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Vaera: Verse 7

Another explanation OF THE PASSAGE, "Trust in Hashem forever" IS THAT a person has to strengthen himself in the Holy One, blessed be He, throughout his life. No one can harm one who properly places his trust and strength in Him, since one who places his strength in the Holy Name endures forever.

Vaera: Verse 8

HE ASKS, What is the reason, AND ANSWERS, since the world endures by His Holy Name. This is the meaning of, "For Yah Hashem is an everlasting (lit. 'worlds') rock (Heb. tzur)" (Yeshayah 26:4), WHICH MEANS the former (Heb. tzayar) of worlds. For by two letters were the worlds created, this world and the World to Come. This world was created with Judgment and is maintained, NAMELY EXISTS, on Judgment. This is the meaning of, "In the beginning Elohim created" (Beresheet 1:1), AS THIS NAME ALLUDES TO JUDGMENT. The reason is so that people would conduct themselves according to judgment (law) and would not digress from the path.

Vaera: Verse 9

Come and see, It is written, "And Elohim spoke to Moses" (Shemot 6:1). THE NAME ELOHIM ALLUDES TO the decree of Judgment that is looming over him. It is written before, "And Moses returned to Hashem, and said, Adonai" (Shemot 5:22) spelled Aleph Dalet Nun Yud, WHICH IS THE NAME OF MALCHUT. See the strength of Moses, THAT AS SOON AS he started prophesying, his spirit did not rest at this place, WHICH IS MALCHUT. He said, "Adonai, why have You dealt ill with this people? why is it that You have sent me? for since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name he has done evil to this people; neither have You delivered your people at all" (Ibid. 22-23). Who CAN talk like this? Only Moses who knew that a another, higher level THAN MALCHUT was intended for him, BECAUSE HE WAS A CHARIOT TO ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH IS THE HUSBAND OF QUEEN.

Vaera: Verse 10

Rabbi Yitzchak said, at first, the house, WHICH IS MALCHUT, was given to him, FOR BEING A CHARIOT TO ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH IS THE HUSBAND OF MALCHUT, HE MERITED THE LEVEL OF MALCHUT AS HIS HOUSE, AS IT IS A HOUSE FOR ZEIR ANPIN. THEREFORE, he commanded it like a man would command his household, and spoke whatever he wished to without fear. Moses too spoke to his household, WHICH IS MALCHUT, without fear.

Vaera: Verse 11

Another explanation of, "And Elohim spoke": THIS IS the decree of Judgment, AS THE NAME ELOHIM IS JUDGMENT, NAMELY MALCHUT. "And said to him, 'I am Hashem'": This is a different grade, NAMELY, ZEIR ANPIN which is Mercy, and here everything is connected together, Judgment and Mercy TOGETHER, WHICH IS GREAT WHOLENESS. This is the meaning of, "And said to him, 'I am Hashem,'" WHICH IS THE ATTRIBUTE OF MERCY. Rabbi Shimon said, If it were written, "And Elohim spoke to Moses, 'I am Hashem,'" I would say THAT FOR HIM JUDGMENT AND MERCY WERE LINKED TOGETHER. But it is not written so. Rather, it is first written, "And Elohim spoke to Moses" and then, "And said to him, 'I am Hashem,'" which means they are a grade after another grade INSTEAD OF JUDGMENT AND MERCY LINKED TOGETHER.

Vaera: Verse 12

Rabbi Yosi said, Had not Moses been the master of the house, AS IT IS WRITTEN ABOUT HIM, "A PRAYER BY MOSES, the man of Elohim" (Tehilim 90:1), he would have been punished for saying TO ADONAI, "WHY HAVE YOU DEALT ILL WITH THIS PEOPLE..." (SHEMOT 5:22). But since HE WAS THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE, he was not punished. THIS IS LIKENED TO a man who had a quarrel with his wife, WHO WAS THE KING'S DAUGHTER, and spoke to her IMPROPER words. She started to complain, but as soon as she started speaking, the king, who was present, took over the matter, and she became silent and stopped speaking. The king said TO HER HUSBAND, Don't you know that I am the king, and that it is in my presence that you spoke these words? Similarly, so to speak, with Moses, AS IT IS WRITTEN, "And Moses returned to Hashem and said 'Adonai, why have You dealt ill...'" Immediately "Elohim spoke to Moses," WHICH IS THE ATTRIBUTE OF JUDGMENT BECAUSE THE KING'S DAUGHTER started to complain. Immediately, the King took up the complaint, "And said to him 'I am Hashem.'" Did you not know that I am King, and it is in My presence that you spoke these words?