Shmot: Short Shabbos thoughts - Rabbi Tanchuma ztl. teaches us the symbolism of Moses and the burning thorn bush

BS"D

Exodus Chapter 2 V 10

10. The child grew up, and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became like her son. She named him Moses, and she said, "For I drew him from the water."

11. Now it came to pass in those days that Moses grew up and went out to his brothers and looked at their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian man striking a Hebrew man of his brothers.

In this weeks Parasha twice  over, verse following verse 10  and 11, scripture raises the fact that Moses grew up.  I read that the first time it mentions his growing up it refers to his physical maturity, the second time it is repeated seems redundant as we know Moses had grown up already based on the prior verse 10, the Torah's words are never redundant so we need to analyse the context of the second growth in terms of words that follow, to learn what Hashem wants of us.  The words that follow answer the question  "... and went out to his brothers and looked at their burdens" is this not fantastic it now speaks about an emotional maturity, G-d's holy Torah is imparting incredible wisdom of what it means to grow up, it means moving outside of self and seeing the others around us, their burdens and their plights and wanting to help them. It is more than just caring or feeling sorry for the situation, it is truly feeling the pain of the situation intimately, helping carrying the burden like you would any family member - thus the verse states to his brothers, implying personal involvement in the suffering.  Rabbi Wasserzug once taught me when a baby is born it clenches its fists  -  a baby is intrinsically a taker, a baby cannot give back at birth (that is why our creator made them so cute, and smell so nice so we would want to help this bundle of joy to become a mature human being).  As we grow up, we with G-d's help hopefully develop into more selfless individuals, caring about those around us.  When we ultimately  pass from this world to the next, our bodies release the soul and usually with  palms open we leave the world, we are no longer takers.

The Midrash Tanchuma comments on the words used in the holy language Hebrew : "he saw their suffering"  saw is written  in the Torah as "Besivloysum", how does one see suffering? "Be" in Hebrew means he saw into their suffering and cried over their suffering.  He said. " I grieve over your suffering...and he tried to alleviate it."

We see this theme later on again and when reading the Midrash Tanchuma, it details where Moses encounters a burning thorn bush:

Chapter 3

2. An angel of the L-rd appeared to him in a flame of fire from within the thorn bush, and behold, the thorn bush was burning with fire, but the thorn bush was not being consumed.

3. So Moses said, "Let me turn now and see this great spectacle why does the thorn bush not burn up?"

Let me turn now: Let me turn away from here to draw near to there.
4. The L-rd saw that he had turned to see, and G-d called to him from within the thorn bush, and He said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am!" The Tanchuma writes on this why did he appear in a flame of fire? In order to intrigue him (in Hebrew is leLuBevoy), so that he would come to Sinai and see the fire, he would then not be afraid.  Why else did he appear to him in a flame of fire (in Hebrew beLuBat) because the flame is from the upper two thirds of the bush, and in the same way a person's heart (in Hebrew LeB) is situated in the upper two thirds of the Human body. The word heart is included in the Hebrew word for flame.  The Tanchuma then expands why from the midst of a thorn bush and not from the midst of a large tree, or from the midst of a date tree?  The Holy one, Blessed Is He, said, I wrote in the Torah, "I am with him in distress." Psalms 91:15.   They were placed in the thorns of slavery, therefore I too will reveal Myself to them in the Bush which is all Thorny" A lesson for me to take home is when we Pray for another it should be done with a real connection to the suffering, realising the other is our brother or sister as we were all made in the image of G-d.  If you see family suffering we would embrace the suffering with love and care and a desire and will to help make a difference, pray to G-d Almighty with the flames of the heart and more importantly facilitate with the redemption through our actions and deeds, however small they may be to bring light to the darkness and to alleviate or at the least reduce the pain around us.  The danger we may fall into is when we see marvelous examples of people who personify/personified this, instead of living their examples,  we in error make them into semi gods, we see these individuals as above normal, mistakenly then we do not then see ourselves capable of making as significant a difference  to the world.  We are all humans blessed with a heart, that together combined when we put our good deeds into action will become the flame of redemption! Have a Good and blessed Shabbos, may it bring healing to all those in need. Michael.

An interesting thought about Joseph in the Torah

B"SD

I was walking back after a Shalom Zachor on Friday night and Rabbi Wasserzug told me a small yet important insight that was brought down by Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky : that on promoting Joseph to the position of Viceroy of Egypt - Pharoh  changed Josephs name!

Genesis chapter 41 v 45

45. And Pharaoh named Joseph Zaphenath Pa'neach, and he gave him Asenath the daughter of Poti phera, the governor of On, for a wife, and Joseph went forth over the land of Egypt.

The brothers would have recognised Joseph by name, we see that Hashem takes cares of even small details to ensure his devine plans come together.

Chapter 42 v 1
Jacob saw that there was grain being sold in Egypt; so Jacob said to his sons, "Why do you appear satiated?"

We according to Rabbi Aurbach learn out that this passuk teaches us, even though Jacob's home still had some food while the people around never had any left and were forced to go to Egypt, Jacob through the Torah is teaching us to not be conspicuous in what we have, as this will draw negative resentment and envy amongst others who see we are better off. 


 
Genesis ch 42 v7 reads

7. And Joseph saw his brothers, and he recognized them, but he made himself a stranger to them, and he spoke to them harshly, and he said to them, "Where do you come from?" And they said, "From the land of Canaan to purchase food."


Ch 45 v 3

3. And Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?" but his brothers could not answer him because they were startled by his presence.


I am Joesph - all was silent all made sense - they realised G-d indeed had manipulated events the puzzle came together - indeed Hashem had been fair all along, they understood all the suffering!

So will it be at the end of our days.  Rabbi Warren Goldstein drew an interesting parallel between the story of Joseph which has now come to its completion in our shuls, and the passing of Nelson Mandela of South Africa. This week the former president was taken off ventilation and allowed to return to our Creator.  Both Joseph and he were imprisoned yet charmed their way out and into position of grand leadership.  Both Forgave their pursuers, only G-d knows if this is a coincidence the Torah testifies to Joseph's greatness - yet it is an interesting thought to ponder...! 


Be well

Michael