Parshas Pekudei
1. The conclusion and seal of Sefer Shemos is "בכל מסעיהם" ("in all their journeys"). And since the theme of this book is, as the Midrash1 says, that it is the book "שבו יצאו ישראל מאפילה לאורה" ("in which the Jewish people went out from darkness to light"), it follows that the matter of going out from darkness to light is expressed primarily in the words "in all their journeys," for "הכל הולך אחר החיתום" ("everything follows the conclusion").2 We therefore need to understand: What is the connection between "in all their journeys" and the going out from darkness to light?
We also need to understand the wording of the aforementioned Midrash: At the beginning of the book, what is related (is not how the Jewish people went out of exile, but the opposite) is "הבאים מצרימה" ("who came to Egypt") — how the Children of Israel came into exile.3 How, then, can the Midrash characterize the entire book4 as one whose theme is "in which the Jewish people went out from darkness to light"?
2. We will understand this by first introducing the simple meaning of "in all their journeys": "their journeys" here refers (not to their travels, but) to the places where they encamped,5 their encampments. And the term "their journeys" is as Rashi explains: "לפי שממקום החני׳ חזרו ונסעו לכך נקראו כולן מסעות" ("Because from the place of encampment they turned back and set out again, they are therefore all called 'journeys'").
But this is not understood: Concerning the encampments in the desert the Gemara6 says, "כיון דכתיב7 על פי ה׳ יחנו ועל פי ה׳ יסעו כמאן דקביע להו דמי" ("Since it is written, 'At the word of the L‑rd they shall encamp and at the word of the L‑rd they shall journey,' it is as though they were permanently established"). How, then, can the verse call the places of encampment by the name "journeys" because "from the place of encampment they turned back and set out again," when their encampment was in a manner of "קבע" ("permanence")?
We must therefore say that the verse's calling the encampments by the name "journeys" is (not because something was lacking in the encampments, on account of their being temporary or the like, but, on the contrary) because each encampment was a preparation for the "journey" that came after it. Consequently, the encampments possessed within themselves (not only the virtue of encampment in a manner of "permanence," but) also the virtue of "journeys."
3. The explanation of this is as follows:
It has already been discussed several times8 that the Jewish people are not a means for carrying out an intention whose purpose consists in something else; rather, the purpose lies in them themselves8* [unlike the entire creation, in which the purpose does not lie in itself, and which was created solely "בשביל ישראל ובשביל התורה" ("for the sake of Israel and for the sake of the Torah")9].
From this it is understood that the same applies to the ascents that Jews make, as it is written, "ילכו מחיל אל חיל" ("They go from strength to strength").10 That is to say: although each level is an introduction and preparation for a higher level that the Jew will reach later, this is not in a way that the lower level is (merely) a servant to another matter; rather, in this very thing its own purpose consists:
The refinement and purification that Jews accomplish in the matters of the world [by using worldly matters "לשם שמים" ("for the sake of Heaven"), and even when they make out of the physical things themselves a mitzvah11] is only "מכאן ולהבא" ("from then onward"). The entire world was created from the very outset12 only so that Jews should make of it a dwelling place for Him, may He be blessed. But since the world is only a means, as stated above,11 it follows that the (time and) state in which the physical thing existed before the refinement is nothing more than a preparation for the refinement, in the way that one matter is a preparation for a second matter;
By contrast, as for the Jewish people, since the purpose lies in them themselves (in all their matters13), through this progression "from strength to strength," when the lower level brings about the higher level, its own purpose is fulfilled. That is, the previous state itself becomes elevated in the higher level.
4. And this is the explanation of why the places of encampment of the Jewish people possess (not only their own virtue, but) also the virtue of the "journeys": Through the fact that "from the place of encampment they turned back and set out again," they themselves became elevated in the matter of the "journeys."15
And although the (actual) ascent comes only at the time of the journey that follows the encampment, nevertheless, since the intention of the encampment from the very outset is (also) for the sake of the journey that follows it, then inwardly and in a concealed way it is already a journey beforehand as well.
