Bones of Yosef
שמות יג,יט : וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה אֶת־עַצְמוֹת יוֹסֵף עִמּוֹ
Since Yosef had strictly sworn that the Jewish people were responsible to bring his coffin to Eretz Yisrael, why did Moshe alone feel the obligation to honor this pledge? Sforno answered that the leader of the people must accept responsibility for his generation’s obligation.
Song of Praise
שמות טו, א: כִּי־גָאֹה גָּאָה סוּס וְרֹכְבוֹ רָמָה בַיָּם
The Sforno interprets the song of praise to HaShem as the first recognizing His triumph over Paroh, the King; secondly over the army and its captains; and finally over the multitude of Egypt and their chariots. Therefore, he interprets the phrase “the horse and his rider” as referring to Paroh. The reason it is necessary to stress this victory over Paroh who had boastfully claimed to be a deity who possessed great power and was a great king to whom even other kings were subservient. The downfall of Paroh and the great miracle of the dividing of the waters established the supremacy of HaShem and refuted the absurd claims of the king of Egypt.
Shabbos and Mahn
שמות טז , כה : אִכְלֻהוּ הַיּוֹם כִּי־שַׁבָּת הַיּוֹם לַה' הַיּוֹם לֹא תִמְצָאֻהוּ בַּשָּׂדֶה
The Sforno notes that the word הַיּוֹם (today) appears three times in this Pasuk to teach us three things:
- One, although the entire amount of Mahn was in one’s hands from the eve of Shabbos it should not be consumed at once but appropriated for specific meals.
- Two, although the food prepared of the eve of Shabbos can be used the entire day of Shabbos but not the next day.
- Three, this order is to be followed every week on the Shabbos.