Save
Copy
Add to Collection
Export to Google Docs
Share(יא) וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֗ם וַיִּגְדַּ֤ל מֹשֶׁה֙ וַיֵּצֵ֣א אֶל־אֶחָ֔יו וַיַּ֖רְא בְּסִבְלֹתָ֑ם וַיַּרְא֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִצְרִ֔י מַכֶּ֥ה אִישׁ־עִבְרִ֖י מֵאֶחָֽיו׃
(11) Some time after that, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his kinsfolk and witnessed their labors. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his kinsmen.
After reading the text, discuss:
- What do you imagine Moses would have known about the Israelites' enslavement before this point? What might have been different about this particular moment?
- What are some examples from your own experience where you suddenly saw a particular injustice more clearly even though it had been around you all along?
(יא)וירא בסבלתם. נָתַן עֵינָיו וְלִבּוֹ לִהְיוֹת מֵצֵר עֲלֵיהֶם (שמות רבה א'):
(11) וירא בסבלתם AND HE SAW THEIR BURDENS — he set his eyes and mind to share in their distress. (Exodus Rabbah 1:27)
(יא) וטעם ויצא אל אחיו כי הגידו לו אשר הוא יהודי, והיה חפץ לראותם בעבור שהם אחיו. והנה נסתכל בסבלותם ועמלם ולא יכול לסבול ולכן הרג המצרי המכה הנלחץ:
(11) And the explanation of and he went out to his brothers is [that it is] because they told him that he was a Jew, and [so] he wanted to see them, since they were his brothers. And behold, he observed their duress and toil and he could not stand it. And therefore, he killed the Egyptian who was striking the harried [Jew].
- What do you think it means to "share in their distress"?
- What do you think it means that "he wanted to see them"? Are there times in your life when you don't want to see an injustice? If so, then why?
- Do you think you have to see someone as connected to you before you act on their pain? Did Moses have to see himself as directly connected to the Israelites before he could act? Are there ways to see our connection to others even if we're not directly related to them?