J A N U A R YM 9A ,Y 280,2 21 0 |2 0S H| E EMMOOTR | P A G E 1 Congregation Beth Sholom WEEKLY Learning Initiative ז"ל A Project of the Linda Mitgang To sponsor an upcoming edition, please click here

ZMANIM Then & Now Candle-lighting 4:27 pm 4:35 pm BY KENNETH HAIN Mincha 7:45 am [email protected] Shacharis Hashkama Sephardic 8:45 am Twenty years ago Nancy and I led a wonderful group of CBS Joel Shiff/Main 9:15 am congregants on a remarkable tour of Eastern Europe. We Mincha 4:30 pm visited major cities as well as many of the tragic locations of Shiur w/ Rabbi Miller 4:45 pm Nazi death camps. While so much of these horrific sites are Maariv 5:25 pm still standing, many other important places have been Shabbos Ends 5:32 pm completely erased.

Specifically, I recall riding on the highway in Southeast seeing a sign marking the tiny town of Radomsk. It IN THIS ISSUE struck me that this town had once been a vibrant and proud center of a Chasidic movement. In 1942 most of the of Radomsk were deported and killed. The 4th Radomsker 1 Then & Now Rebbe was murdered by the Nazis in the Warsaw Ghetto. Rabbi Hain

Radomsk in the mid-19th century was led by Shlomo 2 The Killing of the Egyptian HaCohen Rabinowitz (1801-1866) who founded the revered Yael Saffra Chasidic dynasty. Today the Radomsker tradition continues in Israel and throughout the world. The study of “Tiferet 3 Pharaoh's Fear Shlomo”, the Torah commentary authored by Rav Rabinowitz Avromie Fein is studied and revered.

Birth of a Nation To cite a beautiful sample of Rav Rabinowitz’s thought, which 5 has current relevance, we can explore his comment in the Rabbi Fogel pasuk “And Moshe grew and went out to his brothers.” He notes that in the previous pasuk it says “And the boy grew 6 Moshe, , …”Why the repetition of almost the exact same words? The or Something Else? Rebbe explained that the second expression is the moment Rabbi Miller that Moshe decides to rescue his fellow Jews- first he physically grew and then he grew morally. S E P TOMENCDODMANOOTDEJACSUYNEBO VUJNACOECUT JGAOEMEV1TUBLAEJOCPJJOEMCJGURNAVMU5OEYUMEANUGTMVTBU ASUE,MN RLMBEY1UNOEBG E3B1TMSYGYA M2AE BMSEARBU,8 T2E 1 U0 RB, U1EYTR1B ,EYR2 ,B1S52 2Y3E S,R2 5G2 RE5 T1Y 9,E021 2016RT 192 5, 0R2U, , R20472 ,, , 12 6,90 | 20S 8,2 ,82 0,9542,07 2 20T ,10, 2,B2,0| , 02 0 ,2 0|2 02E 2| 2020C 02|20H 0 02N |0 MH20 1S02 | | 2A0| 1V2I||0 U2 0|BU A 0 TR|0A| B| D 0PS |K AK ET ZL |EK- V|' A |H IECBV|KBSMAOEV M|V ISA N M VE HAVOT EICAT MKVRNHIOAVYOTCISATLRIYCADOH-TY-IEAKYEOIREDSHAORBEM HY BS'EK FMIECIYTU AEB ICALEHGUAIT|E V|AHSEMDOECHASDVLHI IZINALKRS H RV T CHIM AT R O|IEAE|NSOP |ATPI|OZH Z EK |YI ITHAC |I ON |TAPE |P V AP EOP| HR| G|AP IG. A| PIA |P A| NP| A | EI|LGPE GP4A GAP G| AP | PEG APEAEGP3|AGE 3EA GCAE AG GPA E GE 2PGEH2 GP2G2EA EG E2 A E2A E2 E 2EG E |E2G 2 G2 2 E 22E2PE2 2 A32G E 2

Naftali Zvi Yehuda Fourth Radomsker Rebbe Great Synagogue in Radomsk

The Netziv – Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin (1816-1893) builds on Upcoming Shiurim the Tiferet Shlomo’s thought. He notes that Moshe then “looked from side to side and saw “there was no man”. It does Daf Yomi not say they didn’t “see a man” but rather “there was no man.” 7:30am with R. Weberman The oppressor was acting without humanity. The implication 8:30 am with Chayim Maza he drew was that there was no person there of any moral courage. There were no boundaries, no ethics and so Moshe Thursday was moved to act. 9:15 pm, R. Weberman, Parsha There are times in history, as we witnessed this week in Washington, when dangerous violent behavior must be called out. When members of a society lose their sense of morality, IN CASE YOU MISSED IT they must be confronted and defeated.

This week should remind us of the constant need to confront those who deny or ignore truth, respect for law and ethical behavior. The outrageous assault on our nation’s capital this AUDIO SHIUR ROUNDUP week must be unequivocally condemned, regardless of party or point of view. We dare not respond with the shrug of R. Miller: The Halakhic avoidance. Let us remember the audacity of Moshe who acted Importance of Fulfilling Our when he saw “there was no man”! With that courageous Outstanding Debts, Balances, & approach the Jewish nation was saved and ultimately Pledges redeemed.

