His idea can be applied here to our topic as well. The Torah provides no background information on Avraham Avinu, and the first we hear of him is at age 75 when he is told to set out on a journey to Canaan (see Rav Rosenblum’s English Shiur, Eikev 5783). Similarly, Moshe Rabbeinu, the greatest prophet and father of all Nevi’im, has a gap in his coverage. The Torah recounts the moments of his birth and what occurred to him during his first days on earth – and water, but that is followed by radio silence. Some say 18 years, some say 20, and others maintain it was 40 years until the next mention of Moshe Rabbeinu, when he stepped out from Pharoah’s palace. What took place during those all those years? We have no idea. But when he stepped out, the action and drama began! He witnessed an Egyptian beating his fellow Jew and killed the taskmaster using the Shem Hameforash. The next day, Datan, who he had just saved, threatened Moshe and reported him to the authorities, forcing him to escape as a bounty was out on his head. Some say Moshe was actually caught but then broke free and ran to Midyan while still in prisoner garb! There, he found the daughters of Yitro being abused by local shepherds, and intervened multiple times until the threat was neutralized (see full account in Rav Rosenblum’s English Shiur, Acharei-Mot Kedoshim 5783). When the daughters eventually made their way back home, they told their father: ַד הָרֹעִים ִּילָנוּ מִ יּ אִ ישׁ מִ צְרִ י הִ צ. Was that true? Was it an Egyptian man who saved them and provided water for their flock? Of course not, but there is a significant reason for this account and these precise words.
The level of assistance Moshe provided to Yitro and his household during those days was tremendous, yet when Yitro sent his daughters back to thank him, Chazal say, Moshe Rabbeinu refused the acknowledgment. They bring a parable (Shemot Rabbah 1:32) to emphasize their point. Once, a person set out on the road when an arod – a dangerous species of lizard – jumped out and bit him. The cure for this, as taught in the Gemara (Berachot 33a), is to run to the nearest water and immerse oneself as fast as possible. Time is of the essence, and if the lizard gets to the water first, it is probably too late! The individual did exactly that, taking a detour to the nearest water and jumping in. There, rachmana litzlan, he found a child who was drowning. He quickly pulled the child out, performed the necessary lifesaving measures, and the child began to regain its breath and recover. The child’s parents wanted to repay the hero who had just saved their child, but the man replied, “Don’t thank me and don’t repay me anything. Thank the lizard! Had it not bitten me, I’d right now be at the market and your child would not be alive.” Moshe saved the girls, but to their gratitude he responded, “Don’t thank me, thank the אִ י שׁ מִ צְ רִ י who was beating my brother and who I had to kill. If not for him, I would still be in Egypt and you would still be at the well, tormented by the shepherds.”
Ohr Rashaz asks, why do we need all these stories of Moshe Rabbeinu and the girls? The Torah tells us three consecutive stories about Moshe saving someone. Would one not be sufficient? He answers, Hakadosh Baruch Hu wants to teach us why Moshe Rabbeinu was chosen to lead Bnei Yisrael, and why he was chosen to deliver the Torah. It was because Moshe Rabbeinu personified the attribute of נוֹשֵׂא בְעֹל עִם חֲ בֵ ר ו ֹ – bearing your fellow’s burden. He did so three times, a chazaka, and for recipients that were both his brethren and complete strangers. The Alter of Klem says, this was Moshe’s primary character trait which led him to leadership.
Rav Matisyahu Chaim Salomon shlit”a, in Matnas Chaim, says the answer is different. Hakadosh Baruch Hu chose Moshe because Moshe never attributed anything to himself. He never took credit and never considered himself as part of the story. When one sees beyond themselves and pushes away all praise and recognition, they are worthy of leadership. A go’el – redeemer – cannot seek personal credit, as if he did, he would point to himself as the reason for everything that took place, rather than having it all attached to Hakadosh Baruch Hu. 'וְיָדְ עוּ כִּי־אֲנִי ה – the people, both Bnei Yisrael and the nations of the world, needed to see that Hakadosh Baruch Hu was the source and deliverer of redemption, and that is exactly what they saw through the leadership of Moshe Rabbeinu. All of the redemption stories involving Moshe Rabbeinu lead us to the singular conclusion of ִ י ל ָ נ ו ּּ אִ י שׁ מִ צ ְ רִ י ה ִ צ – Moshe was in the background. Rav Salomon says, the midah of nullifying one’s anochiyut is the foundation of the go’el. What is special about the go’el is that he is not even here! Conversely, the angels that came down to destroy Sedom said, “ כִּ י־מַ שׁ ְ חִ תִ ים אֲ נַחְ נוּ אֶ ת־הַ מּ ָ קו ֹם הַ זֶּה – We are going to destroy this place.” Da'at Zekainim says they paid a heavy price for that statement and for suggesting it was them who were destroying Sedom rather than Hakadosh Baruch Hu. They were stuck there for 135 years as punishment for taking credit, and only returned when Yaakov had his vision of a ladder that reached Heaven – the angels that were seen ascending were these two angels, finally permitted to return!
