Perspective
‘Pak’od pakadity’ was the watchword of the true redeemer, he who would lead the Jews from Egypt. [-Yosef, his deathbed revelation] Indeed, Moshe announced ‘Pakod Pakadity’, and was duly recognized as The Man. What was so meaningful in those words?
‘Pakadity’ goes way beyond ‘remembering’; it means visiting a plan upon someone or something. As in: Pok’ed avon avos al banim – meaning bringing the sins of the fathers to bear on their sons.
‘Pak’od pakadity’ meant here that stage 2 of the Bris Bein HaBesarim had arrived. Simply salvation from Paroh’s iron heel? No, way beyond that. Rather, Moshe came to proclaim the next stage of Masterplan, the process bringing the world to its destiny. Only a true Navi spoke that way. A charlatan, moved by the plight of a poor suffering nation, would claim to redeem them from slavery. ‘Pak’od pakadity’ meant ‘total perspective’, apropos to the true messenger.
Perspective. Its where meaning is gained. For example, if my financial troubles translate to a struggle for Hashem’s greater glory, can they be anything but my greatest privilege and honor?
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Psychology Of Self Contradiction
Some ask: How could the Real Deal Savior be identified by his saying ‘pakod pakadity’, if everyone knew that these are the magical words? What value could possibly be in a secret code that everyone knows??? (Rambam, Moreh Nevuchim)
Perhaps precisely because it is so transparent, no pretender would use it. It seems too obvious. There must be some trick to it. A liar would feel foolish using a code that everyone knows, to prove himself. It self-contradicts – he looks like a crook, not like the real one!
Only a true prophet would use it, oblivious to how it may sound. He is genuine and sincere, and guileless. He is saying what he was commanded to say. Indeed, it was a most excellent code!
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Staff Duties
Moshe performed three miracles, signs to the Jews that he was Heaven-sent:
1) He threw his stick to the ground; it became a snake. He picked it up, and it turned back into a stick.
2) He put his hand into his chest; it turned leprous. He did it again, and it became healthy once more.
3) He poured the Nile water on the ground; it turned to blood.
The snake becoming a stick when Moshe touched it, signified that Paroh, the great snake, will turn impotent – as a stick – at Moshe’s touch. Moshe’s diseased hand suddenly turned healthy, much as the Jews, twisted and spiritually diseased, will quickly cure. [-Midrash]
Perhaps we can extend this further – the sign of water turning to blood is a similar portent: Egypt is now cursed. Water that touches it becomes ruined, blood. Egypt’s success period had ended. It would soon be a ruined land.
To accentuate the symbolism: Aharon did the miracle but Paroh was unimpressed: his wizards also changed their staffs into serpents and back to staffs. But then Aharon’s STAFF ate theirs. Because that was the point: a snake could turn into a staff – that was the miracle. Since it was a miraculous staff, it performed miracles. And the idea was; Paroh would turn to wood.
Paroh completely lost the point. Not only didn’t he understand the symbolism, he even missed which part was the main show. He focused on what he was familiar with: the good ole’ Snake Trick. But it wasn’t about turning a staff to a snake, not at all, but rather turning a snake to a staff…
What about me? How often do I make the same error, thinking I understand, but really only plugging in something I already know, instead of really listening??
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What’s The Answer?
Moshe complains: ‘I am supposed to save the Jews, yet since I came there has been only more trouble and pain for them. How can that be?’ Hashem replies: ‘Now you will see that because of [My] strong hand he will send out the Jews”. Does this answer the incongruity Moshe had pointed out?
Some thoughts:
1. Had Paroh not cracked down on the Jews now, it would be unclear that he eventually sent them totally against his will. We would not see Hashem’s strength unless Paroh resisted with all his might. Paroh’s crackdown was therefore productive and necessary.
2. Paroh was not a nice guy, by any means, yet he had never directly opposed Hashem. Moshe’s demand to Paroh that he release the Jews, flushed him out into open defiance. From that point on, Paroh’s continued refusal built up the confrontation profile needed for Hashem to attack. Moshe’s visit was not pointless, not at all. In fact things were going critical for Paroh.
However, it was behind the scenes. Nothing seemed to be happening. Hashem’s point was “Don’t sweat it. Results are not always visible”.
