'It came to pass when Pharaoh sent the people.' (Shemos 13:17)

The Midrash Tanchuma explains that as a reward for Pharaoh escorting and sending the Jews out of Egypt, the Egyptians were granted the rights of conversion. As it says: 'You shall not despise an Egyptian, for you were a sojourner in his land. Children who are born to them in the third generation may enter the assembly of the Lord.' (Devarim 23:8-9)

Rav Yehudah Leib Chasman asks why should there be a reward? It was only after the tenth plague and because of fear for his own life, that Pharaoh finally gave in to release the Jewish people. There should be no reward, and surely not such a great reward.

Every human being is made up of a body and a soul. The soul of even the lowliest person is infinite and reaches to the heights of the heavens. Pharaoh was rewarded for the minuscule good will buried deep in his heart during the act of letting the Jewish people go. Most evil and immoral individuals still have some minute redeeming qualities, which will not go unrewarded.

As it says in Gemara in Shabbos 32a: And these are man's advocates: repentance and good deeds. And even if nine hundred and ninety-nine argue for his guilt, while one argues in his favour, he is saved, for it is said, If there be with him an angel, an advocate, one among a thousand, To show unto man what is right for him; Then he is gracious unto him, and says, Deliver him from going down to the pit, etc. Rabbi Eliezer the son of Rabbi Jose the Galilean said: Even if nine hundred and ninety-nine parts of that angel are in his disfavour and one part is in his favour, be is saved, for it is said, ‘an advocate, one part in a thousand’.

Application:
Can you see the good in the dark side of your personality?

Give 10 quick answers off the top of your head to the following sentence stems:
If I would see the good in my darker side, I would…
If I would see the good in every person I would…

quote:

Pharaoh escorting and sending the Jews out of Egypt, the Egyptians were granted the rights of conversion.

Dear Rav Mitterhoff:

Would you please clarify in what way Pharoah is seen to have escorted the Jewish people out of Egypt?

Does this word choice indicate that it was an honorable send-off the way we escort honored guests at least a short distance away from our homes after their visits?

And is this "conversion right" in any way connected with the concept Rashi tells us that the Erev Rav were converts?

My dark side loves a certain Rav who loves Talmud and Torah. It is not what I want it to do, but that is what it is doing. Can I be forgiven for that? At least, it is Talmud and Torah.

Someone once told me a Midrash. It says that one must love H' "with all your heart." The Hebrew for heart is spelled with an extra Beit (levavkha instead of levkha) which would have been sufficient. Why? The Sages teach that one Beit is for the "Yetser ha-Tov" (inclination to good) and the other the "Yetser ha-raa" (inclination to evil). How does one go about loving God with his evil inclination?

Well your D'var reminded me of this Midrash (I hope I am quoting it correctly) and my associated question. Just wanted to see how people might answere.

Shavua tov
-Jake

Shavou Tov

Very simple my friend. If you read " The Tanya " you will probably find out that our animal side is nullified as we build our way up complying the 613 precepts commanded by H´. As our thoughts and action and speach tune its orientation toward g-dly acceptable behavior that would open kabbalah of goodness into our life.

By the way, at moon rise I celebrated Tu B´shvat and reading and thinking about the reason our kabbalists sages prompted to celebrate this day gives us an indication of one main objective of creation. G-d created man Adam and put him in a garden with all creatures and vegetation, hierbs, trees, and trees with seed. G-d also told Adam and Eve not to eat from one tree. There were a Tree of knowledge ( wisdom) and a Tree of Life. The Tree of life stands for Good and Evil. These Trees were attached to earth Adama from which were to be nourished to be able to give fruits. The fruits represented a delicious juicy sweet matter that was able to pass on and allow the flow of life to be on continuity that in every season we would have a tree that will give fruits. But within, a Neshama must hold good and unifiyng justice to hold the fruit until maduration to permit it to fall to Adama in order for it to give new seeds and nourish. A Tzdakkim is that one soul that holds on and allows the fruit to accomplish its order function in life. A man´s soul is similar we are wanted by G-d to make this world better by complying 613 precepts given on Mt Horeb. Self Improvement is very important and the seder of our staying in this world gives us the possibility to attain and hold to our good right oriented garments.

lej Lesahlom

This post is inappropriate and unsuitable, Raybin. For a number of reasons. You either join in the topic or keep quiet.

quote:

Originally posted by Raybin:
My dark side loves a certain Rav who loves Talmud and Torah. It is not what I want it to do, but that is what it is doing. Can I be forgiven for that? At least, it is Talmud and Torah.

Pardon me, but I must have looseness of association.

What I meant was that Pharaoh's Dark side loved Moshe Rabbinu so he must have escorted him out in a kind way. Wasn't Moshe like a son to Pharoah? Even though Moshe and Pharoah were having problems, I believe that Moshe was an advocate for Pharoah, one in a thousand.

Dear Raybin . Well done. Maybe somebody will comment on what you just said.

quote:

Originally posted by Raybin:
Pardon me, but I must have looseness of association.

What I meant was that Pharaoh's Dark side loved Moshe Rabbinu so he must have escorted him out in a kind way. Wasn't Moshe like a son to Pharoah? Even though Moshe and Pharoah were having problems, I believe that Moshe was an advocate for Pharoah, one in a thousand.

If the relationship between Pharoah and Moshe Rabbeinu was one of love, a few matters to reconcile:

+ Could there ever be a death sentence against one's own son? (I can think of 1 type of exception)

+ Perhaps overly strong words, such as "never see my face again" would be used, but there would likely be commentary explaining it as overly strong words not to be taken literally.

+ Pharoah doing anything "right" I would think would be called his "bright" side, not his dark side.