The Bracha on the Covid Vaccine May we be blessed with clarity and courage in this critical moment in our history. May G-d bless America. R. Wein: Yaakov's Double Shalom. Blessing of Explicit Affection

SIGN UP for the The Killing of the Egyptian CBS Torah WhatsApp Group BY YAEL SAFFRA by clicking here [email protected]

The first time that we meet Moshe is when he steps out of the palace and sees the suffering of his brothers and proceeds to C L I C K T O commit murder. He sees an Egyptiam striking an israelite, looks and kills the Egyptian. Moshe's action - וַיַּ ְרא ִּכי ֵאין ִאי ׁש around raises questions of vigilante justice. What are we supposed to T H E N E X T T O R A H W E E K L Y ! do with this information? Moshe, the greatest leader of all times, speaks with God to face to face - panim el panim, takes us out of Egypt, gives us the Torah and the first time we meet S E P TOMNECDOAMJDNOOTUJDJEACSYNUEOVBU NAOCJCOEN TUJGOCAEV1MLUTJOABJEPCJOCJEGUAMVRUN5YUEOMGUTNEAVT BMUES ,M NJ L1UBMERUNEOYG1UB 3E1UMTSBGY2ME ABM2 SA,RUE8B TN2E, 1U0 BR 1RE,TB R,Y 2EB1 SR2,R5 2E 3S2 ,R Y E 5R2T190EY21 ,20 6RT10859 R,20 ,5 2R40 72 ,0, 2 1, 29026 |,0 ,28 , ,2 8,,0594 2 ,72 0, 0, 102, 2 B, ,|20, 0 2 |,2 0 2 0|2 E0|2 2|02 0C202| 0H2 B00 20N |2 0HM20 2S1 0| EA2 |12V 0 | 0I| 2 U0 A BH 0|R 0|T A | D 0P S |K| TA KL|A EV-ZK | ' |HNIEC |BS AOKVE M|A INSV E HAEVT CAO KRTMNVHRYLIOACTILRCASO-HY-DIETOIKAOEIHYAOBRMOE HYSME'F KBEMCYTIAI CEILHE CUTAIEVG|A EHSM|HCDOELSIVIHLZNKIS CRHAV TCHM A I TO|AEPS|IO|HAP S|OTIZHKZ EI|Y CTA H TA|PNIE| P A VP P|EHO RG| AI|G P A|A PIA|PA | EN I|GPAEL GPGPA G | A |P AEPGPA6EAPE G2|E GAC GA EAP G AG E3PGE3H3P G3EAGEG EA3 E A3EG3 E E3|G 33G E3 39E33PE 3 A23G E 3 him as an independent person he kills the situation, and was left with no choice but to someone? Interestingly enough , the Torah does break civilized law and take extraordinary not pass judgement and merely relates what measures to ensure justice. happened. And finally the last opinion is found in the The commentators, however, struggle with this. Petirat Moshe, a Midrash that is set How can it be that Moshe Rabbeinu commited right before Moshe dies. In this Midrash, Moshe murder? Is his killing the Egyptian justified? Was pleads and argues with God to let him live and it heroic? Should we commend Moshe's action, allow him to enter the Land of Israel. condemn it, or view it impartially? With a close א"ל הקדוש ברוך הוא כלום אמרתי לך שתהרוג את ,reading of the text and the Psukim around it המצרי? א"ל ואתה הרגת כל בכורי מצרים ואני אמות the present different ways of attempting בשביל מצרי אחד? א"ל הקדוש ברוך הוא ואתה דומה אלי .to understand the situation ממית ומחיה? According to Rav Naftali Hertz Hamburg of Vienna, and the Ktav Vehakabalah, Moshe's -God says: Did I tell you to kill the Egyptian? And action was appropriate and praiseworthy Moshe responds: But God, You killed all of the firstborn Egyptian men and I only killed one ואם לא בא משה .. .because he was saving a life Egyptian! And God replied, since when are you המית המצרי את העברי ע"י ההכאה המתעדת והיא כדי It was obvious to God? You do not get to choose who shall live and .להמית, לכן הכהו משה עד למות ו Moshe that the Egyptian had every intention of who shall die. beating the Jewish slave to death, and the Jewish slave was incapable of defending In this ancient Midrash the reason Moshe dies himself. Therefore, Moshe rose up in defense and does not enter Eretz Yisrael is because God of the Ivri and purposely killed the Egyptian ultimately punishes him for killing the Egyptian. .שהבא להרוג השכם להרגו essentially quoted by , Pharaoh's Fear ,תנחומא שמות The offers a different perspective justifying what Moshe did. Moshe was carrying out a Divine BY AVROMIE FEIN punishment because the Egyptian had [email protected] committed other heinous crimes against the הבה התחכמה לו פן ירבה והיה כי תקראנה מלחמה . Moshe, therefore, killed him in an ונוסף גם הוא על שנאינו ונלחם בנו ועלה מן הארץ unnatural way, using shem hameforash, God’s name and was merely serving as an extension of God. “Let us outsmart it lest it become numerous and it may be that if a war will occur, it, too, may join A second perspective is that Moshe did not our enemies, and wage war against us and go up commit first degree murder , rather it was from the land” unintentional. According to Rav - things do not always happen the way you intend At first glance, the Egyptians worried about the were concerned ,בני ישראל explosive growth of כמו שרצה משה רבנו להכות את for it to happen he that the Jews would join with an invading army -.,האיש המצרי על שהכה את היהודי, והכהו ומת just wanted to stop the Egyptian and killed him and force “it” from the land. Their solution is to But the soundness of this .בני ישראל accidentally. In other words - murder without enslave intent. plan is very suspect. Yosef, a Jew, saves the country from certain calamity and destruction. A third possibility is offered by Rav Dovid Tzvi Most commentators suggest that many of the was ברית מילה Hoffman. He says that it is unfair to impose our Jewish people assimilated and sense of morality and right and wrong onto a forgotten. The most likely enemy of Egypt is ,never married בני ישראל with whom ,כנען .lawless, corrupt and inhumane society According to the Netziv, there was no one there because they are a cursed nation. There is .were disloyal בני ישראל to stop it- the environment was so filled with nothing to indicate that held positions of power within the בני ישראל כי כולם עצרת בוגדים -hatred and antisemitism and therefore Moshe could not find government. In fact, it was this loyalty of the ושונאי ישראל פרעה .to help stop Jews that ensnared them into וַיַּ ְרא ִּכי ֵאין ִאי ׁש a single individual S E P TOMNECDOAMJDNOOTUJDJEACSYNUEOVBU NAOCJCOEN TUJCGOAEV1MLUTJOABJEPCJOCJEGUAMVRUN5YUEOMGUTENAVT MBUES ,M NJ L1UBMERUNEOYG1UB 3E1UMTSBGY2ME ABM2 SA,RUE8BA TN2E, 1U0 BR 1RE,TB R,Y 2EB1 SR2,5 2E 3S2 ,R Y E 5R2T190EY21 ,20 6RT10859 R,20 ,5 2R40 72 ,0, 2 1, 29602 |,0 ,28 , ,2 8,,0594 2 7,2 ,0 0, 102, 2 B,,|20, 0 2|, 20 2 0|2 E0|2 2|20 0C202| 0H2 B00 02N | 0HM20 2S1 0| EA2 |21V 0 | 0I| 2 U0 A BH 0|R0 |T A | D 0P S |K TA KL|A EV-ZK | ' |HNIEC |B SAOKVE M|A INSV VE HAEVT CAO KRTMNVRYHLIOACTIALRCASO-HY-DIETOIKAOEIHYAOBRMOE HYSME'F KBEMCYTIIA CEILHE CUTAIGEV|A EHSM|HCDEOLSIVIHLZNKIS CRAHV TCHM A I TO|AEPS|IO|HAPS |OTIZHKZ EI|Y CTA H TA|PNIE| P A VP P|EHO RG| AI|G P A|A PIA|PA | EN I|GPAEL GPGPA G | A |P AEPGPA6EAPE G2|E GAC GA EAP G AG E3PGE3H3P G3EAGEG EA3 E A34EG3 E E3|G 33G E3 349E33PE 3 A23G E 3 would continue ,כנען declared that every resident of Egypt was to after helping Egypt defeat with the riches of ארץ ישראל willfully their journey to בני ישראל .work on national building s’פרעה ,In fact .