It’s catchy, “every revelation is a concealment, every concealment is a revelation”. And it’s also very deep.

 

Like the loudest attention seeking person at the party, is hiding some deep insecurity.   And like the parent who doesn’t smother the child or give endlessly to the child so that the child will grow to see themselves as an independent human being.  The parent is showing their deep love by holding back.

 

This paradox is possibly most profoundly expressed in human relationships.  There is a natural need of tug and pull, to be together as individuals.  

 

This week we read about the Exodus from Egypt.  The Jewish People are leaving Egypt and entering into this profound relationship with G-d.  And for the rest of time, we find ourselves trying to understand is G-d revealing Himself or is He concealing Himself?

 

G-d hid Himself during the Egyptian Exile to help us grow into a nation.  And for us to see Egypt as a metaphor for the work we need to do in Exile.

 

G-d jumped over the Jewish homes in the 10th plague in a revealed manner thereby showing his concealed love.

 

All of creation is a process of G-d hiding His light so that we can actually exist.  G-d reveals enough light so that we can be in a relationship with Him thereby concealing His overwhelming intensity.

 

The paradox is liberating and empowering.  It helps us resolve and navigate challenge at the same time that it encourages us to dig deeper.

 

Indeed this is the purpose of the Egyptian exile as the microcosm.  For us to have this profound relationship with G-d, feeling empowered as individuals but engaged in a paradoxical relationship with the Divine.

 

With blessings and good Shabbos!