Further demonstrating Moshe Rabbeinu’s character traits that led him to leadership, and which he was now demonstrating to Bnei Yisrael in our Parsha, we find their initial appearance at the burning bush. Upon being told to speak to Pharoah and Bnei Yisrael, Moshe refused: “ְ כִּ י אֵ לֵךאָ נֹכִ ימִ י – Who am I that I should go?” Moshe stood there for multiple days, unwilling to take the job, and saying, “Send someone else, I have no business being a part of this. I’m not here.” He removed Anochi from the picture altogether.
When Avraham sent Eliezer to find a wife for Yitzchak, he instructed him: “תִקַּח אִשָּׁה לִבְנִי מִבְּנוֹת הַכְּנַעֲנִי לֹא”. The Kli Yakar 22F asks why that condition was set, after all, all the inhabitants of Canaan were idol worshipers, so what is the difference which one is selected – they’ll clearly need to change their ways when they enter Yitzchak’s tent. Both were indeed idol worshipers, but only one of them, Canaan, had corrupt values. Idolatry can be shed quickly, as seen by Lavan himself, who rapidly cleared his house and cast aside all the idols to make room for Eliezer and his camels. After seeing all the riches being gifted to him, who needed idols anymore! Sure, idols could be tossed out with relative ease, but corrupt middot, passed down from generation to generation, take a long time and tremendous effort to discard. As a result, Avodah Zara was not Avraham Avinu’s concern. Middot were. And how does he convey this message? Through the carefully selected words of יוֹשׁ ֵב בְּקִ רְ בּוֹ אָ נֹכִ י מִ בְּ נוֹת הַכְּנַעֲנִי אֲשׁ ֶר – from the daughters of Canaan, where Anochi is deeply embedded, and anochiyut is found in their traits.
Moshe Rabbeinu was determined to be mushlam – complete, in the realm of Mitzvot bein Adam LaMakom. He removed himself from the picture and desired not to see his name anywhere on the credit roll for the redemption that Hakadosh Baruch Hu would deliver. But there is one additional test for leadership: How one relates to Mitzvot bein Adam LeChaveiro. Sefer Yerushalayim BeMoʻadeha says, Moshe was tested at the burning bush. For seven days he refused to take on the mission, because he had a brother who he did not want to offend. Would Aharon not be happy with the development? Was he himself not awaiting Geula and Matan Torah? He’d surely be thrilled! But Moshe said, “If I’ m going to go and redeem Bnei Yisrael but my brother will be hurt in the process, it is not worth it.” Once again, anochiyut comes into the picture. If the Anochi of Moshe was to consume that of his brother, he is not interested. Pick someone else. Once again, Moshe Rabbeinu demonstrated an aspect of אָ נֹכִ י for Bnei Yisrael to recognize and emulate.
Maor VaShemesh brings further evidence of these leadership traits from the listing of the Nesi’im that led the march into Eretz Yisrael (Bamidbar 34:17). The Ohr HaChayim notes that the first three names in the list do not contain the word נָשִׂ יא, whereas every name that follows is introduced with the title. He explains, in name of R’ Nissim Gaon, that the prince of Yehuda – Kalev – did not need the title because everyone knew his leadership credentials; The leader of Shimon wasn’t fit for the title because of the incident with Zimri and the plague that ravaged their shevet; and Binyanim’s chieftain – Elidad ben Kislon – was in fact Eldad, who did not have his title broadcast because of his earlier humility, when he felt unworthy to receive nevuah and thus (together with Meidad) did not draw one of the seventy lots. Wanting the title and credit are not part of a genuine leader. Their intent must be strictly l’Shem Shamayim, and with such a mindset they righteously have no stake in the matter and therefore nothing to gain or lose. The Zohar says, the intent of the spies was to block entry into Eretz Yisrael, because a new leadership system would go into effect there, one where they’d lose their status as Nasi. Kalev, though, led the way in showing his willingness to enter Eretz Yisrael and give up that nesiut. The same for Eldad (and Meidad) who withdrew his name from the running and demonstrated a willingness to relinquish the title of prophet. There is no reason to add the title נָשִׂ יא next to the name of someone willing to give up their anochiyut, their nesiut, and their nevuah,
There are two more steps before we conclude. The Torah says, when blessing our children on Friday night, we do so כְּאֶפְרַיִם וְכִמְנַשֶּׁה – like Ephraim and Menashe. Agra D'Kala25F asks, why like these two brothers and not any of the other (original) shevatim? He answers, it is because Yaakov put Ephraim ahead of his older brother Menashe to see what their reaction would be. Would they accept this change without a word, or would they protest? Ephraim didn’t show any reaction or pride in being placed first, and Menashe demonstrated no jealousy or resentment in being demoted to second. Their anochiyut meant nothing to them, and they had no ratzon – will, compared to the ratzon of their grandfather, which reflected that of Hakadosh Baruch Hu.
