English translation — וארא ב

A.

On “And the Lord said to Moses: Come to Pharaoh and say to him etc. And if you refuse to send, behold I will smite all your border with frogs”<sup>1</sup>,

it stands in the Midrash<sup>2</sup>

“As the verse says<sup>3</sup>

‘And the advantage of the land is in all things’”<sup>4</sup>,

and the Midrash brings the opinion of Rabbi Acha bar Chanina: “Even things that you see as if they are superfluous in the world, such as snakes and scorpions, they were included in the creation of the world.

The Holy One, blessed be He, said to the prophets: What do you think? If you do not go on My mission, do I have no messenger? ‘And the advantage of the land is in all things,’

I fulfill My mission even by means of a snake, even by means of a scorpion, and even by means of a frog.

Know that it is so,

for were it not for the hornet, how would the Holy One, blessed be He, have exacted punishment from the Amorites? And were it not for the frog, how would He have exacted punishment from the Egyptians? As the verse says: ‘Behold I will smite etc.’”

One must understand: How can one say “were it not for the frog, how would He have exacted punishment from the Egyptians”?

The frog was only one of the ten plagues?

Granted, the hornet,

it was indeed the first action to drive out the Amorites

(Canaanites),

and a matter that wreaked vengeance upon them with great force,

as the statement of our Rabbis, of blessed memory,⁵

"The hornet did not cross the Jordan,"

rather "it would strike them in their eyes and inject venom into them and they would die"⁶.

The plague of frogs, however, was not the first plague that came upon Egypt; the first plague was blood,

and it was a more severe and worse plague for the Egyptians⁷,

for upon the Nile and its waters depended not only the drinking of water in its simple sense,

but also the livelihood and sustenance of the entire land of Egypt.

In addition to this, there were indeed another eight plagues with which the Almighty wreaked vengeance upon the Egyptians; until the last plague which <b>it</b> brought about the Exodus from Egypt — the plague of the firstborn,

and later the completion of the retribution was at the Splitting of the Sea when "not a single one of them remained"⁸.

Today, how does one say "If not for the frog, how would He have punished the Egyptians"?

Also, it is not understood in the essence of the matter: How is it at all possible to say regarding the Above "If not for the frog, how would He have punished the Egyptians" — there are, after all, "many agents for the Omnipresent"⁹,

and "Is anything too wondrous for the Lord"¹⁰

to carry out His will?

2.

Before the above maamar, it brings there in Midrash "Rabboseinu Amrin: What is 'the advantage of the land in everything'? Even things that you see as if they are superfluous in the world, such as flies and fleas and mosquitoes, they were included in the creation of the world, etc."

As one learns simply the distinction between Rabboseinu Amrin and the opinion of R. Acha,

And the two details in the words of Rabbi Acha¹¹

itself "even things etc. superfluous etc. I do my mission etc."¹²

"In the general creation of the world" means to say that not only were they created from the Above¹³

and did not come into being from themselves¹⁴,

but that there is in their creation a benefit for the man.

And in this our Sages say that also such things as flies, fleas, and mosquitoes,

which appear to be superfluous,

they are truly for the sake of a benefit and are in the category of "everything that the Holy One, blessed be He, created in His world, He did not create a single thing for naught"¹⁵,

and as the Gemara brings matters of remedy that one has from a fly, mosquito, etc.

And on this R' Acha adds,

that also things that are superfluous in

the meaning¹⁶,

that they are harmful,

there is also in them a benefit for the person thereby,

that several times a person is saved by them from other greater harms¹⁷.

Afterwards he adds a greater benefit in the creation of the harmful things,

that the Supreme One leads through His agency by means of them

(in order to punish the wicked).

According to this, however, one must understand:

a)

Since that the

(main point)

novelty of R. Eliezer is that also harmful beings are "included in the creation of the world" and also through them the Supreme One carries out His mission,

then why does he

(a)

add also frog,

which is not at all a harmful being&lt;sup&gt;18&lt;/sup&gt;

(and certainly not like snakes and scorpions),

and furthermore

(b)

this comes as a novelty regarding snakes and scorpions&lt;sup&gt;19&lt;/sup&gt;

— "&lt;b&gt;And even &lt;/b&gt;through a frog"&lt;sup&gt;20&lt;/sup&gt;,

and

(c)

the proof "You should know" he brings specifically regarding and from

(hornet&lt;sup&gt;21&lt;/sup&gt;)

frog,

and he does not bring any proof regarding and from snake and scorpion

(as

it is brought in other midrashim where the statement of R. Eliezer is brought&lt;sup&gt;22&lt;/sup&gt;).

b)

What is the common denominator of the mission of the prophets with the mission through a snake etc. and a frog?

