Shemot 5765
In Sefer Shemot, Parashat Shemot, we read the story about the birth of Moshe Rabeinu who is the future redeemer of the Jewish nation from Egypt, and we read how Pharaoh makes a decree that all newborn boys be thrown into the Nile. Moshe’s mother Yocheved did her best to hide and protect Moshe, but when no longer able, she then placed Moshe in a small Teva (floating box) and drifted him away in the Nile. The story goes on and the Parasha writes that Batya, the daughter of Pharaoh went down to the Nile to bathe and came upon this floating Teva. She extended her arm, fetched the Teva and found a small boy. The Pasuk writes ‘ViHeene Na’ar Boche’, and behold the lad was crying. Pharaoh’s daughter then had mercy on this boy and took him as her own. She did this even though she believed the boy Jewish for who else would be floating down the Nile.
The Ba’al HaTurim (Rabbi Yaakov ben Asher 1270-1340) has a very powerful insight on the Pasuk that says ‘ViHeene Na’ar Boche’ (and behold the lad was crying.) He says that it was not Moshe who was crying but rather Moshe’s brother Aharon who was watching nearby in the bank of the river. The term ‘Na’ar’ refers to the voice of a boy. So he comes out that Aharon was watching the fate of Moshe Rabeinu and was crying for he believed that Moshe was being led to an ultimate death. The explanation then might be that Batya heard someone else crying, and consequently figured this must be a Jewish boy for crying for others was a Jewish trait. Jewish people by nature commiserate with each other and they share in each other’s sorrow and they carry each other’s burdens.
The Ba’al HaTurim concludes and says that the words ‘Na’ar Boche’ numerically equal the same as ‘Zeh Aharon HaKohen’ which literally means ‘this is Aharon HaKohen’.
So we learn a great lesson from this episode where Aharon cried for the fate of his brother Moshe. When we see and hear of stories, whether in Israel or in any other place else in the Jewish world, when our brethren come under hard times we should not simply waive it by or say ‘what a shame.’ We must actually commiserate and feel their pain and be prompted into action to do something about it.