אברהם joined in this national duty. Slowly the Egypt, as God promised Egyptians stopped and put taskmasters over plan nearly works. The Jews do not pray during dies and the פרעה them. their servitude. Only after Jews get a day off from working do they cry out וימת מלך מצרים ויאנחו בני ישראל“ ,Logically, this makes no sense. The surest way from exhaustion Hashem .”מן העבודה ויזעקו ותעל שועתם אל האלקים to have the Jews side with the enemy is to ”.וישמע אלוקים את נאקתם“ ,enslave them! It is much smarter to make them hears their prayers feel like citizens and assimilate. How many ברית בין misinterprets the פרעה American Jews do you think would join a foreign I opine that and devises a plan that ruins his הבתרים !?army to fight against the US אברהם country. The promise Hashem made to s fear. was only promised that his children would leave’פרעה There is a hint to the basis of ,with A LOT of wealth, not ALL the wealth. Egypt ,ברית בין הבתרים Compare the order of events at to the chronological events at the beginning of through the efforts of Yosef, accumulated most Hashem promises of the riches from around the neighboring ,פרשת לך לך In .פרשת שמות .replies, I have no countries. There was enough for both nations אברהם .Avraham great reward to Furthermore, Hashem only states that the אברהם children. Hashem responds by telling gaze skyward and try to count the stars. Your nation that enslaves the Jews will be JUDGED, offspring will be that numerous. Only after no mention of a specific PUNISHMENT. Egypt that his children will can avoid this calamity. The Torah relates to us אברהם Hashem informs a ,”עבד עברי“ the concept of an ,פרשת משפטים become slaves in a foreign land. They will in eventually leave with great riches. This mirrors Jewish slave. Chazal teach us the relationship קנה עבד קנה“ ,First, the between the master and his slave .פרשת שמות the order of events in Such is the sensitivity of the Torah. The .”רבו Jewish people grow so large that they cannot be counted. Then they are enslaved. Finally, they master is commanded to lavish gifts on the leave with great riches. slave when he is freed. Hashem blesses the owner on account of treating the slave properly. The Egyptians can treat the Jews ברית did have knowledge of פרעה I suggest that compassionately and keep a portion of the vast ברית בין He sees the promise of .בין הבתרים begin to unfold in front of his eyes. wealth that they accumulated. Instead, they הבתרים Enslaving the Jews only brings them one step choose to act cruelly towards their slaves and closer to Hashem’s promise. He is scared that earn the retribution of Hashem and the the wealth accumulated during the years of destruction of their country. פרעה .famine was going to leave with the Jews needs to break the bond between Hashem and We can learn a few important lessons. Firstly, we have learned multiple times over our ”לו“) tries to outwit Hashem פרעה .the Yidden existence that our survival is based on our .ברית מילה refers to Hashem). He initially bans closeness to Hashem and not on any alliance פרעה ,When that does not stem the birth rate enslaves the Jews. He goes further and with other countries. Secondly, how we act degrades the slaves and tries to keep the men towards our fellow man determines how and women apart. The men are forced to sleep Hashem treats us. It impacts the way rewards in the fields. It is only through the heroic efforts and punishment are meted out, if it will be done of the Jewish women that additional children in the most or least helpful manner. On Yom orders that all male Kippur, Hashem determines the amount of rain פרעה ,are born. Finally babies be killed. The slaves are forced to labor we are to receive. On Hoshana Rabbah, the to the point of exhaustion, so they are too judgement is sealed when the rain will be given. exhausted to pray to Hashem. Each of these A small amount of rain at the right time is more steps attempts to sever the relationship beneficial than a lot of rain at the wrong relates time.May Hashem bestow upon us the proper רמבן The .בני ישראל between Hashem and at the right time and we should ברכה was amount of פרעה this concept and writes that משיח במהרה to witness the coming of זוכה would wage war to get their be כנען concerned that .בימינו never suspected that the פרעה .money back Jews would be disloyal and would combat the ,בני ישראל enemy. However, he was afraid that S E P TOMNEDCOADNMJDOOTDEUJJACSYNUEEOVBUNAO JCOENC TUCGOJAEV1MLUTEJOCABJPJOECJEGUAMVRNUE5YUOMGUETMAVNT MBUMES , NUJ L1BMERUNEOBYG1 3EU1BMTSBGY2MBAE M2 SEAB,RU8 ETAN2E, 1U0 BR E1,TRB ,EY 2RB1 S2,R5 2ER 3S2 ,Y RE5 2T19 0E21Y ,20 61RT08 9 5R,2 0,5 2R4027 ,20, 12, ,6029 |,0 ,28 ,,2 ,0954 2 72 ,0 2 0,1022 ,B ,|02, 0 0 |,2 0 2 0| E20|2 2| 0C202| H02 B00 N 2| 0HM20 1S 0 |2EA | 2V 01 | 0I| 2 U| A B0H |R0|T A | D 0PS K| TAK L|A E-ZK V ' |HNIEC|B SVAOKE M |AINAV S VE HAET COA MKRTNVRLHYIOACTIALRCASO-YH-DIETOKIAOIEHYAOBRMOEY HME'SKF BECYTIMIA CEILEC HUITAEGV|A EHSM|HCDESLIOIHVIIZNKLS CRAHTV CHM AT I O|ATEIAPS|O|HAZPS |OTIHZ KE I|Y TAC HE| TAPNI| PV A P P|EO RGH|I A |G P A| A P I|A|PA | EN I|GPAEL GP AGP G |A |P P AEGPA6EPAGE 2|EG AAC G AEP GA G E 3PEG3H3GP 3EGAGE E A3 E5 A3EE5G3 E E4|G 34 3G E 3 459E343PE 4 A23G E 3

