20 January 3 • 2019
jn

Rabbi Jared 
Anstandig

Deserving Of 
Redemption

I

n Exodus 6:6-8, God tells Moses 
to stand before the people of Israel 
and tell them of their upcoming 
redemption. 
The language God uses is incredibly 
dramatic; God’
s own outstretched arm 
will deliver the people from Egypt with 
great judgments and God will finally 
fulfill His promise of the Land of Israel 
to Abraham’
s offspring. 
The Torah reports that 
Moses followed God’
s com-
mand dutifully: Vayedaber 
Moshe ken el Bnei Yisrael, 
“Moses said thus to the 
Children of Israel.
” One would 
imagine that the Israelites 
would jump for joy after 
hearing about their upcoming 
redemption. Yet, surprisingly, 
the people react negatively. 
The Torah reports: Velo shamu 
el Moshe mikotzer ruach 
ume’
avodah kasha — “They 
did not listen to Moses due to 
shortness of ruach (wind) and 
hard labor.
”
Knowing that the term “ruach” 
differs in meaning depending on 
context, biblical commentators debate 
the significance of the expression 
kotzer ruach, “shortness of wind.
” 
Furthermore, commentators address 
why this attribute would dampen the 
people’
s excitement over Moses’
 decla-
ration. Two answers, one of Rashi and 
one of Yalkut Reuveni, provide expla-
nations that speak powerfully about 
our human experiences in the world 
and provide an important lesson to us 
as readers of the Torah.
First, the prominent 11th-century 
exegete Rashi links Israel’
s “short-
ness of wind” to their “hard labor.
” 
Understanding the word “ruach” as 
connoting breath, Rashi believes that 
the back-breaking labor the Israelites 
suffered led to their exhaustion; they 
were literally short of breath. They 
rejected Moses because they did not 
have the mental capacity to appreciate 
anything he was saying due to their 
physical fatigue.
We all live busy and, at times, chaot-

ic lives. Much like the ancient Israelites, 
it can be hard for us to pull away from 
our work and preoccupations to reflect 
on some of the important issues sur-
rounding us. Rashi’
s comment speaks 
to the very human tendency of getting 
wrapped up inside our own heads. His 
comment reminds us to cherish the 
opportunities whatever opportunities 
we have to take a step back 
and reflect on our lives and the 
world that surrounds us.
Yalkut Reuveni, a 17th-cen-
tury collection of rabbinic and 
kabalistic interpretations on 
the Torah, suggests another 
meaning to the expression kot-
zer ruach, “shortness of wind.
” 
Yalkut Reuveni suggests that the 
proper translation of ruach is 
“spirituality.
” It is written that 
“The people saw that they did 
not have within them any good 
or meritorious actions.
” In other 
words, the people felt that they 
were not too short, spiritually, to 
be worthy of redemption. They 
rejected Moses, not because they were 
too tired, but because they felt unde-
serving.
At times, we too can feel that we are 
not doing enough or have not accom-
plished enough. We can swing to the 
extreme of perfectionism, like the 
Israelites, and say, “I haven’
t been per-
fect, so what’
s even the point of even 
continuing? I haven’
t behaved appro-
priately so I don’
t deserve any benefits 
or respite.
” Yalkut Reuveni reminds us 
that the redemption from Egypt and 
our current lives are not all-or-nothing 
propositions. We are fallible, but that 
does not mean that we do not deserve 
the best.
May we be able to take the lessons 
of Rashi and Yalkut Reuveni to heart, 
making the time to catch our breath 
and reflect, and also see that we are 
worthy and deserving, even while rec-
ognizing our human imperfections. ■

Rabbi Jared Anstandig is rabbi of the Orthodox 
Community at the Michigan Hillel and the 
rabbi of the Ann Arbor Orthodox Minyan.

Parshat 

Vayera: 

Exodus 

6:2-9:35; 

Ezekiel 

28:25-29:21.

spirit

torah portion
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