MERIT ON CREDIT
In this week’s Parsha, Shemos, when HaShem tells Moshe to tell the Jewish people that He will redeem them, Moshe expresses concern that the people will not believe him. Why was it necessary for the people to believe Moshe that there would be a redemption? There was still a year of the most dramatic miracles in the form of the plagues that was going to transpire before they left Egypt, would that not be enough to convince the people?
When Moshe first encounters HaShem and is charged by HaShem to take His people out, he asks in what merit will Your people be redeemed? HaShem responds that although they currently have no merits to deserve redemption, nevertheless they will receive the Torah on Mount Sinai. With this short answer Ha-Shem revealed an incredible manner by which He administers Justice. We normally think of earning merits for the deeds that we did in the past or perhaps even for the deeds that our parents did in the past. From HaShem’s response the Torah reveals that one can earn merits for the deeds that they will do in the future! How can we understand this? How can I earn for what I have not yet done? While it is true that HaShem knows that I will do it, but in the meantime I did not.
This, however, is actually the model upon which every healthy economy is built; it is built on credit. Before you begin a making money you must first have money. Before selling inventory you must first buy it. From where will you get that initial cash? Of course you borrow the money from the lender. The lender offers loans because he trusts in the future profits. So, it would be correct to state that the lender lends money on the merit of the future return, just like HaShem’s administration of Justice. However, no loan officer will make a loan to a borrower if the borrower does not believe in his own investment. The future money will only materialize if the borrower himself is confident in his future.
Before HaShem could begin the redemption of His people whose merits were depleted, they had to have confidence in their future. Although at the time, they were bereft, neverthe-less, if they had the trust in themselves that they would stand at Mount Sinai and receive HaShem’s Torah, then HaShem could begin the redemption. Moshe understood that it was critical for the people to know and to trust that they would be worthy and capable of receiving HaShem’s Torah. Only then would they be able to access the merits of their future deeds. Until that trust and confidence was there, the plagues could not begin.
Our Sages teach us the importance of anticipating Moshiach’s arrival. It is one of the primary questions that is asked of us when we face our day of final Judgement. In addition to the obvious reason for the primacy of this mitzvah which is the building of trust in HaShem, perhaps there is another reason for this mitzvah. HaShem wants very much to bring the end of this exile; He too, is in exile. However, given the amount of merits that are necessary to deserve this is so great it that we may not be able to afford it. Do we have that many merits? However, if we anticipate the coming of Moshiach with all the incredible kiddush HaShem that it will bring, we could access those merits now, in advance. Given, HaShem’s manner of Justice, our very anticipation of Moshiach could be the key to bringing him!
May we merit to see the arrival of Moshiach very soon.
Have a wonderful Shabbos.
Paysach Diskind