He Makes Peace- chesed and Pesach

This is based on a class taught by Harav Simcha L. Weinberg on Pesach in 2017.

The Ohr Hanefesh  says as follows:  It is very nice that Hashem took us out of Mitzrayim, but, if it is true that B’nei Yisroel are beloved by Hakadosh Baruch Hu, why did He hand us over to the hands of an enemy?  Why did we have to be slaves to begin with? 

Because, all that Hashem does is Middah K’neged Middah.  Before they went down to Mitzrayim, It is known that the children of Leah were mivazeh the children of the Shefachos, of Bilha and Zilpah, and they did not interact with them with the love of a sibling. This was a terrible thing in the eyes of The Ribono Shel Olam. 

Hakadosh Baruch Hu Said, “What can I do that all the sons of the Imahos will treat the sons of Bilha and Zilpah as brothers?

I will bring them down to Mitzrayim, and they will all be slaves. However, at the time when they are redeemed, I will lay out before them the mitzvos of Pesach, so they and their children will all be busy and they will all say “Avadim Hayinu LiParoah”, so in that way we are all the same.

And why such a devastating response? To tell us the greatness and shevach (praise that increases) of Hakadosh Baruch Hu, to be revealed to all those who enter this world, that He makes Shalom between all creations.  This is why His name is called Shalom. 

It is astounding for one who really thinks and tries to understand the ways of Hashem Kavyachol.  Because this terrible and awesome thing happened in the life of our nation.  He is willing to let go of everything and put us into situations so that all of us, no matter from where we come, now matter how we believe, no matter what we believe to understand, we are all equal. 

And, to remove this what happened between the children of Leah and Bilhah and Zilpah from the Shivtei Kah and their children in all generations.  And, instead look and recognize the greatness and the dignity of everyone else.  Had the children of Yaakov been willing to treat their brothers as equals, we would never have ended up in Mitzrayim. 

Similarly, had we acted properly and used our bechira chafshit (free choice) after the Shoah to act with humility, and forgiveness with each other, and you take it when someone doesn’t like you, makes fun of you, and someone doesn’t believe in you or respect you, then there is no need to fear another galus (exile) or that Hakadosh Baruch Hu would put us back in a situation like that. 

The level of chesed necessary for the Mitzvos of Pesach is great.  “Avadim Hayinu” serves to remind us of this.  Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai says, this is the halacha of all Pesach, not just Pesach of Mitzrayim.  So that a person will not leave his neighbor who lives close by and say “I only want to have a seder with my friends, or my type of people, and not care about the Yidden who live close by to you, your neighbors.  You begin the seder with chesed.  “Ha Lachma Anya”.  I am a child of Avraham Avinu. 

The Blessing of Shalom- Kavana

The Blessing of Shalom- Pesach
When we say “עֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו” (He Makes peace above), we are acknowledging how Hakadosh Baruch Hu applies Middah K’neged Middah . He had us go through a process of “ עֲבָדִ֛ים הָיִ֥ינוּ לְפַרְעֹ֖ה בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם (We were all slaves to Paroah in Mitzrayim) without any distinction between us. He did this only for Shalom. How? So that all of us experienced the slavery, and it is was not reserved for only the ‘children of Bilah or Zilpah”. It was shared by all Jews just to bring Shalom. הוּא יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם עָלֵֽינוּ (He Makes Shalom upon us), He makes Shalom for us to elevate ourselves, giving us the mitzvos of Pesach to heighten our awareness of the necessity to treat each other with chesed and , וְעַל כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל until we are all equal, and we are all respected as Yisroel.

May we all be zoche to use this Pesach as the time to really activate chesed and shalom for a true redemption biezras Hashem.