The mission through the aforementioned harmful beings is indeed to punish the wicked; but the mission of the prophets is indeed

(not to punish etc.,

but)

to convey — reveal His word²³

through His servants the prophets²⁴.

So what is the meaning of "The Holy One, blessed be He, said to the prophets etc. 'If you do not go on My mission etc., I will carry out My mission even through a snake etc. and even through a frog'"?

c.

And one can explain the explanation of this:

The matter of the plagues upon Pharaoh and Egypt was not simply to punish them,

but as the language of the verse²⁵

"And Egypt shall know that I am the Lord" — that G‑dliness should be revealed,

the aspect of Havayah,

in Egypt; and this came through the <b>plagues</b>,

breaking Egypt²⁶.

And since the kelipah of Pharaoh and Egypt is distinct from other kelipot,

therefore the

(main)

punishment of the Egyptians came through the frog,

as follows.

D.

In the denial of the nations of the world of His G‑dliness, may He be blessed, there exist,

In general,

three levels,

this one below that one²⁷

a)

Those who are deniers

(only)

in His <b>oneness</b>, may He be blessed²⁸,

but "they call Him God of gods"²⁹

— because they "know and comprehend" that the Supreme One is "their life and their existence."

And consequently they are not rebellious against the Supreme One,

as Balaam said³⁰

"I cannot transgress the word of the Lord"³¹.

b)

Those who admit to the existence of God,

that He is "God of gods" — but they deny that the existence and coming-into-being of all things is dependent on the Supreme One,

as Pharaoh said³²

"<b>Mine is my river, and I made myself</b>" — he claimed that he <b>made himself</b>.

is only that there is

a power that is higher and stronger than Him; but His existence is not dependent on "Alaha d'Elahaya"³⁴].

3)

Those who deny entirely, heaven forbid, the reality of G‑dliness,

like Sennacherib who “blasphemed and reviled exceedingly,”

he denied the living God that “He is not the God of gods”³⁵.

5.

Of the three ways,

is although that externally and openly the third way is the worst of all,

because they denied G‑dliness entirely — but there is also a deficiency in the way of “Mine is the river, and I made myself” even relative to the third way.

And the explanation of this:

In the first manner that "Karu leih Elaha de'elahin" — they indeed comprehend how the Supreme One is "their life and their existence" and therefore they do not transgress His will, may He be blessed; they indeed admit that there is the reality of G‑dliness³⁶.

Even in the third manner — it is with this very thing that they are opposing and denying the reality of G‑d,

it shows,

that the matter of G‑dliness has “touched” them,

which is why they seek to oppose G‑dliness&lt;sup&gt;37&lt;/sup&gt;,

and deny the reality of G‑d.

It turns out,

that through their denial and opposition itself one knows&lt;sup&gt;38&lt;/sup&gt;

that there is a matter of the reality of G‑dliness,

which reaches into their place,

to the lowest low.

But not so Pharaoh who says “Mine is my river, and I made myself,”

he claims that “his existence is from his own essence” — through &lt;b&gt;him&lt;/b&gt; it is not at all

Reminds of the reality of G‑d.

Because that which “קרו לי׳ אלהא דאלהייא” has nothing to do with &lt;b&gt;Him&lt;/b&gt;

(as above)

; &lt;b&gt;His&lt;/b&gt; reality is a thing by itself — “&lt;b&gt;אני עשיתני&lt;/b&gt;”,

He feels Himself as an independent entity &lt;b&gt;completely&lt;/b&gt;,

and consequently,

in His very reality no connection is expressed

(including also — not a connection in a negative way)

to G‑dliness.

6.

Regarding the &lt;b&gt;parallel&lt;/b&gt; of the three modes mentioned concerning the nations of the world in the matter of the reality of G‑dliness — one also finds in the creations of this world:

It is indeed "everything that the Holy One, blessed be He, created in His world, He did not create a single thing in vain"&lt;sup&gt;15&lt;/sup&gt;,

and as is also understood in simple logic,

that every action of the Above is for a purpose and goal,

and the purpose is seen in every thing that He created; and all the more so from a person below,

even that a craftsman who makes a vessel,

the purpose of the vessel and its goal is recognizable in the form of the vessel&lt;sup&gt;39&lt;/sup&gt;.

