Dissension and Lashon Harah Undermine the Zechus of the Klal
The Medrash says in the beginning of Sefer Shemos that Moshe saw the tremendous suffering that Klal Yisrael was experiencing. Moshe asked: What is the aveira [sin] of the Jewish people – more than any of the seventy nations – that they should need to endure such back-breaking labor? In effect, he asked a question which was a form of the age-old mystery of tzadik v’rah lo. (Why do the righteous suffer?)
Later, the pasuk relates that Moshe went out amidst his brethren and saw the fight between the Egyptian and the Jew: “He looked here and there and saw there was no man, and he smote the Egyptian.” (Shemos 2:12) Subsequently, Moshe went out on the second day and saw two Jews fighting. He asked the attacker: “Why are you hitting your fellow man?” to which the accused asked, “Who made you officer and judge over us? Are you going to kill us like you killed the Egyptian?” The pasuk then says: “Moshe was very fearful and he said, “So now the matter is known.” (Shemos 2:13-14)
The simple interpretation is that Moshe’s statement “So now the matter is known” is that Moshe was alarmed that his killing of the Egyptian, which he thought was done in total secrecy, had become public knowledge, and the matter would eventually get back to Pharaoh, who would take punitive action against Moshe. However, Rashi brings a Medrash that Moshe’s statement “So now the matter is known” is an answer to his earlier question. Moshe said that he now understood why the Jews in Mitzrayim were experiencing such a terrible exile and suffering: I now realize that there are “dilturin” (talebearers and squealers) amongst the Jewish people.
The Sefas Emes raises a question: Yesterday, Moshe had a question for which he had no answer: How could it be that Klal Yisrael is worse than all the seventy nations of the world? Why do they need to suffer so much? The next day he sees that they speak lashon harah and he claims, “Now I understand their exile and suffering! The Sefas Emes asks: How does this simple observation answer Moshe’s incomprehensible theological problem?
The Sefas Emes answers that the point of the Medrash is to emphasize the tremendous severity of the aveira of lashon harah. Perhaps the Sefas Emes is saying that when Klal Yisrael functions as a tzibbur [united people], then, Moshe could not understand why they should be worse than any other nation. However, Moshe observed, “When I see that they speak lashon harah, then something happens – they no longer have unity and they cease to function as a tzibbur.”
Initially, Moshe was looking at the phenomenon of the Jews’ suffering from the perspective of the concept of “Kol Yisrael arevim zeh l’zeh.” He could not understand the suffering because Klal Yisrael as a nation has so much zechus [merit] – why would they be suffering so much? But once Moshe realized that they spoke lashon harah – that destroys the unity of Klal Yisrael. Once that happens, the Heavenly decree is not directed at a tzibbur anymore. Hashem sees a bunch of individuals rather than a unified and holy people.
Dissension forfeits the status of a klal [community], which in turn forfeits the zechusim [merits] of the klal, such that the question “Why is Klal Yisrael suffering so much?” cannot be asked. They become just a bunch of individuals. Anything can happen to an individual. Once they are reduced to the status of individuals, the principle of ‘tzadik v’rah lo’ – as incomprehensible as it may seem – can be invoked to ‘explain’ suffering that we cannot quite understand. However, the principle of ‘tzadik v’rah lo’ does not apply to a tzibbur. The Torah promises “And it will be if you will hearken to the mitzvos that I command you... you will have rain, everything will be good, you will gather in your crops, etc., etc.” As a nation, if you do the mitzvos, I am going to take care of you! Righteous individuals may suffer but not the nation as a whole, when it is righteous! (R’ Frand)
He Who Neither Slumbers Nor Sleeps Chooses Leaders Who Count Sheep
The Medrash says that Moshe was superior to Noach. Noach was first called “a righteous man” (Bereishis 6:9) and later was called “a man of the earth” (9:20); Moshe was first called “an Egyptian man” (Shemos 2:19) and later was called “a Man of G-d” (Devorim 33:1). What was the difference between Moshe and Noach?
Noach, personally, was a righteous man, but he failed to have any influence on his generation. This is a terrible indictment for a leader. If a person can remain a tzaddik — which is an admirable quality — while his entire generation is wiped out, something is amiss. He had so much potential, he could have had such a great effect, and yet his whole generation was wiped out.
Moshe Rabbeinu shows us the opposite approach. He began as “an Egyptian man”. However, not only was he able to elevate himself, he elevated an entire nation. He was and is the leader par excellance.
What was the power of Moshe that made him have such a strong impact on his people?
There is a Medrash that tells us “G-d does not elevate a person to greatness until he first tests him with a minor matter.” The Medrash goes on to tell us that prior to elevating Moshe (and other Jewish leaders) to roles of greatness G-d tested them with a small thing — how did they care for sheep.
