Lessons in Civil Disobedience
And the child grew and she brought him to Paroh’s daughter. He was a son to her. She called him “Moshe”, because she had drawn him from the water. (Sefer Shemot 2:10)
Moshe’s names
Parshat Shemot describes the events surrounding the birth of Moshe. Paroh decreed that all male infants born to Bnai Yisrael should be thrown into the river and drowned. Moshe’s parents hid their son for a time. When they could no longer conceal him, they placed him in a basket among the reeds near the bank of the river. The daughter of Paroh discovered the fondling. She rescued him and adopted him as her son.
In the above passage Paroh’s daughter gives her adopted son the name “Moshe”. The name is derived from the phrase “I drew him from the water”. This name is used throughout the Torah. However, according to the Talmud, Moshe’s parents gave him the name “Tuvia” before he was rescued by Paroh’s daughter.[1] Apparently, the name “Moshe” and the incident it recalls are so significant that this name replaces the name given by the parents. Why is this name so significant?
There is an interesting dispute regarding Moshe’s name that provides insight into this issue. Is “Moshe” the name that Paroh’s daughter gave to her adopted son or is it the Hebrew version of the Egyptian name she gave him? Rabbaynu Avraham ibn Ezra is uncertain.[2] Ramban – Nachmanides – asserts that the daughter of Paroh gave the child a Hebrew name. She wanted his name to be meaningful in the language of the child’s people.[3]
This issue is significant. Whether Paroh’s daughter gave the rescued foundling a Hebrew or Egyptian name reflects on her attitudes and motivations. Let’s consider the implications of each interpretation.
And the daughter of Paroh descended to bathe at the river and her escorts (na’arotehah) walked along the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and she sent her attendant (amatah) and she took it. (Sefer Shemot 2:5)
The entourage of Paroh’s daughter
The precise translation of the above passage is difficult to determine. One of the difficulties is that the passage uses two terms – na’arotehah and amatah – to describe servants who accompanied Paroh’s daughter to the river. The translation above is based upon the comments of Rabbaynu Ovadia Sforno. Let us consider the passage more closely. We will discover a more fundamental problem.
The passage describes the circumstance that led to Paroh’s daughter discovering and rescuing Moshe. She descended to the river to bathe. She saw a basket in the reeds. She sent her attendant to retrieve the basket. In the next passage, she opens the basket and discovers an infant. She immediately realizes that the baby is Jewish.
Our passage also reveals that Paroh’s daughter did not descend to the river alone. She was accompanied by an entourage. Some of its members left her and strolled along the bank of the river. At least one remained with her. A remaining servant was sent to retrieve the basket. Why does the passage provide a description of the princess’ entourage and the activities of its members? If the Torah told us only that Paroh’s daughter went to the river to bathe, and discovered and rescued a Jewish infant hidden among the reeds, how would our understanding of the incident be altered?
A detail in the passages suggests a response. The princess descended to the river with her entourage. It included personal servants and prestigious escorts. These escorts did not assist her in bathing. They left the princess’ bathing in the hands of a lowly servant while they strolled along the river bank.
These escorts were not present when Paroh’s daughter discovered Moshe and decided to rescue him – a male, Jewish baby. These escorts were significant individuals. They would have opposed the saving of a Jewish baby and they had the stature to resist their princess and interfere with her actions. But they were not present; Paroh’s daughter was alone with her personal servants. These servants would not dare contradict the instructions of their king’s daughter.[4]
According to Sforno, the Torah is revealing that Moshe’s rescue resulted from a combination of favorable factors. One of these was the absence of the princess’ escorts at a crucial moment. This insight into the message of the passages, also explains the name Paroh’s daughter gave the infant. What does the name and its meaning add to our understanding of the account?
And she opened (the basket) and she saw the child. The child was crying. And she had compassion for him. She said: This is one of the Hebrew children. (Sefer Shemot 2:6)
Compassion for Moshe
In the above passage, Paroh’s daughter realizes that the child she discovered is Jewish. The child is crying. She responds with compassion. She decides to save the infant. She also decides to adopt the child. She gives the child a name that recalls her rescue of him. In other words, her initial compassion for a crying baby grew into a deep, intense attachment that moved her to make this Jewish foundling her son. What evoked these intense feelings?
In a single passage, the Torah tells us that Paroh’s daughter adopted this child and that she gave him the name “Moshe” – recalling her rescue of the baby. The message of the passage is that the saving the baby – by drawing him from the water – had a huge impact upon Paroh’s daughter. She preserved the event in the name “Moshe”. The rescue created a deep and intense relationship. She viewed the baby as her son because she drew him from the water and rescued him.
