Tough End, Beautiful Beginning

At the end of Tanna D’Bei Eliyahu Zuta 14 (written by Rav Anan—an Amora—who learned with Eliyahu HaNavi), it says: The redemption from this galut will not come because of pain and suffering, or because of unsettledness and confusion, or due to a lack of parnassah. Rather, the geulah will come in the zechut of ten men sitting opposite each other, each reading and learning Torah aloud together, with their voices being heard.

The geulah from Mitzrayim came in the zechut of limud haTorah (even before it was given at Har Sinai, they were learning the Torah of the avot). As it says in Parshat Va’eira (6:5): “I have heard the groans of bnei Yisrael from their servitude in Mitzrayim, and I will remember briti—My covenant.” Briti refers to the Torah, specifically limud haTorah. Limud haTorah protects and spreads kedushah throughout all of klal Yisrael.

Tanna D’Bei Eliyahu continues: Also, in the zechut of being fruitful and having children, you were redeemed from Mitzrayim, and in the future you will be redeemed in the zechut of having many children.

There are many zechuyot which help bring the geulah, such as Shabbat and tzedakah. In addition, the Gemara in Sotah (11b) says that in the zechut of the nashim tzidkaniyot—righteous women—we were redeemed from Mitzrayim, and Chazal say that in their zechut we will be redeemed from this galut as well.

(When Rabbi Zecharia Wallerstein zt”l was asked to open Ohr Nava and focus on young women, he was concerned that it would take away too much time from teaching bochurim. He asked Rav Gamliel Rabinovitch shlita and Harav Dovid Abuchatzeira shlita, each separately, what to do. Both told him to focus on the women, quoting this Chazal, in order to help hasten the geulah.)

So which zechut will bring us out? The answer is: all of them—but specifically limud haTorah and having large families, which, baruch Hashem, is widespread among Torah Jews.

The beginning of Tanna D’Bei Eliyahu seems to be describing a kollel. A yeshivah or shiur is more about talmidim facing the rebbi or maggid shiur and listening. In a kollel, everyone learns together as equals, facing their chavruta, all speaking and singing their learning aloud.

It is no coincidence that it has become “in style” to have kollelim. Many communities host and sponsor kollelim, which have a powerful and positive influence wherever they are found. They are essential keys for bringing the geulah.

None of this would be possible without the agreement, desire, and encouragement of the nashim tzidkaniyot. Large families, for sure, require great love, strength, patience, and wisdom on the part of the mother. While large families are more natural and easier to understand—since even non-Jews respect them—kollel is a different story.

It is not written in the ketubah that a wife must support her husband in learning. It is only possible because of her incredible resolve, her choice, and her desire to support Torah. A kollel lifestyle can be extremely challenging, especially financially, and if she embraces it, she shares fully in all her husband’s zechuyot.

(This may explain why anti-Torah elements in Eretz Yisrael are so obsessed with attacking yeshivot and kollelim, targeting kollel wives and families in particular. Laws and benefits meant to support working women are denied to them because their husbands are in kollel. Those elements do not want the geulah.)

I would like to focus on another related point, as explained by R’ Moshe Shapiro zt”l.

The Navi Daniel (12:1) states: “At that time, Micha’el, the great heavenly prince, will stand.” Rashi explains that Micha’el, who defends klal Yisrael, will stand silently, because he will see Hashem judging and asking, “How can I destroy such a great nation of Yisrael?”

“It will be a time of distress such as never was from the time they became a nation.” Rashi explains that in the pamalya shel ma’alah—the Heavenly court—there will be kategoria, harsh accusations against talmidei chachamim, bizuzei u’bizuzei d’bizuzei—attempts to take away every last zuz, all their money (as stated in the Gemara at the end of Ketubot).

“Your nation will escape, all those found written in the book.” Metzudat Dovid explains that these are tzaddikim and yerei Shamayim.

R’ Moshe Shapiro explained that Micha’el and the pamalya shel ma’alah will be forced to remain silent. How can they defend us against midat ha’din—exact judgment? The “great nation” refers to Edom, which includes Eisav and Yishmael—vast nations. How can they be destroyed in favor of the Jews when those persecuting talmidei chachamim are themselves Jews? That is why Micha’el must remain silent.

We see today that talmidei chachamim in Eretz Yisrael are being attacked in an obsessive and relentless way. Every aspect of bnei Torah life is under assault, especially in the area of parnassah. Beyond the fact that their Torah protects everyone, their suffering itself brings the geulah closer.

In the end, who will be saved? The talmidei chachamim and those who support and side with them.

The Gra, in Berachot (8a), explains the following Gemara: Abaye said that the reward for attending the yarchei kallah—the large learning gatherings before the Yamim Tovim—comes from the crowding and discomfort. The Gra explains that this refers to the End of Days, and that the geulah depends on this. The “pushing” refers to the pressure and decrees against talmidei chachamim. These are the zechuyot that will bring the geulah.

With this understanding, we can endure the challenges and difficulties.

Parshat Va’eira begins right after Moshe and Aharon first approached Pharaoh. Pharaoh denied their request to free bnei Yisrael and imposed gezeirat ha’kash—that straw would no longer be supplied for brick-making, while the quota remained unchanged. It was the most difficult stage of the galut. Bnei Yisrael scattered throughout Mitzrayim in a frantic search for straw.

This impossible decree was meant only to torment them. Bnei Yisrael complained to Moshe, and Moshe cried out to Hashem, asking why he had been sent. Hashem responded that this suffering was necessary in order to bring the geulah sooner.

As a rule, things get worse right before the end, and this itself is a sign of geulah. The suffering intensifies to complete the Heavenly calculations needed to finish the process. Even in the physical world, when someone is ill, they often feel worse before they feel better.

The Rishonim explain that the future geulah will resemble the geulah from Mitzrayim. Any similarities we see should encourage us that we are close.

As the world watches events unfolding in Iran (and who knows what will have occurred by the time you read this), there is both hope and uneasiness—there and everywhere. With emunah and bitachon in Hashem, knowing that He runs the world, we can endure it all.

Through the power of limud haTorah and the zechut of large families, may we be zocheh to greet Moshiach and leave this galut.

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R’ Dovi Chaitovsky and his family have the zechut to live in Eretz Yisrael, where he dedicates himself to Torah learning and teaching in Yerushalayim Ir HaKodesh. His divrei Torah often draw from the shiurim of Rav Yisrael Altusky, shlit”a, Yeshivas Torah Ore, Yerushalayim which can be heard at www.kolhalashon.com.