even at the giving of the Torah. At that stage we Birth of a Nation had reached freedom from exile. Why does BY RABBI BARUCH FOGEL Sefer Shemos also include the last parshiyos [email protected] that describe the planning and building of the Mishkan? If the theme of Sefer Shemos is the geulah of Yetzias Mitzrayim, why is the story of The first lesson that I teach in my American the Mishkan included? Jewish History class, is the necessity to divide the 350 years into distinct time periods(1). The The Ramban (3) answers that the exile is not study of History depends on periodization. Even completely over until this nation returns to though the exact lines or dates may be their pre-exile spiritual level. Even though they somewhat arbitrary, the only way to understand were physically out of Egypt and no longer historical trends and forces is by delineating the enslaved, in a spiritual or holiness sense, the different time periods, and then understanding exile is only finished when they return to where the uniqueness of each period. they started from. Until the building of the Mishkan, and the descending of the Divine Periodization is the reason that Sefer Shemos Presence on it, they were still “in exile”.(4) Only opens with what seems to be a repeat of what with Divine Presence, the Shechina, constantly we already knew from the end of Sefer in the midst of the nation, were we considered Bereishis. Even though we already knew who redeemed, since it is then when we reached our traveled to Egypt etc. the Torah repeats it pre-exile spiritual level. because Sefer Shemos is looking at the events differently than Sefer Bereishis. In the exact words of the Ramban, until the nation reaches the level of the Avos they are Sefer Bereishis is the book of creation. Not only still considered in exile. The completion of the the creation of the world, but of the family of building of the Mishkan is what brought the Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov. The period of nation to an equal level of spirituality that the Avos ended with the creation of a family existed with the Avos. Even though there is a unit (with 70 members) going into exile. The marked difference between the time of the Avos period of the Avos ends with the death of Yosef, (either the 3 Forefathers or the family of 70) a quasi-Av, and with the family beginning the and the time of the nation (the Bnei Yisroel of exile in Egypt. 600,000), nevertheless they still can be considered equal. After the period of the Avos and their family, we begin the story of a nation. The beginning of That is the point of having Sefer Bereishis and Sefer Shemos opens with a repetition of the Sefer Shemos. There are two ways, two family of Yaakov not as a mere recap, but as the possibilities, of reaching the same spiritual antecedents of a nation, Klal Yisroel. The same heights. The reason we start a new Sefer is to fact takes on a different meaning in the teach us that there is a new time period different context. In Sefer Bereishis, the context beginning. There are new ways to approach the was the family unit of the Avos. In Sefer Shemos goal of bringing Hashem’s Presence into this it is the creation of a nation of 600,000 that is world. The time period of the Avos, of the the story, and the introduction to this nation unbelievably great individual, creating the are the Shevatim, (as even this cohesive unit of reality of Hashem’s presence in the world has 600,000 will still retain some differences based ended. Now it is time for a different method. on the different shevet) (2). Now we need a nation; a multitude. Now we will need a physical structure - the Mishkan. A new This distinction between the period of the Avos period of History demands a new approach and (Sefer Shemos) and the period of Bnei Yisroel therefore a new Sefer. (the nation- Sefer Shemos) helps us understand the explanation of the Ramban. The Ramban in Taking this distinction between Sefer Bereishis his introduction to Sefer Shemos writes that the and Sefer Shemos one step further, we can say story of the Sefer is the going into exile and the that the theme of Sefer Bereishis is the “ten redemption from the exile. In theory, he asks, utterances” that created the world(5), while the Sefer Shemos could have ended with the theme of Sefer Shemos is the “ten drowning of the Egyptians at the Yam Suf, or utterances”(6) known popularly as the Ten S E P TOMNEDCOAMJDNOOTDEUJJEACSYNUEOVBU NAOJCCOEN TUJCGOAEV1MLUTEJOCABJPEJOCJEGUAMVRNU5YEUOMGUETNAVT MBUES ,M NUJ L1BMERUNEOBYG1U 3E1UMTSBGY2MAEB M2 SEAB,RU8EA TN2E, 1U0 BR E1,TRB ,EY 2B1 SR2,5 2E 3S2R ,Y RE 52T190EY21 ,20 61RT0859 R,2 0,5 2R40 72 ,0, 2 1, 29602 |,0 ,28 , ,2 8,,0954 2 7,2 ,0 0, 10,2 2, B,|02, 0 2|, 20 2 0|2 E0|2 2|0 0C202| 0H2 B00 2N | 0HM20 12S 0 | 2EA |21V 0 | 0I| 2 U0 A B0H |R0 |T A | D 0P S |K TAK L|A EV-ZK | ' |HNIEC |B SVAOKE VM|A INSV VE HAVET COA MKRTNVRYHLIOACTIALRCASO-YH-DIEYTOIKAOIEHYAOBRMOE HYSME'KF EBEMCYTIIA CEILHCE UITAIEGV|A EHSM|HCDESOLIHVILIZNKS CRAHV TCHM AT I O|TAEIPS|O|HAPS |ZOTIHZ KE I|Y CTA H| TAPNEI| PV A P P|EHO RG| A I|G P A| A P IA|PA | EN |I|GPAEL GPAGP G | A |P AEPGPA6EAGPE 2|E GAC AG EAP G AG E 3PGE3H3PG 3EAGE G EA3 E6 A3EG3 E EE4|G 353 G E3 569E53153PE 4 A23G E 3

