Devarim (2a): Projecting our feelings

When giving Mussar to the Jewish people, Moshe Rabbeinu quotes Am Yisrael as saying that they felt as if Hashem took them out of Egypt to spite them  because of a secret, scheming hatred towthards them. בשנאת ה' אותנו הוציאנו מארץ מצרים. This connects to the verse in Yirmiyah (12:8) that says - נתנה עלי בקולה על כן שנאתיה - "The Jews raised their voices gainst Me (in protest), therefore I have hated her." Harsh words.

 

In other words:

בשנאת ה' אותנו creates the reality of על כן שנאתיה

Caught the connection?

The Sfas Emes zy"a (Dvarim תרמ"ב) explains that the meaning of the connection is as follows:

The fact that Am Yisrael lodged complaints about their redemption set the stage for the process to eventually reverse itself. They were unappreciative of their Geulah, so they went back to Galus. We misinterpreted an act of sheer love to be a stroke of cunning. Hashem didn't hate us when He took out of Mitzrayim. חס ושלום. The Divine Fury only entered the picture once we ourselves dreamed it into being.

 

This is the meaning of what we said above: Only once Am Yisrael said בשנאת ה' אותנו, did it it become possible to hear Hashem say על כן שנאתיה. What can be the Tikun?

 

This wrong needs to be made right at the source. Listen to a delicate idea... If the Galus was rooted in misinterpeting the Geulah as hate, then it's rectification is found in it's diametric opposite: correctly interpereting the Galus as an act of love.

 

Chazal (Avos 6:6) praise the Midah of אוהב את התוכחות, one who loves rebuke. The deeper meaning of אוהב את התוכחות is he who is able to correctly receive the love that it contained in the rebuke. As the Passuk says, אשר יאהב ה' יוכיח - Hashem rebukes the ones that He loves.

בשנאת ה' אותנו created the reality of על כן שנאתיה, we imagined a hidden hate, but if we learn to be אוהב את התוכחות, then we can reveal the hidden affection.

 

Practical thought: Hashem is so good. But sometimes my lack of appreciation and small state of mind let me twist things inside out. I see bad in the good, yet fail to see the good in the bad. Hashem, help me see properly.

 

More on this to come...