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Surf A Little Torah PARASHAT SHEMOT by Rav David Silverberg
God appears to Moshe at the burning bush and orders him to assemble the elders of Israel and report to them God's revelation to him. Moshe must tell them that God is now prepared to take them from Egypt and bring them to the Promised Land. God assures Moshe that the elders will believe him (3:16-18). On what basis will they accept him as their savior? Rashi cites the famous Midrash that God provided Moshe with the "code" by which Benei Yisrael will recognize the true redeemer. Benei Yisrael held a tradition - introduced by Yaakov Avinu, who transmitted it to Yosef, and so on - that the prophet who will free them from bondage will quote a special clause in God's Name: "pakod pakad'ti etkhem" ("I have surely remembered you"; or "I have taken note of you"). Therefore, all Moshe has to do is transmit this prophecy, and he will be accepted as the redeemer. The obvious question arises, if indeed this tradition was widespread throughout the nation, then why couldn't anyone falsely declare himself the savior by uttering this magic formula? How could Benei Yisrael discern "false messiahs"? The Ramban raises this question and provides two answers. First, he suggests that the tradition itself guaranteed that no frauds will usurp this code. The prophetic promise assured Benei Yisrael that the first one to come along and prophetically declare the dawn of redemption with this formula is indeed the true redeemer. Secondly, the Ramban suggests (based on another passage in the Midrash), this tradition was passed along in secrecy. Yaakov transmitted this knowledge to Yosef, who secretly passed it on to Levi, who privately conveyed the information to his son, etc. The tradition never became widespread. Therefore, once Moshe would use this special expression, the few carrying the tradition would inform the rest of the nation of the arrival of the true redeemer. The rebbe of Kotzk, however, adopts an entirely different approach, based on a bold redefinition of the phrase, "pakod pakad'ti." He notes that in Sefer Shoftim 15:1, the verb p.k.d. is used to mean feelings of yearning or longing for another. The Kotzker thus suggests that the tradition of "pakod pakad'ti" referred to the ability of a potential redeemer to inspire the hearts of Benei Yisrael to return to their Father in heaven. As we know from Sefer Yechezkel (20), a sharp, spiritual decline took place among Benei Yisrael during their stay in Egypt. Before redemption could arrive, a drastic change of heart was required. God therefore charged Moshe with the responsibility of not only ordering Pharaoh to set the slaves free, but of preparing the people for freedom, as well. "Pakod pakad'ti" meant that this preparation entailed a collective spiritual rejuvenation, a newfound religious spirit and desire to heed God's commands. ***** God instructs Moshe to appear before Pharaoh and declare, "Yisrael is My firstborn son" (4:22). What does this title say about our relationship with the Almighty? In what way do Benei Yisrael earn this status of "firstborn," and what does this stature entail? An insightful explanation is cited in the name of Rav Meir Simcha Hakohen of Dvinsk. A firstborn child introduces his/her parents into the world of parenthood; it is the firstborn who affords the status of "parent" to the father and mother. Similarly, suggests Rav Meir Simcha, Benei Yisrael are the ones who render God a "parent" to the rest of mankind. They bear the responsibility of establishing His absolute authority, of disseminating the recognition of His having created the world and ongoing rule thereof. Through our efforts of representing the Almighty, God becomes recognized as the ultimate authority figure. We may add that this perhaps explains the context in which this title appears. Moshe does not ask Pharaoh merely to set the nation free. Rather, he demands, "Send My people that they may serve Me." Moshe - serving as God's messenger - stresses to Pharaoh Benei Yisrael's destiny, which the Egyptian king currently thwarts by holding them hostage in his land. Moshe demands that Benei Yisrael be allowed to become God's firstborn, to proclaim His unrivaled power and dominion, and teach His eternal values and morals, to all mankind. ***** On his second excursion to the area where the Israelite slaves worked, Moshe encounters two slaves fighting with one another. We are told, "He said to the offender, why should you smite your fellow?" (2:13). The Gemara in Sanhedrin 58b notes the future tense employed by Moshe: "takeh" (literally, "you will smite"). Apparently, the "offender" had not yet smitten his fellow. But if this is the case, on what basis does the verse derisively call him a "rasha" - an evil person? The Gemara thus concludes that one who merely lifts his arm to smite another is considered evil. This comment is codified by the Shulchan Arukh, Choshen Mishpat 420:1. The Rema there adds that an ancient excommunication, instituted centuries ago, takes effect automatically against someone who smites another. Therefore, continues the Rema, such an individual may not be counted towards a "minyan" until he agrees to stand trial before a Bet-Din and accept the legal repercussions of his