Commandments.(7) Every Friday night we state 7 I prefer never to use the term “” as it this distinction when we say Kiddush. We first is not the correct translation of “Aseres HaDibros”. I do believe that the term “Ten Commandments” was created to say(8) Hashem “has given us, in love and desire, pretend that these ten are more important than all 613, His holy Shabbos as a heritage; a remembrance which would lead to an abrogation of the law. ְו ׁ ַש ָּבת ָק ְד ׁש ֹו ְּב ַא ֲה ָבה וּ ְב ָרצ ֹון ִה ְנ ִחי ָלנוּ ִז ָּכר ֹון ְל ַמ ֲע ֵ ׂשה ְב ֵרא ׁ ִשית; ִּכי הוּא of the acts of Creation”. We then proceed to say 8 י ֹום ְּת ִח ָּלה ְל ִמ ְק ָר ֵאי קֹ ֶד ׁש זֵ ֶכר ִלי ִצי ַאת ִמ ְצ ָר ִים; ִּכי ָבנוּ ָב ַח ְר ָּת ְוא ֹו ָתנוּ that Shabbos “is the first day of the holy ְק ַ ּד ׁ ְש ָּת ִמ ָּכל ָה ַע ִּמים ְו ׁ ַש ָּבת ָק ְד ׁ ְש ָך ְּב ַא ֲה ָבה וּ ְב ָרצ ֹון ִה ְנ ַח ְל ָּתנוּ festivals, commemorating from 9 The Rashba points out an interesting detail. In the first Egypt”. (9) part, we address Hashem in the third person- “His”. In the second part, we address Hashem in the second person Shabbos has both aspects to it. It is a “Your” (Your Holy Shabbos; You chose). When we focus on His creating the world, Hashem is recognized from a remembrance of both Creation and Yetziat distance, (the world was not created only for me). When we Mitzrayim. It signifies the approach to Hashem focus on the creation of Bnei Yisroel and our doing His will, of the Avos, of Sefer Bereishis, of creating we are close to Him, so we can address Him in the second something new in this world, of recognizing person. 10 See the Rambam (Hil. Akum 1:3) ֵּכיוָן ׁ ֶש ִּנ ְג ַמל ֵאי ָתן זֶה ִה ְת ִחיל ְל ׁש ֹו ֵטט ְּב ַד ְע ּת ֹו ְוהוּא ָק ָטן ְו ִה ְת ִחיל ַל ֲח ׁ ֹשב Hashem from the world itself (10). It also ַּביּ ֹום וּ ַב ַּל ְי ָלה ְו ָהיָה ָּת ֵמ ַּה ֵהי ַא ְך ֶא ְפ ׁ ָשר ׁ ֶש ִיּ ְהיֶה ַה ַּג ְל ַּגל ַהזֶּה נ ֹו ֵהג ָּת ִמיד ְול ֹא signifies what we are starting to learn in Sefer ִי ְהיֶה ל ֹו ַמ ְנ ִהיג וּ ִמי ְי ַס ֵּבב א ֹות ֹו. ִּכי ִאי ֶא ְפ ׁ ָשר ׁ ֶש ְיּ ַס ֵּבב ֶאת ַע ְצמ ֹו. ְול ֹא ָהיָה ל ֹו Shemos. Shabbos is a commemoration of ְמ ַל ֵּמד ְול ֹא מ ֹו ִדי ַע ָ ּד ָבר ֶא ָּלא ֻמ ׁ ְש ָקע ְּבאוּר ַּכ ְ ׂש ִ ּדים ֵּבין ע ֹו ְב ֵדי ּכ ֹו ָכ ִבים Hashem choosing a nation, of Him taking us out ַה ִּט ְּפ ׁ ִשים ְו ָא ִביו ְו ִא ּמ ֹו ְו ָכל ָה ָעם ע ֹו ְב ֵדי ּכ ֹו ָכ ִבים ְוהוּא ע ֹו ֵבד ִע ָּמ ֶהם ְו ִל ּב ֹו ְמ ׁש ֹו ֵטט וּ ֵמ ִבין ַעד ׁ ֶש ִה ִּ ׂשיג ֶ ּד ֶר ְך ָה ֱא ֶמת ְו ֵה ִבין ַקו ַה ֶּצ ֶדק ִמ ְּתבוּ ָנת ֹו ַה ְּנכ ֹו ָנה. of slavery, of Him teaching us his ְויָ ַדע ׁ ֶשיֵּ ׁש ׁ ָשם ֱאל ֹו ַּה ֶא ָחד ְוהוּא ַמ ְנ ִהיג ַה ַּג ְל ַּגל ְוהוּא ָּב ָרא ַה ּכל ְו ֵאין ְּב ָכל commandments, of us creating a place for the ַה ִּנ ְמ ָצא ֱאל ֹו ַּה חוּץ ִמ ֶּמ ּנוּ. ְויָ ַדע ׁ ֶש ָּכל ָהע ֹו ָלם ט ֹו ִעים Divine Presence in this world. Shabbos is both ‘ten utterances’. A remembrance of Creation As soon as this giant was weaned he commenced to busy his mind, in his infancy he commenced to think by day and and of Yetziat Mitzrayim. A way to connect to by night, and would encounter this enigma: How is it Hashem from His side (His creation) and from possible that this planet should continuously be in motion our actions (Torah and Mitzvos). and have no leader—and who, indeed, causes it to revolve, it being impossible that it should revolve itself? Moreover, he neither had a teacher nor one to impart aught to him, When we begin Sefer Shemos we begin the for he was sunk in Ur of the Chaldeans among the foolish period of history of the Bnei Yisroel. The story worshipers of stars, and his father, and his mother, like all of this week’s parsha, and the coming the people, worshiped stars, and he, although following parshiyos, are better understood if we them in their worship, busies his heart and reflects until he attains the path of truth, and, by his correct thinking, he recognize that the new period of the creation of understood when he finally saw the line of righteousness. Klal Yisroel is the theme of the sefer. He knew that there is One G-d; He leads the planet; He created everything; and in all that is there is no god save He. He knew that the whole world was in error. 1 It is also my first lesson in my class. The only way to understand any Gemara is if you understand the differences between Tanaim, , Rishonim, and Achronim. And those delinations can also be broken down Moshe, Moses, or further. 2 In truth, the first Rashi hints to another aspect of the Something Else? repetition of the Shevatim. Just like stars are named and The Origin of Our Greatest ’s Name recognized as individuals even amongst the multitude of stars, so too these 12 sons of Yaakov remain as important BY RABBI AVI MILLER individuals even after the creation of a nation. [email protected] והנה הגלות איננו נשלם עד יום שובם אל מקומם ואל מעלת אבותם 3 ישובו. וכשיצאו ממצרים אע"פ שיצאו מבית עבדים עדיין יחשבו גולים כי SOME SOURCES AND TRANSLATIONS WERE TAKEN FROM AN היו בארץ לא להם נבוכים במדבר. וכשבאו אל הר סיני ועשו המשכן ARTICLE BY DR. RABBI J. ZUCKER ושב הקב"ה והשרה שכינתו ביניהם אז שבו אל מעלות אבותם שהיה סוד אלוה עלי אהליהם והם הם המרכבה ואז נחשבו גאולים. ולכן נשלם הספר הזה בהשלימו ענין המשכן ובהיות כבוד ה' מלא אותו תמיד שמות ב:י וַ ִי ְג ַ ּדל ַהיֶּ ֶלד וַ ְּת ִב ֵאהוּ ְל ַבת ּ ַפ ְרעֹה וַ ְי ִהי ָל ּה ְל ֵבן .This idea is the concept of why we still cry on Tisha B’Av 4 וַ ִּת ְק ָרא ׁ ְשמ ֹו מֹ ׁ ֶשה וַ ּתֹא ֶמר ִּכי ִמן ַה ַּמ ִים ְמ ׁ ִשי ִתהוּ. if we would appreciate our current spiritual level, and the level of pre-exilic times, we would understand clearly how stuck in exile we really are. The destruction of the Beis HaMikdash is really the paradigm for the exile in the same When the child grew up, she brought him to manner that the building of the Mishkan is the symbol of Pharaoh's daughter, who made him her son. She geulah. named him Moshe explaining, "I drew him . ַּב ֲע ָ ׂש ָרה ַמ ֲא ָמר ֹות ִנ ְב ָרא ָהע ֹו ָלם (Mishna Avos (5:1 5 ".meshitihu) out of the water) וַֽ ְי ִהי־ ׁ ָש֣ם ִעם־ה' ַא ְר ָּב ִע ֥ים י ֹום֙ ְו ַא ְר ָּב ִע ֣ים ַ֔ל ְי ָלה ֶ֚ל ֶחם ֣ל ֹא Shemos 34:28 6 ָא ַ֔כל וּ ַ ֖מ ִים ֣ל ֹא ׁ ָש ָת֑ה וַ ִיּ ְכ ּתֹ֣ב ַעל־ ַה ֻּל ֹח֗ת S E P TOMNECDOADMJONOTUJDJEACSYNEUEVBUONA JCCOEN TUCGOJAE1MLUTVJOABJEPJCOEEJGUAMVRNU5YUOMEGUTAEVNMT BUES , NUJ L1MBERMUNEOYG1B 3EU1MTBSGY2MAE M2 SBA,RUE8BE TAEN2, 1U0 BR 1,TB RE,Y 2EB1 SR2,5 2E 3S2 ,Y R E 52RT19 0E2 1Y ,20 6RT1089 52R ,0 ,5 2R407 2,0, 2 1, 26029 |,0 ,28 ,,2 8,054 92 ,72 0, 0, 102 ,2 B, ,|0, 20 2 | ,2 0 2 0| E2|02 2|0 0C202| H0 B200 2N |2 0HM20 1S 20|EA |20V 1 | 0I| 2 UA 0BH |0R |T A D|0P S|K | TAK L|A E-ZK V' |HNI|EC |B SVAOKE VM|AINV S VE HAET COV KRATNMVRLAYHIOCTIALRCASO-YHA-DIEYTOKIAIOYEHIAOBRMOE HYMES'YF EKBECYTIMA CEILCE HUTAIEGVE|A HESM|HCDELSOIHVIZLNKS IA CRHV CHM AT I OT|AEIPS|O|SHAP |OTIHZ KZE I|Y TAC H | TAPNI|E P AVP P|EO RHG| A |G P I A|A P IA|P|A E|N I|GPAEL GPAG PG |A |P P AEGPA6PEAGPE 2|EG ACA G AEP AG AG E 3PEG3H3GP 3EGAGE G E A3 E7 A3E7GE3 E E4|G 3 63G E3 79E3663PE 4 A23G E 3

