After Moses complains to G-d at the end of last week's parsha why He had made things worse for the Children of Israel, G-d responds in the beginning of this week's parsha Va'eira with words of rebuke for Moses followed by His guarantee that He will redeem them imminently.

      "I revealed Myself to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I established My covenant with them to give then the Land of Cana'an. I also heard the moans of the children of Israel , whom the Egyptians are holing as slaves. Therefore, say to the children of Israel , 'I am G-d, and I will take you out from under the burdens of Egypt .'"

      Since these words were said by G-d in response to Moses' complaint that the process of liberation did not commence, we are to assume that in the foregoing verses G-d was supplying the reasons that Moses concerns were unfounded.  

      And as some commentators point out, if we carefully survey G-d's response to Moses we will see that He lists three reasons why He will finally redeem them:

      The first point G-d makes is that He appeared to the Patriarchs. The implication is that He had promised them that He would enslave their children and then liberate them. However, the reference to G-d's promise only appears in the next verse prefaced with the word "also." This implies that the first compelling reason for Moses to believe that the time of the Exodus has truly arrived is the simple fact that G-d appeared to the Patriarchs.

      What is it about G-d's appearance to the Patriarchs that dictated that the Jews would be redeemed?

      One answer to this question is that the Patriarchs were so devoted and faithful to G-d that G-d owed them the freedom of their children even if He had not promised it outright. If Moses had any doubts about the reality of the Exodus he could rest assured that G-d would not allow the children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to remain enslaved in Egypt .

      And it was also obvious that He would redeem them soon because, as our Sages tell us, if the people would have remained any longer in Egypt they might have never been capable of being redeemed. They would have degenerated so that there might have not been anyone or anything left to redeem. If not now, then never. The thought that G-d would allow the children of the Patriarchs to be lost was untenable.

      The second reason Moses could remain secure in the knowledge that the people would be liberated is the covenant He made with them. G-d promised. And G-d would certainly not go back on His word.

      The third factor or reason Moses, in effect, was given by G-d as to the inevitability of the freedom of the Children of Israel, and that it was imminent, was the fact that their suffering had become intolerable. Even if G-d had decreed that they would be slaves in a foreign land, the Egyptians went way overboard in afflicting them. There was no way G-d could allow this outrage to continue.

      In our own day and age we know we are so close to the Redemption because of the same three factors. And if we analyzed these three factors we will see that they reflect three distinct parts of our personalities: cold logic, faith and passionate emotion.

      Logic dictates that we should be taken out of exile:

      Our ancestors and forebears have done so much to sacrifice for Judaism and the Jewish people. How could G-d allow their work to have been an exercise in futility and all their sacrifices in vain? Sheer logic compels us to believe that the end is near; a time when all of our forebears' and ancestors' efforts will bear fruit. Especially now, when the forces of assimilation have so reduced our numbers and continues to undermine of future, is the argument so compelling. As one great sage of the past put it: "Moshiach must come soon, or else he will have no one to come to."

      Faith dictates that our Redemption is near:

      In addition, G-d promised through His prophets that He will bring the Redemption. Numerous Biblical and Talmudic prophecies that have materialized in our day coupled with clear pronouncements from contemporary Jewish leaders, particularly the Lubavitcher Rebbe, that "the time for our Redemption has arrived," all point to the fact that we are living in Messianic times.

      Our feelings also dictate that our loving Father in Heaven will not allow us to suffer anymore. We have suffered so much in exile. How could a loving G-d allow this situation to continue?   And while these words seemed to be phrased as a question, they are actually the cry of the soul of a caring human being. This "question" does not demand a philosophical answer. It wants nothing less than G-d taking us, His children, into His warm embrace. We feel it in our gut that our loving Father will not tolerate any more suffering on our part.

      This approach, as an intellectual argument, can be refuted, but it is intended not as a philosophical challenge as much as an appeal from the depths of our heart to the depths of G-d's "heart," as it were.

      One of the differences between an intellectual challenge to G-d and the venting of our emotions is that the former focuses on the past: "Why did this tragedy occur?" It is based on genuine intellectual curiosity. A human being is an intellectual and inquisitive creature. At the very least, humans possess an intellectual component that prompts them to ask questions.

      By contrast, the person whose question is an expression of his or her pain cries out to G-d for the future. "Please remove my pain. I cannot take it any longer. How much longer shall we have to suffer? I want a guarantee that it will not happen again," etc. etc.

      Another salient difference between the two forms of the question:

      When the question is of a philosophical nature one could be satisfied with an answer; the person who expresses his or her emotions cannot accept anything short of a total reversal of the painful condition.

      In summary, all three faculties of our soul: our logic, faith and emotions combine to forcefully argue and militate for an immediate end to the painful exile and the ushering in of the promised Redemption.