violent behavior. The Pitchei Teshuva cites a "teshuva" of the Chatam Sofer, who was asked regarding a disheartening situation that arose in a certain community. One particularly violent individual had beaten a Torah scholar and soon thereafter had lost a parent. He then began leading the services on a regular basis, as many mourners customarily do for the first year after their loss. Unfortunately, the community failed to reprimand the individual for his crime and thus put forth no objection to his serving as "sheli'ach tzibbur." Several God-fearing members of the community, however, were sensitive to the halakha discussed and wondered whether or not they may respond "amen" to his berakhot, kaddish, kedusha, etc. The Chatam Sofer rules that optimally this individual should be not considered part of a "minyan," and if he forcefully leads the service the congregation should refuse to answer to his berakhot. However, in situations where, tragically, he earns the support of the community, and they allow him to lead the prayer service without objection, then the minority should not lose the privilege of answering "amen" as a result of the situation. Since, after all, the individual does direct his prayers to the Almighty (however hypocritically), his berakhot, "kaddish" and "kedusha" are full-fledged prayers, which require a proper response from everyone in the congregation. ***** God equips Moshe with three "signs" by which he can prove to Benei Yisrael the truth of his prophecy. The first of the signs involves the miraculous transformation of his staff into a snake. Moshe then grabs the snake's tail, and it returns to a staff (4:2-5). Wherein lies the symbolism of this miracle? Rav Yaakov Ariel suggests that the staff and snake represent two distinct models of redemption. The staff is straight and firm, symbolizing a steady, unbroken progression. What more, it is manufactured from wood, from a tree, standing tall and proud, a symbol of the lofty ideals that redemption ought to achieve. The snake, by contrast, slithers back and forth rather than progressing in a straight line. It lives on the ground, and has thus become a symbol of low moral standards and corruption. In addition, unlike the staff, which the individual holds in his hand firmly and with control, the snake eludes captivity and can strike unexpectedly; it represents the polar opposite of control. Moshe refused the mission because he held firmly to his staff; he feared the messiness of the political arena into which God wishes to thrust him. Moshe longed for a clean, pure, straightforward process of redemption, one which can avoid setbacks, disappointments and . But God shows him that redemption requires the transfer of the staff into a snake. The process is fraught with challenges and frustration, and it progresses with a dizzying series of twists and turns on all fronts. In the end, however, Moshe - the Jewish leaders - take hold of the snake, they once and for all assert their control over the unstable early stages of redemption. When that happens, the snake turns back into a staff, and Benei Yisrael emerge as a free people assembled at the food of Mount Sinai ready to hear and obey God's Torah. ***** Parashat Shemot tells of the Hebrew midwives' heroic defiance of Pharaoh's orders to kill all newborn males. The Torah identifies these remarkable women as Shifra and Pu'a. Rashi notes that their real names were more of the "household" type: Yokheved and Miriam (Moshe's mother and sister, respectively). The names Shifra and Pu'a were their professional names, referring to the loving care they gave to the newborns under their charge. "Shifra" refers to Yokheved's devoted work in beautifying the babies, while "Pu'a" alludes to Miriam's gentle coo that calmed the newborn after birth. Needless to say, if the Torah deliberately used these women's alternate names, it did so in order to convey a specific message relevant to the context at hand. The question arises, then, how do these wonderful qualities of Yokheved and Miriam at all relate to their heroism in saving the newborn boys? They risked their lives on behalf of the children; why does the Torah refer in this context specifically to their devoted work as midwives? Some have suggested very simply that the Torah (with the help of the Midrash) teaches us that an assessment of a person should depend on the so-called "little things," rather than the major, extraordinary actions. As we can imagine, the midwives' refusal to kill the newborns likely made the headlines in the Goshen Gazette. Little was written, however, about their day-to-day loving concern for the babies under their care. The Torah comes along and tells us that even when they risk their lives for the newborns, their essential identities are those of "Shifra" and "Pu'a." Their inner characters are best reflected by their activities during normal times, before Pharaoh's decrees. All too often, knowingly or otherwise, we assess ourselves and others based on outstanding achievements, educational degrees, awards, citations, and notoriety. Somehow, the standards of one's day-to-day "menschlichkeit" have taken a back seat when considering a person's general credentials. When this happens, of course, the inherent value of basic "middot" is viewed as inferior