Lesson to us; we may pray and see no immediate results. We can interpret this that we were unworthy. Hashem has said ‘No’. Not so. Results take time, because processes are involved. Things are developing, but they are behind the scenes. Take heart!
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Did You Pray??
Ramban: if Moshe needed to be articulate, and Hashem can cure all, why wasn’t Moshe cured of his lisp?? Answer: Moshe did not ask to be cured. (In fact, he didn’t want to. Rather, he wanted to be excused!) So he never prayed for a cure. And if one does not ask, Hashem will not cure. To receive, you need to ask.
Prayer is a riddle: if Hashem knows what I need, let him grant it. If he does not wish to grant it, will prayer change things? The Maharal explains that prayer positions us as dependent and Hashem as giver. When such a relationship exists, the portals of bounty open.
Comment: In our life we see this often: You receive only if you ask. People do not act of their own accord. Something needs to click them on. It can be their own internal desires, and it can be your request. Often that is what’s needed. Did you ask??
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Gentility
Hashem told Moshe ‘Say to Paroh; ‘Israel is MY firstborn. If you do send them out to serve Me, I kill YOUR firstborn!’ Pretty dramatic! But why personalize the issue? Why not talk instead about the poor mistreated Jews?
Paroh had laws, amendments and rulings, reams of legal papers. All he had done was justified and lawful. Everything underwent the due process of the courts. But Hashem sidestepped all the fine legalities; Buddy, Israel is my son. And if you don’t let him go, I will bust your son!
Today wicked people often prefer doing evil with gentility, using due process of law. (AKA the Wolves of Law and Order) They are horrified when those they crush, respond with physical violence – how un-finessed! Never confuse the truth with genteel (-crooked-) behavior.
[We do not to condone anarchy. But do deliberate in your judgement, and be not quick to find for the law, for uniforms do not indicate justice…]
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I, Lonely Stranger
Moshe called his son Gershom, indicating he was a stranger in a foreign land. Is that something you WANT to remember??
Perhaps he expressed that although he was a foreigner, Hashem still took care of him. This itself, that he built a family and had a child despite that, was cause to great celebration. So his remembrance was “for I was a stranger in a foreign land, [and yet….]”
I suggest that he wanted to remember that he was a Jew. He was living comfortably in Midyan, building a home and family there. He wanted to remain always a stranger, an outsider. He belonged with his brothers…
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Sometimes It Gets Messy
Hashem to Moshe: “I see the pain of My nation in Egypt, and hear them cry because of their slave-drivers. I know their hurts. I will save them from Egpyt’s hand and bring them to the the expansive land, flowing milk and honey; the land of the Canaani, Chitti, Emori, Prizi, Chivi and Yevusi. I hear the outcry of the Sons of Israel, and see the abuse Egypt is doing them’.
The wording sounds extremely redundant: pain, hurt, cry, abuse and outcry. Why all this?
Perhaps the Jews were not scheduled to leave now. They were to suffer still more. However there would be an exodus, unscheduled. Hashem explained why He was doing this – the extreme affliction the Jews were suffering did not allow delay. One hand they needed to stay longer, on the other the Jews couldn’t last longer. That’s why explanation was needed.
Understandably Moshe was a bit apprehensive to undertake such a premature project; he needed much prodding. So much was not yet in place. Lots could go wrong. Indeed, it would turn out to be very bumpy sailing. Hashem did what needed to be done, but it had its rough edges…
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Annoyingly Humble
Moshe refused to go do Hashem’s bidding. The Ramban says that Moshe’s humility couldn’t allow him to present himself as Hashem’s messenger, or as King of the Jewish people. What was Hashem’s response? Anger at Moshe!
Sometimes humility can be very annoying. We need to keep our reticence in check too. A ready example is when someone wishes to give us a gift for something we have done, and we are uncomfortable with the accolades. We refuse the gift. And yet, often we need to stop refusing, and just accept it graciously, even if we feel so unworthy….
The Gemara in Brachos teaches that a person should not jump to lead the prayers – that would be immodest. However too much demurement is just as bad!
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Truly Humble
Moshe refused Hashem because of humility? How can a human defy a direct order from Hashem in the name of humility!??
