THE PARADIGM OF REDEMPTION
The Exodus from Egypt is the paradigm for the future Redemption. The Exodus introduced and instilled within our psyches the power of liberation for the future. Indeed, we mention the Exodus daily in our prayers for many reasons, including:
First, to remind us that we too have to get out of exile, and that we can derive the power to accomplish that from the Exodus from Egypt.
Second, even as we live in exile—in these last moments before the Final Redemption—we have the ability to rise above the constraints imposed by exile conditions and to be liberated each day anew.
Obviously, the details of the Exodus from Egypt are relevant for our times.
FOUR EXPRESSIONS OF REDEMPTION; FOUR CUPS OF WINE
In the very beginning of this week’s parsha G-d introduces His plan for the Exodus by couching the theme of liberation in four different ways:
I shall take you out from under the burdens of Egypt.
I shall rescue you from their service.
I shall redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.
I shall take you to Me for a people and I shall be a G-d to you.
It was based on these four expressions of liberation that our Sages instituted drinking four cups of wine at the Seder on Pesach night.
Let us consider how do these four expressions apply to our lives in exile and, particularly, how do they relate to the future, and fourth, Redemption.
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If we examine Maimonides’ (whose Yahrtzait we observed only last week on the 20th of Teves) description of the Messianic Age, we can discern four stages; in fact, there are several sets of four that pertain to the Moshiach and the Messianic Age, but first a prefatory note is in order.
Contrary to a false belief that has circulated in recent times, we Jews believe not only in a Messianic Age, but also that it will be ushered in by a Jewish leader, referred to as the Moshiach. Indeed, there is no such thing as Redemption without a redeemer. In Maimonides’ words (Hilchos Melachim Chapter 11): “Whoever does not believe in him… denies not only the other prophets, but [also] the Torah and Moshe, our teacher.”
How do we know who is qualified to be Moshiach? Maimonides, based on Biblical and Talmudic sources, rules that Moshiach’s “credentials” require that he meet four conditions:
First, he is a leader descended from King David.
Second, he is steeped in Torah and preoccupied with observing its commandments.
Third, he is engaged in influencing all Jewish people to follow in the Torah’s ways and mends the breaches in its observance.
Fourth, he fights the wars of G-d.
One who meets these four conditions, Maimonides rules, has established himself as the presumptive Moshiach, even before the actual Redemption commences.
It is interesting to note that Maimonides cites four Biblical proofs for Moshiach and the Messianic Age:
First, from Deuteronomy (30:3-5) where the promise of Redemption is made in four segments: 1) G-d will bring back your captives and have mercy upon you; 2) He will gather you…; 3) If your dispersed will be at the ends of the heavens…; 4) G-d will bring you…
Second, from statements made by all of the prophets.
Third, from the prophecies of Bilam. And interestingly, there too, the Rambam divides the proof from Bilam into four segments.
Fourth, from the additional cities of refuge the Torah states will be established in the future.
FOUR CHANGES FOR THE JEWISH PEOPLE
Now that we know the criteria for the Moshiach, we can discern four changes that will occur under his direction, specifically with respect to the Jewish people.
First, he renews the Davidic dynasty, returning it to its initial sovereignty.
Second, Moshiach will build the Beis HaMikdash-the Holy Temple in its proper place.
Third, he will gather all of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel.
Fourth, he will reinstate all of the ritual worship practices that could not be performed because of exile conditions.
FOUR FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD
After Moshiach restores the status of the Jewish people and their observances to their rightful place, the Messianic Age then assumes a more universal direction. Here too one may discern four stages:
First, Moshiach will eradicate the evil forces that persecuted the Jewish people and stood in the way of their ability to build the Beis HaMikdash.
Second, Moshiach will then eliminate the false ideologies and religions that contradict the Torah and lead the entire world’s population to recognize that there is only one G-d and serve Him in unison.
Third, the entire world’s population will live in peace and harmony with the Jewish people.
