Parshas Shemos 5786 (rm chumash)

1:1 THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE SONS OF ISRAELTHAT CAME TO EGYPT.
The coming to Egypt was an essential foundation of Israel's history, and was intended by Hashem from the beginning of Creation, for a number of reasons, some of which shall be explained below.

This was not an exile of punishment. The sojourn in Egypt was not the result of any misdeed. Egypt was intended by Hashem from the beginning as the Birthplace of the Nation.

Three times (Dvarim 4:20, Jeremiah 11:4, I Kings 8:51) the expression Kur Habarzel (Iron Furnace) is used in reference to
the sojourn in Egypt. The Kur was the furnace for refining gold
(Mishle 17:3, 27:21). This expression thus signifies that Egypt was the furnace where Israel was purified of all dross and became the pure gold which was worthy of receiving the Torah at Sinai.

Thus the stay in Egypt was a necessary preface to the Giving of the Torah. "I am Hashem your G-d that took you forth from the land of Egypt" (20:2) was the first statement of Hashem at Sinai.

1:7. AND THE LAND BECAME FULL OF THEM.
"And He caused His people to become very fruitful ... He turned their heart to hate His people to plot against His servants" (Tehillim 105:24-25).
We learn from these words (of Tehillim) that because Israel became fruitful, therefore Hashem intentionally caused Egypt to have a change of heart against Israel. "The land became full of them" implies that the Israelites became too numerous to be restricted solely to Goshen, and they began to spread into Egypt.

Now arose the very great peril of assimilation and intermarriage. Because of this peril, Hashem raised up a wall of animosity between Israel and Egypt. The Egyptians are held blameworthy; but their hostility was instigated by Hashem, and His purpose was to protect the holy qualities of Israel from deterioration which the
Egyptians could cause. "If you see two families that are always in
strife, some blot of unworthy lineage is in one of them" (Kiddushin 71B), because Hashem employs animosity as a wall to protect the worthy from the unworthy.

1:12 AND AS THEY WOULD AFFLICT HIM, SO WOULD HE INCREASE AND SO WOULD HE SPREAD.
The literal translation is actually a prophetic rule of the entire history of Israel. Although the verse speaks here of the miraculous paradox of the stupendous increase in numbers, yet it bespeaks in an undertone that which all future history would corroborate: Israel attains its maximum perfection solely in the climate of persecution.

Jacob, in the house of the unfriendly Laban, not only gained the family of sons that founded the Twelve Tribes, but he succeeded in attaining a greatness of mind and of personality that he had never before achieved; as was illustrated by the angels which before had appeared to him in a dream (Breshis 28:12) but after the experience in Laban's house the angels were seen by Jacob when he was awake (see The Beginning, Breshis 32:2).

Only in the atmosphere of hostility and affliction, does Israel maintain its lofty ideals and noble national attitudes that find favor in G-d's esteem. The sun of liberty and tolerance would divest Israel of its excellence in a way that the winds of persecution and affliction could never achieve.

1:12 AND JUST AS THEY AFFLICTED THEM, SO DID THEY INCREASE AND SO THEY SPREAD.
This was a demonstration of Hashem's conduct of His people's history. Not only despite the hostility of the nations, but because of the hostility of the nations Israel increases and prospers.

In addition, this demonstrates that Israel's welfare is administered by Hashem and is not subject to the influence of cause-and-effect. This is a frequent system of Hashem's conduct of history: the nation that attempted to harass and reduce Israel became the place of the greatest population explosion in Israel's history (see 15:1 below).

This is a portent of Israel's history. Israel prospers most when
they have the least rapport with the nations.

1:12 AND THEY WERE VEXED BECAUSE OF THE SONS OF ISRAEL.
"He (Hashem) turned their heart to hate His people". (Tehillim 105:25). The plan of Hashem required that Israel be protected from mingling with Egypt. Now that Israel increased, and Joseph was no longer there to supervise them, there arose the peril of intermarriage or of learning the ways of Egypt. A wall was now created by Hashem: the hatred of the non-Jew against the holy people.

