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In Parashat Bo, the Maor VaShemesh teaches that Yetziat Mitzraim, the exodus from Egypt, was not only the redemption of Israel from physical bondage, but a revelation of the core foundation of faith upon which all Avodat HaShem, service of G-d, stands. The purpose of the Eser Makot, ten plagues, and especially the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart, was to reveal what is usually hidden: that Ein Od Milvad, there is nothing besides Him, and that only HKB’H truly deserves the name “אני”, Ani, “I”. Pharaoh’s refusal was not an injustice imposed upon him; it exposed his inner truth, his arrogance and claim of independent existence, expressed in “אני פרעה”, “I am Pharaoh”. When Hashem hardened his heart, it was so that this false “I” would be fully revealed and ultimately shattered. Through the Otot, the signs, in Egypt, it became clear that Hashem is Mechadesh HaOlam, renews the world at every moment, directs it according to His will, and dispenses reward and punishment, not by chance but by Divine intention. This is why the Torah emphasizes the language “אותותי”, “My signs” (as opposed to Moftai, my wonders), and commands “למען תספר”, “so that you shall tell”, because the essence of faith is not only to see miracles, but to speak and to recount them. Shabbat and Yomim Tovim are themselves an Ot, a sign, bearing living testimony to the constant renewal of creation and Yetziat Mitzraim; therefore, Kiddush and the daily remembrance of Yetziat Mitzraim are central acts of faith. The plague of Chosech, darkness and the moment of K’Hatzot HaLayla, about midnight, represent the final Birur, spiritual clarification, the separation of light and darkness and good and evil. For Mitzraim, who clung to ego and selfhood, reality itself became complete darkness; for Israel, who were ready for Bitul, self-nullification before HaShem, even the night shone with light. This is the true meaning of Geula, redemption, when reality is clarified and the Divine light becomes revealed. Thus, the enduring message of Parashat Bo, according to the Maor VaShemesh, is that Yetziat Mitzraim is not merely a historical event but an ongoing Avoda, a spiritual task: to uproot Gaava, arrogance, to break the false “אני”, ego-self, and to live with the knowledge, until it is fully felt and embodied, that “אני ה׳”, “I am Hashem”, and that all life-force, action, and movement come solely from HKB’H.  

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Use this source sheet, complete with footnoted sources and a concise, footnoted bio of R. Kalonymus Kalman Epstein (Ma’or Va-Shemesh) to enjoy this teaching at your own pace, perfect for self-learners. Prepared by Rabbi Shalom (Saul) Orbach The Ma’or Va-Shemesh is a classic Hasidic commentary on the weekly portions and festivals by R. Kalonymus Kalman Epstein of Kraków (1751-1823). A foremost later disciple, and for years the Shamash, of R. Elimelech of Lizhensk, he emerged after his rebbe’s passing as a leading figure in the fourth generation of Chassidut and of Polish Hasidism. His Torah blends close reading of the Psukim with mystical depth, emphasizing Dvekut, heartfelt prayer, joy, and sanctifying the everyday, with a hallmark leadership ethic: the tzaddik sweetens judgment into mercy and draws people close.

The Maor VaShemesh on Parashat Vaera teaches that redemption, Geulah, from Mitzraim required more than leaving slavery, it required Israel to become capable of accepting G-d’s kingship. Although G-d declared “אני יקוק, I am the LORD,” Israel, broken by fear and hard labor, could not yet internalize this truth. Accepting the yoke of Heaven must come gradually, until it becomes second nature. Because Israel could not yet reach this level, Pharaoh had to be struck with the plagues. Seeing his power broken gave Israel inner relief and allowed them to develop the spiritual freedom needed for redemption. This is the meaning of “you shall know that I am the LORD who brings you out”: G-d would act in a way that prepared them spiritually before taking them out. The Maor VaShemesh also explains that speech and inner freedom were themselves in Galut, exile, which is why Israel could not listen to Moshe at first. Finally, he explains that Aaron (Chesed, kindness) leads in redeeming Israel, while Moshe (Gevurah, strength) leads in confronting Pharaoh, together forming a complete and balanced redemption.  

