The book of Shemot is considered, by many commentators, as a continuation of Sefer Bereshit. The vav hachibur – the connecting vav – at the start of וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת indicates a connection to the previous topic discussed, and as a result, some do not assign Sefer Shemot its own unique name, instead referring to it as Sefer HaSheini – the Second Book. Numerous interpretations are suggested for this connection between the two books, including Shemot being the fulfillment of the vision and promise given to Avraham in Bereshit – namely, that his children will be enslaved for hundreds of years in a foreign land prior to being redeemed.
The Ramban says the book of Shemot is the book of Galut and Geula – exile and redemption, and the reason it does not conclude after Mishpatim, when the redemption was complete and its purpose of receiving the Torah fulfilled, is that receiving and housing the Shechinah is the real goal. This began in the tent of Avraham Avinu and following Yetziat Mitzrayim returned with the tent of the Mishkan (Ohel Mo’ed).
Both the Ba’al HaTurim and Chida point to several word and letter combinations in the opening verses of our Parsha, revealing concealed messages brought to light by their letters. Both point to the words מילה and שבת – the two merits on whose account Bnei Yisrael were redeemed – being present in the opening and closing letters of several word combinations. This is somewhat odd, as we know Bnei Yisrael as a whole, aside from the tribe of Levi, did not hold onto and observe Brit Milah the entire time in Egypt and were required to be circumcised prior to eating the Korban Pesach. The Chida adds, these are weeks of Teshuva in which repentance is done for all the uncircumcised souls captured by the Satan, Rachmana litzlan.
The Ba’al HaTurim adds, the opening letters of the book’s first four keywords (following וְאֵלֶּה) spell out the word שִׁבְיָה – captivity. Even though Bnei Yisrael were in captivity in Egypt, וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת – they did not change their names. The Chida adds the opening vav to that mix, revealing the word וְשָׁבֶיהָ – those that return to her. He says, we need to always anticipate redemption, and daven to Hakadosh Baruch Hu that He should save us and redeem us. Why? For the sake of the Shechinah which resides with us in exile.
I would like to go deeper into this idea that Bnei Yisrael were שְׁבוּיִים – captives in Egypt, and how the Gemara (Bava Batra 8b) says: שֶׁבִי קָשֶׁה מִכּוּלָם – captivity is worse than all other punishments. I would like to put it side by side with the behavior of both Moshe Rabbeinu and Hakadosh Baruch Hu during that period and draw out lessons we can all apply during these difficult days which see many of our brothers and sisters still held in captivity.
We’ll now fast forward to Hakadosh Baruch Hu appearing to Moshe in the burning bush. The Midrash (Mechilta D’Rashbi 3:1) reveals to us that the nature of Bnei Yisrael’s servitude in Egypt can be learned from this manifestation, and Hakadosh Baruch Hu appearing to Moshe within such a bush:
רַשְׁבִּ"י אוֹמֵר מִפְּנֵי מָה נִגְלָה הקב"ה מִשְּׁמֵי מָרוֹם וְהָיָה מְדַבֵּר עִם מֹשֶׁה מִתּוֹךְ הַסְּנֶה, מָה הַסְּנֶה הַזֶּה קָשֶׁה מִכָּל אִילָנוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם וְכָל צִפּוֹר שֶׁנִּכְנָס לְתוֹכוֹ אֵין יוֹצֵאת הֵימֶנּוּ בְּשָׁלוֹם אֶלָּא נֶחְתֶּכֶת אֵיבָרִים אֵיבָרִים, כָּךְ שִׁעְבּוּד מִצְרַיִם קָשֶׁה לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם מִכָּל שִׁעְבּוּדִין שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם. מֵעוֹלָם לֹא יָצָא עֶבֶד אוֹ שִׁפְחָה בֶּן חוֹרִין מִמִּצְרַיִם אֶלָּא הָגָר בִּלְבַד שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיְצַו עָלָיו פַּרְעֹה אֲנָשִׁים וַיְשַׁלְּחוּ וְאֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ וְאֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ:
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai asks: Why did Hakadosh Baruch Hu reveal Himself from the heavens and speak to Moshe from within the thorn bush? What is so special about this thorn bush, which is more formidable than all the trees in the world, such that any bird that enters it does not emerge from it in peace, but rather is cut to pieces? Similarly, the servitude in Egypt was harsher before G-d than any other servitude. No slave or maidservant ever went free from Egypt, except for Hagar, as it is said: "And Pharaoh commanded men concerning him, and they sent him away, him and his wife and all that he had."
