Nachal novea; makor chochma -
A flowing river; the source of wisdom (Mish. 18:4)

The Torah starts out its account of the suffering in Egypt by listing all of the names of the twelve holy sons of Jacob. What connection or purpose is there in doing this?  Each one of the twelve sons of Jacob all had attained very high levels of joy and holiness.  Each one of them possessed unique and special talents for rectifying the world, each one spreading joy throughout the world in his own special way.  Each of the brother’s names indicates how each one’s special talents in spreading joy manifested itself.  According to the Talmud in Brachot and the teachings of the Kabbala, the name of any inanimate item, animal, or person contains all the information about everything that pertains physically and spiritually to that item or person.  We can know everything about a person’s personality, his past, or his future by just having the knowledge on how to properly analyze that person’s name.  However, a rare few tzadikim are privileged to know this information.

The Torah veils and hides much of its teachings under the surface, using all sorts of codes.  This is the Torah's way of disseminating information.  It is only the discerning and well trained eye of the sage that could uncover this hidden information.  The sage, because of his personal holiness and purity, is privileged to receive assistance from heaven to be able to discover and uncover these secrets.  Therefore, without the guidance and direction of our sages, we would be left in the dark. By merely listing the names of the twelve holy tribes, prior to the account of the bondage story, the Torah is alluding to extremely important information that is essential for everyone to be aware of. The Torah is pointing out to us the solution for survival, even in the worst of situations.

When the twelve holy tribes banned together, they formed one unit, the Jewish Nation. This unit contains all of the joy and holiness that exists in this world.  Therefore, by just listing the names of the twelve holy tribes, we already can understand the message.   This coded message is telling us that to endure the difficulties of any bad situation one must focus in on the lessons contained in the names of the twelve holy tribes.  Each one of these names alludes to all of the different methods of joy that can be employed to respond to every conceivable type of bad situation that exists.  However, one should continue to analyze, over and over again, the lessons of these names, so one can discover even more information about this subject.

The only solution for exile and suffering is redemption.  Suffering forces a person to seek, ask, and inquire: Why is this happening to me?  Who is doing this to me, and for what reason?  What do I have to do to get out of this terrible situation?  When a bad situation is not so terrible, a person may feel he that he can take action to solve his problem. However, there is one major draw back when this type of problem is solved.  When one remedies this type of situation, one usually thinks that it was exclusively his own efforts or his great ideas that enabled him to solve his problem.  The average person usually doesn't look beyond the surface.  It is very difficult to see that it was G-d who played a major role in remedying his problem.  It was G-d who put the good idea into the person's mind and manipulated the outcome so that the person's problem could be solved.  It takes very hard work to be able to see the hand of G-d in this type of situation.

However, what about more difficult situations, where the situation is clearly beyond anyone's control and ability to remedy like natural disasters, or serious illnesses, which have no known cure, or even imprisonment?  What can be done to solve problems that are beyond anyone's ability to remedy?  When a person is saved from seemingly hopeless situations, it is much easier to see that there is a G-d; the controlling force that remedied this type of unsolvable situation.

The only purpose for the existence of this world is for man (without force or coercion) to be able to find G-d.  Therefore, the enslavement in Egypt placed the Jews in a situation which was clearly very far beyond their ability to remedy on their own. When they saw there was no other way out, they fought back with the only weapon available to them: G-d.   The Jewish experience in the massive concentration camp of Egypt uncovered all of the material veils of this world.  The Jews were then clearly able to see that the only solution to all of man's problems is G-d.  They came to realize that G-d should be a person's first resort, not the last.  For any problem that is ever solved, is always solved through G-d, whether we are aware of it or not. How do we get G-d to step in, to help us solve our problems?  We must merge ourselves and become one with G-d. When we become one with G-d, we become like an extension of G-d Himself.   In that case, our problem now becomes His problem, and He then steps in to save us. For the Talmud teaches: "Treat His [G-d's] Will [fulfilling the commandments] as if it were your own will, so that He will treat your will as if it was His will. Nullify your will before His will, so that He will nullify the will of others before your will" (Talmud Avot 2:4).  In addition, we saw no other way out.  This situation forced us to strive, to become one with G-d. This brought us to discover and realize that G-d is the only solution to our problem.  This brought us to find G-d, on some level.  This is the fulfillment of G-d's wish and is the purpose for His creating and sustaining the world.

