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Never Again: D’var Torah for Parshat Va’era

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This coming week, we will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. In anticipation of that moment, the Torah, at the beginning of Parshat Va’era, gives an important message to us.

Hashem gives a promise that He will deliver the people of Israel from Egypt with these words: “Vehotzeti etchem mittachat sivlot Mitzrayim.” “I will bring you out from the burdens of Egypt.”

The Chiddushei Harim brilliantly explains that the term “sivlot” – burdens, representing the suffering of our people – comes from the same root as two other words. One is “savlanut” (patience), and the other is “suvlanot” (tolerance).

He explains that sometimes, under the crushing weight of oppression, when one recognises that one is exceptionally weak, one exercises patience. One says, “Let’s wait for a time when we’ll be stronger, and then we will stand up to the oppressor.” And, in the course of time, when that doesn’t happen, then the “savlanut” becomes translated into “suvlanot.” One becomes tolerant of an awful situation, and it becomes a way of life.

So, the Torah here conveys to us a critically important message: in the face of wickedness, there is no room for patience. We cannot wait. Immediately, we need to tackle the oppressor in order to neutralise the threat, and there most definitely is no place for tolerance when we are confronted by intolerance and evil.

So, at a time when we recall those horrific events of over 80 years ago, when some six million precious Jewish souls were murdered, let us guarantee that in the face of any evil in the future, we will stand firm, and we, together with others, will not allow such oppression to take place.

The message of our parsha to us is: Never again!

 

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