5. On the verse "אלה מסעי בני ישראל אשר יצאו מארץ מצרים" ("These are the journeys of the Children of Israel who went out of the land of Egypt"), the Alter Rebbe explains16 that the reason it says "journeys" in the plural — which means that with each of the forty-two journeys they "went out of the land of Egypt," although from physical Egypt they left immediately with the first journey, from Ramses to Sukkos — is that as long as they had not yet reached the Jordan at Jericho, they were still in the category of "מצרים" ("Egypt"), a term related to "מיצר וגבול" ("constraint and limitation"), and with each journey there took place a "יציאת מצרים" ("going out of Egypt").
From this it is understood that the difference between the "journeys" and the "encampments" is analogous to the difference between the exile of Egypt and the going out of Egypt:
During the travels, since through them they came closer (also in place) to the Jordan at Jericho, they were in the process of going out of "Egypt" — redemption. And during the encampments, when they stopped in one place and did not move in the direction of the Jordan at Jericho — although then, too, they were coming closer with every moment (in time) [to the end of the forty years that they had to be in the desert, closer] to the Jordan at Jericho — nevertheless, the matter of encampment itself is a motion of holding oneself back17 (for that while) from going out of (Egypt) the desert, and it therefore points to the matter of exile.
6. From this it is understood that by calling the "encampments" by the name "their journeys," the verse indicates that the matter of redemption that exists also during the time of encampment is not only because with every moment one comes closer to the Jordan at Jericho, to the redemption and the going out from the desert, but also on account of the matter of encampment itself — exile itself.
For since the intention of "גלינו מארצנו" ("we were exiled from our land") is for the sake of the lofty revelations that will be in the future redemption (which cannot be reached in any other way), then although with regard to the exile itself, it is merely a preparation for the redemption (as one matter is a preparation for a second matter), with regard to the Jewish people, the "we were exiled" itself is (inwardly and in a concealed way) a matter of redemption, as stated above in section 4.
7. Based on the above, we will also understand how the words "in all their journeys" are the seal and sum total of the whole book of "ואלה שמות בני ישראל" ("And these are the names of the Children of Israel") — which comes after Sefer Bereishis, where the account is about the Avos:18
The Avos were higher than the world19 ("עולם," a term related to20 "העלם," "concealment"), and because the intention is a "דירה בתחתונים" ("dwelling place in the lower realms"), the "מעשה אבות" ("deeds of the Avos") are (only "ריחות" ("fragrances")21 and) merely a "סימן" ("sign") (and preparation) for the children,22 since it is they, the children specifically, who carried out this intention.
And this is the sequence of the narratives and events related in Sefer Shemos:
At the beginning of the book, the descent below is related: how the "Children of Israel"23 came to Egypt, and the darkness of the exile. Then is related the drawing down of G‑dliness that was drawn below through the going out of Egypt; later — through the Giving of the Torah;24 and after that — through the erection of the Mishkan.25
So after the verse relates the ultimate elevation26 — "וכבוד ה׳ מלא את המשכן" ("And the glory of the L‑rd filled the Mishkan") — it immediately makes clear with the words "in all their journeys" that (the "מקום חנייתן" ("place of their encampment") as well is called a "journey," meaning that) this very elevation had begun (inwardly) already at the time of "who came to Egypt,"27 since its theme, too, is "in which they went out from darkness to light."
(From the sichos of Shabbos Parshas Pekudei 5730, and elsewhere.)
Notes
1) Bereishis Rabbah 3:5. See also Ramban at the end of our parsha: "ספר הגאולה" ("the Book of Redemption").
2) Berachos 12a.
3) All the more so since the descent ("who came to Egypt") in Parshas Shemos is a greater descent than the descent ("who came to Egypt") mentioned earlier in Parshas Vayigash (see above, p. 28, and sources cited there).
4) Also: What is the connection of all the sidros that come after the account of the Exodus to "in which the Jewish people went out from darkness to light"?
5) For only then was "ענן ה׳ על המשכן" ("the cloud of the L‑rd upon the Mishkan"), whereas when they journeyed it was "בהעלות הענן מעל המשכן" ("when the cloud was lifted from over the Mishkan") (above, verse 36).
6) Eruvin 55b.
7) Behaaloscha 9:20, 23.
8) See Likkutei Sichos vol. 5, p. 246.