to that of academic achievement, wealth or prestige. The Torah specifically lauds Yokheved and Miriam's tenderness to babies when describing their awesome self-sacrifice. In working towards our own improvement, perhaps this should take center stage in our minds: our overall behavior and conduct on a day in and day out basis. ***** Upon hearing Moshe's request for Benei Yisrael's freedom, Pharaoh orders a halt on the provision of straw to the slaves. They must themselves fetch straw, effectively doubling their workload as they try to produce the same number of bricks as before. Some have questioned Pharaoh's rationale behind this response. If he wanted to double their workload, why not force the slaves to manufacture twice the amount of bricks as they had heretofore? This way, Pharaoh would benefit from double work production! The answer that many have suggested emerges from a halakha codified by the Rambam in Hilkhot Avadim 1:6. While the Torah allows for the institution of indentured servitude, it places several restrictions upon the employer, including a prohibition against work considered "perekh." The Rambam defines "perekh" as work with no foreseeable end or with no purpose. An employer may not compel his servant to perform work with no constructive purpose, purely for the sake of keeping him busy, as such work extends beyond physical strain into the realm of emotional torment. Essentially, such labor crushes the worker's spirits. Pharaoh feels threatened by the sudden wave of "nationalism" and calls for freedom that have swept the slave community in his country. He therefore seeks to crush them in perhaps the most demeaning way possible, forcing upon them extra work for no purpose - running around to fetch straw, rather than taking from the readily available storage houses. Unfortunately, many of us willfully adopt such spirit-crushing jobs. For some people, work has become an end unto itself rather than the means by which to live. Livelihood has tragically become confused with life itself, as individuals run themselves into the vicious cycle of working in order to have food to eat in order to have the strength to continue working. The Torah seeks to liberate a person from this demeaning labor by subjecting him to a far different type of work, which we often call "avodat ha-kodesh." We are required to set aside time for prayers, the observance of Shabbat and festivals, and Torah study. These obligations help save us from Pharaoh's decree, ensuring that all our work serves the definite, directed purpose of serving the Almighty. ***** The Torah describes Moshe's near death by God as a result of his negligence regarding his son's circumcision (4:24). The future leader's life is saved by his wife's alert, last-minute initiative to circumcise their son. The obvious question, of course, arises, why did Moshe neglect this important mitzva? Rav Sa'adya Gaon explains that Moshe, understandably so, sensed the urgency of his mission to release the Hebrew slaves, and thus reasoned that this responsibility took precedence over the circumcision of his son. While we must always exercise utmost caution when dealing with the criticism of Moshe Rabbenu and the like, it has been suggested that at least at some level, this incident reflects the common conflict between community service and family needs. At the dawn of his leadership career, Moshe learns the critical lesson that his new job of redeemer - a pretty important position, to say the least - must not interfere with his basic responsibilities towards his children. A related message may have in fact emerged already earlier in the parasha, as well. The Torah tells us that God rewarded the midwives for their refusal to kill the newborn baby boys by making for them "homes." At the simple level of interpretation, this means that God blessed their families, granting them healthy children and harmonious family life. (Indeed, Chazal identify the midwives as Yokheved and Miriam, of whose family we hear immediately following this incident.) In reward for ensuring the continuity of Am Yisrael, God blessed their family life, the heartbeat of Jewish survival. Chazal (see Rashi, Targum Yonatan) interpret this blessing as a reference to the dynasties of kingship and priesthood that emerged from Miriam and Yokheved, respectively. This may very well relate, however, to the simple meaning of the verse: competent religious and political leadership begins with the training in the home. Specifically the blessing bestowed upon the family lives of Yokheved and Miriam gave rise to the great Jewish leaders, the kings and the kohanim.
This shiur is provided courtesy of the Virtual Beit Midrash, the premier source of online courses on Torah and Judaism - 14 different courses on all levels, for all backgrounds. Make Jewish learning partof your week on a regular basis - enroll in the (c) YeshivHar EtzioAll rights reserved to Yeshivat Har Etzion Yeshivat Har Et
This shiur is provided courtesy of the Virtual Beit Midrash, the premier source of online courses on Torah and Judaism 14 different courses on all levels, for all backgrounds. MakeJewish learning partof your week on a regular basis - enroll in the (c) YeshivHar EtzioAll rights reserved to Yeshivat Har Etzion Yeshivat Har Et | ||||||||||||||||||||