Egypt - Germany - USA

In our parasha (Vayigash) Bnei Israel are immigrating to Egypt and therefore start their first exile. When Bnei Israel and Yaakov started moving towards Egypt Hashem speaks to Yaakov avinu at night and tells him “don’t be scared I will go with you to Egypt and I will take you out of there” the pasook says “Bemarot Halayla” (in the visions of the night). The mefarshim all ask, what is this language?!?, “Visions of the night?”, we never saw this being said when Hashem revealed to Avrahan or Yitzchak, only with Yaakov with see it.

Yaakov’s biggest fear was Egypt, Egypt controlled the world back in the day and was pretty much like the USA today. The Meshech Chochma explains what is “Maraot Halayla” (Visions of the night), Yaakov Avinu is now going to Galoot with his sons and that is a time of darkness, who knows what will happen there?, who knows how it’ll end?, if his sons will assimilate or not?, if Hashem will even be there for him?, that’s why Hashem comes to him at this time of darkness and tells him “Yaakov, don’t worry I will be with you through this time of darkness, and eventually I will take you out of there” and that’s why the pasuk says specifically “Visions of the night”.

I believe, this pasuk wasn’t just another promise to Yaakov Avinu, rather it’s an eternal promise for the entire Jewish Nation. This Pasuk is the foundation and the reason of our existence in this long-lasting exile. Chazal say “If Hashem took his supervision off the Jews in the exile for a split second, there will be no Jews left in the entire world”.

Does it make any sense that one nation, “Metei mispar” (Outnumbered in comparison to the rest of the world) has been around for 3773 years while all those nations who came against us and tried to destroy us are mostly in history books (if they made it there), and where do you think it all started from?, our parasha, this Pasuk, “Don’t be scared, I will be with you”. However there’s one “condition” to the rule, “ma hashem elokecha Shoel meimach, Ki em leira et Hashem elokeicha, Lalechet bechol derachav, Ulaavod oto” (“what does Hashem ask of you?, to love and fear him and to follow his ways”) when we do our part, then Hashem is with us in this time of darkness and no one can harm us even a little.

When did Bnei Israel start getting in to troubles with the Egyptians?, when they stopped following the ways of Hashem. At first they only lived in Goshen, then after the death of Yaakov and his sons and all his generation, the “Modern” era came, and Jews started to assimilate, at this point Pharaoh turned us into slaves for 210 years and his plan was  to destroy us physically, however he did not succeed thanks to 4 things that they kept “Shmam, Leshonam, Lo dibru leshon Hara, Lo hayu protuzim baArayot” (their name, their language, they didn’t speak leshon Hara, and were not involved with adultery).

About 3300 years later: Germany, Jews were very successful by all means, they owned real estate, they were the doctors, the lawyers, they were an important part of the German government, and it’s needless to say that Germany was a modern and “enlightened” country. Poland, Russia, Roman, Hungary, and the surrounding countries were very anti semitic and always had new decrees against the Jews, whether it was pogroms or blood libels. You’d really expect a movement like Natzism to start from there but where did it all start from?, Germany, the more “educated” and “Civilized” country. Just this fact by itself is the biggest proof for our Torah. Many German Jews assimilated, they looked down at their Jewish brothers that came from other countries and were poor and broken and treated them like slaves. Is that a way for a Jew to treat his brother? And just like in Egypt, Natzism, get rid off all Jews, even those who assimilated, up to third/Fourth generation! what a coincidence, the Torah says “Hashem Remebers the sins of people up to their Fourth generation” meaning people can be punished for sins that their great great Grandfather did. But again, against all chances, we made it and we are still here, just like Hashem promised Yaakov 5000 years ago before he went down to the darkness.

Today we are in what many Gedolei Hador call “The last exile”, The midrash says, before the end, comes Melech Edom and says “Pharaoh and Haman were both wrong, they tried to destroy the Jews in a physical way however, I am bringing them closer to me, and make them commit sins and eventually they will lose their power and I’ll attack them”, This is exactly America, the most obvious Malchut Edom there is. The biggest impure places are filled with Jews, Hollywood would not be Hollywood if not for the Jews, we think we are in good hands, in the land of opportunities, we are becoming financially successful but spiritually lost. The Torah already warned us about that as well “Vayishman Yashurun Vaivat” (Jews become wealthy and kick Hahshem out of their life), so there’s nothing new under the sun just another act of history repeating itself.

On the other hand, the world of Torah had never been greater, tens of thousands of Yeshivot, Synagogues, and Jews that are running back to Hashem, that is only thanks to the protection Hashem provides us with in this Exile. Just like Hashem promised Yaakov that he will take him out of the Galoot, so will he take us, and that’s what we need to strive for. 90% of a Jew’s prayer is about Yerushalim and Beit Hamikdash.

When we read this Parasha we should keep that in mind, at this time of Darkness, we should be mitchazkim in Emuna in Hashem, Ein Od Milevado, just like David Hamelech says “Lehagid Emunatecha Balaylot”, it’s very hard to praise Hashem through the darkness however our Emuna is what keeps us here and growing!