. 

I had always assumed that it was the water that kept him afloat from drowning. But recently I questioned this approach because if anything, the water THREATENS to drown, and only his "floatation device" kept him safe; The Teivah! 

The first Medrash Rabbah in Bishalach (towards its end) has a girsah that states that Moshe was grateful for the water "not harming" him! The עץ יוסף explains, that normally the river's current would have swept the teivah and caused it to capsize, but the river withheld its nature from doing so. 

This extends our perception of Hakoras HaTov to recognize and be grateful even for a שב ואל תעשה - a passive restraint from an expected harm! 

This is also clear from the fact that Lot was saved from Sedom in the merit of his favor to Avraham and Sarah when he did not disclose Sarah's true relationship with Avraham to the Egyptians. Lot was saved by angels because he withheld from ratting on his uncle!