Va' eira

V' eira

If G!d wants the hebrews to be free from Mitzrayim, then why bother going through the motions of having Moshe ask Paroh? There are many answers, but one thing that we can take away from this is that G!d does not want to just automatically give us everything that we need. Rather, he wants us to be able to know what it is that we need, lack, or long for, and to ask for it. (This is one reason for prayer)

The Hebrews are ultimately freed from Mitzrayim (Egypt, but also enslavement or exile) not only so they can no longer be slaves, but so that they can go to Sinai to receive the torah, and therefore be able to serve G!d. In this case then, what is lacked is the ability to fully serve G!d. So Moshe must ask to be freed from Mitzrayim, but he must first know what he lacks. So not only does he have to ask, but he (and the Hebrews) have to be shown the true power of G!d in order to not just know what they lack, but to long for it, so that they will ask for it and be able to receive it. Because G!d does give us free choice, we must ask for what we need in order that he should grant it to us.

Hashem wanted us to be free all along. He wants us to live by his torah, but we are free beings. We have the freedom of choice. Although he is always giving us clues and hints about the direction we should take, it is up to us to connect enough with our true selves and with G!d in order to be sensitive enough to hear G!d's perceive these hints, to know what we lack, and to know what we truly long for.

It is up to us to do tikkun (to improve the worlds and bring goodness into the world), to elevate this world. Therefore, we use our G!dly soul in harmony with our earthly bodies and physical selves to be able to hear the needs of our soul. Only then will we be able to know what to ask for, and only then will we be able to free ourselves from our own personal Mitzrayim (enslavements or exiles, whatever they may be for you personally).

In order to do tikkun in the world and create peace on this earth, we must start with knowing what we truly long for in our souls, and we may start by asking for that. That is the beginning to how we will ultimately do tikkun olam and heal the world.