The thorns of this bush faced inward, providing free and unencumbered entry to all, but then snagging, and inflicting pain upon, anything trying to leave. I believe the bird in Rashbi’s analogy refers to Knesset Yisrael, which at Brit Bein HaBetarim was the only animal spared (וְאֶת־הַצִּפּוֹר לֹא בָתָר) when Hakadosh Baruch Hu revealed His vision to Avraham. Rashi, there, comments that the bird represents Knesset Yisrael. The Midrash continues:
א"ר יוֹסִי וְלָמָּה מִתּוֹךְ הַסְּנֶה. מָה דַּרְכּוֹ שֶׁל סְנֶה אָדָם מַכְנִיס יָדוֹ לְתוֹכוֹ אֵינוֹ נִזּוֹק מִפְּנֵי שֶׁקוֹצָיו כְּפוּפִין לְמַטָּה וְאִם בִּקֵּשׁ לְהוֹצִיא אֶת יָדוֹ קוֹצִין תּוֹפְשִׂין אוֹתָהּ, כָּךְ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיָּרְדוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמִצְרַיִם קִבְּלוּ אוֹתָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הִיא בְּמֵיטַב הָאָרֶץ הוֹשֵׁב אֶת אָבִיךָ וְאֶת אַחֶיךָ אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לְפָנֶיךָ. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁבִּקְּשׁוּ לָצֵאת תָּפְשׂוּ אוֹתָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְגַם אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא אֲשַׁלֵּחַ:
Rabbi Yosi says: Why from within the thorn bush? Just as with a thorn bush, if a person inserts his hand into it, he is not harmed because its thorns point downward. But if he wishes to withdraw his hand, the thorns grasp it. Similarly, when Bnei Yisrael descended to Egypt, the Egyptians welcomed them, as it is said: "The land of Egypt is before you; in the best of the land make your father and brothers to dwell." But when they wished to leave, the Egyptians held them back: "I will not let Israel go."
This thorn bush represents the nature of Mitzrayim. The Shach al HaTorah says, this aspect even manifests itself in Egypt’s name: מִצְרַיִם. The word starts with an open מ and finishes with a closed ם, because while always possible to enter Mitzrayim, it is impossible to leave!
There is, however, more to Hakadosh Baruch Hu choosing to reveal Himself in such a bush, and I would like to focus on this element and pull learnings as to Hakadosh Baruch Hu’s state during our times of great distress. Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer says (40), Hakadosh Baruch Hu descended multiple times to be with Bnei Yisrael in Egypt:
יְרִידָה חֲמִישִׁית, שֶׁיָּרַד לִסְּנֶה, שנ' וָאֵרֵד לְהַצִּילָם מִיַּד מִצְרַיִם. הִנִּיחַ כָּל הָהָר וְיָרַד לִסְּנֶה וְשָׁכַן בָּהּ, וְהַסְּנֶה צָרָה וְצוּקָה וְכֻלּוֹ קוֹצִים וְדַרְדָּרִים. וְלָמָּה שָׁכַן בְּתוֹךְ הַסְּנֶה שֶׁהִיא צָרָה וְצוּקָה אֶלָּא שֶׁרָאָה יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּצָרָה גְדוֹלָה וְאַף הוּא שָׁכַן עִמָּהֶם שנ' בְּכָל צָרָתָם לוֹ צָר.
