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By Rabbi Naftoly Bier
In this week’s פרשה we are introduced to משה רבינו, who eventually would be the one to bring the Torah to Klal Yisroel.
Basya, the daughter of Pharaoh, saved his life, after finding him in a basket, floating on the water. She named him משה , Moshe, for מן המים משיתהו , she had drawn him from the water. But isn’t משה present tense, she should have named him משוי , which is past tense?
The Sforno and Rav Hirsch explain that Basya was indoctrinating Moshe to be sensitive on a constant basis, for since he was saved from imminent doom, he now has a relentless obligation to selflessly assist others. When Moshe Rabbeinu was born, the Torah tells us that his home shone from the glow that encompassed him; a reflection that he was destined from the onset for spiritual greatness. Let us examine how his life developed!
From the age of two until either twelve years or the maximum of forty years, Moshe Rabeinu dwelled in Pharaoh’s palace. Why did Hashem orchestrate that he would live in a society completely antithetical to his future calling?
The Jewish people at that time were subjected to concentration camps, barbaric torture, an environment where all dignity and individuality were robbed from them. To be a leader necessitates a sense of self esteem of the highest level. Only then is it possible for one to transfuse dignity to others and to gain their respect to lead. Moshe was exposed to the dynamic of leadership in Pharaoh’s palace. His subsequent sensitivity to others was the catalyst for his decision to venture outside the palace and to witness the pain and suffering of his fellow Jew.
He witnessed the beating of a Jew ( דתן ) by an Egyptian official, who had surreptitiously spent time with Dathan’s wife. The Medrash, מדרש רבה במדבר ט:יד , teaches that Moshe Rabeinu feared that this evil Egyptian would spread the idea that the accepted idea that the Jewish women were
noble and chaste wasn’t true, thereby causing a tremendous חילול השם , a desecration of God, due to the women not acting with צניעות and nobility.
Though he was putting his life in danger by causing the death of the Egyptian – by uttering the name of God, nevertheless recognizing his mission was to selflessly think of the ramifications of actions that could affect negatively, he immediately decided what proper response was obligated. (From here we are taught how prudent, how careful we must not publicize actions of Jews that are contrary to the קדושה , holiness of our nation.)
Subsequently after דתן ואבירם reported the actions of Moshe to Pharaoh, he has to flee the country. After many years of eluding his enemies and even being imprisoned for a decade, he arrived in the country of Midian, where he sat by a well. The seven daughters of רעואל , Yisro who are drawing water for their sheep are attacked by a gang of ruffians. Moshe Rabeinu quickly, without hesitation “jumps in” to protect the
dignity of seven women who are complete strangers to him. Again, his tremendous sense of responsibility to intercede to enrich, assist and defend another compelled him to immediately come to their aid.
When the seven daughters are asked about the day’s events, they reply, “An Egyptian male saved us!” Was Moshe an Egyptian? An answer given is that he told them, “Don’t thank me for being the cause of your salvation- it’s the Egyptian, that I caused his death, who saved you. For if that had not transpired, I would never have been on the ‘most-wanted criminal list’, and would never have been here to protect you. It’s to his credit!”
In a world where one is completely selfless, where one lives with a constant dedication to humanity, it is a result of the acute clarity that all is orchestrated by Hashem, and we are but players on his stage. We are taught that Moshe Rabeinu was a shepherd. The ילקוט רמז קס”ט quotes, “Rav Yitzchok taught, how does Hashem test the righteous (to bring forth their superior character) by the profession of being caretakers for sheep. The Medrash ( שמו”ר ב:ב ) relates that when Moshe Rabeinu was shepherding the sheep, one of them ran away and he ran after it. The sheep found a pond of water and drank from it. Upon seeing this, Moshe Rabeinu exclaimed, “I didn’t realize you ran away due to thirst, you must be exhausted”; he subsequently carried the sheep on his shoulders back to the flock.
Hashem exclaimed, if you possess this magnitude of mercy and compassion for animals, I therefore will charge you with the responsibility and opportunity to lead “My beloved sheep”, the Jewish people.
Moshe Rabeinu, with sensitivity, selflessly protected the dignity of a person, the dignity of Klal Yisroel, the dignity of Hashem and even was sensitive to the pain of an animal. A true and decisive manifestation of a person solely dedicated to one’s Creator.
Where did he learn Torah? The Ramban (3:6, 6:14) speaks of the spiritual greatness of עמרם , the father of Moshe Rabeinu. It’s conceivable Amram taught his son, the first two years of his life. יונתן בן עוזיאל i(3:2) says that a מלאך , an angel named זגנוגאל taught him. The רמב”ן (3:13) defines Moshe Rabeinu at the time of the revelation of Hashem at the burning bush as a giant in wisdom and great in the levels of prophecy. Moshe Rabeinu was the exemplar in Torah, Service to Hashem, kindness, all stemming from a constant, relentless, unequivocal, appreciation of Hashem’s benefaction- משה, כי מן המים משיתהו , “for he was drawn from the water.”