How does one connect himself to G-d? As we have said many times before, G-d is the source of all holiness and joy. Therefore, to become one with G-d, one must make every effort to be happy and holy, by fulfilling G-d's wishes. The entire process of suffering and the subsequent partial or total redemption that follows is purposely designed by G-d for the purpose of bringing everyone closer to Him. It was the trouble, and the subsequent solving of the problem that brought us to realize that there is a G-d in the world. This was the very purpose for the Egyptian enslavement and of all of the problems brought upon man. For the verse says: "You [all men] shall [clearly] know [through experiencing problems] that I am the L-rd your G-d (this knowledge will bring you to joy], [it is I, G-d] who brings you [into your trouble and then) out from under the burdens of Egypt [or any other trouble that burdens man, both small or great, so you can find Me)" (Exodus 6:7).

Therefore, G-d caused Jacob and his twelve sons to come to Egypt. They came just prior to the enormous suffering that their descendants would experience. This enabled these holy men to lay the ground-work in Egypt by spreading holiness and joy of the knowledge of the existence of G-d. It was through this, that the Jews were able to survive their ordeal. The goal of the forces of evil is to enslave and trap a person in their realm. They do this by demoralizing a person in an attempt to break his spirit, thus forcing him into a deep depression. When a person is depressed, his most important possession, his mind, is trapped in prison (or what the kabbalists call "the exile of Egypt"). When a person falls into this situation, he becomes detached from G-d and from His assistance.  One must be (and stay) happy in order to be (and remain) connected to G-d, as He is the source of all joy.  Therefore, the forces of evil make every effort to throw a person into despair and depression. Evil forces can hold a person back and cause him to believe there is no hope; however, this is only an illusion. G-d can always be found in any suffering that one experiences. G-d is always close at hand to anyone, no matter what wrongdoing they might have committed. For the verse says: "And Moses drew near to the thick darkness [for in the darkness is) where G-d was" (Exodus 20:21). This verse is alluding to the following: Moses refers to any man who displays faith. A man of faith can go through any darkness or trouble. Particularly in a dark situation is where he who displays faith will find G-d, as G-d always hides in the darkness of a person’s troubles.

The greater the suffering, the more depressed a person is likely to become. The more depressed a person becomes, the further away he chases the protection of the Divine Presence from himself. This then causes his suffering to turn progressively worse. If this is the case, how would it ever be possible to escape such a vicious situation? This is exactly what the Egyptians did to the Jews in Egypt. They tightened the screws so much, that they nearly totally broke the spirit of Jews who were enslaved there. The Jews became so depressed because of anguish of spirit [depression] and because of the [oppressive] hard work" (Exodus 6:9).

Therefore, G-d had sent the refuah, the healing, before the makah, the plague: G-d sent the holy family of Jacob and his sons to Egypt prior to the enslavement. It was the names of these holy men, that contained all of the holiness and happiness of the entire Jewish People. These holy men had the power to draw the spiritual light of the belief in G-d to even the worst and darkest of situations. Once a person possesses the light of G-d, which is drawn through that person's faith, he can become extremely happy, and this gives him the power to find illumination even the darkest of situations. Once a person draws G-d close to himself through being in a state of joy, he is able to get G-d to help him escape from his troubles. For the verse says: "For in [or through your being in a state of] joy you shall go out [from exile and from all other troubles]" (Isaiah 55:12).

