I have the privilege of helping my father perform ‘brissim’ on adults. Every adult bris is inspiring in its own way, but there’s one that sticks in my mind. It was a ‘Bris l’shem geirus’ – a Bris for somebody who was about to complete his conversion. The man – an ex Parish Minister in his sixties – having spent several years learning under the guidance of the Beis Din was ready for the big undertaking. Being a bris for conversion meant that before the actual bris we first go through a ‘kabolas ha’Mitzvahs’, [literally: acceptance of Mitzvahs], with him. As he sat on the edge of the operating bed the Rabbi outlined to him an overview of what being Jewish entails.
Based on the Shulchan Aruch [Code of Jewish Law] he was asked if he understood that becoming Jewish meant accepting the Mitzvahs and outlook of Judaism. Specific Mitzvah’s were detailed – some of the easier ones to keep and some of the hard ones. Some with more stringent punishments and some with less. He was also asked regarding particular beliefs and whether he was prepared to drop any other ‘faiths’ and embrace the 13 principles of faith as outlined by the RaMBaM (Maimonides). But it was the final thing he was asked that I would like to focus on. “You know that being Jewish is not at all plain sailing. We are a persecuted nation, having spent many many years in exile at the hands of nations who have sought to destroy us. Are you still prepared to join the Jews?” When he nodded in agreement, we proceeded to perform the Bris.
As we enter into The Book of Shemos, we are reminded of the very first exile that we as a nation suffered in Egypt. In fact the exile in Egypt was the prototype of all subsequent exiles. The Book of Shemos is often called ‘Exodus’ but we must not forget – indeed it is one of the Mitzvahs of Seder-night to relive what it meant to be a slave in Egypt, before the Exodus.
I am reminded of another Bris my father did – Tisha Be’av 2012. It was a small affair with perhaps just about a minyan. As the baby was leaving the room crying, an old man – a survivor – muttered under his breath “born to suffer”. (This comment actually sparked off an hour long conversation with the survivor regarding his experiences during the war – a particularly apt discussion for Tisha Be’av).
As we start the Book of Shemos perhaps we can gain some insight into the meaning of Exile and suffering. The opening Medresh on the Book of Shemos is a real eye-opener. The Medresh opens with the verse in Proverbs “one who spares his rod hates his child, but he who loves him disciplines him in his youth”. The Medresh goes on to explain in great detail how Avraham had a wicked child Yishmoel because he showered on him too much love! Similarly Yitzchok had an Eisov who committed terrible sins because he was never chastised. The Medresh continues to bring a further example from King Dovid and his son Avshalom.
The Medresh concludes that Yaakov who did rebuke his sons merited that all of his twelve sons were righteous. This is alluded to in the very opening verse of Shemos, “and these are the names of the Children of Israel who were coming to Egypt – ‘es Yaakov’” Many commentators translate ‘es Yaakov’ as ‘with Yaakov’. But the Medresh tells us that we can also read that “the names of the children of Israel who were coming to Egypt were Yaakov”. I.e. all of the children are called Yaakov because they were on the level of Yaakov their father. This is because they were kept in check by his words of rebuke.
The Medresh concludes by saying that three things are only acquired through suffering. The Land of Israel, The Torah and the World to Come. Are these not the things that a Jew strives for? Well then indeed we are born to suffer!
Through pampering we are not going to achieve much – we may well go astray. The suffering, whether through tough words of rebuke or indeed sometimes the actual rod of chastisement is ultimately for a greater purpose – The Land of Israel, The Torah and the World to Come!
This opening Medresh to explain the very first verse in the Parshah is actually the backdrop to the entire Sedra and to understanding Jewish persecution – for the first time in the form of 210 years of slavery in Egypt.
The development of the abject slavery that we read about is indeed described by Moshe as “the iron crucible” [Devarim 1:8]. Rashi explains that the iron crucible was used to purify gold and purge us of foreign elements. Says the K’sav V’hakaloh, the reason Hashem subjected us to harsh and cruel years in the Egyptian exile was to purge us. Many negative, baser character traits and even people who were entirely unworthy were left behind in the furnace of Egypt.
May our suffering come to an end as we fully receive -The Land of Israel, The Torah and the World to Come.
Good Shabbos, Yaakov