Why do sheep mark a leader?
In order to be a leader of the Jewish people, it is obvious that a person has to have greatness. But that said, this is not what makes the leader. What makes the leader is his ability to relate to the common man, the ability to see the mundane needs of the people.
It goes without saying that G-d needs a leader for His people who has Fear of Heaven and is a Talmid Chochom, but the acid test He gives them is with the sheep. The mark of the true leader is to relate to the small problems of man.
Here was a person on the level of an Angel — he did not eat bread or drink water (Shemos 34:28) — but what did he have to deal with? When people came to him to adjudicate their disputes, they did not ask for sophisticated theological proofs of G-d’s existence. They told him “I have problems with my wife, my children, my business...” This is what the leader gets. If he can’t relate to these types of problems, he can’t be an effective leader.
The Gemara states (Sanhedrin 8a) that a Judge has to suffer with the congregation like a nursemaid carries a baby (Bamidbar 11:12). This is a very apt analogy.
What type of problems does a mother get from her children? “The cereal is not hot enough; The cereal is not cold enough; My nose is running; I skinned my knee; He hurt me; She kicked me...” These are the problems that a mother gets. Whatever problems Moshe Rabbeinu heard, it is clear that on his level, they were no more significant, no less petty, than a runny nose. Did it make a difference to Moshe Rabbeinu that this person’s cow wasn’t giving any milk? But that is what a leader has to be. He has to have that concern, that love, that ability to feel that when Reuven’s cow isn’t giving milk — that is a problem. When Shimon’s business isn’t going well — that is a problem.
Those problems are what make a leader. That is what Moshe Rabbeinu was. Not only was he the Master of all prophets, the Teacher of all Klal Yisrael – but he was a trusted shepherd. He ran to pick up the little sheep. He had compassion for the smallest of problems. In the final analysis, that is the criteria for a Jewish leader. (R’ Frand)
Pharaoh Was Concerned With His PR Image
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Pharaoh saw that his plan was not working — the Jews were not being crushed. “On that day, Pharaoh ordered the taskmasters over the people and its guards, saying, ‘You shall not continue to give stubble to the people to make the bricks as yesterday and the day before yesterday; let them go and gather stubble for themselves. But the total of the bricks that they were making yesterday and before yesterday you shall place upon them — do not reduce it...” (Shemos 5:6-8). In other words, they now had to work harder — by obtaining their own straw — but they must maintain the same production level.
I saw a comment from the Shemen HaTov: Why didn’t Pharaoh just double the amount of bricks that he expected them to produce? Couldn’t he accomplish the same goal of breaking their spirit by just doubling their quota? It would seem that such an approach would be more beneficial for the bottom line of the Egyptian economy — they would wind up with more bricks.
The Shemen HaTov answers that Pharaoh was using a tactic of politicians from time immemorial. Politicians often avoid “raising taxes”. Instead, they charge user fees and remove exemptions. They squeeze more money out of us but they want to seem like nice guys. Pharaoh, too, was concerned about what they would say about him on the nightly news, so to speak. He was not even running for office, but he still did not want people to say that he was a tyrant. Doubling their brick quota would seem unreasonable. It was preferable for him to break their spirit with a seemingly more humane decree.
People such as Pharaoh act like Zimri but they want the reward of Pinchas. They want to have good PR and have people think that they are righteous. But their actions are mischievous and even diabolical. The more things change, the more they stay the same. (R’ Frand)
Answers to this Week’s Riddles
(For the riddles, please see back page)
1) Rav Efraim Wachsman recently said at the Agudah convention that when a person knows he is capable of doing more and he doesn’t have the opportunity to do what he is capable of, that is a bitter experience. Everyone wants to feel satisfied and fulfilled with their accomplishments in life. When a person feels that he is wasting his time and potential, the experience can indeed be called “va’yemareru es chayeihem” – “and they embittered their lives”.
2) The Shlah HaKadosh (Maseches Shavuos, Perek Torah Ohr) asks why Moshe Rabbeinu is known as Moshe Rabbeinu and not the other way round, and he answers: Moshe Rabbeinu was known as Moshe before he became Rabbeinu. As before he received the Torah by Sinai he was simply Moshe, and only once he received the Torah did he become Rabbeinu. Since he was Moshe before he was Rabbeinu, we refer to him as Moshe Rabbeinu.
The Gemara in Sanhedrin (100a) relates that Gechazi was punished because he called his rebbe by his name, so why is it not forbidden to refer to Moshe Rabbeinu by his name?
i) The prohibition to mention a rebbe’s name is only without adding a title, if, however, one adds a title then it’s okay. The poskim ask how Yehoshua was allowed to mention the name of his Rebbe when he said אדוני משה כלאם , and the poskim
