Leftovers - Beshalach 5770

14:28 וַיָּשֻׁבוּ הַמַּיִם, וַיְכַסּוּ אֶת-הָרֶכֶב וְאֶת-הַפָּרָשִׁים, לְכֹל חֵיל פַּרְעֹה, הַבָּאִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם בַּיָּם:  לֹא-נִשְׁאַר בָּהֶם, עַד-אֶחָד Rashi explains that Paroh was the one who remained alive in order to say over the story of Galus Mitzrayim and Kriyas Yam Suf. In the Siddur we seem to contradict this in Ezras Avoiseinu where we say Echad Mai’hem Loi Noisar meaning that no one remained alive. Actually this comes not only from the Siddur but also from Tehillim 106:11  וַיְכַסּוּ-מַיִם צָרֵיהֶם;    אֶחָד מֵהֶם, לֹא נוֹתָר.

The Malbim and Netziv say there is a fundamental difference between Nishar and Noisar. Nishar means that something is left over B’kavana (deliberately). Noisar means that something is left over incidentally. Mimeila it is good. In the Posuk 14:28 that is quoted above, Paroh was leftover deliberately to tell over the story of Galus Mitzrayim and Kriyas Yam Suf. However, in Tehillim we are saying a Shvach of Hakadoish Baruch Hu. Ususally in a battle at least one of the enemy gets away and escapes, however, here Loi Noisar no one escaped incidentally.

This concept of the difference between Nishar and Noisar will answer many different Kashas. In last week’s Parsha, 12:10 וְלֹא-תוֹתִירוּ מִמֶּנּוּ, עַד-בֹּקֶר וְהַנֹּתָר מִמֶּנּוּ עַד-בֹּקֶר, בָּאֵשׁ תִּשְׂרֹפוּ it says don’t leave over any of the Korban Pesach. That is called Noisar. In 12:34 וַיִּשָּׂא הָעָם אֶת-בְּצֵקוֹ, טֶרֶם יֶחְמָץ; מִשְׁאֲרֹתָם צְרֻרֹת בְּשִׂמְלֹתָם, עַל-שִׁכְמָם it says Mish’a’roisam which means the leftover dough. The Nafka Mina is Kidvareinu, the Matza was leftover deliberately to take out dough to eat when they left Mitzrayim while the Loi Sasiru is left over incidentally. 

Another example is in Parshas Noach 7:23 וַיִּמַח אֶת-כָּל-הַיְקוּם אֲשֶׁר עַל-פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה, מֵאָדָם עַד-בְּהֵמָה עַד-רֶמֶשׂ וְעַד-עוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם, וַיִּמָּחוּ, מִן-הָאָרֶץ; וַיִּשָּׁאֶר אַךְ-נֹחַ וַאֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ, בַּתֵּבָה The Ribboinoi Shel Oilam left over Noach deliberately. In Parshas Vayishlach we have in 32:25 וַיִּוָּתֵר יַעֲקֹב, לְבַדּוֹ; וַיֵּאָבֵק אִישׁ עִמּוֹ, עַד עֲלוֹת הַשָּׁחַר that Yaakov remained incidentally. There wasn’t a plan. He just went to get the Pachim K’tanim.

In Parshas Bo we have in 10:5 וְכִסָּה אֶת-עֵין הָאָרֶץ, וְלֹא יוּכַל לִרְאֹת אֶת-הָאָרֶץ; וְאָכַל אֶת-יֶתֶר הַפְּלֵטָה, הַנִּשְׁאֶרֶת לָכֶם מִן-הַבָּרָד, וְאָכַל אֶת-כָּל-הָעֵץ, הַצֹּמֵחַ לָכֶם מִן-הַשָּׂדֶה that whatever was leftover deliberately from the Barad will be eaten by the Arbe.

In Nach this is something to take notice of as it is just beautiful. Those of you who learned Melachim and Divrei Hayamim know that very often the Posuk says, that we will not tell you the rest of the story of this king, because the Posuk only brings statements of things that we will learn from.  So constantly the Posuk says V’yeser Divrei Melech so and so Haloi K’suvim B’divrei Hayamim. This appears 43 times between Divrei Hayamim and Melachim. There is one place that Yeser is not used for a king and Shar is used and that is by Shlomo Hamelech. The reason is because Koiheles, Shir Hashirim, Mishlei were leftover for the Chashivus and placed somewhere else. The other kings, only other incidental information was leftover somewhere else so it was Yeser.