In this week’s parsha, Bat Paro gives Moshe his (2) According to Philo and Josephus, Bat Paro name. One question Chazal address is: what didn’t call the boy “Moshe”-- a Hebrew name. was Moshe’s birth name, the one given to him She called him “Moses” -- an Egyptian name. by Amram and Yocheved and by which he was According to Philo, ‘Mou’ in ‘Mouses’ (or presumably called in the early months/years of Μωυσῆς in Greek) is the Egyptian word for his life. Many answers have been offered in the water. The hieroglyph are waves of water. Gemara and Midrashim, perhaps most popular And according to Josephus, the “uses” (in Moe- or Yekutiel uses) is Egyptian for “saved from.” Hence Bat (וַ ֵּת ֤ ֶרא אֹת ֹו֙ ִּכי־ט֣ ֹוב ֔הוּא) are Tov or Tuvia (Amram and Yocheved “hoped to God” that their Paro calls the boy the Egyptian name Moses, son be returned to them). The Gemara in ‘from water he was saved.’ Megillah offers six different names (Yered, Gedor, Chever, Socho, Yekutiel, Zanoach) and Both Shadal and Rav Dovid Tzvi Hoffman the Yalkut has a list of ten, including names explicitly adopt Josephus’ interpretation. given to him not only by Amram and Yocheved כבר יוסף בן מתתיהו כתב, כי ׳מואי׳ במצרית פירושו מים, .but by his brother and sister and grandfather ואלו ׳אסיס׳ פירושו ניצל מן המים. But there is another question on this pasuk that has piqued the interest of commentators for ben Matitiyahu (Josephus) already millenia. The etymology of Moshe’s name explained that mo in Egyptian means water and uses means saved from water ( ְמ ׁ ִשי ִתהוּ) appears to be Hebrew. “For I drew him out of the water.” But did Bat Paro know Hebrew? As Rav Hoffman explains, the Torah records the hebraicized Moshe (instead of the Egyptian Here are three answers. Moses) because “Moshe” captures both the sound and meaning of the original Egyptian. (1) According to the Chizkuni (and Abarbanel), she did! Building off the Gemara which suggests While the Netziv agrees that Moshe is that Bat Paro wasn’t simply bathing at the Nile etymologically Egyptian rather that Hebrew, he when she found Moshe but was immersing in it (following different scholars of Ancient as a Mikveh to complete her conversion to Egyptian) argued the name isn’t ‘mou-ses’/ , the Chizkuni suggests that Bat Paro in ‘saving from water’, but rather ‘mose’ which the process learned Hebrew. simply means “son.” For example, Raamses is Ra-moses, or son of Ra, Thutmose, son of Thoth. The Netziv acknowledges that his pshat ותקרא שמו משה כדברי רבותינו שנתגיירה והיתה לומדת .goes against several midrashim לשון הקודש על שם הנס שנמשה מן המים להזכיר כי מן העברים הוא ולכך אינו נזכר בכל התורה אלא על שם זה ותקרא שמו משה. ראיתי בשם הרב ר׳ שמואל נ״י במדינת בעהיים. דבלשון מצרי תיבה זו כצורתה משמעו ילד...וזהו She named him: Moses” – This fits with the words“. נגד חז״ל ברבה ויקרא פ״א... (of our Sages that she converted (BT Sotah 12b and thus she learned the Hebrew tongue. [The name Moses] commemorated the miracle of his On his view, the phrase וַ ִּת ְק ָרא ׁ ְשמ ֹו מֹ ׁ ֶשה וַ ּתֹא ֶמר ִּכי ִמן ַה ַּמ ִים ְמ ׁ ִשי ִתהוּ. ,having been saved from the waters of the Nile clarifying that he is from the Hebrews. For this should be translated as "And she called this boy reason, the Torah only uses this name for him. ‘her son’ because she saved him from the Nile."