The Gemara says (Rosh Hashanah 11a), Yosef HaTzadik was released from prison on Rosh Hashanah. Following twelve years of imprisonment, with no family or support to be found, he was summoned by Pharoah, who greeted him with a lay-up opportunity: “ לֵאמֹר תִּ שׁ ְמַע חֲלוֹם לִפְתּ ֹר אֹתוֹ ָ וַאֲנִי שׁ ָמַעְתִּ י עָלֶיך – I have heard it said about you that you hear a dream so as to interpret it.” The perfect opportunity just presented itself to Yosef, and with one simple word – “yes” – he could guarantee never again to step foot in a cold dungeon. He had the ultimate opportunity to present his credentials – all of them true. He could have responded, “There is nobody better at solving dreams. I come from a family of dream solvers, generations who accurately interpreted the dreams of many; kings amongst them. I am the person you need!” But Yosef didn’t fall for the trap and said nothing of the sort, instead replying, “יַעֲנֶה אֶת שְׁלוֹם פַּרְעֹה ל ֹהִ ים -בִּלְעָדָ י אֱ – Not I. G-d will respond to the peace of Pharaoh.” Despite everything to gain, Yosef reduces his anochiyut to that of אֲנִי כְּלוּם – I am a nobody. With this simple answer of בִּ לְ עָ דָ י, on Rosh Hashanah, Yosef began eighty years of rule over Egypt as viceroy.
Rav Yonatan Eybeschutz writes in Ye'arot Devash that the Aseret Yemei Teshuva are k’neged the Aseret Hadibrot, aligning one to one. The first day of Rosh Hashanah corresponds to לֹקֶ יך-אָ נֹכִ י ה' אֱ – I am the Lord your G-d, and the second day corresponds to ָ לֹא יִהְיֶה לְך – you shall have no other gods beside me. (This is also why the two days of Rosh Hashanah are one yoma arichta – a unique extra-long day, as the first two commandments were recited b’dibur echad, in one utterance. How can the Anochi of man anoint the Anochi of Hakadosh Baruch Hu as Melech on Rosh Hashanah? Only by abandoning his anochiyut! The Sefat Emet comments on the pasuk found in מִזְמוֹר לְתוֹדָה (Tehillim 100:3): דְּ עוּ כִּי ה' הוּא אֱ -לֹהִים הוּא עָשָׂנוּ ולא ]וְלוֹ[ אֲנַחְנוּ עַמּוֹ וְצֹאן מַרְעִיתוֹ : Know that the Lord He is G-d: it is He who made us, and we belong to Him; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.
We all say ל ֹהִ ים-ה' הוּא הָ אֱ with great enthusiasm at Ne’ilah on Yom Kippur, but each morning we may recite the similar pasuk super quickly, without much thought or focus. Know and remember that Hakadosh Baruch Hu is אֱ - ל ֹהִ ים! Know that you are not! The Sefat Emet points out the kri u’chtiv (the read vs. written) aspect of this pasuk. The word is read as וְ ל ו ֹ, meaning “we are His”, but it is written וְ ל ֹא, meaning “not us”. Combining the two versions of לֹא and ל ו ֹ produces the word אלול. During the month of Elul our job is to unite both aspects.
The more we are ולא אֲ נַ חְ נוּ, i.e., not focused on ourselves, the more we’ll be וְלוֹ אֲנַחְ נוּ, i.e., the people of Hakadosh Baruch Hu. The more we reduce and eliminate our anochiyut, the more connected with Hakadosh Baruch Hu we will be. ◊
