VOLUME 114 NUMBER 1
Teves 17, 5785
January 17, 2025
Parshas Shemos
Candlelighting Time 4:44
The situation in Egypt was precarious at best. Hard labor and oppression were the bread of affliction that our forefathers endured for generations. Battered by their taskmasters and bereft of leadership to inspire them life was difficult and challenging. Then a decree was proclaimed that the children, our future and legacy, should be tossed into the Nile and drowned. This barbaric ruling definitely shook everyone to the core and led to tremendous consternation and despair. But, of course, what could be done to avert this evil declaration?
Two courageous woman stepped up to the plate and defied the very Pharoah of Egypt. They attended the birth of the nation’s children and swept away the child before the Egyptians could murder him. They were not interested in killing the young girls rather the boys because their astronomers foresaw that the savior of our people would be born and eventually rescue us from our bondage and lead us into freedom. Ignoring the danger to their own lives they miraculously saved untold numbers of young boys from death. And Hashem rewarded them for their remarkable and heroic loyalty and devotion for the future of our people. Yocheved merited that Kohanim, priests and Levites descended from her. Miriam, her daughter merited that kings would come from her children.
Chasam Sofer cites the Midrash that Hashem benefited Yocheved that Moshe who received and conveyed Torah to the nation was her son. Miriam’s grandson Betzalel was deeply involved in the building of the Mishkan and he fashioned the Aron, the repository of the two Tablets that Moshe brought down from Mt. Sinai. The question arises since Miriam also risked her life for the promulgation of our people why was her recompence only that the receptable of the Tablets were prepared by Betzalel while Yocheved’s son actually brought the Torah itself to our nation?
He explains that although Miriam was committed as much as her mother, but her role was in an auxiliary compacity. She assisted her mother who was in charge and therefore she received the lion’s share of the benefit on their mission of mercy. There is a valuable lesson to be learned from this. Although one would have assumed that Miriam was also endangering her life and was deserving of recognition as much as Yocheved, nonetheless, actions make the individual into what he becomes.
The Talmud discusses a situation where a group of people gathered to perform a mitzvah. However, at the last moment one backed out and did not participate with the group in their mitzvah. Our Sages compare this to a corruption in one’s life that cannot be amended or adjusted. Even though Miriam did participate with her mother in a most significant manner nonetheless, her role was somewhat diminished and resultantly so was her recompense. We may in a certain sense compare it to the deserting member of a group who lost out due to his absence. At any level when one does not fulfill his role to its fullest, then there is going to be an obvious deficiency in the remuneration.
A BYTE FOR SHABBOS
Even though Moshe protested to Hashem for the increasing difficulty that they were suffering in Egypt since his concern was sincere, the potential 400 years of bondage was shorted to 210 years with their augmented exertion and strain allowing Moshe to perform the main role in the liberation from their Egyptian captivity.
CHOFETZ CHAIM
GOOD SHABBOS