The fifth descent was when He came down to the thorn bush, as it is said, "And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians". He abandoned the entire mountain, and descended into the thorn bush, and He dwelled therein. And the thorn bush was an emblem of grief and distress, and it was full of thorns and thistles. Why did He dwell in the midst of a thorn bush of grief and distress? Because He saw Israel in great grief and He also dwelt with them, fulfilling that what is said, "In all their affliction He was afflicted."
Hakadosh Baruch Hu is with us in our suffering. Both collective suffering – בְּכָל צָרָתָם לוֹ צָר, and individual suffering – אָנֹכִי בְּצָרָה עִמּוֹ. The Midrash says (Yalkut Shimoni), when Bnei Yisrael were exiled to Bavel during the destruction of the First Beit HaMikdash, an argument took place between Hakadosh Baruch Hu and Yirmiyahu as to which of them would go into exile and be with the people (versus who would stay behind with those remaining in Yerushalayim). Yirmiyahu reasoned that if it is he who goes with Bnei Yisrael, there’d be nothing he could do for them. In exiting Yerushalayim, Yirmiyahu then attempted to tie himself to his chained brethren in defiance of Nevuchadnezar’s officers trying to stop him. It is important to note that Yirmiyahu was dismissed from exile courtesy of his childhood friendship with Nevuchadnezar and an oath by the latter that his friend would not be harmed. He enjoyed full diplomatic immunity, yet he chose to descend into exile, bound to his people. And upon returning shortly thereafter to be with those who remained in Yerushalayim, he found limbs scattered on the road – limbs of those massacred on the way out, as punishment for crying. Yirmiyahu collected these limbs, hugged them, and kissed them. He cried as he did, screaming out, “Did I not warn that you must give honor and respect to G-d prior to being punished?” This was Yirmiyahu.
We’re told אָסוּר בָּאֲזִקִּים – as he was in chains (Yirmiyahu 40:1), and the Meshech Chochma says (Vayishlach), based on the Midrash (Eichah Rabbah 37), this is not referring to Yirmiyahu as just learned. This refers to Hakadosh Baruch Hu. He tied Himself in chains to Bnei Yisrael and departed Yerushalayim with them! Similarly, we read וַאֲנִי בְּתוֹךְ הַגּוֹלָה – I was among the exiles (Yechezkel 1:1), which also refers to Hakadosh Baruch Hu being there together with Bnei Yisrael. Hakadosh Baruch Hu is with us, individually and collectively, when we are in distress. This was Yirmiyahu and this is Hakadosh Baruch Hu.
What are we, as individuals, to do during times of suffering? The exact same! The Gemara teaches us (Ta’anit 11a), one should always join in the suffering of their peers, and anyone who is distressed together with the community will merit seeing the consolation of the community. The Gemara says:
בִּזְמַן שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל שְׁרוּיִין בְּצַעַר וּפֵירַשׁ אֶחָד מֵהֶן, בָּאִין שְׁנֵי מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת שֶׁמְּלַוִּין לוֹ לָאָדָם, וּמַנִּיחִין לוֹ יְדֵיהֶן עַל רֹאשׁוֹ, וְאוֹמְרִים: פְּלוֹנִי זֶה שֶׁפֵּירַשׁ מִן הַצִּבּוּר אַל יִרְאֶה בְּנֶחָמַת צִבּוּר.
When the Jewish people is immersed in distress, and one of them separates himself, two ministering angels come and place their hands on his head and say: This man, so-and-so, who has separated himself from the community, let him not see the consolation of the community.
