from the
Holy Land
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
"Your friend in Karmiel"
January 16th 2026 -Volume 16 Issue 13 27th of Tevet 5786
Asked and Answered
So, you've got questions? Well we've got answers. That's the name of this week's parsha. Va'eira- I appeared. I will show you. Hashem is gonna do some God-splainin. We left off last week with Moshe being understandably upset. Here he goes to Pharaoh. He does what Hashem told him to. He "Let-my-People-Go'ed" him. And things just got worse. What is this, a game?
"Why are you doing bad to this nation?"
"Since I came things just started getting worse"
" Why did you send me for this mission".
Moshe's question that left off as a cliffhanger last week, is not just his question. It's all of ours. When is this going to end? What's the point? Why does it seem it's getting worse? My daughter, Elka, just asked me in the car the other day a similar question, because we are living on major Mashiach energy in our family these days. What's the big deal that Hashem is taking us out, and what are we so grateful for? Isn't He the One who sent us there in the first place? I mean I hate to break up the party here, and really saying this as chazal say l'shaber es ha'ozen- to break your ears- with a question most frum Jews should probably think, but are too scared to ask… but are we grateful to Hamas for letting out our hostages? To a large degree, Moshe wasn't too frum, maybe because he didn't learn in the regular traditional cheder system, to ask the questions. Why are you doing bad to the people? What's with October 7th, the Holocaust, Crusades, with dead babies, slaughtered wives, with burnt houses and cars, with parave chulent. OK maybe not the last one…
Well, the wait is over, boys and girls. It's answer time. Hashem tells Moshe that the reason all of this is happening is so that He can reveal His name to us. So that we may know Him like nobody, not even our Patriarchs ever knew Him before. Remember what last week's parsha and in fact this entire book is called? Shemos. Names. Well last week we met our names- which incidentally Chazal tell us we never changed all the years we were in Mitzrayim. Well, this week it's Hashem's turn. It's time to enter the school of Names.
What is the name of Hashem that we are meant to learn? Yud, hei, vav and hei, is the way it's spelled. But we're not even allowed to say it. See, until then, Hashem tells Moshe to his and our deep troubling and painful question, we only knew Him as El- Shad-ai, the God who is enough. That's not his real name. The real name is Hashem, the name that connotes his Omnipresence. The name of haya, hoveh and yihiyeh- past present and future; above time and space. That's what this is all about. It's why everything is happening. Because it seems Enough isn't enough.
Now I don't know about Moshe, but I'm not sure that's a good enough answer for me. I mean if the Enough name was good enough for Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, I'll take it. And the truth is if He really wants us to know that other name of His, why can't he just take out a building or something and called Hashem Towers. Why can't He just tell it to us? I'm happy putting it on a bumper sticker on the back of my car, and even making up a song "oy ti di doy doy doy Thank You Hashem..". Why's that a reason for 6 million? For October 7th? For ten plagues and for shlepping this whole story out in Egypt. Just put us on a plane and we're off. Then blow them all up for the sky. Hit their beepers. Who needs frogs and lice?
The answer though is powerful and relevant. The word yada-to make known isn't just knowledge. Our Patriarchs also knew Hashem intellectually. Yada though is biblical knowledge. Like Adam knowing his Eve. It's internalized. It's becoming one with the concept. Hashem in this process of taking us out of Egypt wasn't trying to save us and by sending us down there He wasn't trying to punish us. Egypt is the called the kur ha'barzel- it's the smelting pot. It's forming us. It's burning a new reality into our souls. It's inscribing this knowledge of Hashem into our essence. That's how we become eternal. That's how the Shechina will ultimately at the end of this book of Names, of Shemos, reside in our midst. Within each and every one of us.
See the name Sha-dai, is Hashem, as Rashi tells us, hiding his name. He created a world of hiddenness. A world of nature- teva which is gematria of Elokim. We know He's running and managing the world. He's behind the scenes. But that world looks like reality. We can't see or internalize the reality behind it. Sha-dai is how we relate to Him, when we want our tzoris to be over. That Hashem should just end and be enough because we are in so much pain. Shadai is a response to the external circumstances we are experiencing. But that's not really knowing Him. It's not being married to Him. It's not becoming One with Him. It's not heaven meeting earth.
