Parashas Shmos

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There are so many super-natural events in Sefer (the book of) Shmos - entertaining for both adults and kiddies. There was a "new" king* in Egypt, who forgot the good things Yosef had done for him and his country. Once Yosef, his brothers, and that whole generation died, Pharoh decided to have no more hakaras hatov (gratitude) to the Jews. He oppressed the Jews, increasing their labor and cutting their wages. The more they were oppressed, the more Hashem would increase their numbers.
*[There's a disagreement between Rav and Shmuel whether there really was a new king, or it was the same king, just his decrees were new.]

Pharoh instructed the Jewish midwives, Shifra and Puah [who were really Yocheved and Miriam], to kill the male newborns, leaving only the girls alive. They did not do as the Egyptian king had told them, and instead kept the infant boys alive as well, and provided water and food for them. [1] After Pharoh saw that this didn't effect the Jewish population, he commanded all his people, saying, "Every boy who is born must be thrown into the river." During this decree, a special baby boy was born by the name of Moshe. His mother put him in a basket, and placed him onto the Nile River, afraid Pharoh might kill him. Miriam, his sister, waited by the river to see what would happen to him. At the same time, Pharoh's daughter went to the river to bathe. When she saw the basket, she reached for it and behold, she saw a boy crying, and had pity on him. Miriam asked her if she should find a nursing mother to nurse the child for her. She replied "yes," and brought over the child's mother, Yocheved.

When Moshe grew up, he went to see how his brothers, the Jews, were doing. He saw their burdens [hard labor]. He also witnessed an Egyptian beating up another Jew. He looked all around and saw no man was watching, and killed the Egyptian. The next day, he went out and saw two Hebrew men fighting. Moshe asked why he was beating up his friend. He replied, "Do you intend to kill me, like you killed the Egyptian?" Moshe was frightened that Pharoh would hear about what happened. Sure enough, Pharoh heard about it, and wanted to kill Moshe. Moshe fled from Pharoh and lived in Midyan. There, he found his wife, and tended his father-in-law's sheep.

One day, he saw a burning bush, and thought, "How is it possible, this bush is on fire, yet it isn't getting consumed?" When Hashem saw that Moshe was getting close, He called for him saying, "I have indeed seen the suffering of My people that are in Egypt. I have heard how they cry out because of their slave-masters, and I am aware of their pain. I have descended to free them from the hand of Egypt, and to bring them to a better land..." Hashem appointed Moshe to be the one to take them out of Egypt. He told Moshe to speak with Pharoh about letting His people go. The story intensifies in the upcoming parashios.

A lesson I got from Parashas Shmos: When one realizes who Hashem is, and fears Him, they are more inclined to do His will, even if someone else told them to do the opposite. "The midwives feared Hashem," says the posuk, and they did not do what the Egyptian king had told them to do. They kept the infant boys alive, providing water and food for them. [1] Not only did they go against Pharoh, but they saw to it that the infants survived. They could have just let them live; however, they went the extra step by nurturing them.

I was in Bnei Brak one shabbos with some friends, and we decided to visit as many Rabbis possible. One Rabbi we visited was Rav Amnon Yitzchak. I asked him if he can give us some advice for life. He mentioned the famous Gemara [2] that states: A person should fear Hashem more than he fears flesh and blood. He said, "When people want to do something that isn't accepted by society, the first thing they do is look to see if anyone is around.* However, what they should be doing is realizing that Hashem is the one who is there at all times. If someone is scared of flesh and blood, for sure he/she should be scared of the Creator."

[Note: Notice when the posuk says, "Moshe looked all around and saw no man was watching, and killed the Egyptian, the Torah specifically choose the word 'man,' because it couldn't of said 'anyone.' Saying 'anyone' would imply not even Hashem was watching, chas v'shalom.]

May we all have the yiras shemayim (fear of heaven) to serve Hashem properly!

Have a wonderful Shabbos,
Nisso

[1] Rashi 1:17
[2] Brachos 18