Hashem Bypasses All of Our Calculations and Our Sins to Redeem Us

Rav Moshe Weinberger spoke, in his pre-Pesach drasha, about how the main nekuda that we had to focus on was Hashem's unabiding love for us, no matter what we have done.

He said that we see that one of Moshe's biggest questions that he sought to have answered leading up to the redemption from Egypt was why Hashem would redeem us when we were so unworthy. We see this question when Moshe saw that two Jews were fighting with each other and he said "Now I see that the thing is known," which the meforshim explain meant that now Moshe knew why they were being enslaved, because they were acting wickedly.

Rav Weinberger said though that Hashem answered Moshe that he was not redeeming the Jewish people because they were worthy, but rather, it was just because of His great love for them alone. Hashem sent this message through the Sneh, the burning bush. Moshe saw that even though the bush was being enveloped by fire which should have destroyed it, it was nevertheless not being consumed because that was Hashem's will. Moshe then underststood that similarly, the Jewish people may be full of aveiros and perhaps by all accounts, should be destroyed by Egypt. But since Hashem desires to save them they too will not be consumed by the fire of Egypt.

He shared an amazing in Medresh in Psikta D'Rav Kahana on Parshas Hachodesh (page 13 of the pdf) that goes as follows:

Moshe told them that they would be redeemed and they responded that Hashem said to Avraham (Breishis 15:13)" וַעֲבָדוּם, וְעִנּוּ אֹתָם--אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת, שָׁנָה," "And they [your descendants] will serve them [the Egyptians] and they will opress them for 400 years." But we have only been in Egypt for 210 years! He [Moshe] said to them, "Since he desires to redeem you, he is not looking at your calculations. Rather (Shir Hashirim 2:8) "מְדַלֵּג, עַל-הֶהָרִים, "He skips over mountains," over end-of-times-calculations, and "מְקַפֵּץ, עַל הַגְּבָעוֹת," "he skips over hills," this refers to calculations...

Rav Nechemia: When [Moshe] said to the Jewish people, "In this month [Nisan] you shall be redeemed," they said to him, "And how can we be redeemed?! The land of Egype is full our idols!" Moshe said to them, "Since he desires to redeem you, he does not look at your idol worthsip. Rather, (Shir Hashirim 2:8) "מְדַלֵּג, עַל-הֶהָרִים, "He skips over mountains," this refers to your idols...

Part of Rav Weinberger's main point in that drasha was that we should always remember, especially during Nisan, the month of redemption, that Hashem loves us unconditionally and just like he redeemed us from Egypt, He will redeem us with the final redemption soon in our days.

Picture courtesy of Aish Kodesh Birkas Hachama pictures. Click here to get Dixie Yid in your e-mail Inbox or here to subscribe in Google Reader.