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Use this source sheet, complete with footnoted sources and a concise, footnoted bio of R. Kalonymus Kalman Epstein (Ma’or Va-Shemesh) to enjoy this teaching at your own pace, perfect for self-learners. Prepared by Rabbi Shalom (Saul) Orbach The Ma’or Va-Shemesh is a classic Hasidic commentary on the weekly portions and festivals by R. Kalonymus Kalman Epstein of Kraków (1751-1823). A foremost later disciple, and for years the Shamash, of R. Elimelech of Lizhensk, he emerged after his rebbe’s passing as a leading figure in the fourth generation of Chassidut and of Polish Hasidism. His Torah blends close reading of the Psukim with mystical depth, emphasizing Dvekut, heartfelt prayer, joy, and sanctifying the everyday, with a hallmark leadership ethic: the tzaddik sweetens judgment into mercy and draws people close.

The Torah opens Sefer Shemot with the words וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַבָּאִים מִצְרַיְמָה, “And these are the names of the children of Israel who are coming to Egypt.” Chazal teach that whenever the Torah uses the expression וְאֵלֶּה, ve’eileh, it comes to add something new. But what is the addition here? The names of the Shevatim were already listed in Parashat Vayigash, and Bnei Yisrael had already descended to Mitzraim. The Maor vaShemesh teaches that something fundamental changed. When יעקב אבינו first went down to Egypt, HaKadosh Baruch Hu promised him, אָנֹכִי אֵרֵד עִמְּךָ, “I will descend with you.” At that stage, the Galut had not yet fully taken hold. Yaakov, Yosef, and the shevatim were still alive, and the שעבוד had not yet begun. Once they passed away and the true Galut began, the Zohar teaches that the Shechinah descended fully into Mtizraim, together with the heavenly hosts, to dwell with Am Yisrael in their exile. This is the חידוש of וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת. Not only did the people enter Galut, but the Shechinah entered with them. This also explains why the Torah uses the present tense הבאים, coming. It is not only describing the past. Every מיצר, every narrow and constricted place, is called מצרים, Mitzraim. In every such place, the Shechinah goes into Galut with us. Why repeat the names? Because a Name reveals essence. The Maor VaShemesh teaches that essence does not disappear in exile; it deepens. The names of the Yakov’s children, given through Divine inspiration, רוח הקודש,  already contained the power of each of them. Reuven draws down Divine Vision, ראיה אלוקית. Shimon draws down Hearing. Levi draws down Attachment and Closenss. Ve’eileh shemot is not repetition. It is reassurance. Galut is not abandonment, and Geulah is already unfolding from within it.  

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Use this source sheet, complete with footnoted sources and a concise, footnoted bio of R. Kalonymus Kalman Epstein (Ma’or Va-Shemesh) to enjoy this teaching at your own pace, perfect for self-learners. Prepared by Rabbi Shalom (Saul) Orbach The Ma’or Va-Shemesh is a classic Hasidic commentary on the weekly portions and festivals by R. Kalonymus Kalman Epstein of Kraków (1751-1823). A foremost later disciple, and for years the Shamash, of R. Elimelech of Lizhensk, he emerged after his rebbe’s passing as a leading figure in the fourth generation of Chassidut and of Polish Hasidism. His Torah blends close reading of the Psukim with mystical depth, emphasizing Dvekut, heartfelt prayer, joy, and sanctifying the everyday, with a hallmark leadership ethic: the tzaddik sweetens judgment into mercy and draws people close.

In this week’s parsha, the Ma’or va-Shemesh teaches that Parashat Vayechi describes a decisive spiritual transition. When Yaakov dies, the Torah becomes “closed” not only because suffering begins, but because a certain level of clear spiritual vision—ruach ha-kodesh—withdraws from the world for the duration of exile. From this point on, holiness no longer appears openly; it must be sustained through inner work rather than revelation. At the same time, the closing of the story signals something positive. Yaakov and his sons, even while living in Egypt, were engaged in profound inner unifications, drawing divine life and blessing into the world. The Torah’s seamless connection between the end of the previous parasha and Vayechi hints that true spiritual vitality (chayim) can exist even in exile, when holiness is internalized rather than supported by its environment. The Ma’or Va-Shemesh then explains why the Torah repeatedly refers to the holy place as Luz rather than Beit El. Luz represents a spiritual orientation in which physical reality is never taken at face value. All material beauty and pleasure are only signs (tziyunim) pointing to a higher spiritual source. The true work of a Jew is to connect mi (inner consciousness, thought) with eleh (physical reality), thereby revealing Elokim Chayim—living divinity—within the world. Yaakov embodies this ideal completely. He does not draw vitality from the physical world itself, but from its spiritual root. That is why Chazal say “Yaakov Avinu did not die”: his life-force comes from the inner, indestructible point called luz, which never decays. His blessing to his descendants is that they too learn to live this way—seeing beyond appearances, not being seduced by material beauty, and remaining inwardly attached to divine life. Only such a people can truly hold the land as an eternal inheritance.  

