Why a Donkey | Rabbi Yitzchok Fingerer

What’s said in this shiur

The opening of this shiur, in Vayimaen’s own words — taken from the captions, so names and Hebrew terms may be approximate.

When Moshe Rabeinu leaves to free the Jewish people, the Yidden, from their servitude, from their slavery in Egypt, the pasuk says, that he puts his family on a donkey. This is very surprising. Moshe Rabeinu was desperate to save the Yidden. Every single moment that they were enslaved, another Jew was suffering and being abused. So couldn't they choose a more efficient animal? A horse gallops between 40 and 50 miles an hour. A camel perhaps around 30 miles an hour. A donkey averages 15 miles an hour. But it goes even further, because the ultimate Moshiach, says the Navi Zecharya, he'll be רוכב על חמור. Moshiach will, yet again, be riding on the slow donkey. Asks the Imrei Emes, Why? 21st century. Put Moshiach on a Mustang or Corvette. Let him get us out already. A donkey tarries, a donkey delays us.

Jump to a moment

1. 0:05When Moshe Rabeinu leaves to free the Jewish people, the Yidden, from their servitude, from their…
2. 0:36A donkey averages 15 miles an hour. But it goes even further, because the ultimate Moshiach,…
3. 1:06Why a donkey? Says the Heilige Imrei Emes, Because there may be a Jew who's not…
4. 1:36רוכב means that there's a person out there who's going to choose to subjugate, to vanquish,…
5. 2:07and just as Moshiach is about to come, he's going to forsake that person, that person…

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