We find in the parasha that we initially started with in this article, parshat Mishpatim: "and they

saw the God of Israel. And under His feet was the likeness of a work [ma'aseh] made of sapphire
bricks and the likeness of the very heaven for purity."
...
The Scripture mentions the "sapphire bricks" and Rashi interpreted this as: "in order to remember
the pain of Israel, [who were enslaved in work making bricks]." We have seen how great of the
power of doing [ma'aseh] mitzvot in the material world [olam hama'aseh]: here it is as if God
Himself acts in the world to make a work [ma'aseh] of sapphire bricks, as a visual image to
remind him of the pain of Israel. It is not, God forbid, that God needs a reminder, but rather to
teach us how great is the power of the actual deed in the material world. This is similar to what
our sages meant when they stated: "The Holy Blessed One lays on tefillin."
To this we add another amazing thing: we know the wise saying according to which "pain and
joy are intertwined with each other." This means that after pain, the joy is much greater and more
intense than if it had not come after previous pain. Since when they saw "the likeness of the very
heaven for purity" they had already been redeemed [from Egypt], why were they also shown the
"likeness of a work made of sapphire bricks" to remind them of their pain? This, it would seem,
was so that "the likeness of the very heaven for purity" would act as a foil to "the likeness of a
work made of sapphire bricks" and enhance, as it were, their joy. Although the Blessed One has
no need for this, it was there in order to let them know His affection for his treasured people and
also to tell them about the greatness of the obligation of sharing the burden with one's fellow as
manifested in experiencing their pain and rejoicing in their joy.
Rabbi Simcha Zissel Ziv

When a person leaves his labor, he realizes the brokenness of his bones, the brokenness of his
spirit. Thus when Israel went out of Egypt, they tasted the taste of death and the Blessed Holy
One healed them, as is written: YHWH was going before them by day. Every road they took
emitted healing fragrance, which entered their bodies and they were healed. Hearing the sound of
praises, they rejoiced and their spirit was comforted.
Zohar II 2:45a

Israeli society needs leaders who can speak to the pain and fear in it and through a dialogue of
feelings allow this society to free itself from the forces that are killing it and the Palestinians;
leaders who can show through personal example that they are willing to sacrifice pieces of their
truth in order to effect change and heal the pain. The peace camp cannot be just the camp of the
left: it needs to include all who are willing to devote themselves to the work of healing
themselves and through this stop hurting the Palestinians. . . Jerusalem was destroyed because
of those in it who insisted on judging strictly according to the Torah" - and Jerusalem will be
rebuilt by those who can embrace their pain, gather their tears in a bag and bring them to the
negotiation table.
Yakir Englander
Eugene Fleischman Sotirescu Mishkan Shalom Torah Study Feb 06, 2016

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