Rabbi Frand on Parshas Shemos
These divrei Torah were adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi
Yissocher Frand's Commuter Chavrusah Tapes on the weekly portion:
Tape # 129, Giving English Names. Good Shabbos!
External Endangerment Doesn't Justify Sweeping Problems Under The Rug
The verse tells us, "And in those days Moshe grew up, and he went out to
his brethren and saw their suffering, and he saw an Egyptian man
hitting a Hebrew man from his brethren." [Shmos 2:11] Moshe saw that
no one was looking and he killed the Egyptian. Then we find "And he
went out on the second day and saw two Jews arguing with each other.
And he said to the wicked one, 'why are you hitting your brother?'"
[Shmos 2:13].
The Medrash comments, "this righteous person went out twice and G-d
recorded these two 'goings out' one after the other." The Medrash is
obviously telling us that these two "goings out" of Moshe Rabbeinu
were significant. But what is the significance?
The Shemen HaTov explains the Medrash. On the first day, Moshe went
out and saw the terrible danger that the Jews faced externally. They
were in mortal danger, surrounded by hostile non-Jews. They were being
oppressed. He saw a hostile neighbor attacking a Jew; he rose to the
occasion and protected his brethren. On the second day he saw two Jews
arguing with one another - and he chastises them for their behavior
(gives them mussar).
One could have said that this is not the time to make waves and cause
internal problems. "We have enough problems with the Egyptians, we
can't worry about correcting our own misbehavior." One could have
swept the internal problems under the carpet in the face of all the
external persecution.
The Medrash points out that this was not the way that Moshe Rabbeinu
acted. The fact that we are endangered externally should not stop
Jewish leaders from saying that which must be said regarding
correcting internal faults. The leader -- whoever he may be -- must
always be ready to point out our foibles and our own shortcomings. The
"need" to "provide a united front" and the argument "let's not start
our own bickering" should not be used as an excuse to cover up serious
internal problems.
When Moshe saw two Jews who needed Mussar, he did not fail to complain
and make a tumult and tell them "this is not the way that Jews act".
He Who Neither Slumbers Nor Sleeps Chooses Leaders Who Count Sheep
The Medrash says that Moshe was superior to Noach. Noach was first
called "a righteous man" [Bereshis 6:9] and later was called "a man of
the earth" [9:20]; Moshe was first called "an Egyptian man" [Shmos
2:19] and later was called "a Man of G-d" [Devorim 33:1]. What was the
difference between Moshe and Noach?
Noach, personally, was a righteous man, but he failed to have any
influence on his generation. This is a terrible indictment for a
leader. If a person can remain a Tzadik -- which is an admirable
quality -- while his entire generation is wiped out, something is
amiss. He had so much potential, he could have had such a great
effect, and yet his whole generation was wiped out.
Moshe Rabbenu shows us the opposite approach. He began as "an Egyptian
man". However, not only was he able to elevate himself, he elevated an
entire nation. He was and is the leader par excellance.
What was the power of Moshe that made him have such a strong impact on
his people?
There is a Medrash that tells us "G-d does not elevate a person to
greatness until he first tests him with a minor matter." The Medrash
goes on to tell us that prior to elevating Moshe (and other Jewish
leaders) to roles of greatness G-d tested them with a small thing --
how did they care for sheep.
Why do sheep mark a leader?
In order to be a leader of the Jewish people, it is obvious that a
person has to have greatness. But that said, this is not what makes the leader. What makes the leader is his ability to relate to the
common man, the ability to see the mundane needs of the people.
It goes without saying that G-d needs a leader for His people who has
Fear of Heaven and is a Talmid Chochom, but the acid test He gives
them is with the sheep. The mark of the true leader is to relate to
the small problems of man.
Here was a person on the level of an Angel -- he did not eat bread or
drink water [Shmos 34:28] -- but what did he have to deal with? When
people came to him to adjudicate their disputes, they did not ask for
sophisticated theological proofs of G-d's existence. They told him "I
have problems with my wife, my children, my business..." This is what
the leader gets. If he can't relate to these types of problems, he
can't be an effective leader.
The Talmud states [Sanhedrin 8a] that a Judge has to suffer with the
congregation like a nursemaid carries a baby [Bamidbar 11:12]. This
is a very apt analogy.
What type of problems does a mother get from her children? "The cereal
is not hot enough; The cereal is not cold enough; My nose is running;
I skinned my knee; He hurt me; She kicked me..." These are the
problems that a mother gets.
Whatever problems Moshe Rabbeinu heard, it is clear that on his level,
they were no more significant, no less petty, than a runny nose. Did it
make a difference to Moshe Rabbeinu that this person's cow wasn't
giving any milk? But that is what a leader has to be. He has to have
that concern, that love, that ability to feel that when Reuvain's cow
isn't giving milk -- that is a problem. When Shimeon's business isn't
going well -- that is a problem.
Those problems are what make a leader. That is what Moshe Rabbeinu
was. Not only was he the Master of all prophets, the Teacher of all
Israel - but he was a trusted shepherd. He ran to pick up the little
sheep. He had compassion for the smallest of problems. In the final
analysis, that is the criteria for a Jewish leader.
Personalities & Sources:
Shemen HaTov -- Rabbi Dov Weinberger -- contemporary author, Rav in
Brooklyn, NY
Glossary
Talmid Chochom -- Scholarly Disciple (Torah scholar)
Tzadik -- Righteous person
mussar -- constructive ethical criticism
This week's write-up is adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi
Yissochar Frand's Commuter Chavrusah Torah Tapes on the weekly Torah
portion #129. The corresponding halachic portion for this tape is:
Giving English Names. The other halachic portions for
Parsha Shemos from the Commuter Chavrusah Series are:
Also Available: Mesorah / Artscroll has published a collection
of Rabbi Frand's essays. The book is entitled:
