Va’era Serpentine

We know that every word of the Torah is suffused with meaning and important lessons for us all. The early Parshios of Sefer Shemos—those that describe the Galus and Geulas Mitzrayim—seem to be even more so. Each Passuk, and each event that is described, can be understood on so many different levels, and can be instructional in every area of life. Although it is a tall task to access and appreciate all the various layers of meaning in the Parsha, we can use the Haftorah as an aid. If examined closely, the words of the Navi selected by Chazal to accompany a particular Sedra can help us understand the Parsha in new and deeper ways.

The Haftorah for Parshas Va’Era is taken from Sefer Yechezkel, and it seems to be immediately clear how these Pessukim are connected to the Parsha. The Navi tells us that Hashem spoke to him in the tenth year after Galus Yehoyachin and gave him clear instructions: “Sim Panecha Al Pharaoh Melech Mitzrayim V’Hinabeh Alav V’Al Mitzrayim Kula”. Pharaoh had goaded the Malchus of Yehuda into ignoring the taxes owed to Bavel, with the promise of military assistance if Nevuchadnetzar attacked, but when that eventuality arrived no help was forthcoming. These events led to the Churban, which Pharaoh and Mitzrayim now had a role in, and Yechezkel was told to inform Pharaoh of the impending punishment for his actions.

The similarities to the Sedra are quite clear. Parshas Va’Era speaks at length about the interactions between Moshe Rabbeinu and Pharoah, a theme which is prevalent in the Haftorah. In addition, the looming punishments described by the Navi resemble the Makos discussed in the Parsha. Even the goal of these punishments mirrors the goal of the Makos: in both cases Hashem says “V’Yedu Ki Ani Hashem”, promising that the Nissim will bring about Yedias Hashem on the part of Mitzrayim. This all being the case, it is easy to see that a careful study of the Pessukim will not only bring us insights into the words of the Navi, but likely into the Parshas HaShavua as well.

One example of this opportunity is found towards the beginning of the Haftorah, when the Navi is given his charge.

After the Navi is informed of his new mission, a Nevurah to Mitzrayim, he is told how to introduce his message. Besides his official role, Melech Mitzyrayim , the Passuk refers to Pharaoh as “HaTanim HaGadol HaRovetz B’Soch Ye’arav”, a great serpent sprawling in his channels. This is clearly an ignoble title, but it is important to understand why it is assigned to Pharaoh.

Rashi explains that these words are rooted in the fact that the Nile represented the Gedulah of Mitzyaim, and provided all its sustenance. Because the river was so central to Mitzyaim, the Navi used the Mashal of a Tanin to refer to its leader and the Degas HaYeor, its fish, to refer to his subjects.

The question we must ask ourselves is why this Mashal was necessary. It is clear to whom the Navi is speaking—Pharaoh Melech Mitzrayim—why is the honorific necessary ? What does the comparison of Pharoah to a Tanin, a sea-serpent, add to the message of the Navi? As always, we must keep in mind that the messages the Neviim bore were recorded in the Pessukim only if they applied to us as well. The addition of the words “HaTanim HaGadol HaRovetz B’Soch Ye’arav” must therefore teach us something too. What might that be?

In truth, it seems that this is the not the first association between a Pharoah and Tanim. As is often the case, examination of an earlier connection may help us to understand this one.

At the beginning of this week’s Parsha, Moshe Rabbeinu is once again told to approach Pharaoh and demand that he free Bnei Yisroel. The Torah tells us that Hashem anticipated that Pharoah would ask for a “Mofes” to prove that they were the Shluchim of a powerful force, and instructed Moshe as follows: “V’Amarta El Aron Kach Es Matcha V’Hashlech Lifnei Pharaoh Yehi L’Sanin”. Aron was to throw his Mateh to the ground, at which point it would become a Tanim. The Pessukim go on to tell us that this is exactly what happened.

There is an obvious question to be asked on these Pessukim: why did the Mofes that Moshe provided to Pharoah employ Tanim specifically? It seems that the Mofes would have been just as effective using any creature—why were Tanim chosen?

It is important to note that Rashi here defines Tanim as “Nachash”, a snake. In Parshas Shemos, however, when Moshe is told to give a Siman to Klal Yisroel, the Torah tells us that the Mateh indeed turned into a Nachash. This would seem to indicate that while Tanim might be a type of Nachash, the Torah chose the relative terms specifically: for Bnei Yisroel it was a Nachash, but for Pharaoh it was a Tanim.

Clearly, there is a specific reason that the Mateh Aron turned into a Tanim in front of Pharaoh, there must have been a message specific to him. What may that have been?

The Meforshei HaChumash, specifically Chizkuni and Daas Zekenim offer an approach to answering this question, but it does not seem aligned with the understanding of Rashi on the Pessukim in Yechezkel. We must therefore try to find an alternate way of answering this question.

In an effort to do so, it may be instructive to understand what a Tanim is, and from whence it came.

The Passuk in Parshas Beraishis tells us that on the fifth day of the Briah, Hashem created “HaTaninim HaGedolim”, the large sea-serpants, the Tanim refered to in the Pessukim in Shemos and Yechezkel. As part of a series of Memros that discuss sea travel, the Gemara in Bava Basra identifies the Taninim HaGedolim with a slightly more familiar term: “Zeh Levyason Nachash Briach V’Levyason Nachash Akalson”. The Taninim Gedolim that were created on the fifth day of Brias HaOlam are in fact the two types of Levyason identified in the Pessukim in Yeshaya.

If the Taninim Gedolim are actually the Levyason, perhaps we can assume that the message meant for Pharoah when the Mateh Aron turned to a Tanim was related to the Levyason. To discover what this message may have been, however, we must learn a little more about the Levyason.