One who sits by while Jewish blood is shed like water and acts as though all is normal – they are like a sacrifice who sees two hands placed on its head prior to being cast off to its own solitary fate. Another opinion is then presented:
בִּזְמַן שֶׁהַצִּבּוּר שָׁרוּי בְּצַעַר, אַל יֹאמַר אָדָם: אֵלֵךְ לְבֵיתִי, וְאוֹכַל וְאֶשְׁתֶּה, וְשָׁלוֹם עָלַיִךְ נַפְשִׁי. וְאִם עוֹשֶׂה כֵן עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר: ״וְהִנֵּה שָׂשׂוֹן וְשִׂמְחָה הָרֹג בָּקָר וְשָׁחֹט צֹאן אָכֹל בָּשָׂר וְשָׁתוֹת יַיִן אָכוֹל וְשָׁתוֹ כִּי מָחָר נָמוּת״, מָה כְּתִיב בָּתְרֵיהּ — ״וְנִגְלָה בְּאָזְנַי ה׳ צְבָאוֹת אִם יְכֻפַּר הֶעָוֹן הַזֶּה לָכֶם עַד תְּמֻתוּן״.
When the community is immersed in suffering, a person may not say: I will go to my home and I will eat and drink, and peace be upon you, my soul. And if he does so, the verse says about him: “And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen and killing sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine; let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die”. And the prophecy continues: “And the Lord of hosts revealed Himself in my ears: Surely this iniquity shall not be atoned by you until you die”.
It simply cannot be that life goes on as normal when the people around you are in distress. We cannot go home as usual, eat and drink as usual, party as usual, and enjoy life as usual. Acting in such a manner is tantamount to sacrificing one’s stake in redemption and committing sins of the greatest magnitude, sins which cannot be atoned for. It is tantamount to Chilul Hashem – desecrating G-d’s name! Where do we find such a desecration taking place? The answer is simple. During times of distress, Hakadosh Baruch Hu, Himself, is present and in mourning. Living out life and indulging in pleasures in front of such mourning is a desecration of the mourner – Hakadosh Baruch Hu. The Abarbanel adds (Nachalat Avot), great men are not permitted to distance themselves from the burden and suffering of the people around them; instead, they’re to serve as role models on how to respond during such times, so that all will follow them and bring about collective Teshuva. He adds, it is forbidden for the heads of the Yeshiva to go off and eat in a side room while the public outside fasts, just as they may not excuse themselves by claiming תּוֹרָתִי אֻמָּנוּתִי – their Torah is their profession and livelihood and thus they’re exempt.
It is true that suffering comes about as a result of punishment, and Hakadosh Baruch Hu sends distress our way in order to spark improvement and Teshuva. This was also true in the case of Bnei Yisrael in Mitzrayim, where the years of slavery were part of Hakadosh Baruch Hu’s larger plan that involved Bnei Yisrael being cleansed of past sins (whether from Gan Eden or Mechirat Yosef, or other). That said, says Rashi, despite the distress being intentional, the burning bush teaches us that nonetheless, Hakadosh Baruch Hu is there with those He punishes. It is akin to a surgeon operating on their own child. The surgeon knows that surgery is what will save their child, yet even as they deliver the necessary remedy, they are pained by having to perform an incision on the body of their loved one.
We’ll now dive into the character of Moshe Rabbeinu in our Parsha. Moshe is the central character between now and the completion of the Torah with the words לְעֵינֵי כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל. Of note, our introduction to him takes place through mention of his parents, albeit without their names:
וַיֵּלֶךְ אִישׁ מִבֵּית לֵוִי וַיִּקַּח אֶת־בַּת־לֵוִי׃
A man of the house of Levi went and married the daughter of Levi. We’ll learn more about these two parents next week, when they are re-introduced to us, this time with names. The Maharal says (Gur Aryeh), this is to teach us Moshe was not born to this world on account of his father or mother. His father could have been named Avraham and his mother Sarah. His father could have been David and his mother Devorah. It makes no difference. Moshe was born, and into the tribe of Levi, because that is what needed to happen. We’ll soon come back to why shevet Levi. In the meantime, we have two unnamed parents who gave birth to Moshe – with no mention of any older siblings – and he was hidden for the first three months of his life. Baby Moshe was then placed into a makeshift personal ark and set in the reeds near the riverbank while his sister monitored not too far away. The daughter of Pharoah found the tevah, opened the doors to his little room, and found him lying there crying. That is the story in a nutshell.