The difference is between having a great live-in help and a spouse. Your live-in is your cook. She cleans, she does your laundry, she makes a mean chulent, she's even great to schmooze with and pretty to look at, and laughs at your jokes. But you don't really know her. You're not one with her. Although you probably couldn't make it without her. Alternatively, for my women readers. It's having a live-in butler. He takes out the garbage, fixes everything before you even ask, makes his bed, puts down the toilet seat, and even pays your bills, and drives you to where you need to go and after a long hard day will take your kids to the park and maybe even give you a rub down and massage your shoulders. Ok… I'm getting into trouble here, I'm sure some of you want the number to these people. That's Kel Sha-dai- they take care of everything. Hey bring blessing until your mouth can no longer say the words dai dai dai… But that's not Hashem.
The problem with that guy or girl is that ultimately as important as they may be in your life. At the end of the day, they're not part of you. If it’s a choice between them and your kids, your parents, or your brother and sister and maybe even your spouse… They're not coming on the train with you. They're not the ones that you're going to build your house together with. Because they're just problem solvers. They're not your essence. Your air. They're not who you are and what you want to be. And guess what? If you had everything going perfect, a little AI app or robot that cooked, cleaned and took care of all of your enemies for you, you really could do without them.
That's not what He's looking for to us. The function of the entire world is that there is a nation that embodies Hashem. That His Shechina is one with us. That the whole world can look and see a nation that reflects that light. There's no light in E-l Shad-ai. There's only the removal of darkness. And thus we needed the Egypt experience. That's why He brought us there and He's still doing that today.
See, despite all my warnings and doomsday speaking and really heartfelt concern for most of my brothers and sisters in America and outside of Israel about the insane rising anti-semitism and all of the writing on the wall that hasn't been like this really since pre-Holocaust, I know it really doesn't make a difference. Jews are not going to leave and run and even come home because it's dangerous. We never do. We didn't back then. We won't today. God forbid… and I mamash mamash mamash mean that… if a group of terrorists went around America tomorrow and Kristallnacht 1000 Jewish shuls and communities in one day, I don't believe most would pack up and leave and move to Israel. They'd condemn the violence. They'd perhaps encourage Jews to get guns and learn how to shoot. They'd shomrim up and they'd appeal and finagle that the government provided better security guards and cameras for Jewish school and shuls. Sure there would be some "scaredy cats" (who to be honest probably weren't really making it anyways) that might make Aliya. But at the end of the day, You know and I know most aren't leaving.
Do you know why? Because E-l Sha-dai isn't really a good enough reason to pick up and move and change my whole life around. I'll manage and it will be enough over here. This is my home. This is where I'm comfortable. It's where my kids are doing good in schools. Where I don't have to worry about them being drafted. Where I speak the language. It's enough. It's dai over here. Eretz Yisrael is of course a nice dream and the Bais Ha'Mikdash would be great. But frankly, What I've got going with my daf yomi shiur and my nice shul and chinuch and rav and Kehilla are pretty much enough as well.
Hashem told Moshe, the reason why it's gotten worse before getting better, is because I need to take the Egypt out of the Jews. Mi'mitzrayim ga'altanu- He redeems us from the Egypt that is inside of us. That is part of us. That we identify with and He's going to put us in a smelting pot to burn it all out and show us and reveal to us that we are eternal. That Hashem is within us. That we can't live without Him. That we have no identity or reality without that Bais Hamikdash. Because the entire world is really just Him and we are His partners in that creation and world. I'm not Ephraim Schwartz in 2025 living in Karmiel and yesterday I wasn't me living in Iowa or Virginia and neither is Chaim Yankel in Lakewood. We are all one nation and one people and one shared soul from three thousand years ago until today. We're one body. We're one soul that is transcends time and space. We are one with Him.
The ten plagues and Exodus from Egypt which is a mere harbinger of all the future redemptions is really that message to us. We become alienated and persecuted from being the top echelons of Mitzrayim to the degree of slaves. Yet, we're still attached. We just want the tzoris to stop. We want it to go back to what it used to be. They groaned out to Hashem, not for the revelation of His glory, not to become who we need to become. But rather from the hard labor and persecution and from anti-semitism. Hashem wanted to show Moshe and us, that never works. That's not what this is about. Rather Hashem will then begin the process of showing and teaching us how when the river turns to blood, it doesn't hit us. Neither do the frogs. Neither do the wild beasts. Neither does the hail, the darkness. Nothing. We have light. We're above the "reality of this world. We're connected to Hashem. We're eternal. Then He can bring us home. Then He can bring us to the land promised to our forefathers.
That's really what the fulfillment of the covenant to Avraham was. We would inherit this land. An inheritance is not an acquisition. An inheritance is a connection that is personal and emotional and part of my identity. It's my father's land that he got from his father and his father. That's not something you sell or trade. I don't care how good the meat-boards are somewhere else. It's also not something that you just let someone convince you to hand over to someone else just for peace. You fight for it. You die for it. You kill for it. Because it is you. It's the only way you can become you. Because it's the only place you understand, where the Shechina can shine it's light out from and where you can reveal that mandate from. It's your name. It's your neshoma.