It didn't matter, that at the time of the enslavement, Jacob and his sons had already passed away. They had left behind the legacy of their methods of attaining joy with their offspring. They strongly instilled within the people all the methods of how to reach joy and thus G-d. The people were able to attach themselves spiritually to Jacob and his sons even though they were no longer living. For the Talmud in Brachot says, "that the righteous are termed living even after their demise."  Their souls live on for eternity, and one can connect oneself to the spiritual powers of the righteous, even after they pass on. Therefore,  the Jews were able to draw from the vast reservoir of joy that Jacob and his sons had attained by just connecting themselves to their holy names.
This is why our verse mentions the names of Jacob and his sons prior to the account of the enslavement. One can connect oneself to a righteous man's powers by just verbally connecting himself to the name of the righteous. The Talmud mentions this also. Rabbi Meir guaranteed a person that he would escape all harm if he would say the following: "The G-d of Rabbi Meir save me!"  In this way, the Jews were able to maintain some level of joy, which enabled them to retain their connection with G-d.  Because of this, G-d was then able to send Moses to redeem the Jews.

Joseph was the f irst saint sent by G-d to break the sadness of Egypt. He did this by resisting the temptation to commit adultery with his master's wife.  In addition, Joseph always maintained a happy demeanor. As it is said in the verse: "G-d was with Joseph, and he was a successful man" (Genesis 39:2). The Midrash says, that this was due to Joseph's' always being happy. To be successful, a man must be happy. Rabbi Nachman teaches that sadness can ruin a person's mazel for success.

When a person is depressed, it is very difficult for him to make himself happy by performing a mitzvah of holiness. Much of true happiness is trapped in the snares of evil forces. This is why (when we do foolish and non-holy acts), we are able to experience joy, because we are really experiencing the power of joy that has fallen into the grip of evil. Rabbi Nachman says, escaping depression and attaining a state of joy can be accomplished by doing something foolish--but NOT an actual sin. We can learn this from what King David did when escaping certain death. It is stated in the verse: "Of David, when he acted insane in the presence of Avimelech [king of the Philistines) and he (Avimelech] drove him away, and he [David] left" (Psalms 34:1). It was David's acting foolishly in Avimelech's (the code word for the forces of evil) presence which allowed King David to escape.  Once a person escapes the forces of evil, (by getting himself into a happy frame of mind by some slight of foolishness), he is then able to do holy things and become connected to G-d. G-d is then able to start the mechanisms moving which will eventually bring about salvation.

The verse depicts their suffering in Egypt as follows: "And they [the Egyptians] made their lives bitter with hard labor, in [making] cement and in (making of and in laying of] bricks" (Exodus 1:14). The Zohar comments on this verse as follows: “They made their lives bitter with the hard labor.” [The word for hard, in Hebrew is "kasheh". This is similar to the word, “kushiah,” which means contradiction or difficulty in the text of the Torah.] The verse is alluding to fact that the Jews had difficulties in "in making cement". In Hebrew, cement is "chomer" (which can also mean material) . This alludes to the great difficulties the Jews had in understanding the perplexities of the
textual material in the Torah. "In bricks", (In Hebrew, in bricks - is "bilvainim" - which is similar to the word "mayvin", to understand), means they had difficulties in understanding the Torah's laws and how to properly apply them.

The following is an explanation of the previous paragraph, which is contained in the Zohar: As we mentioned many times before, the only escape from our troubles is to get into a state of joy. However, the harshness of our troubles drains and confuses the mind to the point where one hasn't enough strength, and is unable to find or recover the path to joy. The only way to find the way out is through acting upon the advice derived from the Torah, which is the advice of G-d.   However, when we are unable to glean the precise meaning of the text and of the laws, we don't know what to do and are then unable to escape from our troubles, and cleave to G-d. It is only the true Tzadikim (saints) who are able to understand the precise intent of the Torah, and are able to give reliable solutions to our troubles.  Therefore, to ensure, the well being of one's physical and eternal spiritual existence, it is essential to follow the advice of the true Tzadikim.

 Every true Tzaddik has a spiritual spark of Moses and the Messiah within him.  They all have the same mission as Moses and the Messiah, but on a smaller scale. Their mission is to bring the world closer to G-d. The Torah knowledge of the Messiah will be so profound that he will have the ability to make even the simplest people understand that there is a G-d. it is this knowledge, that will bring eternal joy to the world. Rabbi Nachman said about his own teachings the following: "My way is new, yet very old (for he explained the Torah the way it was understood in very ancient times). There will be no difference between what teach and what the Messiah will teach.  The only difference is that the world will listen to the Messiah, but no one will listen to me.”

