D'var Torah
The Torah portion I have chanted today is called shmot-which means "names". It states the names of the Hebrews that went down to Egypt. As the children of Israel multiply in Egypt, Pharaoh is threatened by their growing numbers. So he enslaves them and orders Shifrah and Puah to kill all the male babies at birth. A child is born to Jocheved and Amram, who was placed in a basket and cast out into the Nile, while his sister, Miriam, watches him go from a distance.
Pharaoh"s daughter discovers the boy in the Nile and raised him. She named him Moses which means, Brought out of the water. When Moses was a young man he left the palace and saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew. Moses couldn't bear the sight of injustice and cruelty. And while defending the Hebrew, he K.I.L.L.E.D. the Egyptian. The next day he saw two Hebrews fighting. When he stopped them he was reminded of his deed the previous day. Moses was forced to flee to Median.
At the foot of Mount Sinai God appeared to Moses in a burning bush instructing him to go to Pharaoh saying: "Let my people go, so that they may serve me. "
There is so much to talk about for my Torah portion. I could talk about the burning bush, I could talk about the cruelty of Pharaoh, the goodness of the midwives who saved the first born and did not obey Pharaoh. But I am not going to talk about that. After learning who Moses was I wondered why God chose him out of all men to save the Hebrews.
According to the story Moses was a stutterer and a murderer. A murderer for a leader? Wait a second, wait a second, let"s think about it for a moment. Something here doesn't make sense. We have here a man who is a murderer and a stutterer, which in addition to all that married a Shiksa a non Hebrew. Obviously, being a stutterer did not disqualify Moses. When God told Moses to lead the Hebrews, Moses complained that he wouldn't be able to talk to Pharaoh. But God already had a solution; Moses would talk to Pharaoh through his brother Aaron. A lesson that I learned from just that point is that God is not intimidated by or prejudiced against physical disability. And I hope it is a good lesson for you to.
Now, let's talk about the big issue. A murderer for a leader? There is a difference between murdering and killing. To murder is to purposely take away someone's life. It is a planned action, without a just cause. To kill is to take away someone's life but in self defense, or even in defense of others. Moses was not a murderer. What Moses did was actually a virtue. I want to remind you that Moses was an Egyptian prince who witnessed an Egyptian man beating a Hebrew slave. First of all, why would he even get involved? Why would he care for a man he doesn't know, a Hebrew and a slave? Why would he? Many a man would have walked by the beating and done nothing. But Moses was above and beyond the average man. For him any child of God, any human being deserves to be treated equally, regardless of their religion or race.
Second there is a difference between thoughts and action; one can think that people should be treated with justice, and do nothing. Moses could have watched the Hebrew being beaten, felt sorry for him, and walked away. But Moses acted. Moses cared. He had courage. He had integrity. He was compassionate. He had high respect for human beings. He was willing to risk his life for a Hebrew slave.
Now after all this, do you think Moses deserved to be a leader? Yes! One of the most important qualities of a leader is to be caring. He needs to be just, Courageous, loving, persistent, and ethical. And Moses had them all. From the day that we are born we are surrounded by leaders; people that show us the way, people who guide us, starting from our parents continuing with siblings, friends, and later on with teachers, rabbis, judges, lawyers, politicians, and elders.
Every one of us IS a leader. By setting examples, we become leaders. People see what we do and follow us or they don't. And I know it's hard to believe, but even I am a leader. How did I become a leader? Did I ask for it? Or did it just happen? Well, all I know is that when something happens I take action. I don't stay indifferent.
When my friends fight, I come to save the day and stop the fight and work things out. I ask them what happened and come up with a way to make a compromise. I don't just sit there and think to myself that it's none of my business what they are fighting about. I take action as Moses did. If they are miserable, it makes me miserable. If they are happy, then I am happy. Therefore I get involved. Therefore I find my friends looking up to me. And who do I look up to?
I look up to my parents and even my brother as leaders. My parents are always there for me and they help me in bad situations. Love you mom and dad. And even though I probably shouldn't, I look up to my brother too. Although he makes me his punching bag, I try to see the better side of him. I think about how he is the captain of the wrestling team and how he goes to practice every day. And I've talked to many of Matthew's friends and most of them say that, while the training is a living hell, Matthew's leadership and persistence makes them all stronger because he doesn't give up when things are difficult.
History is full of bad leaders with evil intentions. Moses' intentions were survival for everyone. He fought for justice. He didn't create injustice. He freed people. He did not oppress them. He didn't create war or spread fury, but, was a man of peace who solved all conflicts with love and positive advice.
One of the classic examples of a leader such as Moses is Nelson Mandela. My mother's heritage and family is from South Africa and I myself love this country. I am so proud to say that the most incredible leader, Nelson Mandela, became the present day Moses of South Africa. He set examples to the whole world and its leaders. He was just, Courageous, loving, and ethical. . For him any child of God, any human being deserves to be treated equally, regardless of their religion or race. Nelson Mandela said, "We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." This is the kind of leader that I would follow and would want to be like.
It is important to know who to follow in life. I can only hope that, in my life, I will be a good leader, and I will help choose good leaders. And I hope that you too, those who are here today to share with me a very special day be good leaders. SHABAT SHALOM!
