Parsha Pearls
יְהִי בַּיָּמִים הָּהֵם וַּיִגְדַּל משֶׁה וַּיֵצֵא אֶׁל־אֶׁחָּיו וַּיַּרְ א בְסִבְלֹתָּם ...
Now it came to pass in those days that Moshe grew up and went out to his brothers and looked at their burdens....(Shemos 2:11)
Commenting on the words “and [Moshe] looked at their burdens”, Rashi writes: “He directed his eyes and his heart to be distressed over them.”
First of all, notice that Rashi does not say that Moshe was distressed over them, but rather, “He directed his eyes and his heart to be distressed over them.” In other words, Moshe steered his heart in the proper direction, to be distressed over his brothers. The Torah is teaching us that a person can be in charge of his heart.
Also it’s interesting to notice that in the same verse, the Torah says, “Moshe grew up.” This perhaps is hinting to us that a Jew reaches maturity when his focus is on the welfare of other people. So next time, you catch yourself being self-centered, whisper to yourself, “Grow up!”
