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Shemot 2 "And the King of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, the name of one, Shifra, the name of the second, Pooah. and he said, then you shall kill him..." (1:15-16). Pharaoh felt that as long as the midwives were called by their Hebrew names, Yocheved and Miriam, they would retain too much Hebrew character in their personalities to carry out his cruel decree to slaughter all Hebrew boys. Pharaoh, therefore, commanded them to change their names to Shifra and Pooah. His reasoning was that when the midwives would be called by Egyptian names, their spiritual and psychological nature would be influenced so powerfully that they would be able to murder the children. This is why the Torah stresses their name change just before Pharaoh commands, "if he is a boy, then you shall kill him!" A person's entire existence can depend on his name. A person's name influences his inner spiritual and personal essence. It is no coincidence that in Hebrew the word for soul, Neshama, is based on the word for name, Shem. Similarly, Jews traditionally give their children a name that is uniquely Jewish. (Adapted from The Dinover Rav) And behold, it was a weeping boy...and she said, This is one of the Hebrews' children (Ex. 2:6) How could Pharaoh's daughter have recognised that the child was Jewish, just from his cry? Says Rabbi Mordechai Chaim of Slonim, this is because a Jewish cry is unique; a Jew, even when he weeps, is filled with hope. So too, at this time when the heritage of our forefathers is being abandoned in their city Hevron by those we hoped would appreciate it. While we weep, we hope that this is but the trials and tribulations we must go through before those in authority realise that no peace can last on a lie. Most certainly if that lie denies our rights to the cradles of our nation. And she called his name Moses...because out of the water have I drawn him (Ex. 2:10) The name Moses ("Moshe" in Hebrew) comes from the verb "to draw out," and is in the present tense, indicating an ongoing action. This alludes to the task of the true Jewish leader, which is to elevate the Jew from the depths of physicality and guide him toward the shores of spiritual safety. Moses, the first Jewish leader, was the prototype for all time; his actions are continued by the "reflection of Moses" that exists in every generation. (Teivot Shalom) And an angel of G-d appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of the thorn bush; and he looked, and behold, the thorn bush was burning with fire, but the thorn bush was not consumed (Exodus 3:2) Man is likened to a tree of the field: the Torah Sage is a fruit-bearing tree, whereas the simple Jew is likened to a tree that does not give fruit. Nonetheless, the "flame of fire" burns precisely in the humble "thorn bush"-in the simple and unlearned Jew. A Jew who prays and recites Psalms with simple faith in G-d possesses a fire of holiness derived from purity of heart, even if he does not understand the words. Furthermore, the "thorn bush is not consumed." The burning flame of the simple Jew can never be extinguished, as he is perpetually thirsty for Torah and mitzvot-unlike his more learned counterpart, who is able to quench his thirst with the waters of Torah. (The Baal Shem Tov) Place your hand inside your robe...when he removed it, it was leprous, as white as snow (4:6). The purpose of our life in this world is to develop the potential that HaShem has placed in our souls. We must "create ourselves." Someone who is negligent and does not fulfil his responsibility to grow is destroying and uprooting that which he could have been. When we are lazy in our spiritual growth, in a sense we have destroyed ourselves. Thus, HaShem said to Moshe, if your hand is resting in your robe and not achieving anything, then leprosy, which is compared to death, results. However, when you take your hand out to do, to develop and to accomplish, then your hand returns to normal. (Malbim) |