What does it mean וַתֵּתַצַּב אֲחֹתוֹ מֵרָחֹק לְדֵעָה מַה־יֵּעָשֶׂה לוֹ – his sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him? Miriam was between five and six years old – why did she stand over him to watch? What could she do if an Egyptian came by and decided to follow Pharoah’s decree by tipping her baby brother over into the Nile?
Firstly, we need to contrast this episode with the story of Hagar and Yishmael. What did Hagar do when her son was in his most critical and vulnerable state, on the verge of dying? She ran away and hid. She didn’t want to see what came next! She distanced herself from his plight! The Paaneach Raza says, Hagar knew what would come next had she remained within line of sight, or arrow. Exactly that – an arrow! She knew to get out of range – הַרְחֵק כִּמְטַחֲוֵי קֶשֶׁת, because as soon as the meds kicked in and Yishmael’s fever subsided a touch, he’d stand up, and the first thing he’d do is send an arrow her way to kill her. His own mother. She knew exactly who her tchatchke was – a רוֹבֶה קַשָּׁת, an archer, a ruthless killer. So, she took off instead. Not so Miriam. Her parents could not be there, as they’d be held responsible for not turning over the baby boy to the authorities, so, at age six, she was to stand guard. For the one hour she watched over Moshe, Bnei Yisrael would later wait a full week for her in the desert. The Gemara (Sotah 12a) discusses this entire incident and the role of Miriam in particular:
אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה בַּר זְבִינָא: שֶׁהָלַךְ "וַיֵּלֶךְ אִישׁ מִבֵּית לֵוִי". לְהֵיכָן הָלַךְ? בַּעֲצַת בִּתּוֹ.
The verse states: “And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took for a wife a daughter of Levi”. To where did he go? Rav Yehuda bar Zevina says: He went according to the advice of his daughter Miriam.
What advice did Miriam provide to her father, Amram? The Gemara explains. Amram was the gadol hador of his generation, and when he saw that Pharaoh decreed all newborn boys shall be cast into the Nile, he said: “We are laboring for nothing by bringing children into the world only to be killed.” He stood up and divorced his wife, and everyone around him followed suit and did the same.
His daughter, Miriam, said to him: “Your decree is harsher for Bnei Yisrael than that of Pharaoh, as he decreed only with regard to the males, but you decreed on both the males and females. And now no children will be born.” She added that her father’s decree affected both this world and the World to Come, whereas Pharoah’s only applied to the former.
Finally, the Gemara explains, Miriam told her father that the level of compliance with Pharoah’s decree was unknown. There might some strong-minded amongst Bnei Yisrael who ignored his word and fought back by having children. Amram, on the other hand, was the righteous gadol hador that everyone would surely follow.
We’re told וַיֵּלֶךְ ... וַיִּקַּח to indicate Amram acquiesced to his daughter’s plea and remarried his wife. The people around saw this and followed suit again. Rabbotai, we must ask the obvious question. Amram was the gadol hador. He certainly took into consideration all the factors laid out by his six-year-old daughter before arriving at his decision. And after all that, all it took to reverse course was an appeal by his daughter using the same arguments he had already thought through?
If it was another gadol hador who appealed based on new ideas and understandings, I would understand completely. But his daughter? How does that make sense? If so, why didn’t he respond by making her the gadol hador?
Amram was not ashamed though. If he was wrong, he’d welcome that verdict delivered by anyone and accept it in front of anyone. Emet would prevail and he himself was not a factor, nor would he do anything to prevent it. For that, his son would be the pillar of Emet, who delivered the Torah of Emet for all generations – מֹשֶׁה אֱמֶת וְתוֹרָתוֹ אֱמֶת.