Hashem told Yaakov and Yosef told his children that we would be redeemed with the words pakod yifkod. That Hashem would count us. He would appoint us. He will redeem us. Those were the words Hashem told Moshe to tell the Jewish people and that is in fact the end of the Book of Shemos. Eileh Pikudei Ha'Mishkan. This is the counting of the Mishkan. It's fascinating as well that the word pakod is also used in the Torah when Hashem impregnates Sarah, or Chana or other Matriarchs. Pakod isn't just counting or even redeeming. It's breathing new life and purpose into a nation. It's a new sense of identity. The promise to Avraham was that his children would be go down to Egypt and then be "born again". We would have new life breathed into us. This is why the story of our exodus from Egypt is so important to us. It's also why it's so important to the world. Because it's when we began the process that we are, hopefully now, culminating. That we are revealing.
We are living now in the footsteps of that redemption. The situation is getting worse and worse. why, how, what are all questions that people are asking. But Hashem tells us that this is not a time for questions. It's a time for the preparation for revelation. It's the time to understand who we really are and are meant to be. What are purpose is? Why are we supposed to come home? What does Hashem want us to do here? When I say us, I don't mean you. I mean us. We're all one. We all need to be one and focus on that oneness. We need to focus on His one-ness and revelation. On our inheritance. On our place. His and our place. A place that we will reveal the Shechina to the whole world from.
The month of Shevat is when the sap comes up from the ground. The month of Adar is the month when Persia/ Iran falls. When it all turns around. Pesach is around the corner. This year we won't have four questions. We have all of the answers already. The only one question is will you be here with us.
Have a fantastic Shabbos and a blessed Rosh Chodesh Shevat
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
************************
YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK
" Barat zikh mit vemen du vilst; un tu miten aigenem saichel.."- Ask advice from everyone, but act with your own mind.
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK
answer below at end of Email
16. The expression “no prophet is accepted in his home town" refers in its original context to
the city of______
What is the Magnificat canticle?
A. A psalm of thanksgiving to God by Mary, mother of Jexus, which appears
in the Gospel of Luke
B. Christian adaptation of the “Song of the Sea” that appears in the Bible
C. The prayer Jesus taught his disciples on the Mount of Olives, which
appears in the Gospel of Matthew
D. An accepted Christian equivalent of the Jewish Kaddish prayer
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S COOL VIDEO OF THE WEEK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jZYDIOl9SM – Shwekey's latest Shabbos Drop Seudas Shabbos- what amazing songs! It gets better each week
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii4qo8cqtjE - You gotta watch this amazing tour of Har Ha'Bayis tour It's fascinating!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNqwyCle1mM&list=RDKNqwyCle1mM&start_radio=1 – New 8th day Shabbos State of Mind
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynjKx7VKaQo&list=RDynjKx7VKaQo&start_radio=1 – I love these Hesder yeshivos Ruach check out this Liorer libi- wow!.
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ERA’S AND THEIR PLACES AND PEOPLE IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK
Lion's Den- 370 BC- It was a crazy time. The 70 years of galus was almost up. Darius, had wiped out Bavel- Iraq. Daniel was his right hand man. He was the prophet that was foretelling of the impending redemption, like Moshe. And yet, just like in the story of Mitzrayim, things got worse before they got better. Daniel like Moshe was sentenced to death for davening to Hashem. The difference though was that Darius appreciated Daniel and didn't really want to see him killed. Yet, his hands were bound by the Supreme Court back then and as we repeatedly see in the future story of Purim the laws of Persia were sacrosanct. And the law said that anyone praying to anyone but Darius for their requests were to be thrown into a lion's den.
Now the truth is this entire law was only written by Daniel 's jealous enemies in order to see him taken out. It's usually the way the goyim work historically as well. Even in Mitzrayim all the Egyptians had to throw their babies in the Nile in order to get the Jewish redeemer out of the picture. Yes, Goyim will sacrifice their own freedoms and children to stop us. And the truth is that Daniel himself wasn't even breaking the law as he wasn't making requests in his prayers he was davening to Hashem and praising him and asking forgiveness. But the facts don't matter. He was arrested and the charge against him that even Darius couldn't argue with was that their can't be any exceptions to the law. There was no pardons allowed Daniel would be thrown into the den.
