The Secret of the Declaration: Why Was Moshe Rabbeinu Punished When He Hid His Identity?
Lesson No. 116 | Motzaei Shabbos Kodesh Parashas Chayei Sarah, the eve of 23 Cheshvan 5758 - Melaveh Malkah for Shadarim (emissaries) at the Old Beis Yaakov
When Moshe Rabbeinu was presented as\
An Egyptian man or a Jewish man?
When Moshe Rabbeinu saved the daughters of Yisro from the shepherds, they returned to their father and said: "An Egyptian man saved us from the hand of the shepherds, and he also drew water for us and watered the flock." Moshe Rabbeinu should have declared his true identity at that very moment. Even if there was a fear that they would kill him or beat him, even if a mob of shepherds would attack and slaughter him – he should have said: "I am a Jewish man."
If the daughters of Yisro had come to their father and said, "A Jewish man drew water for us," Yisro would have converted immediately. He would have been amazed by the tremendous miracle – how the water rose toward him and how he defeated all the shepherds single-handedly. The holy Arizal reveals a tremendous secret: The words "he also drew water for us" are not merely a description of drawing water, but rather the secret of the verse, "For Your dew is a dew of light." The moment a person merits the dew of light, he sees a powerful and tremendous spiritual light.
The Dew of Light and Missing the Global Geulah (Redemption)
However, the moment Moshe was presented as an "Egyptian man," Yisro did not understand the magnitude of the hour. He thought he was dealing with a sorcerer, for since when can Egyptians reveal such a holy light? Therefore, he merely said, "Call him, that he may eat bread," and until matters became clear and they realized he was a Hebrew man, Moshe was even placed in prison. Regarding this, it is brought down that Hashem was exacting with Moshe. When a person does not say who he truly is, when he hides his identity – for this, Hashem is not willing to forgive.
If Moshe had immediately said who he was, such a light would have descended upon the world on the spot, and there would have been a complete Geulah (Redemption) for the entire world. Not a partial Geulah like in our days, but literally the entire world would have been redeemed. The holy Zohar says that when Yisro finally did teshuvah (repentance) and said, "Now I know that Hashem is greater than all the gods," at that very moment everyone stopped worshipping idols, and the entire world knew Hashem.
Publicizing the Miracles and the True Tzaddik
From here we learn a tremendous foundation for our service of Hashem: A person's task is to declare who the true tzaddik is. The moment a person declares and publicizes who the tzaddik is, he brings light into the world. The Sfas Emes explains that this is exactly the concept of the statement in the Haggadah: "And whoever expands upon the story of the Exodus from Egypt is praiseworthy."
What is the significance of telling the story of the Exodus from Egypt? A person's task is to publicize the miracles day and night. A person must sit day and night and publicize the miracles that Hashem, may He be blessed, does for us. Because through the storytelling and publicizing, we give thanks before Him, may He be blessed, and draw the light of the Geulah (Redemption) into the world.
Ascending Above Nature: There is None Besides Him
The Divine law and conduct cause a person to sometimes descend into the kelipos (forces of impurity) and concealments, in order to succeed in extracting all the points of holiness from there, just as Yaakov Avinu did. The world appears as if it conducts itself according to the laws of nature. The Sefer HaChinuch explains that from the beginning of creation, Hashem instilled a power within nature to perform its function, and every created being has a guiding angel from above that tells it, "Grow."
But until when is a person subject to the laws of nature? Until the concept of the true tzaddik arrives. The Torah commands in Parashas Mishpatim: "You shall not allow a sorceress to live," because sorcery denies the Heavenly entourage and attempts to interfere with the work of God. However, whoever merits the light of the Countenance of the King of Life ascends above the forces of nature and the appointed angels, and he is not afraid of acts of sorcery and its denials, because he knows that "there is none besides Him."
Therefore, Rabbi Pinchas of Koritz zy"a said that it took him twenty-two years of spiritual work just to merit reaching the perfect emunah (faith) of "to Hashem alone." To truly know that there is no other power in the world, and there is none besides Him.
Part 1 of 2 — Lesson No. 116
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