Faith in G-d cures our spiritual blindness.
The name of the parasha, "Va'era", can be read two ways: "I showed Myself" and "I show myself" - both past and present.
Torah Ohr says that G-d's revelation of Himself was not an isolated incident relegated to the distant past but is happening now, too. We demonstrate our ability to see past the facade to spiritual truth every time we use the strengths we inherit from the Forefathers:
- the kindness of Avraham in the world's "dog eat dog" mentality
- Yitzchak's strength and self-control in a generation that demands abandonment of values
- the mercy of Yaakov, in honest appraisal without self-aggrandizing influences.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe relates this to when G-d instructed Moshe to tell the people they will be redeemed, (Shemot 3:17), and Moshe answered, "But they won't believe me". (Ibid. 4:1) Moshe worried that after 210 years of exile, the Jews were not only physically exiled but also mentally stuck.
G-d answered, "I have shown Myself to Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov" (Ibid. 6:3) "...I have also heard the groaning of the Jewish people". (Ibid. 6:5) G-d was saying that the children of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov are incapable of being stuck. All you have to do is tell them I am coming - "And I will take you out". (Ibid. 6:6)
We are no different even after this last exile of almost 2000 years. Deep down, we have not sold out. We just have to be reminded.
- KabbalaOnline.org
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Parashat Va'era
