Masterplan

“Pakod pakaditi” was the watchword of the true messenger who would redeem the Jews from Egypt. So Yosef revealed on his deathbed. Indeed, those were the magical words that Moshe called out to the Jews. Was it no more than an arbitrary sign? Could the true redeemer have been identified just as well in some other way, – say by wearing a clown nose, – or was there perhaps something inherently important about these words? We suggested that the word “Pekidah” means more than just “remembering”. It means visiting upon the subject a preset action or plan. (As in the sentence “Po’ked avon avos al banim”.) In this context it meant that a new stage in Hashem’s plan had arrived, and was about to happen to the Jews. This wasn’t an isolated event, simply salvation from Paroh’s clutches, but the implementation of a segment of Hashem’s master-plan, part of the process which would make us the Am Hashem and bring the world to its destiny. And so in Hashem’s viewpoint this was a world-revolving happening. Only a true Navi would have that enormous perspective. Anyone else would simply be moved by the plight of the poor suffering nation and claim to have come to redeem them from slavery. Indeed, Pakod pakaditi was the hallmark of the true messenger.