Daily Bitachon: Pesach and the Revelation of "Banim"
Welcome to Daily Bitachon. We continue with our thoughts on Pesach. We mentioned yesterday that the fundamental takeaways of the Seder night are Emunah (belief), Hakarat Hatov (gratitude), and ultimately Avdut—realizing "I am a servant of Hashem." If I have gratitude, I feel the need to reciprocate and rely on Him.
The Great Takeaway: "Beni Bechori Yisrael"
There is another vital point brought out by Rabbi Avigdor Miller (quoted by Rabbi Yosi Sa'ida in the name of Mr. Sam Gindi). He suggests that a central takeaway of the Seder is Beni Bechori Yisrael: The Jewish people are the children of God.
Now, I was initially bothered when I heard that because it feels like a chiddush (a novelty). It isn't explicitly written in the Torah as one of the primary "goals" of Yetziat Mitzrayim. However, as a takeaway for our lives, where do we see this? I thought of two points:
1. The Witness of the Sea
First, we say in our nightly prayers (Ga'al Yisrael) that when Hashem crossed the sea for the Jewish people:
הַמַּעֲבִיר בָּנָיו בֵּין גִּזְרֵי יַם סוּף
"He took His children through the splittings of the Red Sea."
And then:
רָאוּ בָנִים אֶת גְּבוּרָתוֹ
"The children saw His strength."
There is something about Kriat Yam Suf (the splitting of the sea)—which is the finale of the Exodus—that reveals us as Hashem's children. In the Emunah Kol Zot prayer, we say there is nothing like God, and then: Ve'anachnu Yisrael amo ("And we, Israel, are His nation"). I once heard from Rav Moshe Shapiro that Emunah is not just believing God is King of the world, but believing we are His nation. We must believe in that identity.
2. The Father vs. The Messenger
Another way God is revealed as a Father is pointed out by Rav Shmuel Birnbaum in his Haggadah. He discusses the phrase Ani velo shaliach ("I and not a messenger"). He explains that when a father truly loves his child, he doesn't want to care for them through an intermediary. It's not just about the child "being taken care of"—the father wants to be the one doing the caring.
Think of a mother who waited ten years for a child; she isn't interested in a wet nurse or a nanny. She wants to care for that child herself because of her motherly love. So, too, God Himself wanted to take us out because we are His children.
The Father Who Carries Us
We see this again in Devarim (1:31):
וּבַמִּדְבָּר אֲשֶׁר רָאִיתָ אֲשֶׁר נְשָׂאֲךָ ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר יִשָּׂא אִישׁ אֶת בְּנוֹ
"And in the wilderness... where you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son."
Rashi gives the famous mashal (parable) of a father carrying his child on his shoulders to protect him from attackers. The pasuk continues there by saying, "And in this matter, you do not believe"—meaning, you don't truly believe that we are Hashem's beloved children.
The Kedushat Levi says almost the exact same thing: at Yetziat Mitzrayim, it was revealed we are His children because a father goes personally into the redemption.
The Night of Blessings
It is interesting to note that the night of Pesach is the same night Yitzchak Avinu gave the brachot (blessings) to Yaakov. This is the ultimate Birkat Habanim (Blessing of the Children). It is brought down that the most apropos time of the year to bless your children is the night of Pesach.
In those blessings, Yitzchak uses the word beni ("my son") eight times. The Or Gedalyahu explains that just as David Hamelech used the word beni eight times to try and pull his son Avshalom out of the seven levels of Gehinnom, Yitzchak Avinu (thinking he was talking to Esav) wanted to lift his children up from the lowest levels. Why? Because a child is always a child.
This is the message of the Arba Banim (Four Sons). Even the Rasha (the wicked son) is at the table. Regardless of what we do, we remain Banim la-Makom (Children of the Omnipresent).
From Children to Brothers
If we are children, that status comes with a requirement of brotherhood. The Pele Yoetz quotes the pasuk in Malachi (2:10):
הֲלוֹא אָב אֶחָד לְכֻלָּנוּ... מַדּוּעַ נִבְגַּד אִישׁ בְּאָחִיו?
"Have we not all one Father? ... Why then do we deal treacherously every man against his brother?"
The Tanya (Chapter 32) says that because our souls are connected to one Father, we are Achim Mamash—literal brothers. Only our bodies are separate. The Maharal tells us the Jewish people are like one big body, and God is the soul of all of them.
This was the first step of Moshe Rabbeinu's journey. Vayar besivlotam—he saw their sufferings. He saw them as brothers in need. He carried the trait of brotherhood passed down from Shimon and Levi (Achim heim). Viewing everyone as a brother is the true key to redemption.
As the Maggid of Dubno and Hafetz Haim both famously : When two brothers love each other, the Father is happy and provides for the home. When they fight, the Father hides His face. If we want our Father in Heaven to treat us like His children, we must treat each other like brothers.
A Final Appeal
And again, our final push: Baruch Hashem, there were people who responded yesterday to my heartfelt plea on behalf of Lev Chana Lev Zechariah, collecting for clothing cards for families in our community.
How to give:
- Zelle: RabbiSutton@gmail.com
- Pledge: Email me at RabbiSutton@gmail.com
- Link: Click the link attached to this chat or email :https://www.rayze.it/levchanazm/
Please give generously. Thank you very much, and Tizku L'mitzvot.
Thank you, and may we all merit to see the brotherhood in one another.