Amidah-Kedusha-Vayigash-Becoming Magnets

“‘I am the Power, the Lord of your father,” He said. ‘Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there’ (Genesis 46:3).”  I must preface by quoting a tradition we have in the name of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai:

The purpose of the various exiles is to isolate segments of sanctity which are scattered within various branches of the “K-lipah,” the ‘Husk’ surrounding the kernel, which is all sanctity.

Inasmuch as Egypt was full of abominations and impurity was headquartered there, it was no more than natural that many such segments of sanctity were scattered throughout the country. In fact, the amounts of such scattered segments of sanctity are usually proportionate to the amount of impurity and defilement that abound in a certain area or environment.

The phenomenon originated as soon as Adam sinned. It has been Israel’s task to “rescue” all those splinters of sanctity and reconnect them to the whole.

Our Sages have taught that the nation that left Egypt and experienced Revelation at Mt. Sinai was previously captive within this Husk called Egypt.

God told Jacob that the purpose of Israel spending time in Exile in Egypt was to enable it to develop into this great nation; the sparks of the “great nation” that were lost amidst the Egyptians, that had to be isolated, rescued and led out of there.

Jacob would be the magnet that would attract the various scattered sparks of sanctity that still abounded in Egypt in ineffectual form. (Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh)

Application:

Use the blessing of Kedushah to pray to become such a magnet of Holiness that can discover, attract, and rescue, lost or wandering Sparks of Holiness.