8*) In Likkutei Torah, Re'eh 28d ff., he proves from the saying of our Sages (end of ch. 6 of Avos) "כל מה שברא הקב"ה לא בראו אלא לכבודו" ("Everything that the Holy One, blessed be He, created, He created only for His glory"), and from the saying of our Sages (end of tractate Kiddushin) "ואני נבראתי לשמש את קוני" ("And I was created to serve my Maker"), that the creation of man as well (and his intent there is the Jewish people — "אתם קרויין אדם" ("you are called 'man'") — as is understood from the continuation of the discussion there) is (not only for the sake of man himself, but) for His glory, may He be blessed. However,* see Likkutei Sichos vol. 5, there (and in note 40), that since Israel and the Holy One, blessed be He, are entirely one, this very fact that they were created to serve their Maker is their very existence; see there at length. See also Ohr HaTorah, Tisa, p. 1879: "מה שלכבודו בראתי זהו שיהי׳ חולק הכבוד ליראיו" ("'that which I created for My glory' means that He should accord honor to those who fear Him").
*) See also Likkutei Sichos vol. 24, p. 163, note 44.
9) Sources are cited in Likkutei Sichos vol. 5, p. 159, note 62.
10) Tehillim 84:8. See also the end of Berachos; the end of Moed Katan; Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe, Orach Chaim, beginning of sec. 155.
11) On the difference between these two matters, see the maamar beginning "וירד ה׳" 5662; and the maamar Bereishis 5705, ch. 30.
12) See at length Tanya, ch. 36. And there (46a): "שלכך נברא מתחלתו" ("for this purpose it was created from its very beginning").
13) See above (p. 91 ff.) that the intention "for the sake of Israel and for the sake of the Torah" is the very substance of the creation itself [which is why the coming into being of the created beings was on condition that they would do the will of the tzaddikim, even though this is not in their nature; and at the Splitting of the Sea, by having fulfilled its condition, "שב הים לאיתנו" ("the sea returned to its strength") — that is, it was given strength, the quality of eternity (like the eternity of the Jewish people)].
Nevertheless, it is understood that the world is only secondary to Israel and Torah; it is just that this very matter (that the world was created for the sake of Israel and Torah) is not something added on to the creation, but rather is its very existence. That is why also in the Time to Come [the OCR reads לעיל], when the intention of a "dwelling place in the lower realms" will be completed, the nations of the world (of the species of speaker, the highest class in this world) will be secondary to the Jewish people: "ועמדו זרים ורעו גו׳" ("Strangers shall stand and tend...") (Likkutei Torah, Shelach 43, end of side a. See also Tanya, end of ch. 37).
14) To the extent that even with a sin that a Jew commits, the purpose in it is the elevation that will come afterward through teshuvah. And although the sin itself is contrary to His will, may He be blessed, and its breaking is its only remedy, nevertheless, as regards the Jew who commits the sin — since he will certainly ultimately do teshuvah — the elevation that will be his afterward through teshuvah is present inwardly and in a concealed way even beforehand (see at length Likkutei Sichos vol. 5, p. 65 ff., and in the notes there).
On this basis, it is all the better understood why through teshuvah (from love) "נעקר עונו מתחלתו" ("his sin is uprooted from its very beginning") (Yoma 86, end of side a, and Rashi there), even though the cause of the uprooting of the sin is the teshuvah, and every effect comes after its cause: because (in addition to the reasons explained above, p. 54, [OCR unclear: הרן]) the intention in the sin itself with regard to the Jew (unlike with regard to the sin, which is contrary to the Divine will, as stated above) is the elevation that comes through teshuvah.
(Therefore, teshuvah from fear is effective only from then onward (Yoma there), for since the reason his sin is uprooted from its very beginning through teshuvah is the elevation brought about thereby, teshuvah from fear, through which willful sins become merely as unintentional sins (Yoma there, side b) — since no elevation came about through the sin and the teshuvah for it (on the contrary, even after the teshuvah, "unintentional sins" remain with him, and he is on a lower level than he was before the sin) — is not effective retroactively.)
15) Accordingly, the fact that the places of encampment are called "journeys" not only does not contradict "it is as though they were permanently established," but on the contrary, it further strengthens their permanence, since they also contain the virtues of the encampments that follow them. On this basis, it is all the better understood why the Gemara there also quotes "and at the word of the L‑rd they shall journey" (even though, seemingly, what is relevant there is only "at the word of the L‑rd they shall encamp").