For the Chizkuni, the Egyptian princess’ choice The truth is, this explanation dovetails nicely of a Hebrew name, was radically subversive. with a midrash in which God chooses to call Not only does she save a Jewish baby whom her Moshe “Moshe” rather than any of his other father commanded be drowned, but she brings names because Bat Paro adopted a child that him into the palace, adopts him as a son, and wasn’t her own. then brazenly calls him by a Hebrew name that משה לא היה בנך וקראת אותו בנך... highlights his Jewish identity, her refusal to comply with his genocidal directive, and HKBH’s Moshe wasn’t your son, but you called him ‘your power to oppose her father’s will. son’ (i.e. you called him Moses/Moshe). S E P TOMNEDCOAMJDNOOTEUJDJEACSYNUEOVBU NAOCJCOEN TUJCGOAEV1MLUTEJOABJPEJCOJEGUAMVRUN5YEUOMGUTENAVT MBUES ,M NJ L1UBMERMUNEOBYG1U 3E1UMTSBGY2MEB AM2 SEA,RU8EBA TN2E, 1U0 BR E1R,TB R,Y 2EB1 SR2,5 2E 3S2R , Y E 52RT190EY21 ,20 61RT0859 R,20 ,5 2R40 72 ,0, 2 1, 29602 |,0 ,28 , ,2 8,,054 92 7,2 ,0 0, 10,2 2 B,,|20, 0 2|, 20 2 0|2 E0|2 2|0 0C202| 0H2 B00 2N | 0HM20 2S1 0 | EA2 |21V 0 | 0I| 2 U0 A BH 0|R0 |T A | D 0P S |K TAK L|A EV-ZK | ' |HNIEC |B SAOKVE M|A INSV VE HAVET CAO KRTNMVRYHLIOACTIALRCASO-HY-DIETOIKAOEHYIAOBRMOE HYSME'F KBEMCYTIIA CEILHE CUITAIGVE|A HESM|HCDESOLIVIHLZNKS I CRAHV TCHM A I OT|AEPS|IO|HAPS |ZOTIHKE ZI|Y CTA H TA|PNEI| PV AP P|EHO RG| AI|G P A| A PIA|PA | EN |I|GPAEL GPGPA G | A |P AEPGPA6EAPE G2|E GAC AG EAP G AG E3PGE3H3PG 3EAGEG EA3 E A38EG3 E EE4|G 373 G E3 589E53153PE 4 A23G E 3

