Rabbi Michael Laitner
If you have comments please feel free to e-mail Rabbi Laitner at: michael@southhampstead.org

Parshat Shemot

‘It happened in those days that Moses grew up and went out amongst his brethren. He saw their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian ish striking a Hebrew man of his brethren. He turned this way and that, and he saw that there was no ish. And he struck the Egyptian, and hid him in sand’. (Shemot 2:11-12)

Many questions arise. How did he know that a Hebrew man was one of his brethren? How had he developed such a keen sense of justice, and retribution? Why did he bury the Egyptian? Why did he turn this way and that? Why is the verb to see used repeatedly, and what does it imply? Why was Moses going out amongst the Hebrews? Why is this a seminal story in the rise of Moses to the leadership of Israel? Why now did he ‘see’ their burdens? Why is the word ‘ish’, literally man, but with connotations of nobility, used twice in such a story?

We will concentrate on Moses’ identification with his brethren, and the use of the word ‘ish’? This question is addressed by Rabbi Y.L.Diskin, head of the Jerusalem Beit Din (Rabbinic Court), in the early 20^th century, and the 19th century Rabbi Meir Laibush (Malbim).

Rabbi Diskin explains that Moses took action when he saw many Hebrews hesitate to assist the victim, due to their fear of this single powerful Egyptian. There was nobody to assist, advocate or fight on their behalf. This ignited Moses’ anger, in line with the later Rabbinic dictum in the name of the sage Hillel, that in a place where there is no ish, strive to be an ish (Pirkei Avot 2,6 – page 552 ArtScroll Siddur), which is a challenge to each of us to take responsibility when appropriate.

The Egyptian is an ish because he is powerful, but there was no ish of comparable status on the Hebrew side. Moses rose to the challenge, despite the later need to flee for his life, and discovers his roots. This is where the text first shows his identification with both the Jewish people, and with Jewish values.