The Israeli army calls itself the צבא ההגנה לישראל (Tzva ha-Hagana le-Yisra'el), translated as the Israel Defense Forces. Without getting too technical, if we break down the name in Hebrew: Tzva means "army" and Hagana means "protection"(of Israel). A more literal translation could be “The Protective Army of Israel.” What is the difference between a Protective Army and a Defense Force?
In this week’s Torah portion, Bo, we encounter the word Tzva for the first time. As the Jewish people evolved into a nation, they were referred to as b’nei Yisrael (the children of Israel), Am Yisrael (the nation of Israel), and Tzva Yisra’el (the army of Israel). In fact, one verse uses all these terms together: “I took out My army, My nation, the children of Israel from Egypt.”
Interestingly, the Hebrew word Tzva (often mentioned with different pronouns) is used to describe the Jewish people as a cohesive unit—a nation united and prepared to defend itself. Even more intriguing is that Tzva is also used many times in the Torah as one of G-d’s names.
How can it be that the same word is used to describe both the Jewish people and G-d?
Here lies a profound lesson from the concept of Tzva: It is when we integrate G-d into our lives that we truly become united as a people. We transform into a nation and an army. This transformation occurred only after the Jewish people endured immense suffering. Suffering can either divide a people or unite them. When pain and hardship take control, they weaken us. However, if we take charge of how we respond to challenges, we emerge as a united and resilient force.
The same principle applies to our personal lives. When we allow life’s challenges to overwhelm us, we risk falling apart. But if we face them with courage and determination,
we can grow stronger than ever before.
Let us embrace challenges as opportunities to grow and become stronger.
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Shaya's Thoughts
Strength Through Unity
Destruction vs. Surrender
This week, we witnessed the joyous release of three Jewish hostages who were held by Hamas for longer than 470 days. It’s natural to wonder: why don’t these evil people return all the hostages to their families? Why wait? Once they saw Israel’s response to their actions in Gaza, why didn’t they release all the hostages immediately to avoid their own further suffering?
We each have our perspective on this 470+day question. But for now, let’s reflect on a historical parallel. This is not the first time that evil people chose destruction over surrender.
This week’s Torah portion, Va’eira, recounts the story of Pharaoh enslaving the Jewish people and G-d sending the first of the ten plagues. The same question arises: As the Egyptians suffered through one plague after another, why didn’t Pharaoh let the Jews go? Why endure so much needless suffering and pain?
The Torah explains that while Pharaoh may have wanted to release the Jews, G-d hardened his heart, preventing him from doing so. But why? What purpose did this extended suffering serve? How did it benefit the Jews or the Egyptians?
To understand, we must look deeper. The plagues were meant to teach three essential lessons:
1. G-d’s omnipotence.
2. G-d’s control over the universe.
3. G-d’s ability to alter the natural order at His will.
These lessons were not just for the Egyptians but for the Jews as well. The sooner both sides internalized these truths, the sooner the desired outcome could be achieved. In Egypt, this process took about a year.
Today, it feels as though G-d is hardening the hearts of Hamas, just as He did with the Egyptians. As we reflect on this, we must learn from the past to help shape the future.
We have the power to ensure things do not continue to drag on unnecessarily. By improving our own Jewish lives and those of our friends and communities, we can help bring about the freedom and peace we so deeply desire.
Sometimes, it may be that one more mitzvah is all it takes to tip the scales.
Shabbat Shalom
Embrace the Challenge
There are days we eagerly look forward to, and there are days we wish would simply pass quickly. Joyful moments and darker times are part of the human experience. But how can we find the good days in the midst of the most challenging and depressing times?
This week, we begin reading the book of Shemot (Exodus), which plunges us into one of the most difficult chapters in Jewish history. The narrative opens with the Jewish people facing tremendous adversity: their elders are gone, a new Pharaoh arises who disregards the contributions of Joseph and his family, and the process of their enslavement begins.
Even the conclusion of this week’s portion feels bleak. While Moses is appointed as G-d’s messenger—a seemingly positive development—he voices a heartfelt complaint to G-d. He laments that since he was sent to confront Pharaoh, the situation for the Jewish people has only worsened. The portion ends on this note of unresolved pain, leaving us with what feels like one of the darkest stories in the Torah.
How, then, can we uncover the good in this week’s narrative?
We know the end of the story: G-d brings the ten plagues, the Jewish people are liberated from Egypt, and they ultimately receive the Torah at Mount Sinai. But Jewish mysticism teaches that redemption doesn’t begin with the plagues or the miracles of next week’s portion. It begins this week, in the darkest moments of oppression and despair.
