Shemos – Page 13 – Peninim on the Torah

They embittered their lives with hard work…All their labors that they performed with them were with crushing harshness. (1:14)

We memorialize the bitterness of Egypt, the harsh labor and persecution, with the marror, bitter herbs, which we eat on Pesach night. Chazal teach us that while there are a number of vegetables that are suitable for the mitzvah of marror, leaf lettuce is preferred. Among the vegetables, leaf lettuce provides the most apt comparison with the type of labor to which the Egyptians subjected the Jewish people. At first, the Egyptians convinced the Jews to work with them. Later on, they embittered their lives with harsh labor. At first, the lettuce seems almost sweet to the palate, but subsequently,…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5757, Shemos

And Pharaoh commanded his entire people saying, “Every son that will be born–into the River shall you throw him.” (1:22)

Pharaoh thought that the way to prevent the emergence of a Jewish leader was to drown all baby boys. Indeed, his astrologers had told him that the downfall of the Jewish savior would be effected through water. As a result of this decree, Amram, who was the gadol ha’dor, the spiritual leader of that generation, separated from his wife, Yocheved. Ostensibly, all Jewish men followed suit. Rather than bring boys into the world to be drowned by Pharaoh, they left their wives. Miriam, however, yet a young child, challenged her father Amram’s decree. She claimed that his decree to separate…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5757, Shemos

Every son that will be born, into the River shall you throw him. (1:24)

Chazal tell us that Pharaoh’s astrologers foresaw that the Jewish savior’s downfall would occur as a result of water. They were even able to pinpoint the exact day on which Moshe would be born. Pharaoh’s own daughter, who found Moshe, took him home and raised him in the royal palace. Following the advice of his astrologers, on the day that Moshe was born, Pharaoh issued an edict to drown all male infants upon birth. The astrologers claimed that the threat of a Jewish savior had been averted. They were, of course, wrong, since Moshe’s death was not caused by drowning,…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5757, Shemos

Who is the man who has built a new house and has not inaugurated it? Let him go and return to his house. (20:5)

The Kohen proclaimed that certain individuals who were not suited to fight should leave the field, lest their fear shake them up so that it would affect the entire army. Three men are singled out by the Torah: he who has a newly built house that has not been inaugurated; he who has planted a vineyard and has not redeemed its fruit of the fourth year; and he who has betrothed a woman and not yet married her. The Torah posits that these individuals fear that they will not complete the job they had begun. A number of lessons can…

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Sruly Schnair In 5756, Shemos

“And the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the first was Shifrah and the name of the second was Puah.” (1:15)

Chazal comment that Shifrah was actually Yocheved, the mother of Moshe Rabbeinu, while Puah was her daughter, Miriam. Chazal attribute Yocheved’s name to the fact that she “smoothed out” the limbs of an infant after its birth. The Midrash indicates that her name is derived from the fact that she washed off the blood which covered an infant at birth. The reasons which Chazal suggest for Yocheved’s name are perplexing! Should such a rudimentary task as attending to an infant at birth be the catalyst for assigning such an outstanding, virtuous woman as Yocheved another name? A name defines a…

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Sruly Schnair In 5756, Shemos

“And Moshe grew up and he went out to his brethren and observed their burdens.” (2:11)

Pharaoh’s despotic plans were defeated as the one individual he sought to destroy grew up right before his eyes. It is interesting to note that the Torah does not document any event in Moshe Rabbeinu’s life from his birth until his attaining maturity, when he “went out to his brethren.” Why is nothing mentioned concerning Moshe’s formative years? Perhaps, this omission is attributed to Moshe’s mission in life. He was destined to become Klal Yisrael’s quintessential leader. Until the moment that he demonstrated his qualities of leadership there was no reason to mention his whereabouts, since it would have no…

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Sruly Schnair In 5756, Shemos

“And Moshe thought, I will turn aside now and look at this great sight.” (3:3)

The Midrash lauds Moshe’s actions, as he “exerted” himself to see the wondrous sight. R’ Yochanon says that Moshe took three steps out of his way, while Reish Lakish says that he turned his head to gaze at the remarkable burning bush. We can glean a deeper understanding of Moshe’s action as stated by the Midrash. After all, Moshe did not seem to perform any type of exceptional deed that would warrant Hashem’s revelation as a reward. Horav Eliyahu Dessler, z.l., cites the Alter M’Kelm who posits that it was indeed Moshe’s “simple” action that made him worthy of such…

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Sruly Schnair In 5756, Shemos

“And take this staff in your hand with which you shall perform the signs.” (4:17)

Up until this point Hashem had not yet instructed Moshe to perform any specific act with the signs He had shown him. At this juncture, Hashem told Moshe to take the staff with him and then use it to perform the various “signs”, indicating that he was Hashem’s messenger. Horav S.R. Hirsch, z.l., explains the significance of these signs and the manner in which they communicated to Pharaoh his own inadequacy, and his need to rely upon Hashem. Man acknowledges that he may not have the power to control his destiny. He does, however, believe he has the capacity to…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5755, Shemos

“And they said, ‘An Egyptian man rescued us from the shepherds.'” (2:19)

The Midrash states that there is a more profound meaning to the words, “An Egyptian man rescued us.” They do not refer to Moshe, but rather to the Egyptian whom Moshe originally slew in Egypt. This individual was the “cause” of Bnos Yisro’s rescue from the shepherds. He actually catalyzed the cycle of events which resulted in Bnos Yisro’s appearance in Midyan. The Midrash offers an interesting parable to elucidate this statement. A man, who was bitten by a poisonous snake, ran to the river to wash out the venom. The moment that he arrived at the river he heard…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5755, Shemos

“And Moshe said, ‘I will turn aside now and I will see this great sight –why the bush is not burnt.'” (3:3)

The Yalkut Shimoni cites a dispute between R’ Yochanon and Reish Lakish concerning the extent of Moshe’s “turning aside.” R’ Yochanon says that Moshe stepped three steps out of his way while Reish Lakish contends that Moshe merely turned his neck. Hashem responded, “Moshe, you troubled yourself to see (the bush); by your life, I will reveal My Countenance through you.” In citing this Yalkut, Horav Simcha Zissel Broide, Shlita, acknowledges the remarkable reward for performing a seemingly minor act. Moshe devoted seventy years of tireless commitment to Bnei Yisrael in Egypt. He reflected true Yiraas Shomayim, fear of Heaven,…

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They embittered their lives with hard work…All their labors that they performed with them were with crushing harshness. (1:14)

And Pharaoh commanded his entire people saying, “Every son that will be born–into the River shall you throw him.” (1:22)

Every son that will be born, into the River shall you throw him. (1:24)

Who is the man who has built a new house and has not inaugurated it? Let him go and return to his house. (20:5)

“And the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the first was Shifrah and the name of the second was Puah.” (1:15)

“And Moshe grew up and he went out to his brethren and observed their burdens.” (2:11)

“And Moshe thought, I will turn aside now and look at this great sight.” (3:3)

“And take this staff in your hand with which you shall perform the signs.” (4:17)

“And they said, ‘An Egyptian man rescued us from the shepherds.'” (2:19)

“And Moshe said, ‘I will turn aside now and I will see this great sight –why the bush is not burnt.'” (3:3)

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