Mitzrayim & Galut
Avraham went down to Egypt. Yitzchak almost did. Yosef ended up there and as a result, so did Yaakov and his entire family. Join Rabbi Dr. Stuart Fischman and explore how Mitzrayim, Egypt, became much more than just a symbol of exile but exemplified the exiles the Jewish People would experience from then on.
Mitzrayim & Galut: Mitzrayim & Galut Event
Hello Everyone,
Exile and redemption are the touchstones of Jewish history. We left the Promised Land for Egypt at the very beginning of our story as a people. We returned to the Land of Israel after the exile in Egypt but we were exiled from our homeland twice, once by the Babylonians and once by the Romans.
Both in תנ”ך and in the Rabbinic teachings exile is understood to be the final punishment that Hashem visits upon us as a punishment for our sins. In the Torah there are chapters referred to as the פרשות התוכחה- “chapters of rebuke.” In both of these passages the ultimate punishment is exile from the Land of Israel. In the Musaf prayers on holidays we say “. ומפני חטאינו גלינו מארצינו..”
In the coming classes I wish to study with you the exile to Egypt. This exile poses a particular challenge: why did it happen? The entire story of Joseph and his brothers , from Joseph’s sale into slavery until his rise to power in Egypt leaves no doubt that it is a story of Hashem managing human events. But why did the Divine plan call for our being enslaved in exile? If exile is a punishment for sin, then what sin led to this catastrophic punishment?
In the course of the coming classes we will see how various commentators from Chazal to early 20th century Chasidic teachers explained the exile in Egypt.
As always, I appreciate hearing from everyone who listens to the classes in the WebYeshiva. My e-mail address is fish9999@gmail.com, please feel free to write to me.
Stuart Fischman
Mitzrayim & Galut: Mitzrayim & Galut Event
Hello Everyone,
In this class we will discuss an enigmatic passage from the prophecies of יחזקאל הנביא and how it influenced Chazal’s understanding of the exile and ultimate redemption from Egypt.
Rabbi Dr. Stuart Fischman graduated from Yeshiva University in 1980 and the dental school of Columbia University in 1985. In 1989 he began studying and teaching at Yeshivat Hamivtar and now studies and teaches at Yeshivat Machanaim in Efrat. He has rabbinic ordination from Rav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg.