Riding the Waves of History: A Divine Plan in Motion

Welcoming a new president can often be misleading, as their election seem to be the result of American politics or the mismanagement of the previous president, particularly in areas like the economy and immigration. However, Parashat Shemot, which we just read, seems to send a different message. In last week’s parasha, we learn that a new king rose to power in Egypt, the world’s superpower at the time. He immediately recognized the new threat to Egypt—the Jewish nation (as always, of course). He took swift action, issuing executive orders to control the perceived threat, which ultimately led to the harsh slavery of the Israelites.

At first glance, it seems like a chain of events that unfolded naturally, but that understanding is incorrect. What happened to the Jewish nation in Egypt was not a random series of events but was preordained by Hashem. It was foretold to Avraham Avinu during the Brit Ben Habetarim—the covenant between the pieces. Thus, the exile in Mitzrayim was part of Hashem’s grand plan for the Jewish people, and it had to happen as part of that divine purpose.

The same applies to the history of the empires that ruled over the world, such as the Greeks and Romans. They didn’t simply rise to power by chance and take control of the world; rather, it was preordained. We know this clearly from the prophecy of Daniel, who foresaw the four empires and informed King Nebuchadnezzar about who would rule and how their reigns would unfold.

This is akin to a ride in an amusement park, such as those in Orlando, where the ride takes you through different phases of history, from primitive times to today’s modern era. The ride moves through each stage, showing how things advanced slowly over time. No one on the ride believes that the advances are happening in real time as they experience them; everyone realizes that the entire journey is carefully designed by artists to demonstrate different stages in history. Similarly, in reality, everything is preordained, and we are merely passengers on a ride, watching events unfold before our eyes. Just as the ride progresses through time, the same understanding applies to the new president. He is simply a stage in the ride that Hashem has preplanned for the world.

Moreover, as we explained a few weeks ago, the president-elect is actually the least powerful person in the world, as everyone else has free will, while the president, in relation to his presidency, does not. Shlomo HaMelech, in Mishlei, says: "The heart of the king is like streams of water in the hand of Hashem; He directs it wherever He desires" (Mishlei 21:1).

This pasuk explains that a king is not able to act on his own but rather that Hashem completely controls his decisions and actions. We also mentioned the Gemara (Megillah 11a) that illustrates this concept with the decree during the time of Haman. The pasuk, "A song of ascents: If not for Hashem who was on our side, let Israel now say, if not for Hashem who was on our side when a man rose up against us" (Tehillim 124:1-2), uses the word "man" rather than "king," emphasizing that Haman was not a king. The Maharatz Chayot explains that if Haman had been a king, he would have been subject to Hashem’s control, as it says, "The hearts of kings and rulers are in the hand of Hashem." Evil enacted by a king is a reflection of Hashem’s judgment. But since Haman was merely a man with free will, he acted on his own wickedness, without Hashem’s direct influence. Therefore, the pasuk highlights that only with Hashem's help were the Jews able to overcome him, as he had acted out of personal choice and not as a controlled ruler.

The reason for this is that Hashem’s plan for the world must move forward according to His will, and thus, the one who seems to have the ability to navigate it cannot truly control it. If he could, he might disrupt or alter Hashem’s plans.