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Parshat Shemot January 14, 2023 21 Tevet, 5783
Rabbi Sacks on Shemot

TORAH This week’s parsha could be whom there would not have there would be no more
entitled “The Birth of a
children. He had logic on his
been a Moses.
ARTSCROLL 292 Leader.” We see Moses, side. Could it be right to
HERTZ 206 adopted by Pharaoh’s First is Yocheved, wife of bring children into the world
daughter, growing up as a Amram and mother of the three if there were a fifty per cent
prince of Egypt. We see him
people who were to become the chance that they would be
HAFTORAH as a young man, for the first great leaders of the Israelites: killed at birth? Yet his
ARTSCROLL 1146 time realising the implications Miriam, Aaron and Moses young daughter Miriam, so
HERTZ 225 of his true identity. He is, and himself. It was Yocheved who, the tradition goes,
knows he is, a member of an at the height of Egyptian remonstrated with him and
persecution, had the courage to persuaded him to change
enslaved and suffering
people: “Growing up, he went have a child, hide him for three his mind. “Your decree,”
Times out to where his own people months, and then devise a plan she said, “is worse than
Pharaoh’s. His affects only
were and watched them at
to give him a chance of being
(Monday Edition) their hard labour. He saw an rescued. We know all too little the boys; yours affects all.
Egyptian beating a Hebrew, of Yocheved. In her first His deprives children of life
Week of 1/8 one of his own people” (Ex. appearance in the Torah she is in this world; yours will
2:10). unnamed. Yet, reading the deprive them of life even in
narrative, we are left in no the World to Come.”
Mon/Thurs 6:35/7:45am He intervenes – he acts: the doubt about her bravery and Amram relented, and as a
Tue/Wed/Fri 6:45/7:45am mark of a true leader. We see resourcefulness. Not by result, Moses was born. The
him intervene three times, accident did her children all implication is clear: Miriam
Mincha 4:35pm twice in Egypt, once in become leaders. had more faith than her
Midian, to rescue victims of father.
violence. We then witness the The second was Miriam,
Shabbat 1/14 great scene at the Burning Yocheved’s daughter and Third and fourth were the
Bush where God summons Moses’ elder sister. It was she two midwives, Shifrah and
Candle Lighting 4:31pm
him to lead his people to who kept watch over the child Puah, who frustrated
Mincha 4:35pm freedom. Moses hesitates four as the small ark floated down Pharaoh’s first attempt at
times until God becomes the river, and it was she who genocide. Ordered to kill
Hashkama 8:00am angry and Moses knows he approached Pharaoh’s daughter the male Israelite children
Parsha Shiur 8:30am has no other choice. This is a with the suggestion that he be at birth, they “feared God
classic account of the genesis nursed among his own people. and did not do what the
Main 9:00am of a hero. The biblical text paints a king of Egypt had told them
Youth 9:00am portrait of the young Miriam as to do; they let the boys
But this is only the surface a figure of unusual fearlessness live” (Ex. 1:17). Summoned
Beit Midrash 9:15am tale. The Torah is a deep and and presence of mind. Rabbinic and accused of
subtle book, and it does not tradition goes further. In a disobedience, they
Gemara Shiur 3:55pm
always deliver its message on remarkable Midrash, we read of outwitted Pharaoh by
Mincha 4:25pm the surface. Just beneath is how, upon hearing of the constructing an ingenious
another far more remarkable decree that every male Israelite cover story: the Hebrew
Shabbat Ends 5:39pm story, not about a hero but baby would be drowned in the women, they said, are
about six heroines, six river, Amram led the Israelites vigorous and give birth
courageous women without in divorcing their wives so that
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