Just as Hashem caused Esav to hate Jacob and thus Jacob was rescued from Esav's influence (see Breshis 27:41, 36:6; Bamidbar 20:20), so from now on a barrier of animosity was always in existence between the nations and Israel. The hatred of the nations was never rational, for it was a miraculous creation by which Hashem provided an effective wall.

The non-Jews always had animosity toward Israel, throughout the entire history of the holy nation. This hatred towards Israel is Hashem's wondrous plan to isolate His people to protect them from mingling and going lost among the gentiles.

1:13. AND EGYPT CAUSED ISRAEL TO SERVE WITH RIGOROUS LABOR.
The servitude was one of the great perfumes which the Shulamith gained in Egypt. "A sojourner you should not oppress; and you know the spirit of the sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt" (23:9). "And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt" (Dvarim 15:15).

Thus one of the benefits of bondage was the ability to have compassion on the oppressed. This benefit was planned by the
Great Apothecary to furnish His beloved people with every delectable aroma of mind and soul.

Another inestimably valuable benefit was the scorn of the Egyptian masters toward their Hebrew slaves, which served as a
barrier to prevent intermarriage. This was in addition to Egypt's
abhorrence of the Hebrews as sheep-eaters (Breshis 43:32).

Another benefit: Israel learned in Egypt the character of other nations, and they recognized their own vast superiority. This awareness of the wickedness of the nations prevents Israel from admiring the gentiles and learning their ways.

The evil character of the task-masters and of the Egyptian populace and of the royal house that imposed unjustly upon Israel a burden of maliciously-intended labor, served as a model for Israel to recognize the vast difference between the kindly family of Israel and between the selfish and cruel nature of the "families of the earth".

The seemingly tolerant nations have always proved the greatest snare for the people of Israel, and very many therefore went lost in Spain before the expulsion, and even more in Western Europe and America in later times. Egypt was therefore an ideal location for the birth of the people of Israel. Cradled in the scorn and hostility of the people of the land, Israel learned the supreme importance of keeping aloof from the nations.

1:15. AND THE KING OF EGYPT SAID TO THE HEBREW
MIDWIVES.
The fact that this episode of the midwives is related in the Torah, although it seems unimportant in the narrative of the going out of Egypt, is very significant. This episode is illuminated by the remarkable declaration: "In reward of the righteous women of that generation, Israel was redeemed from Egypt" (Sotah 11B). This episode therefore is not related for itself, but it serves as an example of the spirit of the women, who resolved to do all in their power to help the multiplication of Israel. The fiery dedication of "Rachel and Leah, the two that built up the house of Israel" (Ruth 4:11), was inherited by the daughters of this great family.

2:10. AND THE CHILD GREW, AND SHE BROUGHT HIM TO THE DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH, AND HE WAS TO HER AS A SON.
1) The astonishing episode serves as a model. The greatest
teacher of Hashem's Torah grew up in a non-Israelite home.
Despite all the luxury and privilege which could have been his,
he went out to his persecuted brothers. Although the house of
Egyptian rulers was the least plausible place for the development
of a Moshe, yet his great virtue enabled him to become immensely elevated despite the totally unsuitable circumstances of his youth.
2) We can discern another purpose in this episode. Moshe was
reared amidst royalty in order to gain royal bearing so that he
could speak to Pharaoh later to send forth the sons of Israel; and
that in his rule over the people of Israel, Moshe should deport
himself with royal dignity. But there was a third purpose here.
3) From the house of Pharaoh that sought to demean and to
oppress Israel, came forth the man who was destined to redeem
Israel and to bestow the highest dignity upon them. This was the
chief purpose of Hashem in causing Moshe to be reared in the
house of Pharaoh: to demonstrate the hand of Hashem in history,
that the redeemer of Israel came forth from the house of the arch-
enemy of Israel.

2:23. AND THEIR OUTCRY WENT UP TO G-D FROM THE WORK.
The purpose for which Hashem had caused Egypt to burden Israel with such intolerable labor was to bring about this outcry. The outcry to Hashem is the great achievement of Mankind, whether crying out in great happiness and gratitude to Hashem or crying out from distress. The purpose of Life is to gain Awareness of G-d, and the outcry to Him is one of the most effective means of achieving this Awareness. It was not a momentary outcry, and not merely an outcry into nowhere, but it was a sustained outcry that continued and increased; and it was directed to G-d, the G-d of their fathers. This achievement of perfection of mind was so immensely important that it is here characterized as going up to G-d.

