From the desk of the Rosh Mesivta
Rabbi Mordechai Shifman
“...and the Children of Israel raised their eyes and behold! - Egypt was journeying after them...” (14:10)
Upon arriving at the Red Sea, Bnei Yisroel looked up and saw the Egyptians journeying after them. Rashi points out that in the entire chapter all the verbs used for the Egyptians’ pursuit of Bnei Yisroel were plural. Why the, he questions, is the singular verb “nosaya” - “journeying” applied to the collective noun “Mitzrayim” - “Egypt”? Rashi answers by citing a Midrash which states that since the Egyptians were unified in their goal, a singular verb is used: “beleiv echad ke’ish echad” - “with one heart as one man”.
In Parshas Yisro we find a similar concept. Upon arriving in the Sinai wilderness, Bnei Yisroel encamped opposite the mountain. Here too the singular verb “vayichan” is applied to the collective noun “Bnei Yisroel”, when earlier in the verse the Torah used the plural verb for Bnei Yisroel’s encampment. Rashi again cites the Midrash which states that the singular verb is employed to signify that Bnei Yisroel were unified. However, here Rashi states “ke’ish echad beleiv echad” - “as one man with one heart”. Why is it that concerning the Egyptians, Rashi placed “one heart” before “one man”, but here, regarding Bnei Yisroel, Rashi writes “as one man with one heart”?
There are two reasons why people function in unison; they either have a common goal or purpose, or they have an intrinsic sense of being united which manifests itself in their actions. What united the Egyptians was their desire to pursue Bnei Yisroel to retrieve their money. Therefore, Rashi writes “leiv” - “heart”, which symbolizes desire, before “ish echad” - “one man”, for it was their desire that united them as one. However, Bnei Yisroel’s acting in unison stemmed from the knowledge that all Jews are children of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, and therefore are indeed one. Thus, Rashi writes “ish echad” - “one man” first, for it is their oneness which unites their “leiv” - “desires”. It is important to notice that Rashi comments that this sense of unity occurred uniquely at this point in time; the receiving of the Torah. It is the acceptance of Torah and our relationship with Hashem through the observance of His precepts that allows us to have the perspective that we are all one.
True unity and harmony does not require a homogenous or monolithic approach. On-the-contrary, it is the diversity of perspectives that blend together that creates harmony and unity. Hashem created each individual with unique talents and abilities. If we unite under the penumbra of the Torah, we can utilize this diversity to bring out the maximum potential from one another. Without the Torah and our relationship with Hashem diversity becomes threatening and instead of harmony there will be discord.
Rabbi Mordechai Shifman
“Come, let us deal wisely with them…” (1:10)
The Torah relates that the Mitzrim were afraid that Bnei Yisroel were becoming too numerous. Looming over their heads was the possibility that in the case of a war Bnei Yisroel would join forces with the enemy and drive the Mitzrim out of their land. Pharaoh and his advisors devised a course of action to prevent their worst fears from materializing.
The Ba’al Haggada states “‘vayarei’u osanu hamitzrim’ - ‘the Mitzrim dealt with us in a malevolent manner’, as it is recorded in the Torah ‘havah nischakmah lo’ - ‘come let us deal wisely with them’”. Why was Pharaoh’s strategizing as to how to deal with a perceived threat viewed as his greatest malicious act against Bnei Yisroel? His solution and the manner in which his orders were executed should be cited as examples of his evil behavior, not his desire to protect his nation’s security.
In contemporary society we continuously search for methods by which we can categorize different conditions and behaviors. By identifying and labeling a problem we gain a certain confidence that the problem can be corrected. Unfortunately, often in our haste to identify a situation which we are having difficulty controlling, we mislabel a condition and create a problem where no problem exists. Particularly when dealing with children, care must be taken to ensure that we, as parents and educators, do not label our children as “problems“. Even when the correct diagnosis has been made, we must proceed with caution to ensure that we do not transform a child with a problem into a “problem child”. The grossest injustice that can be done to a person is to label him as a problem. The damage caused to a child’s self-esteem due to the manner in which he is perceived by others and consequently comes to view himself, can be irreparable.
Whereas the harm which Bnei Yisroel suffered at the hands of the Mitzrim lasted only for the duration of time they spent in servitude and affected only those who were present, the perception created by Pharaoh that Jews are a public menace still haunts us today. The ultimate act of evil perpetrated against Bnei Yisroel by Pharaoh was labeling them as “the Jewish Problem”.
Labeling and stigmatizing has unfortunately crept into every aspect of our society. Both individuals and organizations can be destroyed by the malicious spreading of rumors. Sometimes even comments made unintentionally can cause tremendous pain and damage. It behooves us as Torah Jews to recognize that the destruction of the Holy Temple and our continuing exile is a direct result of this insidious malady. The worst form of this transgression is performed under the guise of “leshem shamayim” – “For the sake of Heaven”. By attributing religious zealotry as the motivation behind our actions, we rationalize our behavior.
Hashem should give us the wisdom to have the necessary introspection required to discern our true intentions and recognize the impact of our actions.