16) Likkutei Torah, Masei 88c ff.
17) See Devarim 1:46: "ותשבו בקדש" ("And you remained in Kadesh"), and Rashi (on Tazria 12:4) that it is a term of delay (see at length Likkutei Sichos vol. 7, p. 80 ff.).
18) See Avodah Zarah 25a: "מאי ספר הישר . . זה ספר אברהם יצחק ויעקב שנקראו ישרים" ("What is the Book of the Upright? . . This is the book of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, who are called upright"). See also Toras Chaim (Lech 86d ff.; Shemos 135b ff.) that Sefer Bereishis is "שרש ומקור למצות שיכתבו בס׳ שמות ושאר ספרים" ("the root and source of the mitzvos that would be written in Sefer Shemos and the other books").
19) See Tanya, ch. 23 (28b): "שכל אבריהם היו קדושים ומובדלים מעניני עוה"ז" ("all their limbs were holy and separated from the matters of this world").
20) Likkutei Torah, Shelach 36d. The maamar beginning "על ג"ד" ש"ה, at its beginning.
21) Shir HaShirim Rabbah 1:3. See also the maamar beginning "אריב"ל בשעה שעלה" 5750, sec. 9, that one of the reasons for this is "שלא הי׳ להם העלמות והסתרים מצד הגוף" ("that they did not have concealments and hiddenness on account of the body").
22) Ramban on Lech 12:6. See also Toras Chaim there.
23) By contrast, the matter of exile did not apply to the Avos (see at length Likkutei Sichos vol. 3, p. 847); which is why "כל זמן שיוסף הי׳ קיים לא הי׳ להם משוי של מצרים" ("as long as Yosef was alive, they bore no burden of Egypt") (Shemos Rabbah 1:4; see at length above, p. 28 ff.), for Yosef is the one who reveals the matter of Yaakov* (see there, p. 31, and sources cited there).
*) The matter of the Avos (see Likkutei Sichos vol. 5, p. 241, note 17). See also Likkutei Levi Yitzchak on Tanya, p. 50, that in Yosef (Yesod) there is drawn down from all three Avos. This is why the numerical value of Yosef is three times "בן" ("son") — for he is in the category of a son to all three Avos. Note also that the conclusion of Sefer HaYashar (see above, note 18) is "וימת יוסף" ("And Yosef died"). See also Toras Chaim, Lech 85c.
24) The purpose of the Exodus (Shemos 3:12; see Torah Ohr 67, end of side b: "ואז" "אשר הוצאתיך מארץ מצרים" ("...who took you out of the land of Egypt"); see at length Likkutei Sichos vol. 1, p. 265 ff.).
25) Which is loftier even than the Giving of the Torah. For the joining of the higher and lower realms newly established at the time of the Giving of the Torah is the drawing down of G‑dliness into the mitzvos that are physical, whereas at the erection of the Mishkan what was newly established was that "ושכנתי בתוכם" ("and I will dwell among them") should apply also to permitted matters — "בכל דרכיך דעהו" ("in all your ways know Him") (see at length Likkutei Sichos vol. 3, p. 908).
On this basis it will be understood why all of Sefer Shemos is the book "in which the Jewish people went out from darkness to light" (see above, note 4): for the matters of this world (in themselves) are darkness (see Bava Metzia 83b), and when they become vessels for G‑dliness — which is the substance of all the parshiyos of Sefer Shemos — this is the going out from darkness to light.
26) See Likkutei Sichos there and in the note there, that all the parshiyos in Sefer Shemos are in an order ascending from below to above. See also there, p. 934; see there.
27) See also Shemos Rabbah 1:5: "ואלה שמות בני ישראל — על שם גאולת ישראל נזכרו כאן" ("'And these are the names of the Children of Israel' — they are mentioned here by reason of the redemption of Israel").
Key Lesson
This Sicha teaches that a Jew's every stage, even a pause, a low point, or exile itself, is not merely a stepping stone to something else; when one moves onward from it, that very stage is elevated and fulfills its own purpose. The Torah therefore calls even the encampments "journeys," and the descent into Egypt is already part of the book of going out from darkness to light. So too, the present exile, inwardly and in a concealed way, is already part of the redemption.