The purpose of all of creation is — "everything that the Holy One, blessed be He, created in His world, He created it &lt;b&gt;only for His glory&lt;/b&gt;"&lt;sup&gt;40&lt;/sup&gt;,

that it should reveal G‑dliness.

And this is achieved through that which one sees in the matters of creation the benefit that each one contributes to the creation — which is their purpose and goal — this reveals that there is a Craftsman who made them,

whose power and will are perceived in the thing made.

In practice, however, the creation is in such a manner

(So that there should be free choice and

the work of man)

That not in every thing is the purpose of its creation evident openly³⁹.

In this there are several types in the creation:

Our Rabbis said that "even things that you see them as if&lt;sup&gt;41&lt;/sup&gt;

they are superfluous in the world, such as flies and fleas and mosquitoes",

which seemingly one has from them no benefit — are "they were included in the creation of the world, as it is said&lt;sup&gt;42&lt;/sup&gt;

And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good"&lt;sup&gt;43&lt;/sup&gt;

— this is not for naught

(as the Gemara brings the functions of the creations: He created a fly for the hornet, etc.),

and consequently they too are included in "everything that the Holy One, blessed be He, created in His world, He created it only &lt;b&gt;for His glory&lt;/b&gt;" — through them the Creator is revealed.

On this R' Elazar innovates,

that also the creations which not only do they bring no benefit

(seemingly),

but openly they are the &lt;b&gt;opposite&lt;/b&gt; of benefit — harmful things — "such as snakes and scorpions" — they too are "included in the creation of the world",

and consequently in the principle of "everything that He created etc. He created it only for His glory".

For the very fact that in them there is a content that says &lt;b&gt;something&lt;/b&gt; regarding this matter,

although a contrary content,

shows that their existence is not an existence that is unaware of the existence of the Existent,

knows only of itself alone,

"here it was found, here it was",

but there is a knowledge about a Causer and Actor,

Who can place into them this very content — and negates this.

Based on this it is also understandable what R. Acha says "The Holy One, blessed be He, said to the prophets: What do you think? If you do not go on My mission, do I not have a messenger?

And the advantage of the land is in everything,

I fulfill My mission even through a snake, even through a scorpion": with this he comes to emphasize how also the harmful creations were created

(not only not in vain,

but)

"for His honor" — even through them Divinity is revealed in the world,

in the manner and similar to how it is revealed through prophets.

Because when one sees that through a snake or scorpion one is saved from danger,

and especially when the snake and scorpion come to punish the wicked — it is revealed,

that also an existence with a content opposite of "benefit",

of the creation of the Holy One, blessed be He, which is "very good"⁴⁴,

also that existence was created by the Most High until that <b>in it</b>⁴⁵

there is good,

because it was brought into being through the source of good — this reveals the power of the Maker.

7.

Distinguished from the aforementioned creations is the frog,

which from the aspect of its creation no benefit is seen in it.

It is not apparent what benefit a person can have from it; it also has no characteristic of a harmful thing.

This is a creation that has no content that would bring out that there is a forced act,

or at least a knowledge of such possibilities.

And this is the novelty "and even through a frog" and the explanation of "were it not for the frog, how would He exact punishment from the Egyptians":

How was it revealed that also Pharaoh and Egypt — an existence that is not only not revealing the existence of G-dliness,

but says "Mine is my river, and I made myself,"

his existence from his own essence — should know "that I am the Lord,"

and even more,

that they can say that their existence from their own essence comes because at the time of the act⁴⁶

they have vitality which comes

(in many levels of descent)

from the source of life,

from the Essence that "His existence is from His own essence and is not caused by any cause that preceded Him, G-d forbid"⁴⁷

(similar to what is explained regarding the general coming into being of existence)⁴⁸

This was revealed through the plague of frogs⁴⁹,

which among the animals of this world is an existence in which no purpose is discernible

(even not like that of mosquitoes etc.)

and generally no content even of harm⁵⁰

(like a snake and scorpion)

and as above,

"It has no

“cause and reason” because of which there should be His existence,

And through the frogs that went on a mission from the Above

as

The midrash⁵¹

brings down "from the frogs they carried Chananiah, Mishael, and Azariah a fortiori in themselves and descended into the fiery furnace"],

became the "punishment from the Egyptians".

The plague of frogs broke also the <b>special</b> husk of Egypt,

"Mine is the Nile, and I made myself",

and it was revealed "and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord",

it showed that this comes from

(the Name)

Havayah.

(From the talks of Shabbos Parshas Va'eira and Shabbos Parshas Beshalach 5741)