Shemos – Page 6 – 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)

In the Talmud Sotah 11b, Chazal give us an insight into the avodas perach, crushing/harsh labor, to which the Egyptians subjected Klal Yisrael. They inverted their tasks, giving the men work that was usually performed by women and vice versa. This seems enigmatic. If a man is forced to perform a woman’s work, is that to be considered crushing and harsh? It may not be his style, but it certainly is not heartless. The Ozrover Rebbe, z.l., derives from here that any form of labor that is not habitual for an individual is, in effect, considered avodas perach. The difficulty…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5772, Shemos

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

Although raised in the splendor of Pharaoh’s palace, exposed constantly to the anti-Semitic vitriol that was undoubtedly a part of the daily conversation, Moshe Rabbeinu remained the son of Amram and Yocheved. He did not become an Egyptian prince; he remained a Jew, proud of his heritage, empathetic to his brethren, compassionate for the downtrodden, broken slaves. He did not merely identify with his People through lip service; he went out to them. He wanted to observe their suffering and grieve with them. He was a true “noseh b’ol im chaveiro,” one who carries the yoke with his friend….

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5772, Shemos

“And say to him (Pharaoh), “Hashem, G-d of the Ivriyim, (Hebrews), happened upon us.” (3:18)

Hashem instructed Moshe Rabbeinu to approach Pharaoh on behalf of the Jewish People. This is the first time that an address is to be made to a gentile king in the name of the Jewish People. We find the plural derivative of the word Ivri in a form, Ivriyim, with two ‘yudin,” which never occurs again. Elsewhere, it is always written as Ivrim. Horav S.R. Hirsch, z.l., posits that the character which is defined by the word Ivri is herein underscored. The word, “Ivriyim,” emphasizes not only the character that marks the people as a whole, but one which characterizes…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5772, Shemos

“I am not a man of words… for I am heavy of mouth and heavy of speech.” (4:10)

Moshe Rabbeinu implored Hashem to send someone else to Pharaoh. He claimed that his speech impediment would make it very difficult for him to express himself effectively and to articulate his demands. It is interesting to note that Moshe felt that his impediment would only be problematic in his dialogue with Pharaoh. What about Klal Yisrael? How would they react to a leader who could not communicate in a clear and effective manner? Apparently, Moshe Rabbeinu was not concerned about the Jews. They were not so vacuous and shallow to judge a person only according to his external qualities. They…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5771, Shemos

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)

Jewish enslavement did not occur overnight. The Egyptians could not have controlled the Jews had the Jews not willingly given up their sense of dignity and their sense of pride, essentially becoming “honorary Egyptians.” Horav Tzvi Elimelech, zl, m’Dinov, explains that Pharaoh knew that the Egyptian midwives were not going to listen to his order to kill the Jewish male babies. Their high moral values would not have permitted them to commit such a heinous act. In that case, why did he bother? The Torah tells us that the names of these women were Shifrah and Puah. Rashi teaches that they…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5771, Shemos

And it was because the midwives feared G-d that He made them houses. (1:21)

Hashem rewarded the Jewish midwives with “houses.” Rashi explains that this is certainly not a reference to bricks and mortar, but rather to spiritual legacies which are, in fact, houses: the Houses of Kehunah and Leviyah, descending from Aharon HaKohen, and the House of Monarchy, descending from David Ha’melech. We wonder why Chazal do not mention Houses of Torah, which have been exemplified by such leaders as Moshe Rabbeinu and Betzalel, architect of the Mishkan, descendant of Miriam HaNeviah. Horav Eliyahu Mishkovsky, Shlita, notes a similar disparity in Sefer Tehillim (135:19,20), “Bais Aharon, the House of Aharon, bless Hashem; Bais…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5771, Shemos

She opened it and saw him, the child, and behold! A youth was crying. She took pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrew boys.” (2:6)

What about the infant’s cry indicated his Jewish pedigree? Do Jewish children cry differently than gentiles? All babies cry the same – or do they? Horav Mordechai Chaim, zl, m’Slonim posits that all babies do not cry alike. Something is unique and special about the way a Jew cries. A gentile weeps out of desperation, hopelessness, depression and pain. A Jew’s cry is one of hope. A ben Yisrael understands that, even at the moment when everything appears hopeless, it is all a façade. Hashem can turn things around in the flash of a second. His cry is of a temporary…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5771, Shemos

It happened in those days that Moshe grew up and went out to his brethren and observed their burdens. (2:11)

Although raised amidst the majesty and splendor of Egyptian royalty, Moshe Rabbeinu remained the son of Amram and Yocheved. Raised as an Egyptian prince, but cognizant of his Jewish roots, Moshe remained totally committed and sensitive to his Jewish brethren. When he matured, growing up into a position of responsibility, he made it a point to go out and see – to observe – the plight of his brethren, to see their suffering and grieve with them. What is meant by “seeing” their suffering? Is it not sufficient simply to be aware of the misery? Does observing it firsthand make a difference?…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5771, Shemos

And Moshe was shepherding the sheep of Yisro. (3:1)

Chazal teach us that Hashem tests a tzaddik, righteous person, in small areas, the little things, which so many of us gloss over. If the tzaddik passes the test, if he demonstrates an affinity to doing small things, to caring about the “little guy,” the fellow whom no one seems to consider important enough to give his time, then the tzaddik can be a manhig, leader, of Klal Yisrael. Two of our greatest leaders stand out in this area, and Chazal underscore their acts of caring about small things. Moshe Rabbeinu and David Ha’melech were both tested by how they shepherded…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5771, Shemos

“For the place upon which you stand is holy ground.” (3:5)

Moshe Rabbeinu’s curiosity was piqued when he beheld a thornbush on fire, which continued to burn without being consumed. Upon closer inspection, the phenomenon before his eyes became even stranger. Hashem spoke to Moshe, instructing him to remove his shoes, because he was standing on holy ground. Such was the custom in the Bais HaMikdash, in which even the Kohanim were not permitted to wear shoes. The relationship between man and the Exalted must be unimpeded. One’s feet must be planted firmly on the ground. Horav S.R. Hirsch, zl, explains Hashem’s statement to Moshe concerning the exalted sanctity of the ground,…

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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)

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

“And say to him (Pharaoh), “Hashem, G-d of the Ivriyim, (Hebrews), happened upon us.” (3:18)

“I am not a man of words… for I am heavy of mouth and heavy of speech.” (4:10)

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 it was because the midwives feared G-d that He made them houses. (1:21)

She opened it and saw him, the child, and behold! A youth was crying. She took pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrew boys.” (2:6)

It happened in those days that Moshe grew up and went out to his brethren and observed their burdens. (2:11)

And Moshe was shepherding the sheep of Yisro. (3:1)

“For the place upon which you stand is holy ground.” (3:5)

YEARS

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