It is precisely during these moments of profound difficulty that we are compelled to look inward, to search the depths of our souls for meaning, resilience, and the strength to continue doing what is right, even when it feels impossible. Tapping into this inner essence is no small feat—it takes courage and perseverance. But when we do, we open the door to extraordinary growth and transformation. Transforming the impossible to the possible.
This is why, even though this week’s portion seems overwhelmingly somber, it is, in truth, the beginning of an incredible story of redemption and renewal.
In our own lives, we also face times of hardship that we wish would pass quickly, hoping for brighter days ahead. Yet, it is while we work through these challenges that we uncover our inner strength and gain a deeper understanding of who we truly are.
How we respond to difficult times reveals the core of our character. While we may not welcome pain, it is in these moments that we have the opportunity to grow, to rise, and to become stronger than we ever thought possible.
Let us embrace life’s challenges with faith and determination, knowing that within them lies the seed of redemption.
Shabbat Shalom
Secret Sauce
Many books have been written with the intention of explaining the secret to one's success. If we just did one thing differently, our world would change for the better. This idea is found across Jewish texts as well. The difference is that within the countless tales of ordinary Jews experiencing small miracles and, sometimes, great success, these moments often stem from just one small mitzvah they have done.
The first time we see this phenomenon is in this week’s Torah portion, Vayechi. When Joseph hears that his father is on his deathbed, he brings his two sons, Menashe and Effraim, to him for a blessing. Instead of blessing his grandsons, whom he knows well, Jacob asks, "Who are these?" Jacob had to have known who was standing in front of him, so what did he mean by this question?
Commentators point out that he knew who was present but saw a certain glow—something special over the heads of his grandchildren. He wondered: What is it about them that gives them this light? There must have been something Joseph had done that was extraordinary.
Joseph, not fully grasping his father’s question, gave him the best possible answer. He showed him his Ketubah, his marriage contract.
We should bear in mind that this was before the laws of marriage were instituted, so there was no requirement for a Ketubah. Yet Joseph, in his effort to do everything right—and then some—had a Ketubah anyway.
This act was Joseph’s secret sauce.
Each and every one of us has opportunities in life to do what is right and what is expected of us. However, we also know the little extra things that we can add. When we do just a little more, the results are even greater. It is the small things that make us unique and special.
Shabbat Shalom
From Love to Unity: Deepening Relationships Through Commitment
There’s a well-known saying that your honeymoon should never end. Others express this sentiment differently, suggesting that one should remarry their spouse three times throughout
their life. These phrases carry profound wisdom beyond the obvious. If love and care are present in a relationship, what more is there to strive for? Certainly, we should never grow
weary of nurturing our bond—but why the emphasis on three times? Perhaps it should be even more?
Judaism offers a powerful teaching rooted in this week’s Torah portion, Vayigash: “Kol Yisrael arevim zeh b’zeh,” meaning, all Jews are responsible for one another. This principle emerges
from the story of Judah pledging to his father that he will act as a guarantor for his brother Benjamin on their journey to Egypt.
What exactly does it mean to be a guarantor? And why is this concept significant?
To fully grasp this idea, let’s revisit its origin. When someone borrows money, they often require a guarantor to reassure the lender that the debt will be repaid if the borrower cannot
fulfill their obligation.
There are three ways to interpret such a commitment:
1. The guarantor assumes financial responsibility. If the borrower fails to repay, the guarantor covers the debt.
2. The guarantor acts as a stand-in for the borrower. It’s as though the guarantor themselves took out the loan.
3. The guarantor and borrower are viewed as one entity. They share an inseparable connection, akin to partners in the obligation.
This concept can be likened to our own bodies. Should we prioritize the health of one part to safeguard another, or is the relationship more interconnected? Whether it’s your foot or your
head, it’s all part of you. On an even deeper level, there’s no distinction—each organ is intrinsically part of your being.
When applied to meaningful relationships, especially between spouses (though it extends to
many commitments), this idea unfolds in stages:
1. The initial phase involves two individuals who pledge to support each other. They promise to have each other’s backs but remain distinct entities.
2. The second phase sees one partner stepping in for the other when needed. The relationship evolves beyond ensuring good outcomes; it becomes a shared endeavor.
3. The highest phase transcends individuality. The connection deepens to a point where the two are no longer separate; they are united as one.
This progression mirrors the “remarriage” concept, symbolizing the transformative stages of a relationship as it matures and deepens.
These ideas resonate not only in marriages but in friendships and even more so, in our relationship with the Divine. They remind us of that commitment, when nurtured, it will evolve
into a bond of profound unity.
May this year bring meaningful connections and deeper relationships in all aspects of life.
Shabbat Shalom!