B"H
Wednesday, Tevet 18, 5782 / December 22, 2021
This Shabbat we begin the second book of the Torah, the book of S’hmot (Exodus).
Q. How old was Moshe’s mother, Yocheved, when she gave birth to Moshe?
A. According to many Torah commentaries she was 130 years old! This is how we know this: When Yaakov came to Egypt, they were a total of 70 people. Moshe’s mother, Yocheved, who was born as they entered Egypt, completed the number 70. From when Yaakov came to Egypt, until the Exodus was 210 years. Moshe was 80 years old at the time of the Exodus. If Yocheved was born as they entered Egypt and 210 years later, her son Moshe was 80 years old, she was 130 when she gave birth to him.
Q. G-d’s first revelation to Moshe, where he is told to go liberate the Jewish people, was at a burning thorn-bush. Why did G-d reveal Himself to Moshe at a thorn-bush?
A. G-d was showing Moshe that He too feels the pain of the people.
Q. When G-d revealed Himself to Moshe, at the burning bush, G-d commanded him, “Take off your shoes from your feet, for the ground upon which you are standing is holy ground.” What is the connection of Moshe becoming leader of the Jewish people and removing of his shoes?
A. When one wears shoes, he is not bothered by small pebbles on the road. G-d tells Moshe, to assume leadership of my people, "take off the shoes from your feet." In other words, as leader you must feel the pain of the people and deal even with the small problems that may affect them.
Q. Pharaoh decreed that every Jewish boy be killed by drowning in the river. What difference did it make to him how the boys were killed?
A. Pharaoh’s stargazers told him that the future leader of the Jewish people will be punished through water. However, their mistake was that what they saw referred to the story when G-d told him to speak to the rock and he, instead, hit the rock to make it give water. This story happened forty years later.
Q. Our sages say that when Pharaoh’s daughter stretched out her hand to reach for the basket with Moshe on the river, it was beyond reach. Yet, a miracle happened, and her hand stretched out and reached the basket. Why did she stretch out her hand when she knew she couldn’t reach it?
A. Our sages say this teaches us an important lesson. If ever we are in a situation where someone needs help, we shouldn’t give up just because it seems impossible. We must try our best to help the other person and when we do our best, G-d will do the rest and help us achieve our goal.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
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In loving memory of Chaim ben Yosef Hakohen Neufeld, z"l. Yartzeit was yesterday, Tevet 17.
May his Neshama rest in peace in Gan Eden & may his memory be a blessing to his family