After the Holocaust those who survived took on the name Shearis Hapleita. They saw themselves as people who were leftover with a plan. There was a purpose that the Ribboinoi Shel Oilam left them over for. Many Jews saw themselves as Noissar, that after the Holocaust Yiddishkeit was finished. The Shearis are the ones that took it upon themselves to rebuild. 

(א"ה כתבנו עוד מזה במגילת רות)

Patience - Shemos 5770

6:1 וַיֹּאמֶר יְ־רוָ־ר אֶל מֹשֶׁה עַתָּה תִרְאֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶעֱשֶׂה לְפַרְעֹה כִּי בְיָד חֲזָקָה יְשַׁלְּחֵם וּבְיָד חֲזָקָה יְגָרְשֵׁם מֵאַרְצוֹ:

The Gemara in Maseches Sanhedrin 111a (5 lines from the bottom) explains; now you will see what I shall do to Paroh, meaning the war against Paroh (Yetzias Mitzrayim.) However, you will not live to see the war against the 31 Kings of Canaan, meaning you will die before Klal Yisrael reaches Canaan. It seems that Hashem is saying to Moshe Rabbeinu that it is not befitting that Moshe should take Klal Yisrael into Eretz Yisrael. What did Moshe do wrong, he complained for the Kavod of Klal Yisrael?

Rav Schwab to answer this question asks, why did Kibush and Chaluka of Eretz Yisrael take 14 years? Klal Yisrael conquered slowly. Why did it have to be slowly? One of the Middos of Hakadoish Baruch Hu in this world is the Middah of Mitinois, which means developing things slowly. Rav Schwab calls it the Middah of Toicheles as in וַיָּחֶל עוֹד שִׁבְעַת יָמִים אֲחֵרִים וַיֹּסֶף שַׁלַּח אֶת הַיּוֹנָה מִן הַתֵּבָה which is found in Parshas Noach 8:10. In 8:12 we find again, וַיִּיָּחֶל עוֹד שִׁבְעַת יָמִים אֲחֵרִים וַיְשַׁלַּח אֶת הַיּוֹנָה וְלֹא יָסְפָה שׁוּב אֵלָיו עוֹד

This shows the Middah of building slowly in this world. It says in Maseches Berachos 32b (24 lines from the top) והא א"ר חייא בר אבא א"ר יוחנן כל המאריך בתפלתו ומעיין בה סוף בא לידי כאב לב שנא' (משלי יג) תוחלת ממושכה מחלה לב This means, whoever prolongs his Davening and expects that his prayer will be granted due to his having prayed at great length, will eventually suffer heartache because of the Posuk that is quoted from Mishlei, Prolonged prayer makes the heart sick. This is as if to say it is a bad Middah to expect Ruchniyos to come right away when there is a Tefillah for something. A farmer knows when he plants a seed that it takes awhile until something sprouts and grows. A person who has Mitinois is an important Middah in Avoidas Hashem. Moshiach is called Avdi Tzemach. Tzemach as in something that sprouts slowly.

This was Hashem’s Tayna on Moshe, you go to Paroh and expect that right away the Yehshua should come. The Ribboinoi Shem Oilam doesn’t work that way. The Yehshua doesn’t come quickly and suddenly. This was the Chisaroin so to speak of Moshe Rabbeinu K’madrai’gusoi which the Ribboinoi Shel Oilam said it is good that you are not going to lead Klal Yisrael into Eretz Yisrael because there it will take years and your Middah is that you don’t have the appropriate amount of patience.

There is a Brisker Rav that discusses the 12^th Ani Maamin where it says regarding Moshiach, Af Al Pi Sheyis’ma’mei’ah, Im Kol Zeh Achakeh Loi. It is like a Kasha and a Teretz in the Ani Maamin. I am waiting and have Emunah even though he may delay? The Teretz is, nevertheless I anticipate every day that he will come. We don’t have a Kasha and a Teretz in any of the other Ani Maamins, so why here do we? The Brisker Rav answers, that part of the Middah of waiting for Moshiach is Achakeh Loi which is the same Middah of Toicheles that Rav Schwab is talking about. To be patient for good things to happen.

Why do we have a world in which we have to wait patiently for good things to happen? It is based on a Rabbeinu Yona in Pirkei Avos 3:9. He writes that the Taivah for something Ruchniyos is what builds up a person. It is not when you achieve it that you are built up. Moshiach’s coming will not build up Klal Yisrael. It is the Achakeh (the anticipation) that builds up Klal Yisrael. The desiring of something is Moisif Ahavah and Chochmoh. Therefore the Ribboinoi Shle Oilam made it that you have to wait patiently for something good to happen.