This D'var Torah originally appeared in an edition of the Shaaray Tefila e-News.
This week’s Torah portion, Shemot (Exodus 1:1-6:1), opens
the book of Exodus. In it, we read of three trials in Moses’ young-adult
life—three formative experiences that shape him as a leader and a liberator. Moses,
having grown up sheltered in Pharaoh’s palace, witnesses for the first time
three cases of injustice. In the first, he sees and Egyptian beating an
Israelite slave. Moses’s heart is stirred, but he doesn’t know how to help.
Checking to see if anyone is watching, Moses hits the Egyptian and buries him
in the sand. In the second trial, Moses sees two Israelites fighting with each
other, and again he is stirred by this violence in the world. But again, he
doesn’t know how to help—he yells at the Israelites, which only causes them to
resent him. Finally, in the third trial, Moses sees a group of shepherds that
has come to bother the daughters of the Priest of Midian. Finally, Moses has
developed a capacity for bringing justice to an often unjust world: Moses
“stood up, and helped them, and watered their flock.”
We learn from Moses that it takes practice to develop a
capacity to effectively respond to injustice. Sometimes we may feel like
there’s nothing we can do. Sometimes we may feel like we want just want to
shout about it. These are good instincts—they demonstrate that your heart is
still beating in your chest. With practice, each of us can hone our capacity to
do justice, so that when the time comes, we can be like Moses: we can stand up
and help.
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