הפטורה: וְאַרְבָּעָה אֲנָשִׁים
[On Shabbos Parshas Metzora], the haftarah begins Ve’arbaah anashim (II Melachim 7:3-20).
בְּמִנְחָה: עֲבָדִים הָיִינוּ
[On Shabbos HaGadol, after] Minchah, [we read part of the Haggadah, from] Avadim hayinu [until lechaper al kol avonoseinu].
מִזְּמַן יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם נִקְרְאוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל צִבְאוֹת ה
Ever since the time of the Exodus from Egypt, the Jewish people have been called Tzivos HaShem, “G‑d’s army.”
הַהֶפְרֵשׁ בֵּין עֲבָדִים — שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ כֵן בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל — וּצְבָאוֹת הוּא
The Jewish people are [also] called servants. The difference between servants and an army [can be explained as follows]:
עֶבֶד עוֹשֶׂה עֲבוֹדַת רַבּוֹ — וּבָזֶה כַּמָּה דַּרְגוֹת
A servant performs work for his master on various levels —
נוֹקֵב מַרְגָּלִיּוֹת, עוֹשֶׂה שְׁאָר מְלָאכוֹת, עוֹשֶׂה מְלָאכוֹת פְּשׁוּטוֹת
one pierces pearls, one works in other crafts, another carries out unskilled tasks.
וְיֵשׁ בָּזֶה יְגִיעָה וְעָמָל רַב, אֲבָל אֵין זֶה עִנְיָן שֶׁל מְסִירַת נֶפֶשׁ
These involve considerable labor and effort, but no element of self-sacrifice.
צָבָא הֵם עֲבָדִים שֶׁעוֹבְדִים בִּיגִיעָה רַבָּה וְעָמָל וּבִמְסִירַת נֶפֶשׁ
An army, by contrast, is comprised of subjects who expend toil and exertion and self-sacrifice,
הֵן בְּמִלְחֶמֶת הֲגָנָה וְהֵן בְּמִלְחֶמֶת תְּנוּפָה
whether in a defensive war or an offensive one.
וְעוֹמְדִים עַל מִשְׁמַרְתָּם בְּתַכְלִית הַתּוֹקֶף מִבְּלִי הִתְפָּעֵל מֵהַמְּנַגֵּד וְשׂוֹנֵא
[Soldiers] discharge their duties with utter resoluteness, unperturbed by their opponents and enemies.
וַעֲבוֹדָתָם זוֹ אֵינָהּ עִנְיָן שֶׁל הֲשָּׂגָה, כִּי הֵם מִתְנַהֲגִים עַל פִּי הוֹרָאַת מַצְבִּיאָם
Their service does not depend on [their] understanding, for they follow the orders of their commanders.
וְהִנֵּה נִשְׁמוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמִצְרַיִם הָיוּ בְּתַכְלִית הַשִּׁפְלוּת בְּעִינּוּיִם קָשִׁים וּמָרִים
In Egypt, the souls of the Jewish people were on the lowest of levels, [due to] the harsh and bitter afflictions.
וְעִם זֶה לֹא שִׁנּוּ שְׁמָם וּלְשׁוֹנָם וּלְבוּשֵׁיהֶם
Nevertheless, they did not change their names, language, or dress.
וְעָמְדוּ עַל מִשְׁמַרְתָּם בְּתַכְלִית הַחוֹזֶק
On the contrary, they held their ground with the utmost tenacity,
כִּי יָדְעוּ שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הִבְטִיחַ לִגְאוֹל אוֹתָם
for they knew that G‑d had promised to redeem them.
וְהַמִּתְנַהֵג כָּזֶה בְּמַצָּב זֶה הוּא מִצְּבָא ה
A person who conducts himself thus in a similar situation is a member of G‑d’s army.
דְּה' עוֹזְרוֹ בְּדֶרֶךְ מִלְמַעְלָה מִן הַטֶּבַע בַּטֶבַע
G‑d helps him in a way that transcends nature, but [that is vested] within nature.
Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English
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