The Gemarah there continues the discussion with a number of Memros regarding the Levyason, and there seems to be an underlying theme that is best summed up by one specific statement: “Asid HKBH L’Asos Seudah L’Tzadikim M’Besaro Shel Levyason”. In the future, L’Asid Lavo, Tzadikim will feast on the Basar of the Levyason. Similarly, we are told that Tzaddikim will rest in a Sukkah made from the Oro Shel Levyason, its skin.

In general, our conception of the Levyason is tied to its use in the future, it seems to be a creature that in some way is related to Yemos HaMashiach. Perhaps a better understanding of this role will allow us insight into the symbolism of this being.

R’ Moshe Shapiro, in Afikei Mayim on Sukkos, discusses the Levyason at length, specifically with the goal of understanding the concept of the Seudah Shel Levyason. Why, he asks, will the Seudah of Tzaddikim in the times of Moshiach consist of this creature specifically?

As we have seen, the Levyason is a creature of the water. In fact, it seems that the Levyason was the largest Briah in the water, and on a certain level therefore represents that medium. To understand the Levyason, then, we must understand something very basic about Mayim.

R’ Moshe explains that the nature of water is to spread out, not to be constrained to a particular spot. When HKBH completed the creation of Mayim, however, the Torah tells us that He said: “Yikavu Hamayim El Makom Echad V’Seraeh HaYabasha”. There is enough water on earth to cover all the dry land, but Hashem instructed the water to gather in one place, and not impede on the Yabasha. These boundaries are not inherently part of the Yamim, then, rather there is an external force that keeps the Yamim within its bounds.

At its core, then, Mayim represents the idea of “Ain Sof”, something that it limitless, for left to its own devices it would spread all over. In this way, Mayim represents a integral Middah of HKBH as well: as we know, Hashem has no limits, the Hashgach Elyona is bound by nothing, and this Middah. The Borei Olam is therefore is the ultimate Ain Sof.

At the same time, we know that the Middah of Ain Sof is not always on full display: for the most part, our conception of HKBH is confined to the bounds of Teva. Though we know that Hashem is L’MAlah Min HaTeva, we cannot see this on a regular basis. This is similar to the way the waters of the earth are bound by Gevulim although they are inherently B’Li Gevul. The Mayim that we see represents this dialectic: a potential to be Ain Sof that is bound by Gevulim.

R’ Moshe continues, explaining that when HKBH created the world he did so in a way that forces man to make a decision: to believe in the Koach of HKBH, to trust in that which he cannot necessarily see, or Chas V’Shalom not to. This allows a person the opportunity, through Avodah, to come to his own recognition of the Borei olam. Because we it is possible not to recognize the Yad Hashem, we have the opportunity to make our own choice to in fact do so. If the Middah of “Ain Sof” was overt, there would be no opportunity for a person to reach his own conclusions.

It emerges, then, that the Gevulim of Teva, are what allow us to be Mamlich HKBH upon ourselves which R’ Moshe explains is itself an expression of the Middah of Malchus. Because a Melech needs an Am, the chance for people to choose their Melech, in this case through their own Avodah, is what in fact enable the Malchus.

The Levyason—the largest beast of the water—represents the Middah of Malchus within the Mayim of Ain Sof. In fact, R’ Moshe points out that the Gematriah of Levyason is Malchus, further indication of this idea. It is with this in mind that we can understand the future role of this creature.

When the Tzaddikim enjoy their Seudah, it will be at a time of U’Malah Aretz De’ah Hashem the Gevulim of Teva will have been lifted, and the Middah of Ain Sof will be manifest. It is then that the Levyason, with its implications of Malchus and Mayim, can be enjoyed. At that time all will have been Mekabel the Malchus Shamayim upon themselves, and the Gevulim that now enable us to do so will no longer exist. A variant of the Middah of Malchus—one that subsumes the reality of Ain Sof—will pervade, allowing Tzaddikim to sit in the shade of the Levyason and enjoy its succulence.

Perhaps this was the message to Pharaoh that was sent with the Mateh Aron.

The purpose of the Mofes, Rashi explains, was to establish, in Pharaoh’s eyes who had sent Moshe and Aron, and how powerful that force was. The Mateh therefore turned into a Tanim, which we now understand was a representation of the Levyason. The implication was clear: Moshe and Aron were sent by the Melech Malchei HaMelachim, who is Ain Sof and has total Shlita on the entire Briah. The Levyason, is a corporal representative of the fact that Teva exists only so that we can be Mamlich Hashem on our own—in reality, though, it is but an external Gevul on the Kochos of Hashem. Pharaoh would soon learn, through the Makos, what this really meant, as every “law” of Teva was suspended. The Mofes of the Tanim, then, was but a warning of things to come.

This could be the reason that the Navi refers to Pharaoh as “HaTanim HaGadol HaRovetz B’Soch Ye’arav” as well. The Pharaoh who lived at the time of Yechezkel was reminded of that which his predecessor had endured: a complete reversal of Teva in the pursuit of “V’Yedu Ki Ani Hashem”. Just as Pharaoh had been punished for his actions centuries before, the Melech Mitzrayim would pay for his own missteps at the hands of the Ain Sof.

As we learn the Pessukim that discuss the Mofsim and the Maakos, we can take the opportunity to reinforce our own conceptions of Teva and its realities. If we remind ourselves that HKBH is the ultimate Ain Sof, and use this recognition to be further Mamlich him upon ourselves, we will soon be Zoche to join the Tzaddikim in the Sudas Levyason and celebrate the ultimate expression of Malchus Hasem.