Psycho-Spiritual Insights: Exploring Parasha and Psychology

Parshat Vaera begins the slow process of instilling hope in Bnei Yisrael that redemption is approaching. Hashem appears to Moshe Rabbeinu, giving him the strength and language to bring a message of salvation. Yet when Moshe speaks to the nation, still crushed under the weight of slavery, we encounter a moment of profound despair. Exhausted and broken, they cannot absorb his words. The pasuk tells us that Bnei Yisrael did not listen to Moshe "mi kotzer ruach umi avodah kasha - because of shortness of breath and harsh labor (Shemot 6:9)”. The phrase kotzer ruach is typically translated as shortness of spirit, but ruach also literally means breath. The Torah is signaling something deep. Their inability to hear Moshe was not only a spiritual block but also a physiological one.

Rashi explains that anyone who is in anguish breathes in quick short gasps and cannot draw long breaths. This is a precise description of what today we call panic physiology where the breath becomes tight and shallow leaving no space for reflection or imagination. The Ohr HaChaim adds that Bnei Yisrael suffered two parallel constrictions, the crushing labor on one side and the internal collapse of capacity on the other. Their workload increased to impossible levels and with it arose impatience, desperation and mental shutdown. When a persons spirit contracts and breath becomes constricted, even tasks once manageable become overwhelming. The Torah is describing a state of emotional suffocation with no room to envision change.

Breath is not merely a bodily function. It is the mirror of our inner world. The quality of our breath reflects the quality of our life. When we breathe shallowly, everything narrows, including our perspective, our hope and our belief that things can get better. When we breathe deeply, space opens physically, emotionally and spiritually. Modern science has begun to demonstrate what Torah has taught for millennia. A systematic review of 58 clinical trials on breathwork found that practices such as diaphragmatic breathing and alternate nostril breathing meaningfully reduced anxiety and stress. The most effective interventions shared key traits including being guided by another person, practiced over multiple sessions and lasting at least five minutes. Researchers also noted that slow regulated breathing, not fast or forced patterns, most reliably lowered cortisol and promoted emotional calm. What Rashi called kotzer ruach, shortness of breath caused by suffering, we now recognize as heightened nervous system arousal and panic symptoms.The Sforno teaches that the promise of redemption did not feel believable to the people because their internal state was unable to receive it. The message was true, but their bodies and spirits had no space left to hold hope. Slavery did not only imprison their limbs. It constricted their lungs, their spirit and their imagination.

Yet breath itself is our earliest symbol of divine life. “Vayyipach be apav nishmat Chayim - Hashem breathing spirit into humanity (Bereishit 2:7)”. When life feels tight and hope disappears, sometimes the first step back toward possibility is simply making space for breath. Every inhale is a small act of faith, acknowledging that Hashem continues to animate us moment by moment. Every exhale is a release of tension, fear and what we no longer need to carry.

In contemporary life, breathwork has become a powerful tool for grounding and resetting the nervous system. Focusing on one's breath can anchor a person into the present moment, creating internal spaciousness even when external circumstances remain unchanged. Breathing is not merely automatic. It can be intentional, soulful and healing. With every mindful inhale we take in hope and with every deliberate exhale we let go of constriction and anxiety.

Here are three short tips to increase breathwork:

1. Start with Awareness: Begin by cultivating awareness of your breath throughout the day. Take a few moments to notice the rhythm of your breathing, especially during moments of stress or tension. Simply observing your breath without judgment sets the foundation for incorporating intentional breathwork.
2. Practice not Perfection: Practice different options to find what works for you. Consider diaphragmatic breathing by focusing on deep, belly breaths. Inhale slowly through your nose, allowing your diaphragm to expand, and exhale fully through your mouth. Consider 4-part breathing, by intentionally breathing in, pausing, breathing out, and pausing. Consider Circle breathing for children by inhaling and raising your hands in a semi-circle and exhaling and lowering your hands completing the circle.
3. Create Rituals: Establish breathwork rituals by dedicating specific times for focused practice. This could be a few minutes in the morning as part of our Modeh Ani or incorporating breathing at part of children’s bedtime routines.

As we reflect on Bnei Yisrael’s struggle in Parshat Vaera, we recognize that before redemption could unfold in the world, expansion needed to return inside their bodies and souls. Kotzer ruach teaches us that the narrowness of Mitzrayim is not only geographic, it is internal. Redemption begins with the ability to breathe again. May we learn to notice our breath, expand it, and receive the gift Hashem planted inside us. Inhale strength. Exhale doubt. With every breath, may we move closer to clarity, calm, connection, and the redemption within and beyond us.