Elements of Moshe’s rescue
This analysis reveals the overall message in the Torah’s detailed account of Moshe’s rescue and adoption. Many elements came together to bring about this outcome. Moshe was hidden among the reeds along the river. Paroh’s daughter came to the river to bathe and discovered the infant. Her escorts were not present and could not oppose her. Rescuing the infant impacted her deeply. Her response to the event was so intense that she memorialized the rescue with the name “Moshe” and adopted the child.
Although Hashem had not yet revealed Himself to Bnai Yisrael and the moment of their liberation had not arrived, He was preparing for the future and establishing the foundation for their redemption. Moshe, destined to be Hashem’s instrument in Bnai Yisrael’s salvation would be raised as a free person. He would be a member of Paroh’s household. He would have the confidence to confront Paroh and demand the release of the Jewish people.
This message is communicated whether Paroh’s daughter gave her adopted son a Hebrew or an Egyptian name. However, if she named him “Moshe” – a Hebrew name, there is an additional element communicated by the Torah. What is this element?
And a man went forth from the house of Leyve and he married a daughter of Leyve. (Sefer Shemot 2:1)
The courage of Amram and Yocheved
The above passage describes the marriage of Moshe’s parents. The commentators note that it seems to include a superfluous phrase – “a man went forth”. The passage could have simply stated, “a man from the house of Leyve married a daughter of Leyve”. Ramban suggests that the passage is communicating that Amram – Moshe’s father – went forth to take a very significant action. What was special about this marriage?
Paroh had decreed that all male children of Bnai Yisrael should be drowned. The impact of this decree was greater than the campaign of genocide that it unleashed. It discouraged Jewish men and women from marrying. How could a couple marry knowing that their children would be murdered! Amram and Yocheved married in defiance of Paroh’s decree. They publicly expressed their resistance to Egyptian persecution.[5] Moshe was the result of this act of defiance. This was not the only act of defiance antecedent to the emergence of Moshe.
The courage of the daughter of Paroh
Chizkuni explains that by giving the infant she saved a Hebrew name, Paroh’s daughter made public her act. She proclaimed that she had saved a Jewish male child.[6] She defied the decree of her father and decried its injustice. She acted with enormous courage.
An additional message emerges from the narrative. Moshe was conceived and raised by principled individuals, who had the fortitude to fearlessly stand against injustice. Bravely, they publicly opposed the will of the greatest mortal authority of their land. We can imagine the impact of these role-models upon Moshe and their influence in shaping his personality.
And Moshe grew older and he went forth to his brothers. He saw them in their oppression. He saw an Egyptian man strike a Hebrew from among his brothers. (Sefer Shemot 2:11)
The impact upon Moshe
This passage immediately follows the Torah’s description of Moshe’s adoption and naming. In this passage, Moshe goes forth from Paroh’s palace to study the condition of the Bnai Yisrael. He observes an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave. Moshe kills the Egyptian, rescuing the Jew. The juxtaposition of this incident to Moshe’s adoption and naming is interesting. It suggests a relationship. As explained above, giving Moshe a Hebrew name was the princess’ public proclamation of opposition to her father’s genocide campaign. It was a courageous act of defiance. The juxtaposition of this fearless act to Moshe’s killing of the Egyptian suggests that he was influenced by the model of his adoptive mother. When challenged to demonstrate the courage and defiance she had modeled, he responded without hesitation.
Acting Courageously
We live in a society in which our values are constantly challenged. Many of the values of American society are inconsistent with our Torah values. We are confronted with disdain for religion and belittlement of belief in G-d. Standards of modesty are dismissed as outmoded. In some circles, even commitment to honesty and ethics is viewed as irrelevant. Standing up for our principles and values and proudly asserting our religious identity requires courage, and sometimes defiance. Our response to these challenges is a compelling model of courage that we can provide our children. Moshe was born to parents and raised by an adoptive mother whose behaviors inspired him. Their courage became integrated into his own personality. We too can model for our children these same traits and inspire them to act with fortitude and courage.
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[1] Mesechet Sotah 12a. The Talmud does not state explicitly who gave Moshe this name. See comments of Torah Temimah, Sefer Shemot 2:2 note 10. He attributes the name to Moshe’s parents.
[2] Rabbaynu Avraham ibn Ezra, Extended Commentary on Sefer Shemot 2:10.
[3] Rabbaynu Moshe ben Nachman (Ramban / Nachmanides), Commentary on Sefer Beresheit 41:45.
[4] Rabbaynu Ovadia Sforno, Commentary on Sefer Shemot 2:5. See comments of Rav Yehuda Cooperman.
[5] Rabbaynu Moshe ben Nachman (Ramban / Nachmanides), Commentary on Sefer Shemot 2:1.
[6] Rabbaynu Chizkiya ben Manoach (Chizkuni), Commentary on Sefer Shemot 2:10.