Creating the Light of Moshiach... in the Darkness
A lesson from the Tiferes Shlomo Parshas Vayeshev
After the sale of Yosef, the Torah digresses to tell us about events in Yehudah’s personal life, concluding the birth of Peretz and Zerach.
The Midrash teaches that at the time the brothers sold Yosef into slavery, Yosef was occupied with his fasting and sackcloth. Reuven was involved in his fasting and sackcloth… Yaakov was involved in his fasting and sackcloth. What was Hashem doing? He was creating the light of Moshiach.
What is the connection between the fasting, sackcloth and mourning and the creation of the light of Moshiach?
The Tiferes Shlomo presents an explanation, based on the principle in Jewish philosophy that nothing can emerge to its full actualisation without there first being an absolute state of negation (העדר) and nothingness. The absence itself serves as the cause of the creation that follows it.
We see this at the beginning of Creation. The creation of light came as a result of the darkness that preceded it. Like the act of Creation, the existence of any light that Hashem showers on a person, only comes when it is preceded by a state of darkness.
This is the inner meaning of the suffering of Exile. It is only through this darkness that Hashem will save us and bring us to the greater light of Redemption. This is why the Neviim liken Golus to the birth pangs of labour which proceed the birth, which represents the Geulah.
The birth of Peretz and Zerach allude to Moshiach; Peretz being the ancestor of Moshiach and Zerach meaning to shine, representing the light of Moshiach.
In the depths of great darkness, when the entire family of Yaakov were suffering, then “the light shone in the darkness for the upright”, as Hashem brought forth the light of Moshiach.
The Midrash teaches that at the time the brothers sold Yosef into slavery, Yosef was occupied with his fasting and sackcloth. Reuven was involved in his fasting and sackcloth… Yaakov was involved in his fasting and sackcloth. What was Hashem doing? He was creating the light of Moshiach.
What is the connection between the fasting, sackcloth and mourning and the creation of the light of Moshiach?
The Tiferes Shlomo presents an explanation, based on the principle in Jewish philosophy that nothing can emerge to its full actualisation without there first being an absolute state of negation (העדר) and nothingness. The absence itself serves as the cause of the creation that follows it.
We see this at the beginning of Creation. The creation of light came as a result of the darkness that preceded it. Like the act of Creation, the existence of any light that Hashem showers on a person, only comes when it is preceded by a state of darkness.
This is the inner meaning of the suffering of Exile. It is only through this darkness that Hashem will save us and bring us to the greater light of Redemption. This is why the Neviim liken Golus to the birth pangs of labour which proceed the birth, which represents the Geulah.
The birth of Peretz and Zerach allude to Moshiach; Peretz being the ancestor of Moshiach and Zerach meaning to shine, representing the light of Moshiach.
In the depths of great darkness, when the entire family of Yaakov were suffering, then “the light shone in the darkness for the upright”, as Hashem brought forth the light of Moshiach.