ויאמר אלקים אל משה אהיה אשר אהיה ויאמר כה תאמר לבני ישראל אהיה שלחני אליכם ... (ג-יד)
Rashi explains this posuk as follows: “I AM THAT I AM - I will be with them in this sorrow - I will be with them in the subjection they will suffer at the hands of other kingdoms (Berachos 9b). Moshe said to Him: Ribono shel Olam, why should I mention to them other sorrows: they have enough with this sorrow! Hashem replied: Moshe, You have spoken correctly ....”
Hashem assured Moshe Rabbeinu that he would be with Klal Yisroel in all subsequent golus’n as well. The Chasam Sofer zt”l, who had a special affinity to the Ramban, said that the Ramban once came to him in a dream and told him the following pshat regarding the above words: I will be there for those who look for Me. If a person chooses to live their life without acknowledging the presence of Hashem, then I won’t be there for them. Alternatively, if one is always searching for Hashem, he will ultimately be successful in his search. One must never stop seeking out and ultimately finding Hashem.
This brings to mind two famous anecdotes. Someone once challenged a child, who eventually grew up to be the well-known tzaddik, R’ Heschel of Krakow zt”l: “If you tell me where Hashem is, I’ll give you a zloty (small coin).”
The clever child responded sharply, “And I’ll give you two, if you can tell me where He isn’t!”
The next anecdote though, complements the Ramban’s pshat. The Kotzker Rebbe zt”l was once asked where one can find Hashem. He said in his sharp, inimitable way, “He can be found wherever we allow Him in!”
As the section of the Torah known as Sefer Shemos, which deals with the Golus Mitzrayim and the subsequent Geula begins, let us focus on recognizing the hashgacha pratis that envelops us on a daily basis, Hashem’s ultimate protection, thus forging an everlasting and close relationship with our loving Father, who is there for us always and everywhere!
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