Parshah

How much of Hashem’s kindness happens behind the scenes?

After hearing of all the miracles of Y’tzias Mitzrayim and K’rias Yam Suf, Yisro traveled to the desert to join the Jewish camp and faith. Moshe provided him a first-hand account of the events, giving Yisro goosebumps. He exclaimed, “Now I know that Hashem is greater than all other powers, for with the very thing that they plotted against the Jews, He punished them” (Sh’mos 18:11). Rashi explains that Yisro was impressed with Hashem’s measure-for-measure response to the Egyptians and all of their schemes against the Jews.

They don’t call them “the magic words” for nothing.

Continuing our theme from last week, Rashi (Sh’mos 7:19) writes that Moshe Rabbeinu could not be the one to set off the plagues of Blood and Frogs by striking the Nile, because he owed a debt of gratitude to the river for protecting him as a helpless baby. Similarly, Rashi (ibid. 8:12) comments that Moshe could not summon the Lice by banging his staff on the Egyptian soil out of a sense of hakaras ha’tov to the ground, which had hidden the Egyptian he killed many years earlier. For these reasons, Aharon was chosen to carry out these makos.

How can we experience K’rias Yam Suf every day?

Every morning, when one recites Az Yashir, he should imagine that he is crossing the Sea at that very moment (Mishnah B’rurah 51:17).

How could Moshe be the right man for the job?!

We are so used to the idea of Moshe leading the Exodus, that we might not realize that he was, ostensibly, an inappropriate choice for the position. Considering that Moshe was rescued by Pharaoh’s daughter and brought up in his palace, doesn’t it seem just a little ungracious for Moshe to march into his childhood home and threaten the one who had raised him? 

Was Pharaoh really roaming around in pajamas in the middle of the night?

We may not have a way to verify that bold claim, but the sentiment is certainly true. When Makas B’choros struck at midnight, Pharaoh “got up” and called for Moshe and Aharon (Sh’mos 12:30-31). Rashi adds just one word, “mi’mitaso,” to explain that Pharaoh got up “from his bed.”

It’s easy to play “Monday morning quarterback” – or is it?

As Sefer B’reishis comes to a close, Yosef is approached by his brothers, who beg for forgiveness and mercy. An understanding Yosef reassures them: “You may have intended to harm me, but Hashem had good intentions; today it is clear that He placed me here to sustain all of the people” (B’reishis 50:20). In other words, Yosef wisely told his brothers that they were examining the events of the story through an overly narrow lens. They were focused on the minute details of their actions, while Yosef was keeping an eye on the big picture. Blessed with the perspective of hindsight, he helped the brothers see that they all were mere pawns in the hands of the Grand Chessmaster of the universe. Everything that had transpired was all for the endgame of sustaining the world during the years of famine.