We asked in our main Dvar Torah why Pharaoh commanded the children be thrown into the Nile instead simply being killed at the birthing table.
One reason was because the stargazers had seen that the Jewish savior would meet his downfall through water, and they didn’t realize it would be when Moshe hit the stone for water.
But R’ Yehuda Herzl Henkin z”l suggested an interesting approach, based on Pharaoh’s open-door policy.
We see Pharaoh seemed to have one because Moshe and Aharon were able to enter to speak to him; the elders appealed to Pharaoh, and the various Jewish taskmasters were able to come and voice their concerns to him.
Because of this, Pharaoh connected with people and had a harder time destroying them. Therefore, he opted for the less-certain death of casting boys into the river where by some miracle they might survive.
In contrast, Achashveirosh forbade anyone to enter his presence unless he summoned them. He, therefore, had no problems with Haman wiping out the Jewish People, man, woman, and child.
We learn from this that in order to appreciate people, we must take the time to speak to them and get to know them. Otherwise, we might become as ruthless and despicable as the murderers who commit their evil from afar, without caring who they hurt.
Thought of the week:
Stand for what is right, even if it means standing alone.