(3) The Chizkuni offers another explanation that She instead offers a new name, one that I find quite daring and bold. He claims that Bat actually honors the very woman you’d think she Paro didn’t come up with the name Moshe, might resent most of all, the woman who stands Yocheved did. between her and her son and who will be mother to him in her place. ד ״א בת פרעה לא היתה יודעת לשון הקודש, אלא כך All the crushing pain Yocheved must have felt in פשוטו של מקרא, ותקרא יוכבד את שמו משה ותאמר לה that final moment of parting with her son בת פרעה מהו לשון משה והגידה היא לה שהוא לשון however is pierced by an overwhelming sense המשכה ואז אמרה בת פרעה יפה קראתו כן כי מן המים of gratitude that this Egyptian princess saved משיתהו. her son’s life and has given him a second The daughter of Pharaoh did not know any chance. Yocheved’s choice of name “Moshe” is Hebrew, but the plain meaning of the text is: She, thus her humble acknowledgement that her son Yocheved, called him Moses. The daughter of is only alive because “he was drawn from the Pharaoh said to her: “What does Moses mean?” water” by the Pharaoh’s daughter and that it is She explained to her that it derives from [the now up to her to raise him. By (re-)naming him Hebrew word for] drawing out something. Then “Moshe,” Yocheved is saying that her son is not Pharaoh’s daughter said: “you have given him a hers anymore, but now Bat Paro’s. She let’s go. great name for I drew him out of the water!” At the same time, though, she never lets go. Her What I find so striking about this reading is that very act of suggesting a (new) name to the it does more than solve the question “How did daughter of Pharaoh appears boldly out of line Bat Paro know Hebrew?” (Answer: She for a woman of her stature. Yet she does it didn’t...Yocheved gave her the name). I think because she wants her son to always carry the conversation the Chizkuni imagines adds a something throughout his lifetime that connects lot of depth to the character of Yocheved. him back to her. The name he is called - -“Moshe”-- is the name his birth mother gave Note the dramatic irony of this scene. While him, even if the world can’t know it, even if Bat we, the reader, know Yocheved is the boy’s Paro can’t know it, even if Moshe himself can’t mother, Bat Paro just thinks she is his Jewish know it. “Moshe” is and always will be her son wet nurse. This lack of knowledge creates an even if he is also very much Bat Paro’s son as opportunity for Yocheved to do something well. tragic, beautiful, and profound. She suggests, as the simple Hebrew wet nurse and no more, a As the Chizkuni recounts, Bat Paro, of course, Hebrew name for the child. “Moshe.” It’s loves the name Yocheved suggests. Why curious that she doesn’t just tell Bat Paro wouldn’t she? So does God. “Vaikra el Moshe.” Moshe’s birth name, Tov, Tuvia , Yekutiel, etc. I’d like to think that Yocheved did too, even though he wasn’t Tov or Tuvia or Yekutiel. I’d like to think that whenever she heard her son be called “Moshe,” she smiled a secret smile that betrayed pain but also pride for a son that would always be hers just the same.

שמות רבה א' ׁ ֶש ֲה ָרג ֹו ַּב ׁ ּ ֵשם ַה ְמפֹ ָר ׁש he had killed him by the mere utterance of the secret divine name