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Use this source sheet, complete with footnoted sources and a concise, footnoted bio of R. Kalonymus Kalman Epstein (Ma’or Va-Shemesh) to enjoy this teaching at your own pace, perfect for self-learners. Prepared by Rabbi Shalom (Saul) Orbach The Ma’or Va-Shemesh is a classic Hasidic commentary on the weekly portions and festivals by R. Kalonymus Kalman Epstein of Kraków (1751-1823). A foremost later disciple, and for years the Shamash, of R. Elimelech of Lizhensk, he emerged after his rebbe’s passing as a leading figure in the fourth generation of Chassidut and of Polish Hasidism. His Torah blends close reading of the Psukim with mystical depth, emphasizing Dvekut, heartfelt prayer, joy, and sanctifying the everyday, with a hallmark leadership ethic: the tzaddik sweetens judgment into mercy and draws people close.

In Parashat Miketz, the Ma’or VaShemesh offers a striking reframe of Yosef’s story. The Midrash calls Yosef the embodiment of “אַשְׁרֵי הַגֶּבֶר אֲשֶׁר שָׂם ה׳ מִבְטַחוֹ”, happy is the man who places his trust in God, yet also teaches that he was punished with two extra years in prison because he said to the sar hamashkim, “כִּי אִם זְכַרְתַּנִי אִתְּךָ… וְהִזְכַּרְתַּנִי אֶל פַּרְעֹה.” The Ma’or VaShemesh says that we have been reading this incorrectly. Yosef was not relying on human help. He was resisting the wrong kind of help, help that would elevate his name before the right moment arrived. His framework is simple and powerful. The entire purpose of creation is that God’s presence should be revealed in the world, and that faith should become stronger and more rooted. In earlier generations that happened through prophecy, then through a bat kol, and in later generations through the spiritual influence of the tzaddikim. But the tzaddik’s job is not self-promotion. The tzaddik must act only to reveal God and strengthen faith, and must avoid personal honor, which only distracts from Torah and prayer. That is why true holiness is different from magic. A magician is not surprised by what he produces, he thinks it is guaranteed. A tzaddik is astonished, because nothing is guaranteed, it depends entirely on Ratzon HaShem, divine will. With that in mind, Yosef’s request to the sar hamashkim reads differently. Yosef asks זְכַרְתַּנִי אִתְּךָ “remember me with you,” meaning keep me in your heart, do not spread my name around. And וְהִזְכַּרְתַּנִי אֶל פַּרְעֹה “mention me to Pharaoh” means only when it serves a larger purpose, when the moment comes for God’s message to be revealed to the entire world. In that light, the extra two years were not a punishment, but a delay that allowed Yosef’s rise to happen at the right time, in a way that would reveal God’s hand on a global stage. The Ma’or VaShemesh then explains why Yosef does more than interpret Pharaoh’s dream. Based on the Zohar, Pharaoh tested Yosef by subtly changing details in the retelling. Yosef responds first to the altered version and then gives the true interpretation, and that is why he must offer practical counsel, to show Pharaoh what he changed and to anchor the real meaning of the dream. Interpretation here is not just decoding, it is leadership. The takeaway is sharp: real emunah is not passive and it is not performative. It is knowing when to act, when to stay hidden, and when to step forward so that something bigger than you can be revealed.  

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Use this source sheet, complete with footnoted sources and a concise, footnoted bio of R. Kalonymus Kalman Epstein (Ma’or Va-Shemesh) to enjoy this teaching at your own pace, perfect for self-learners. Prepared by Rabbi Shalom (Saul) Orbach The Ma’or Va-Shemesh is a classic Hasidic commentary on the weekly portions and festivals by R. Kalonymus Kalman Epstein of Kraków (1751-1823). A foremost later disciple, and for years the Shamash, of R. Elimelech of Lizhensk, he emerged after his rebbe’s passing as a leading figure in the fourth generation of Chassidut and of Polish Hasidism. His Torah blends close reading of the Psukim with mystical depth, emphasizing Dvekut, heartfelt prayer, joy, and sanctifying the everyday, with a hallmark leadership ethic: the tzaddik sweetens judgment into mercy and draws people close.