Ratz VeShov / The Wings of Eagles
Al Kanfei Nesharim
The Midrash tells us that every once in a while, an eagle's wing will fall to the ground; this represents the distance we sometimes feel between us and Hashem. Therefore, Hashem is validating, through His reference of Himself as a nesher, that concept of ratz veshov…
Hashem is validating those feelings of ratz veshov, yet empowering us to know that the ratz veshov, the highs and lows, are all in order to bring us to that ultimate high, the coming of Moshiach, our ultimate geulah
#461 Wed Feb 12, 2020
Hi, this is Zahava Farbman, and welcome back to Soul Sisters.
There's a concept that we've discussed often here on Soul SIsters, and that is the one of "ratz veshav, running and returning."
Ratzo
There are times in our lives when we run, when we feel high, we feel close to Hashem in terms of our relationship, our connection to Him, our avodas Hashem. Whether it's because of an experience we went through, a trip we went on, a wonderful shiur we heard, or a simchah, a brachah we had in our lives at the time.
The shav, the returning
There are times when we feel low, we feel more disconnected from Hashem. Perhaps because of a struggle, a nisayon, a challenge that we are going through in our lives.
There is a pasuk in sefer Yechezkel that many sefarim quote to illustrate this concept of ratz veshav:
"Vehachayos retzo veshov kemareh habazak
and the living beings would run and return, like an appearance of the sparks." (1:14)
As I say so often, many feelings, many emotions that we go through are found in the Torah, are validated in the Torah, and Hashem empowers us through them. In this week's parshah, Parshas Yisro, Hashem tells Moshe Rabbeinu
"Atem re'istem asher asisi lemitzrayim ve'esaeschem al kanfei nesharim ve'avi eschem eilai
You have seen that which I did to Egypt and how I carried you on the wings of eagles and brought you to Me." (19:4)
Why is an eagle called a "nesher"
Akiva Bruck, in the book "Behind the Curtain," says that the Midrash asks, why is an eagle called a "nesher" in this pasuk in Parshas Yisro? Because every 10 years, its wings fall to the ground. Why specifically does Hashem refer to Himself as having carried us on the wings of eagles? What is the message the Torah is trying to convey to us here?
Being carried on the wings of eagles is a reference to the times when we felt close to Hashem, when we are aware of His presence.
The Midrash tells us that every once in a while, an eagle's wing will fall to the ground; this represents the distance we sometimes feel between us and Hashem. Therefore, Hashem is validating, through His reference of Himself as a nesher, that concept of ratz veshov.
Hashem gets it. He knows that sometimes we feel closer to Him and sometimes we feel distant from Him. Hashem knows that He gives us nisyonos and difficulties and challenges. And sometimes, that makes it more difficult to feel close to Him. Sometimes that in itself makes us feel more distant.
Then there are times when we feel close, high, very close to Him, the ratz veshov. That's the nesher. Hashem was telling Moshe that when we were in Egypt, in MItzrayim, although we may have felt close to Hashem at certain times, and distant at others, it was all in order to reach the ultimate goal: the greatest pleasure of giving the Torah at Har Sinai, and the greatest revelation of G-dliness to have ever taken place.
This is why there are tzadikim who rejoice in hardship, because they understand that it is only a means to bring them closer to Hashem.
The words in the pasuk above are in the future tense: And I WILL carry; and I WILL bring; a reference to the time before Moshiach.
The Ribono Shel Olam is telling us that although we will experience this sense of running and returning, the ratz veshov, of feeling close and distant; of good times and hard times, of light and darkness, it is only in order to achieve the greatest pleasure, the most elevated awareness of Hashem in our lives; and experience Matan Torah, Har Sinai, and be'ezras Hashem very soon, the coming of Moshiach.
So when we read the parshah this Shabbos and we think about this pasuk, and we think of Hashem al kanfei nesharim, ve'avo eschem eilai, think about Hashem validating those feelings of ratz veshov, yet empowering us to know that the ratz veshov, the highs and lows, are all in order to bring us to that ultimate high, the coming of Moshiach, our ultimate geulah--our personal redemption, our communal redemption, be'ezras Hashem very soon.
And with that, I wish you a wonderful day, and know that Hashem is with you, with all of us, today and always.
To receive Soul Sisters
By email: soulsisters@ateresshimon.org
By what’s app: 516-404-7594