"And the daughter of Pharaoh came down"

Synopsis

The opening discussion of the title verse reveals that it contains an allusion to the attribute of Judgment that comes down to bathe in the blood of Yisrael when they separate from and neglect the Torah. Rabbi Yehuda then speaks about the importance of repentance and prayer, especially prayer accompanied by weeping. The Shechinah stands over Yisrael and argues their merits. When She saw the children of Yisrael repent before God with tearful supplications, She had great compassion for them and considered them as gentle and good in contrast to the other stubborn and hard-hearted nations.

Rabbi Yitzchak then reiterates the concept that the redemption of Yisrael depends on weeping. We learn that the tears Esau wept before his father over his lost birthright brought Yisrael into captivity. When the force of Esau's tears is exhausted, the redemption of Yisrael will arrive.

Relevance

When a man succumbs to his Evil Inclination - his impulsive, reactive desires that gratify himself alone - he severs his connection to the Light of the Creator. The result is darkness and judgment.

We learn that genuine tears of remorse can atone for our failures and our misdeeds incited by our own selfishness, because the Zohar states that "there is no gate that these tears cannot enter." As we awaken remorse now, tears of Light flow to the highest supernal dimensions to wash away harsh judgments, severe verdicts, and deadly decrees set forth against us and against the world. These tears now soften even the hardest of hearts. They soften our own hearts and the hearts of our enemies.

The love and tears that a mother sheds for her children are, perhaps, the strongest force of energy and love in the universe. Rachel, the mother of all the world's children, weeps for us now, for our pain, for our suffering, for our self-imposed exile from the Creator. Upon her merit, we are redeemed, everlastingly. The love of a mother stirs and inspires. As we draw this unconditional flow of love to our souls now, we are enlightened and thus motivated to emulate constantly the ways of our Creator, which is to express unending care and concern for others. Our exile is ended. Tears of joy are the only tears we shall ever know.

Blood Daughter Judgment Maidens Pharaoh, The Rivers Torah

202. "And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river" (Shemot 2:5). When the children of Yisrael severed themselves from the Torah, "the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river," immediately. The attribute of Judgment, WHICH IS CALLED 'THE DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH,' would come down to wash herself with the blood of Yisrael, MEANING WITH THEIR BLEMISH, because of the disregard of the Torah - BECAUSE 'RIVER' MEANS TORAH. "And her maidens walked along by the river's side," because of the disregard to the Torah, for those who studied it loosened their hands from it.

202. וַתֵּרֶד בַּת פַּרְעֹה לִרְחוֹץ עַל הַיְאוֹר. בְּשַׁעֲתָא דַּהֲווּ פַּסְקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאוֹרַיְיתָא, מִיָּד וַתֵּרֶד בַּת פַּרְעֹה לִרְחוֹץ עַל הַיְאוֹר. הֲוָת נַחְתַּת מִדַּת הַדִּין, לְאִסְתַּחֲאָה מִדָּמָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, עַל עֶלְבּוֹנָה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא. וְנַעֲרוֹתֶיהָ הוֹלְכוֹת עַל יַד הַיְאוֹר, אִלֵּין אוּמַיָּא, דְּאִינּוּן אַזְלִין וְרַדְפִין אֲבַּתְרַיְיהוּ, עַל יַד הַיְאוֹר, עַל סִבַּת עֶלְבּוֹנָה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְאִינּוּן דְּמוֹרִים בָּהּ, דְּרָפוּ יְדַיְיהוּ מִינָהּ.

Children Gates Merit Prayer Repentance Shechinah

203. א"ר יְהוּדָה, כָּל מִלִּין דְּעָלְמָא, תַּלְיָין בִּתְשׁוּבָה, וּבִצְלוֹתָא דְּצַלֵּי ב"נ לקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן, מַאן דְּאוֹשִׁיד דִּמְעִין בִּצְלוֹתֵיהּ, דְּלֵית לָךְ תַּרְעָא, דְּלָא עָאלִין אִינּוּן דִּמְעִין. מַה כְּתִיב וַתִּפְתַּח וַתִּרְאֵהוּ אֶת הַיֶּלֶד. וַתִּפְתַּח, דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא, דְּקַיְּימָא עָלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּאִימָּא עַל בְּנִין, וְהִיא פָּתְחָה תָּדִיר בִּזְכוּתֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל.

Children Israel Jeremiah Rachel Repentance Sin

204. As soon as she opened it, "she saw the child," MEANING "a darling child" (Yirmeyah 31:19), referring to the children of Yisrael who are constantly sinning before their King. But they immediately beseeched the Holy One, blessed be He; they returned in repentance and wept before Him as a son weeps before his father. As it is written, "Behold, a weeping boy" (Shemot 2:6). Since he wept, all the difficult decrees were removed from him. It is written, "And she had compassion on him" (Ibid.), because she was stirred with compassion and she pitied him.

