The Arizal writes that the exile of Egypt represented golus hadaas, an exile of ‘daas.’ Daas, which is a form of understanding, is the ability to understand any given reality so comprehensively that its inner truth is clear to you, and you are not deceived by its outer appearance.
The yetzer hara tries to confuse us by pulling us in many different directions at once, always rushing us to do the next thing. His goal is to pressure us so much that we ‘lose our daas,’ and fail to see the inner truth of reality – that Hashem is with us at all times, guiding every step of our life with love and compassion.
Pull out (not part of actual article) The yetzer hara tries to pressure us to try to make us ‘lose our daas,’ blinding us from seeing Hashem
During these weeks when the Torah reading discusses the redemption of the Jewish people from exile, part of our avodah is to free ourselves from the golus hadaas that we may find ourselves in, by working on yeshuv hadaas, allowing ourselves to experience presence of mind, composure, and tranquility.
This is done by inviting Hashem’s presence into every space of discomfort and stress. Hashem is already there, but without daas we don’t experience His presence. We don’t have to fully understand how to navigate or resolve the challenge or pressure we find ourselves in. We just need to take a few minutes or even a few seconds to reinforce our foundation of Emunah, by remembering that: “Hashem is present in every single place, and everything is from Hashem. Hashem orchestrates everything that happens in my life, and no person or circumstance can independently do anything that affects me unless it is a vessel through which Hashem orchestrates His will for me in this world.”
The yetzer hara knows that, when we are present and mindful of Hashem’s presence, we have no interest in sinning. This is why his first move is to pressure us and stress us out. He tells us we have to do this, that, and the other nothing, right now, immediately, before it’s too late!
Sometimes he’ll try to trick us by falsely claiming that what he’s rushing us to do is really a mitzvah or required by Halachah. He’s trying to pull at our yetzer hatov to help him conceal Hashem’s presence from us! If he’s trying to falsely “pull the halachah card on you,” you can respond with your own ‘halachah.’ Tell your yetzer hara that kol she’ein lo daas hu katan, anyone who doesn’t have daas is considered a child, and children are exempt from mitzvos. Since you don’t have daas – mindful awareness of Hashem’s presence – you are exempt from the halachah card he is trying to pull on you. Checkmate.
In this week’s parsha, Hashem refers to the Jewish people as b’ni bechori Yisroel, my child, my firstborn, the people of Israel. This is a time that the Jewish people hit their spiritual rock bottom, having descended to the 49th level of impurity. Hashem reminds us that no matter where we find ourselves spiritually, we are still his beloved, cherished, firstborn child.
Take it To Go
No matter how low a Yid falls, Anochi eireid imcha mitzrayma, Hashem will descend into exile along with you (Bereishis 46:4). The goal is to take a few moments to remind ourselves, even when we have no daas and struggle to see Hashem’s presence, that He is right there at that very moment, looking at us lovingly, as ‘b’ni bechori Yisroel.’ Then we receive the gift of yishuv hadaas, and the fulfillment of anochi a’alcha gom oleh, I will surely ascend back up with you (Ibid). Then we can take the Presence of Hashem to a place of redemption, joy, and light, with peace of mind and serenity.
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 20.
