From the Rabbi’s Desk
Rabbi Manes Kogan
Shemot 5762
The Torah tells us the beginning of the carrier of the Rabbi of all Israel –Moshe Rabeinu – Moses our Rabbi.
Egyptian killing a Jew
Who was the Jew?
Says RaSHI
He was beating and terrorizing him. He (the victim) was the husband of Shlomis, daughter of Divri, and he (the Egyptian) was attracted to her. During the night he woke him (her husband) and forced him to leave the house. Then he (the Egyptian) returned and entered the house and came upon his wife while she thought that he was her husband. The [Israelite] man returned home and sensed what had occurred. When that Egyptian realized that he sensed what had happened he beat and terrorized him the entire day.
Two Jews fighting?
Who were the Jews?
Says Rashi:
[They were] Dosson and Avirom.
109 They were the ones who left over some of the manna.110What is the lesson involved here?
Moshe became a leader because he was concerned even with the "lowest" among his people. He was the Rabbi of the losers and he was the Rabbi of the troublemakers. Nobody was too insignificant for him, nobody didn’t deserve his attention.
The burning bush!
Why not the burning cedar? Why not the burning mahogany?
We read in Shemot Rabbah: "R’ Yehoshua was asked by a pagan why Hashem chose to reveal Himself to Moses through a burning bush. R’ Yehoshua replied that it was done to teach us that there is noplace in the universe, however insignificant, where God’s Schechinah (Divine Presence) is absent" (brought by Rabbi Munk: The Call of the Torah"
Again, the bush is the lowest of all the trees and G-d decide to make his presence dwell within the bush. The bush is the loser among the trees, it is useless and even harmful. But G-d appeared to Moses within a bush.
Two lessons
If you aspire to be a true leader – I always speak to myself- remember that nobody should be excluded from your ministry. Neither the losers nor the troublemakers. And the same is true for a congregation, which wants to reach out and which wants to have a position of leadership among its community!
If you feel sometimes you are a loser or a troublemaker. Remember the story of the burning bush. And remember that G-d is also having you in mind and that you are worthy that the diving presence should dwell within you!
Shabbat Shalom!