204. כֵּיוָן שֶׁפָּתְחָה, וַתִּרְאֵהוּ אֶת הַיֶּלֶד, יֶלֶד שַׁעֲשׁוּעִים. דְּאִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּמִתְחַטָּאן קָמֵי מַלְכֵיהוֹן בְּכֹלָּא, וּמִיָּד דְּמִתְחַנְּנָן קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, הַדְרֵי בִּתְשׁוּבָה, וּבָכָאן קָמֵיהּ, כִּבְרָא דְּבָכֵי קָמֵי אֲבוֹי, מַה כְּתִיב, וְהִנֵּה נַעַר בּוֹכֶה. כֵּיוָן דְּבָכֵי, אִתְעַדוּ כָּל גִּזְרִין בִּישִׁין דְּעָלְמָא, מַה כְּתִיב וַתַּחְמוֹל עָלָיו, אִתְּעַר עֲלוֹי בְּרַחֲמִים, וּמְרַחֵם לֵיהּ.

Children Idolatry Jeremiah Merit Rachel Repentance

205. "And said, 'This is one of the Hebrews' children'" (Ibid.). For they are soft-hearted, not children of the idol worshippers, who are stiff-necked and hard-hearted. "...The Hebrews' children..." are soft-hearted in THE MERIT OF the fathers and mothers, to repent before their Master. "And the maid went and called the child's mother" (Ibid. 8). THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO RACHEL THE MATRIARCH who was weeping. This is the verse, "A voice was heard in Rama, lamentation, and bitter weeping: Rachel weeping for her children..." (Yirmeyah 31:14). And he is crying, MEANING YISRAEL, and the mother of the child is weeping, REFERRING TO RACHEL, THE MOTHER OF YISRAEL.

205. וַתֹּאמֶר מִיַּלְדֵי הָעִבְרִים זֶה, דְּאִינּוּן רַכֵּי לִבָּא, וְלָא מִיַּלְדֵי העכו"ם, דְּאִינּוּן קְשֵׁי קְדַל, וּקְשֵׁי לִבָּא. מִיַּלְדֵי הָעִבְרִים רַכֵּי לִבָּא מֵאֲבָהָן וּמֵאִמָּהָן לְאָתָבָא קָמֵי מָארֵיהוֹן. וַתִּקְרָא אֶת אֵם הַיָּלֶד. שֶׁהָיְתָה בּוֹכָה, הה"ד, קוֹל בְּרָמָה נִשְׁמָע נְהִי בְּכִי תַמְרוּרִים רָחֵל מְבַכָּה עַל בָּנֶיהָ וְגוֹ,' הוּא בּוֹכֶה וְאֵם הַיֶּלֶד הִיא בּוֹכָה.

Children Esau Exile Jeremiah Merit Rachel Redemption and Salvation

206. Rabbi Yehuda said, Concerning the future, this is what is written: "They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them" (Ibid. 8). HE ASKS, What is the meaning of, "They shall come with weeping?" AND HE ANSWERS, In the merit of the weeping of the mother of the child, THE MOTHER OF YISRAEL, who is Rachel, they will come, and will be gathered from the exile. Rabbi Yitzchak said, The redemption of Yisrael is dependent only upon weeping, MEANING when the tears that Esau wept before his father will be finished and come to an end. THEN THEY WILL BE REDEEMED, as is written, "And Esau raised his voice and wept" (Beresheet 27:38). These tears lowered Yisrael into exile. THEREFORE, as soon as these tears cease through the weeping of Yisrael, they will go out of exile. This is the meaning of, "They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them."

206. א"ר יְהוּדָה, לְזִמְנָא דְּאָתֵי מַה כְּתִיב, בִּבְכִי יָבוֹאוּ וּבְתַחֲנוּנִים וְגוֹ.' מַהוּ בִּבְכִי יָבוֹאוּ. בִּזְכוּת בְּכִי דְּאֵם הַיֶּלֶד, שֶׁהִיא רָחֵל, יָבוֹאוּ וְיִתְכַּנְשׁוּן מִן גָּלוּתָא. וְאָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, פּוּרְקָנָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לָא תַּלְיָא אֶלָּא בִּבְכִי, כַּד יִשְׁתַּלְּמוּן וְיִכְלוּן, בְּכִי דְּמָעוֹת דְּבָכָה עֵשָׂו קָמֵי אָבִיו, דִּכְתִּיב וְיִשָּׂא עֵשָׂו קוֹלוֹ וַיֵּבְךְ. וְאִינּוּן דִּמְעִין, אֲחִיתוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגָלוּתֵיהּ. כֵּיוָן דְּיִכְלוּן אִינּוּן דִּמְעִין בְּבִכְיָה דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, יִפְקוּן מִגָּלוּתֵיהּ, הה"ד בִּבְכִי יָבוֹאוּ וּבְתַחֲנוּנִים אוֹבִילֵם.