To understand how weighty this achievement was, we must
look further in the Torah, where Hashem gives two reasons for
His decision to take action to redeem Israel:
1) "I shall uphold My covenant with them (i.e., with Abraham, Yitzchak and Jacob) ...
2) and also I heard the outcry of the sons of Israel. .. and I
remembered My covenant" (6:4-5). This great and sustained
outcry was the justification for the fulfillment of the Covenant
with the Fathers.

The merit of this great and constant outcry should therefore
be taken as an especial achievement, for which the children of
Israel gained especial favor in the eyes of Hashem, Who "desires
the prayers of the righteous" (Yevamos 64A). Why does Hashem
desire their prayers? Because these prayers are the Perfection of
Awareness of Hashem, for which we are created; and therefore
Hashem desires the Perfection which the righteous gain.

2:24. AND G-D HEARD THEIR OUTCRY, AND G-D REMEMBERED HIS COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM WITH YITZCHAK AND WITH YAKOV.
Indeed, G-d remembers always and He needs no reminding. But here "remembered" means "began to take action." But He did not begin to take action until the sons of Israel had cried out to Him exceedingly, for this outcry was the purpose of the affliction in Egypt. When the affliction had produced a great and prolonged outcry and thereby a keen Awareness of Hashem, it was then that Hashem considered the purpose of the affliction as fulfilled, and He thereupon began to take action ("remembered").

The outcry of the sons of Israel is heavily emphasized by the various expressions: "And the sons of Israel groaned " (Vaye'anchu) ... and they cried out (Vayizaku) and their outcry (Shavasam) went up to G-d ... And G-d heard their cry (Na'akasam)" (2:23-24), where four different expressions are used.

Thus the affliction in Egypt was the time of Israel's chief
greatness, for their cry to Hashem gained for them such excel-
lence that made them worthy of being redeemed to become
Hashem's people.

3:4 AND WHEN HASHEM SAW THAT HE TURNED ASIDE TO SEE, HASHEM CALLED TO HIM FROM THE MIDST OF THE BUSH ....
Verse 3 and the first part of verse 4 (up to "Hashem called")
seem unnecessary. But they come to emphasize the importance
of being a Seeker. It was solely because Moshe was a seeker that
he gained this vision. It was only because "Hashem saw that he
turned aside to see" that therefore "Hashem called to him."
Moshe was already eighty years old and had gained the qualities
that made him eligible for prophecy, yet he actually was chosen
only after he demonstrated his eagerness "to see." To gain
greatness of spirit, one must be eager for greatness of spirit. In
order to gain these degrees of excellence, "One must long for it
with energetic effort and with alacrity, as is written, 'My soul longs for You in the night' (Isaiah 26:9). . .and 'My soul thirsts for
G-d' (Tehillim 42:3)" (Duties of the Hearts, Ahavah III).

Even we, who today do not aspire to prophecy, should "turn
aside to see" the demonstrations of Hashem's presence that are
evident on all sides. A rose bush, burning with beautiful color, is
an opportunity for seekers of Hashem to see His glorious
handiwork in the miracle whereby the plant has the ability to
produce such a magnificent creation, including the miracle of
producing design and pigment and fragrance from the air and the
soil. Even the thorns of the rosebush bespeak Hashem's kindli-
ness and cunning plan-and-purpose; because this prized plant is
equipped with defensive weapons of sharp thorns pointed down-
ward to meet the upward pull of the thief who would attempt to
uproot the plant.

When one does not "turn aside to see the great sight" that gives us intimation of Hashem's presence, he loses thereby the opportunity to come closer to Hashem. In his solitary meditations in the wilderness, Moshe always turned aside to
admire the wonders which testify to Hashem's power and wisdom
and kindliness; and therefore eventually he was prepared to
utilize the Burning Bush which beckoned to him to come close
to Hashem.