I do not recall where this next idea is from, possibly R’ Shlomo of Radomsk, but wish to relate it as best I can. In Parshat Beshalach, as Bnei Yisrael exit Mitzrayim, they are told to make a U-turn.
דַּבֵּר אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיָשֻׁבוּ וְיַחֲנוּ לִפְנֵי פִּי הַחִירֹת בֵּין מִגְדֹּל וּבֵין הַיָּם׃ בַּעַל צְפֹן נִכְחוֹ תַחֲנוּ עַל־הַיָּם׃ וְאָמַר פַּרְעֹה לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל נְבֻכִים הֵם בָּאָרֶץ סָגַר עֲלֵיהֶם הַמִּדְבָּר׃ וַאֲנִי בְּתוֹךְ הַגּוֹלָה
Three days after leaving Egypt, Pharoah was still sitting still and not chasing them, as Hakadosh Baruch Hu desired. To spur on the chase, He made it appear as though Bnei Yisrael, and all the hullabaloo surrounding them, was returning. Rashi says, based on the Mechilta d'Rabbi Yishmael, we’re told Bnei Yisrael did exactly so in order to tell their praise — that they listened to Moshe and did not question the idea of drawing nearer to their enemies. Furthermore, they said, it was their duty to follow any order given by the son of Amram. Chazal explain that they referred to him as such, and not as Moshe, or Moshe Rabbeinu, because they were familiar with the idea of flip-flopping and changing answers due to what Amram had previously done! Amram changed his position and Moshe was the result, therefore whatever his son says, regardless of if it contradicts what he said just prior – they would follow.
When Amram took Yocheved back, the Gemara says, there was a small but joyous wedding, where Aharon and Miriam danced, and two ministering angels sang, “אֵם הַבָּנִים שְׂמֵחָה – A joyful mother of children!” I have a question on this. Why was there the need for a wedding? Why was it necessary, or appropriate, for two angels to sing and two children to dance? If a baby boy was born from this marriage, they’d be thrown into the Nile! Why celebrate this predicament? The answer is, a person must know that when facing a decree, they should not lose hope and faith. In fact, they should increase their faith in Hakadosh Baruch Hu. Let Hakadosh Baruch Hu manage the campaign against the decree rather than trying to outsmart it by acting against all directives!
But there is another element in play here. Miriam also told her father that one of Pharoah’s goals was to instill יֵאוּשׁ – a sense of despair and resignation, in Bnei Yisrael. She told her father that by choosing to divorce, and leading Bnei Yisrael to also not marry, he was merely adding more despair amongst the people and increasing Pharoah’s gains. That is the opposite of what they needed – לֹא לְהִתְיָאֵשׁ! Despair is a terrible sickness we must fight back against in our Avodat Hashem.
With this introduction, we can now dive into another topic. Chazal say (Shemot Rabbah 1:22):
וַתֵּתַצַּב אֲחֹתוֹ מֵרָחֹק, לָמָּה עָמְדָה מִרְיָם מֵרָחוֹק, אָמַר רַבִּי עַמְרָם בְּשֵׁם רַב לְפִי שֶׁהָיְתָה מִרְיָם מִתְנַבֵּאת וְאוֹמֶרֶת עֲתִידָה אִמִּי שֶׁתֵּלֵד בֵּן שֶׁיוֹשִׁיעַ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, כֵּיוָן שֶׁנּוֹלַד מֹשֶׁה נִתְמַלֵּא כָּל הַבַּיִת אוֹרָה, עָמַד וּנְשָׁקָהּ
A This is based on teachings of Chazal, and many opinions, that the moment a child arrives in this world, they receive a ticket to Olam Haba. This is an position that, very sensitively, adds a sympathetic element to cases of miscarriages and stillborn births.
