Spiritual and Ethical Issues in the B'reishit Stories
by Dr. Meir Tamari

BEIT YAAKOV IN EGYPT [3] by Dr. Meir Tamari
"When Hashem told Moshe that he would die without entering the Land, he begged that he should be allowed to go in as a follower and not the leader, or as a bird. Failing that, he asked that at least he should be buried there as Yosef whose bones were brought to the Land for burial. Hashem replied that Yosef had not hidden his identity whereas Moshe had. The daughters of Yitro told their father that an Egyptian had saved them, yet Yosef said to the Chief Butler and Chief Baker: 'I am a Hebrew youth who was stolen from the Land of the Hebrews' "(B'reishit Rabba). This is the cardinal issue of galut, this problem of making it evident that we are Hebrews-Jewish, even though we live in a strange and unnatural environment. It is not merely a question of keeping the rituals and ceremonies of a strange and different religion that separates us from the host society, difficult and important as that is. Rather, the challenge is living according to the moral teachings of Judaism, usually different and contrary to the values and norms of the surrounding culture.

The solution lies in that phrase: "I am a Hebrew", as we see from Yona's answer to the sailors (Yona 1:5-9). They, in their spiritual fear of the storm, had cast lots that had repeatedly fallen on Yona so they asked: "Tell us, in regard to whom this calamity has fallen on us? What is your trade [perhaps you engage in an immoral or criminal occupation and as a result you are guilty] (Radak)? And from where do you come [perhaps you are fleeing because of some crime you have committed (Radak) and the distance is too great to return and make proper restitution (Metzudot)]? What is your land [perhaps the people of your land are so wicked that you are now being punished because of that (Radak)]? And of what people are you [are they a people so hateful to G-d because of their sins] (Radak)?" Yona, as did Yosef, says: "I am a Hebrew" and that is the all encompassing answer. "I am a true believer in Hashem and I fear the G-d of the Heavens Who is our Leader and Judge; so my trade is an honest one and I engage in no criminal activities" (Radak).

The significance of the name Hebrew becomes clearer when we recall that Avraham is called Ha'Ivri (B'reishit 14:13). Rashi sees this as a reference to Avraham's origin - across the river [Euphrates]. In the Midrash, Rabbi Yehuda taught: "The whole world was on one side [mei'ever] while Avraham was on the other"; He stood alone in his service of G-d, while the whole world stood apart in their worship of idols. That not only monotheism is involved, may be seen from the only reference in the Torah's text as to the spiritual qualities that Avraham had; "I [Hashem] have given him My special care so that he will command his descendants that they will keep the way of G-d to do righteousness as a duty and justice" (B'reishit 18:10).

"Here, with Avraham, righteousness is mentioned before justice. A pure moral life before G-d is the preliminary condition source for a truly just life of righteousness with our fellow men. Righteousness is the Word, the world redeeming Word, which the House of Avraham is to carry in the world and throughout the world. It is not just absolute justice and righteousness which will save the world from crime and misery, but only both of them being living with G-d. Our whole lives must be spent in the idea of duty before G-d, then the whole behavior between man and man will make the dictates of duty a reality" (Rabbi S. R. Hirsch, B'reishit 18:10).

When Bet Yaakov was in galut Mitzrayim they were unable to keep the ways of Avraham HaIvri. After the death of Yaakov and Yosef they gradually adopted the ideas and practices of the Egyptians. Commenting on the verse: "And the land was filled with them" (Sh'mot 1:7), Abarbanel writes that they spread throughout Egyptian society, filled the theaters and circuses, rose to prominence in every walk of life and assimilated. Chazal expressed it as their reaching the 49th level of impurity and worshipped idols; Hashem in His mercy cut the length of their exile otherwise they would have descended even lower. It is true that they did not change their dress, their names and their language, but that was enough only to merit redemption, not enough to prevent their spiritual descent.

"Why is a thief who is sold as a slave called eved ivri? He acted contrary to the ways of Avraham who was called the beloved of G-d, by stealing, so he may be seen as having crossed back across the river from where Avraham Haivri had come" (Shem MiShmuel).

This is a deficiency that constantly occurs in all the other galuyot, including our own. "I have traveled throughout galut Ishmael and galut Edom teaching that now that as this galut has been prolonged for so long, Israel has to withdraw from the frivolities of material- ism and attach themselves to the seal of G-d that is truth. We must refrain from lies, both to Jew and non-Jew alike, not to defraud them in any way or respect, to sanctify ourselves even in those things that are permitted to us, refrain from falsehoods and not have the language of deceit on our lips. Then the nations of the world will say to G-d: "Truly, such an honest and just people with truth on their lips deserve to be redeemed now". However, if we deal dishonestly and with deceit, then when Hashem considers our redemption, the nations of the world come and argue that G-d has chosen a people of liars and defrauders who surely in justice do not deserve redemption (Sefer Mitzvot Gadol, pos. mitz. 74, Hashavat aveida).

[The Parshat Sh'mot Homepage]
[The TORAH tidbits Homepage] [How to use TORAH tidbits]
[About The OU/NCSY Israel Center] [About TORAH tidbits]
 [www.ou.org]