Fourth, there will be no hunger, war or conflicts for there will be an abundance of good and the entire world will be inundated and deluged with the knowledge of G-d.
THE FINAL STAGES
If we examine Maimonides’ description of the final stage of the Messianic Age we discover that he refers to four changes:
“In that era, there will be neither 1) famine, 2) nor war, 3) envy, nor 4) rivalry.”
After describing what we will no longer have to contend with in the Messianic Age, Maimonides then proceeds to enumerate four positive phenomena:
1) For good will flow in abundance; 2) All the delights will be as common as dust; 3) The occupation of the entire world will be solely to know G-d; 4) The Jews will be great Sages and know hidden matters, attaining knowledge of their Creator to the extent of human potential.
Notice too that in the last item describing the spiritual state of the Jewish people, Maimonides subdivides it into four:
1) Great Sages; 2) Know hidden matters; 3) Attaining knowledge of their Creator; 4) To the extent of human potential.
FOUR FOR OUR FREEDOM
Now that we have documented the ubiquitous nature of the four aspects of the future Redemption that stem from the four expressions of Redemption in relation to the Exodus, we have to understand how the number four relates to our personal liberation from our own internal exile.
The number four, in conjunction with the Seder (which is full of fours, such as the Four Questions, the Four Sons, etc.), has been associated with the four letters of the Divine name, known as the Tetragrammaton. This name of G-d contains the force responsible for creation in general and the human condition in particular. Each one of us possesses these four letters of G-d’s name in our soul and psyche.
However, just as these four Divine letters are responsible for our personalities, they can also be seen as the forces to remove the exile-related blockages preventing us from experiencing the full force of our G-dly soul.
The first step to freeing ourselves begins with the letter yud. This letter is the smallest in the Hebrew Alphabet. It is represented sometimes by a geometric point that has no real dimensions. This is the symbol of humility. When we are full of ourselves we are not receptive to G-d. We can we see Creation but only from within Creation’s perspective, not from the point of view of the Creator. The yud expresses the essence of our soul, that part which is always connected to G-d but remains covered up by exile. We must put our own egos to the side and allow our simple faith in G-d and in His promise to redeem us and bring our souls to the surface.
The second step is bound up in the letter hei. This is an expansive letter and it represents expansive knowledge. Simple faith alone will not suffice. To be sure, we must develop a foundation of unadulterated faith in G-d and His ability to take us out of both the universal and personal exile. But we must then apply our intellect to gain the understanding of the dynamics of liberation. In practical terms, we must study Torah, particularly the texts of Torah that deal with Redemption, to saturate our minds with Divine wisdom. This will enable us to get our minds out of their own form of exile.
The third step is centered on the letter vav, which is said to represent our emotions. Our emotions are skewed by exile. We lack desire and passion for G-d and Moshiach since we direct our love and fear only toward the material and physical aspects of life.
Once we have liberated our faith (Yud) and achieved our understanding (Hei) we can then free our emotions (Vav). Instead of harboring misdirected passion for material things, our passion becomes refined enough to love the Higher aspects of life. At that juncture we will desire and yearn only for Moshiach and the world of Redemption. However, we can not only rely on our faith and intellect to generate the liberating emotions; we must, as the Torah states, “direct the knowledge to our hearts.”
The fourth and final stage in our efforts at liberation is the final letter of the Tetragrammaton, the Hei. This letter is said to correspond to the process of communication of our thoughts through speech and action.
It is not enough to have the proper faith, understanding and passion. The proof that we have internalized something to the extent that it has truly affected us comes when we translate those newly attained thoughts into speech and action. How may we apply this to our circumstances today? We should speak of Redemption and translate our belief, understanding and feelings of Redemption into tangible examples by breaking free from our internal exile. We can do that by acting in a redemptive fashion. When we break out of the elements that limit us and do things that may be against our nature to help others, we then have successfully internalized all four letters of G-d’s name and brought ourselves into a personal balance that parallels the four expressions and levels of Redemption.