Shemot - Why Exile Pt I
Exile and redemption hold a major place in the Torah and in the Jewish People's reality. it starts at the Brit Bein HaBetarim - The Covenant Between The Pieces. During the first moments of G-d's establishing that the Jewish People will be chosen, G-d tells Avraham that they will be strangers in a strangle land. Before this moment a darkness falls upon Avraham and tradition has it that in the darkness all of the future (4 major) exiles that Avraham's children would go through were revealed to him. But isn't exile a punishment? So how is it announced before the Jewish People exist to have done anything wrong? And could the positive purpose of the first exile of Egypt be, given that they entered holy, and left on a low level? And why doesn't Avraham pray for his children to not have to go through this exile? After all, he prayed for the wicked people of Sedom to not be destroyed, why didn't he pray for the annulment of this decree against his children? And why do w...