Darius apologized to Daniel before throwing him into the den, but he told him that he wasn't so worried for him. He would daven for him. Hashem would save him. He was the goyish king and leader of the free world that believed in Hashem and in Daniel and he Jewish nations God that saves them miraculously.
So Daniel was thrown in. The lion's chilled with him all night long. Darius prayed for them and in the morning he called down to him and Daniel came on out for a cup of coffee. The miracle happened he was saved. Darius then sent out a proclamation declaring that the God of Israel was the true God. No one can mess with the Jews. He chucked in the conspirators. And the whole world stood in awe of Daniel and the God of Israel. This miracle could've and would've been the end of the exile. We would've then headed back to Israel. Daniel begins to see that the time is ripe. Yet, it doesn't happen. Why not? An angel reveals the answer to him… and to us… next week.
RABBI SCHWARTZ’S TERRIBLE ASKED/ANSWERED JOKES OF THE WEEK
My wife asked me what "mansplaining" means. ...now what am I supposed to do?
I asked what LGBTQIA means. But I never get a straight answer.
A boy asked his Bitcoin-investing dad for $10.00 worth of Bitcoin currency.
Dad: $9.67? What do you need $10.32 for?
Yankel was a large company owner was once asked
How do you motivate your employees to be so punctual?"
He smiled & replied, "It's simple. I have 30 employees and 29 free parking spaces. One is paid parking."
My 7 year old son came in from school today and asked me:
"Dad, what kind of mouse can walk on 2 legs?"
"Erm, I don't know" I replied
"Mickey Mouse" he replied laughing
"Dad, what kind of duck can walk on 2 legs"
"Donald Duck" I replied
"No, all ducks, silly"
My interviewer asked me to describe myself in one word.
I replied “vague”
He asked, “can you elaborate?”
I said, “yes".
My swimmer friend asked me “what’s your favorite stroke?”
Apparently the one that killed Margaret Thatcher wasn’t an answer.
I asked my German friend, “What’s a three letter word for compete?”
Friend: Vie.
Me: Because I’m trying to finish a crossword.
I met a Jewish girl and she asked for my number. I told her we use names here. OUCH!!!
My wife asked why I was whispering.
I told her that Mark Zuckerburg might be listening.
Then she laughed, and Siri laughed, and Alexa laughed.
A journalist asked Tim Cook why iPhones are so expensive
"Well", said Tim Cook, "that's because the iPhone replaces a whole bunch of devices. A phone, a camera, a watch, a music player, a video player, a PDA, a voice recorder, a GPS navigator, a flashlight, a calculator, a portable gaming console, and many other things. Surely, a high price is worth paying to replace so many devices!"
"Then why are Androids so much cheaper?", asked the journalist.
"Because," said Tim Cook, "an Android replaces just one device. The iPhone.
Chaim was a 100-year-old man and his 98-year-old wife Suri were once asked for their health secrets. Chaim said "I'll tell you my secret. I've been married for 75 years. I promised my wife when we got married that when we quarrel, the loser has to walk for 5 kilometres. So I've been walking 5 kilometres every day for past 75 years! "
Everyone applauded and asked again "But how come your wife is very healthy as well?"
Chaim answered "That is another secret. For 75 years every single day she has been following me to make sure I really walk the full 5 kilometres!"
*******************************
The answer to this week's question is A– So this is actually a fascinating question and learning experience. I assumed the statement ein navi b'iro- there's no prophet from one's own city is actually chazal. I figured it was talking about Elisha or even Moshe in this week's parsha where the commentaries mention it. Yet, it seems that this is actually first sourced in the the New Testament about Yoshka and Nazareth where he's from. It's really not a Jewish source. Although interestingly enough it's quoted by many Rishonim and even acharonim like the Chasam Sofer and others. I googled it and in fact Reb Nebenzahl was opposed to even using those words and there are really articles written on this anomaly of a Christian quote used by sages, when usually they steal everything from us. The gemara does in fact use the concept in regards the non-appointment of Rebbi of Reb Chami to position because of that similar reasoning. So perhaps (or most certainly) like all things they got it from us. Yet, the source and reading of that quote is actually earliest that we have from their Testament.
Now part II of the question I did get right as I'll never forget the church they shlepped us to in Ein Karem in Jerusalem that has this Magnificat "prayer" in a bunch of languages. Why do I remember it because it's mostly Tefillat Chana that they stole and distorted a bit. So there you do have a classic case of unoriginal Christians stealing things from us. So I got that one half right and the new score is Rabbi Schwartz having a 11.5 point and the MOT having 4.5 point on this latest Ministry of Tourism exam.