We related a thought of Rabbi Yehuda Addass: Adam was asked if he ate the forbidden fruit. He answered ‘The woman you gave me – she fed me, and I ate’, passing the blame to his wife. Is that conscionable?? Isn’t it the height of chutzpah to pass the blame on someone provided to him as a helpmate?
He suggested that some crimes are so heavy, that a decent person (anyone with a conscience) cannot – simply cannot – own them up. For example, a decent man cannot admit to being a mass murderer. He would not be able to live with himself. For us Sin is light. We freely own up to sinning. But to Adam it was huge. It was overpoweringly terrible. He simply couldn’t own up to it.
It wasn’t chutzpah, but rather his huge appreciation of sin.
So too, Moshe wasn’t pushing Hashem off, rather, he simply couldn’t do it. To him self-promotion was like ripping off an arm. It was soul destroying. He just couldn’t face it. So Yes, it was his humility. Just that we – unfortunately – cannot relate. Nebech on us…
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Feet First
Moshe was to take off his shoes, for the place where he stood was holy. We know of people removing their shoes upon entering the Temple Mount. It was disrespectful to enter with shoes, or with dirty feet, for that matter. This was not so that there be direct contact to the floor, – indeed, if they so wished, they could wear socks.
The Kohanim in the Beis Hamikdash, by contrast, needed to have their feet touch the floor, so that there be no imposition between them and the Sanctuary. Socks were out.
What about Moshe – was he allowed to keep his socks on? On one hand, this pasuk instructing Moshe is used in the Gemara to prove that everyone removed their shoes upon entering the Har HaBayis, the Temple Mount. This implies that Moshe could keep his socks on, as they could. On the other hand, the Midrash, quoted in the Ramban, says that at any holy place one must remove their shoes, for instance Kohanim at service!!
Which is it??
As an aside, why was the place of the burning bush considered holy? The Ramban suggests that it was Hashem descending upon the Mount, which was Har Sinai. However, a parallel case, where Yehoshua was instructed to remove his shoes at meeting the angel Mechoel, seems to lack this holiness. Yet there too, he was instructed to remove his shoes for the ground was holy.
So is the ground holy whenever someone talks with Hashem or an angel? That would also be awkward; do we ever find Avraham removing his shoes when speaking to Hashem??
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Nursing Tips
Miriam brought Yocheved to nurse Moshe, instead of an Egyptian wet-nurse. Rashi comments that the mouth that had been destined to speak with the Shchina, ought to be pure.
And regular kids? Can they nurse from Egyptian nurses? The Rema in Shulchan Aruch suggests that this can affect the child’s spirituality, so, although permitted, it would be a midas chassidus to refrain from it.
The Gemara derives that a Jewish child may nurse from a non-Jewish nurse from a pasuk that promises that in times of Moshiach “kings will be your children’s caretakers, and their queens will wet-nurse them”. This is a promise of the esteem that Jews will one day enjoy. At any rate it is not a settlement for second best, but a promise offered to Israel about the days when things will be grand. Is this really so wonderful? What of the midas chasssidus spoken about in the Rema? It seems from this source that the problem of timtum ha’lev, spiritual blockage and damage, is merely a small b’dieved, something great tzaddkim would be concerned with, not the common man.
This is certainly not the standard understanding of this Rema, which is that nursing from a non-Jew or eating treif is virtually spiritual suicide. However, were that the case, then any baal teshuva or ger ought to be spiritually comatose. In fact, however, they are often far more spiritual than people who were frum from birth!
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Question
The Torah relates how Moshe grew up, went out to see his brothers, got into trouble helping them, and then ran to Midyan where he saved a girl, married her, and while tending the sheep of his father-in-law had a vision where he was commissioned to save the Jewish nation. He returned to Egypt and set about doing so.
In middle of the narrative we learn that on the way back, at the inn, he was attacked by an angel, who tried killing him. Moshe’s wife Tzipporah grabbed a stone, and circumcised Elazar, and so Moshe’s life was saved. And then its back to the story of Moshe returning to Egypt, confronting Pharoh and so on.
Why does the Torah interrupt the terrific suspense, with a story about an angel and circumcision?