D'Var Torah - Parshas Shemos
Basya, the daughter of Paroah rescued Moshe from the Nile River. Rabbi
Chaim Shmuelevitz explained that in doing so, she had a lasting impact on his
life, in that she taught him to extend himself to save others. This became
a defining theme in Moshe's life - he rescued the Jewish nation from Egyptian
slavery and led them through the perils of the wilderness to the Promised
Land. When we do a mitzvah, it can have ripple effects that we never dreamed
of, as the following true story illustrates:
Rabbi Aryeh Rodin, of Congregation Rodfei Shalom in Dallas
once received a man wishing to make a contribution to his synagogue. The
rabbi gave the man a tour of the synagogue and told him of the educational
programs for the community. The man gave the rabbi a check for $2,000. The
rabbi was puzzled why the man -- Jewish, but clearly not Jewishly well
educated nor observant -- wanted to make a contribution to his synagogue.
The man replied in a thick Texas drawl, "Rabbi, recently I was in
Jerusalem at the Western Wall. There I saw a man praying with such fervor,
such concentration ... I was moved to the depths of my soul. I wanted to
express how moved I was, but I didn't want to insult the man by giving him
money, so I decided that when I got back to Dallas I would make a
contribution to a synagogue where that man would feel comfortable praying."
The donor continued, "When I returned to Dallas I described the man I
saw at the Wall --- the long black coat, the broad black hat, the side locks
-- and asked where a man like that would feel comfortable praying; Rabbi,
they told me your synagogue! So here I am."
The man and the rabbi became good friends, they studied
Torah together and they shared in each other's family's Simchas, joyous
occasions. The man and his family began to attend services religiously. Over
the years the man and his extended family become major supporters of the
synagogue and its efforts for Jewish educational outreach. Eventually, this
wealthy family gave a major contribution that enabled the congregation to
build a beautiful new building that it so badly needed.
In retelling the story, Rabbi Rodin points out, "The Jerusalemite
probably returned from praying at the Wall, not thinking anything unusual
happened that day. He had no idea that his devotion to prayer, changed the
life of an American man and his family, bolstered Torah programs and enabled
the construction of a shul building in Dallas. After 120 years, when this
man passes on to the next world, he will be greeted in Heaven and
commended on what he did for increasing Torah and building a new shul for the
Jewish people in Dallas! The Jerusalemite, who never in his life ever left
the Holy Land, will stand in bewilderment and reply... "What is Dallas?"
The foregoing true story is documented in the Artscroll Magid Series by Rabbi
Pesach Krohn.
D'Var Torah - Parshas Shemos - 5761
By Rabbi Baruch Lederman
Moshe had just returned from his first encounter with Paroah. Not
only did Paroah not free the Jews as Moshe had called for, but he increased
their workload, demanding that they now gather their own straw while making the
same quota of bricks. Said Moshe to Hashem, "Why did this evil thing occur, that
their workload increased? And if you will say that I have no place complaining,
then why did you send ME? The reason I was chosen was because You saw that I had
compassion when shepherding flocks of sheep."
Rashi tells us that Hashem said "Avraham had much more bitachon
(trust) in Me. Avraham was promised the entire land of Israel would belong to
him and his children, yet when the time came to bury his wife, he had to pay
Efron an exorbitant sum for one small plot. Through all this Avraham never
uttered a complaint. His trust was total. Yet here was Moshe complaining after
one setback."
Moshe bitterly bemoaned to Hashem (G-d), "Why have You done evil to
this people and why is it that you sent me?" [Exodus 5:23] Moshe was criticized
for making this utterance.
Now Moshe exclaims to Hashem, "You cannot say that I shouldn't be
upset about the situation. The reason I was selected in the first place is
because I deeply feel the pain and suffering of others." Indeed, when Moshe saw
a vicious Egyptian murderously beating a Jew, he risked his own life to
intercede and save the Jew.
The Rosh Yeshiva (HaRav Henoch Leibowitz shlit"a) pointed out that
although Moshe was criticized for an infinitesimal lack of faith, he was never
criticized for feeling the way he did. We can learn here that it is an essential
quality of a leader to feel anguish over the pain and suffering of others.
Whether one is leading a nation or a family, one cannot lead others if he is
insensitive to their feelings and their needs.
The very name Moshe testifies to this quality. The Torah tells us
that it was Basya, the daughter of Paroah who gave this name after she rescued
him from the river,"She called his name Moshe for out of the water I drew
(mishishihu) him." [Ex. 2:10] Why is Moshe known for all time by the name given
to him by Paroah's daughter and not by his birth name? (His parents named him
Yekusiel.) HaRav Chaim Shmuelevitz answered this question as follows: When
Basya rescued Moshe, she injected into him the quality of extending himself to
save others. That act not only saved his life - it shaped his life.
Once when Moshe was working as a shepherd, a small sheep wandered
away from the flock. Moshe chased after the sheep only to discover it drinking
from a brook. Moshe said, "You poor sheep, if you are this thirsty, then you
must be tired as well." So Moshe carried the sheep all the way back to the
flock. At this display of compassion, Hashem declared, "If this is the way you
treat your sheep, then I want you to be the shepherd for My sheep (i.e. the
Israelites)"
The name Moshe represented this. Moshe was one who extended himself
to save others. This is how we remember him for all time. This was the eternal
gift that Basya gave him.
When a parent has to stop everything they are doing to hold and
comfort a crying infant (or teenager), they are not wasting their time. They are
teaching that child how to love and comfort others. They are investing their
child with chesed (loving kindness). When we care about others, we make the
whole world a better place.
|