Many people wrongfully think, that they themselves know what to do, and how to accurately understand the advice written in the Torah. They feel they don't need a tzadik's guidance. They feel they can solve their problems using their own common sense, or that they themselves can understand the advice written in the Torah.  This might be true in many instances and where a mistake wouldn't result in dire consequences. In fact, Rabbi Nachman didn't want his followers bothering him for advice for every little thing. He felt that they should talk to G-d and ask G-d to provide the proper advice in minor situations.  However, for major problems, the best thing is to seek the advice of a true Tzaddik. This is the lesson that the Zohar derives from this verse. Making a mistake because one didn't properly understand the teachings of the Torah causes the greatest suffering of all. For if a person acted upon the advice that he derived from the Torah and the advice didn't work or it backfired, this could cause the greatest suffering of all. For this can totally break his faith in G-d.  He acted upon the advice of the Torah, and his personal understanding of it; yet still it failed him. This person would never think of blaming himself for not properly understanding the Torah. He thought that by implementing the literal meaning of the Torah, he had found the true meaning in the Torah. He then questions why the Torah failed him.  This causes him to doubt the validity of the Torah's advice, and thus lose faith and thus his joy.  He might not be aware that in many instances, the literal meaning is not the true intent of the Torah. This is the very situation that occurred in Egypt. This is the message of the verse and the Zohar.

However, due to our many sins and the many disputes amongst ourselves, the identity of the true tzadikim have become obscured and misunderstood; and resultant misconceptions include the concept that being nice, merciful or charitable is sufficient qualification for being considered a true tzadik. However worthy may be the charitable or merciful efforts of an individual, this attribute alone is insufficient because it does not take into account the high spiritual levels that must be attained by an individual in order to be considered a true tzadik. A true tzadik is on such a high level of holiness that he receives personal, special guidance from G-d.  Just because one is very knowledgeable in the basics of the Torah, and might even understand the entire Talmud; this does not make a person a tzadik.  (Regarding all the qualifications of the true tzadik, it is extremely diverse and lengthy. We wished to bring out the qualifications of the tzadik that were relevant to the teaching in the Zohar). The Talmud emphasizes that practice of G-d's wishes (through knowledge of His laws), is the critical thing in getting close to G-d. If someone sincerely becomes an expert in practicing what he has studied, he then merits to receive the special guidance of G-d's holy spirit. Knowledge alone, without practice, will not merit a person special help from G-d. Just as the untrained eye is unable to distinguish between a diamond and a beautifully cut piece of glass, so to the average person is unable to tell who is a true tzadik and who isn't. Therefore, many people are unable to recognize a true tzadik and are fooled by those who have some advanced knowledge. They might also be fooled by the outward appearance of the person. They might be fooled by the exaggerated claims of the person's numerous followers. Therefore, to be able to identify a true tzadik, one must pray to G-d for help to lead one to the true tzadik.  If a person is really looking for the truth, G-d will eventually lead him to the true tzadik. If a person is not looking for G-d deep in his heart, and is not seeking the truth, G-d will lead that person to a leader who is just as false as the person himself.

Not being able to find the true tzadikim of each generation and to learn from them, the methods of how to find G-d, is the main cause of why the exile is so prolonged.

The message that G-d was telling Moses by showing him a burning thorn bush, which was not consumed by the fire, is as follows: As long as the "fire of G-d" (Song of Songs 8:6) is burning within the Jewish People, even within the lower elements, represented by the thorns, no exile or power on earth could destroy them. The tzadik is the one who has the fire of G-d burning within him and transmits it the common people. In effect, G-d was telling Moses that if a person could find and attach himself to a true tzadik he would be able to have the proper guidance in finding G-d. (Lekutai Halachot: Orach Chaim: Hilchot Hadawah 6:57-59)

May G-d quickly redeem us by leading us to the true tzadikim, Amen.