Ein od Milvado

In memory of my friend Yosef Refael ben Chaim zt'l Newman who lived and died with Ein od Milvado

The main focus of this week's parashah, Vaeira, is the punishments (makkos) that Hashem inflicted upon the Egyptians. However, a broader perspective suggests that the overarching theme is Hashem’s control and power.¹ Ibn Ezra explains that the miracles of the makkos came through the Emunah of Moshe and his uninterrupted connection to Hashem.²

On the one hand, the makkos were designed to punish Pharaoh and the Egyptians, who had oppressed the Bnei Yisrael. At the same time, the Makkos were intended as a sign to B’nei Yisrael that Hashem alone rules in the heavens and on the earth, and 'Ein od Milvado' — there is nothing and nobody but Him.

Pharaoh was in denial and sometimes, we may find ourselves in a similar state. That state may come even when we try to serve Hashem and are left with questions as we try to understand why things happen the way they do.

The parashah teaches us that even if all other potential seems to dry up, we still have our secret weapon, Emunah.

This idea has been summed up in three very valuable words.

'Ein od Milvado'

The Nefesh Hachaim writes³:

Based on the pasuk “ein od milvado — there is none besides Him” ⁴, the Rabbis learn that not even magic can work without God’s consent.⁵ Since all of the spiritual powers ultimately come from what Hashem created, He can nullify them entirely. Therefore, there is a great and wondrous segulah to remove and prevent all other powers from having any control or effect on us. When one fixes in his heart and declares that only Hashem is real, and there is no power other than Hashem in the world, this person absolutely nullifies in his heart and completely ignores any other force in the world while clinging with his pure thoughts to Hashem alone, then Hashem eliminates the ability of anything else in the world to affect him at all.

This idea is echoed by the Meor Einayim⁶

כלל העולה כי אין עוד מלבדו כי הוא העיקר בכל דבר וכשיאמין זה באמונה שלימה לא יהיה צריך לשום עזר כי ממילא יתוקן הכל

Many times we do not understand why things are happening to us as they are, or to others. One must be mevatel, subdue, themselves to Hashem and then one will be able to move forward. As the Gemara in Brochos says; If one is a 'makom sakana', being chased by people or wild animals, one should meditate on 'Ein od Milvado', and then one will be saved. 'Ein od Milvado'really means the opposite - 'I am ready to be 'mekabel’ whatever is supposed to happen to me'. There really is no other force. Nothing is really a force, it's all being controlled by HaKadosh Baruch Hu. Somehow, once a person is at that point, one is on a different madreiga of tzaddik, and that thing no longer has to happen.⁷

At the end of the day, the essence of being a religious Jew is to understand Ein Od Milvado.

When we don’t understand a decree and it seems particularly harsh, we can sweeten it by putting our focus in Hashem and be wholly connected to Him.

'Ein od Milvado' is not just for the righteous of the generation, and not just to affect a miracle in your personal life. By connecting to Hashem wholly you can change the trajectory of the entire world.

Written in memory of my friend Yosef Refael ben Chaim, as the decree of his death is difficult to digest, we will continue to connect to Hashem and have faith. Yosef was someone whose life epitomized 'Ein od Milvado' and I feel it was a privilege to know him. While he took his last breath yesterday, his impact will live on forever.

Have a sweet Shabbos.

1. This Dvar Torah is largely based on a beautiful shiur by Rav Yaakov Adas Shlita

2. Shemos 6;3
וזה הוא סוד כל התורה כאשר אפרש עוד. והנה האבות לא הגיעה מעלתם לדבקה בשם כמשה אשר ידעו השם פנים בפנים ע"כ היה יכול משה לשנות תולדות עולם השפל ולחדש אותות ומופתים שלא יכלו האבות לחדשם.

3. Nefesh Hachaim 3:12

4. Devarim 4:39

5. Chullin 7b

6. Chayei Sarah

7. Based on my fathers shiurim on Nefesh HaChaim https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW2v5pHtDidOnFhtubx7juUThACWZ1-U3