Bo- Buy in
For this year of Parsha Lesson, I will be focusing on one area of character growth, to think about in the week ahead and the benefits that a person would have from becoming better in that area.
Background
At the beginning of this week’s Parsha, Hashem tells Moshe to go warn Pharoah and the Egyptians about the impending makkah (plague) of arbeh (grasshoppers). Hashem explains to Moshe that the purpose of sending this warning is because ‘I hardened the heart of Pharoah and his servants.’
The Sifsei Chachamim explains that Hashem was telling Moshe that while Pharoah’s heart had been hardened by Hashem earlier (by the plague of boils, the 6th makkah), Hashem had not yet hardened the hearts of Pharoah’s servants as well. Why, all of a sudden, after 7 makkos, was there a need to harden the hearts of Pharoah’s servants?
The Sifsei Chachamim tells us that by the 7th makkah, which was hail (of the ice and fire variety), Moshe warned Pharoah and the Egyptians that anything which would remain outdoors, people, animals, etc. would be completely wiped out. However, anything brought indoors, would be protected and remain intact. The Torah in fact tells us that ‘those who feared the word of Hashem brought their servants and livestock indoors.’
The Sifsei Chachamim explains that because of these servants who ‘feared the word of Hashem’, Hashem needed to harden their hearts or else they would ignite a revolt against Pharoah and force him to send out the Jewish people.
Question
The servants of Pharoah who ‘feared the word of Hashem’ and therefore brought their possessions indoors did NOT suffer the consequences of the plague of hail! They did not suffer! So why would they be the ones to now spark a revolt against Pharoah?
If anything, the other servants, the ones who lost all of their servants, livestock and outdoor possessions, they who suffered so dearly yet again, they should be the ones to spark a revolt and force Pharoah’s hand! Why would the servants who listened to Moshe and therefore did not suffer be the ones to require Hashem’s intervention and hardening of their hearts, while the ones who suffered so much yet again not need Hashem to harden their hearts?
Answer
The Torah here is teaching us an amazing insight into how people work. The servants of Pharoah who ‘bought in’ to fear of Hashem would be the ones who would lead a revolt against Pharoah, while the ones who refused to pay any heed to fear of Hashem would remain obstinately disaffected, regardless of the drastic difference in levels of suffering and loss!
A human being has the ability to remain stoic and disaffected by things that happen to them, but once they do ‘buy in’, once they do react and respond to fear, suffering, etc. they are now much more likely to be swayed by them. Their level of being affected by adversity and the fear of it, depends not on how much the adverse happenings actually affect them, but rather by how much they allow it to affect them and how much it has affected their behavior in the past.
Lesson
The ramifications of this idea are enormous and widespread. This insight helps us to understand how some people soldiered on through the Holocaust and didn’t allow the Nazis to ‘get to them’ while other people collapse in a heap of worry at the slightest fear and concern. This can help us to understand how some people get the lessons of life that Hashem sends their way- even when they are slight and subtle, while others remain unaffected by much much stronger messages.
The lesson is thus: a person must recognize that they are in charge of what affects them and what ‘gets to them’ and decide accordingly. Ideally, a person should be stoic, resolute and resilient when it comes to dealing with adversity and challenges. But yet a person should be extremely sensitive and reactive when it comes to growing and perfecting their negative behaviors.
A person should be able to handle all of the challenges of life with good cheer, strength and calm, yet be able to take the most subtle lessons to heart to improve their character.
Benefits of this…
When a person realizes that they are in charge of their reactions and how much and in what way things that happen will affect them, the person is now empowered to truly take charge of themselves. Emotional reactions are then correctly understood to be powerful tools to communicate with one’s ‘animalistic soul’ in order to enable one to behave properly.
When a leader (teacher, parents, etc.) realizes as well that what determines whether or not a message or lesson will have an impact is determined by the receiver of the message allowing the impact to materialize, this will change the leader’s perspective and enable them to craft messages that find their mark. The framework of the message, the context of the relationship, the mood of the receiver of the message- these all need to be considered and addressed in a way which allows the message to be taken to heart.
Wishing everyone a wonderful Shabbos!
