שמות א,ח : וַיָקָם מֶלֶךְ־חָדָש עַל־מִצְרָיִם אֲשֶר לֹא־יָדַע אֶת־יוֹסֵף
It is not possible for any King of Egypt to have forgotten Yosef or eve to act as if he did not know him. Such deceit would be unwise politically especially since Yosef instituted the law of the “fifth”, granting one-fifth of all produce to Paroh.
The Sforno, consistent with his principle that evil befalls the Jews due to their sins, explains that this Paroh could not conceive that such a noble soul as Yosef could be related to such a base people. Hence gratitude and appreciation were no longer obligatory.
Secure place for the baby
שמות ב ,ב: וַתָשֶם בַּסּוּף
The Sforno states that although a decree is issued by a temporal ruler, it is our belief that without the tacit acquiescence of G-d, it would not have been decreed. Hence the Jews could not defy the decree outright, only circumvent the decree. Thus Yocheved placed the basket at the edge of the river thus observing the letter of the law (to throw the male children into the river) but not its spirit.
In this manner, the Sforno answers the obvious question: Why put the infant in such a comparatively hazardous place rather than a more secure one? Since such a move would flaunt the decree outright, therefore, places the basket at the edge of the river partially observes the decree.
Moshe acts in three places
שמות ב ,יא: וַיַרְ א אִיש מִצְרִ י מַכֶה אִיש־עִבְרִ י מֵאֶחָיו
The Sforno notes that when a brother was attacked by a stranger, Moshe reacted with alacrity to defend and punish. When two Jews were involved (v. 13), Moshe admonished them. When it was two strangers (v. 17) Moshe neither punished or admonished, but defended the weak and oppressed.
These three episodes are presented by the Torah to teach us how one should react to events but the reaction needs to be dependent on the circumstances.
Burning Bush
שמות ג, ב: הַסְּנֶה וַיַרְ א וְהִנֵה הַסְּנֶה בֹּעֵר בָּאֵש
The Sforno makes two points here:
- He interprets the symbolism of the bush as the angel is the righteous of the Jews caught up, as it were, in the midst of the burning bush, which represents Egypt. The bush, which is not consumed, though enveloped in flames is symbolic of Egypt ravaged by the ten plagues but were not destroyed.
- Prophecy through mediums of images and visions wrapped in enigmas and riddles is not the method HaShem would use in later communications with Moshe. At this stage of Moshe’s calling, he was not yet prepared for direct, clear communications. From the moment of Sinai, when revelation occurred on the highest level of human experience, Moshe alone remained on that exalted plane to which all others reached only momentarily. From the moment on he spoke to HaShem, face to face, through a clear and vivid lens, and not through clouded visions and riddles.
