As the Israelites were enduring the burdens of Egyptian oppression, Moshe Rabbeinu faced a life-altering decision; one which would demand decisiveness in thought and action.
As an inhabitant in Pharaoh's palace, Moshe had all the trappings of royalty. He could have lived a privileged life in luxury while ignoring the sufferings of his fellow Hebrews. However, when the challenge arose, Moshe was ready to risk all on behalf of another Hebrew.
One day, Moshe went out to see his brethren and he witnessed their suffering. He then witnessed an Egyptian taskmaster beating an Israelite. "And he saw an Egyptian man striking a Hebrew man, one of his brethren." (Sh'mot, 2:10)
At that moment, "He [Moshe] turned to each side and saw that there was no man, so he struck the Egyptian and buried him in the sand." (Sh'mot 2:11)
The sentence in its simple meaning implies that Moshe looked around, saw that no one was watching, and then killed the Egyptian. The commentator S'forno offers the following explanation: Moshe looked at "two sides" and "from the side of brotherhood he was compelled to act." (S'forno on Sh'mot 2:11). The reference to the word "sides", by S'forno seems to imply that there were two sides to Moshe.
There was the Moshe who was raised in Pharaoh's palace. He saw the Hebrew being beaten and looked within himself, a prince raised within the highest echelon of Egypt. Moshe saw himself as an Egyptian. Perhaps he was not inclined to go to such 'extremes' on behalf of a Hebrew. Then there was the other side of Moshe, the Hebrew who was rescued by the righteous daughter of Pharaoh from the fate of murder by drowning, as decreed for other Hebrew babies at the time. He was raised until the age three by Shifra, who is identified by tradition as Yocheved; his own mother. He was thus cognizant of his Hebrew past and devoted to those sacred traditions and to his people. Hence, there were two sides to Moshe.
It was a personal challenge at that moment. He was no doubt well aware of the implications of striking the Egyptian if he were caught. If he managed to escape with his life, then all his ties with Egypt would immediately be severed and he would become a wanted man. On the other hand, he could have ignored the situation, turned around and headed back to the Pharaoh's palace, and simply reasoned to himself that it was not his fight. Or he could have reasoned the ultimate justification - that it would be easier to continue to work within the system, as he had done, where he could effectively assist his people. Why jeopardize all his good work on behalf of one individual? But then there is the Moshe who witnessed the suffering of his brother and was compelled to act in accordance with Jewish tradition, which mandates that one must not stand idly by the blood of another.
The verse continues, "and he saw no man." Moshe was briefly torn, but he had to make a decision, he could not just stand there as a bystander. In such a situation, there is no neutrality. To just be neutral, he would indeed be as the sentence states, "no man." (Sh'mot 2:11)
Moshe acted, "he struck the Egyptian." (Sh'mot 2:11) As a future leader of the Hebrews, Moshe demonstrated the kind of courage of true leadership. By his actions, Moshe, who lived amid two worlds, made a decision - he killed the Egyptian taskmaster, and also the Egyptian within himself.
As an inhabitant in Pharaoh's palace, Moshe had all the trappings of royalty. He could have lived a privileged life in luxury while ignoring the sufferings of his fellow Hebrews. However, when the challenge arose, Moshe was ready to risk all on behalf of another Hebrew.
One day, Moshe went out to see his brethren and he witnessed their suffering. He then witnessed an Egyptian taskmaster beating an Israelite. "And he saw an Egyptian man striking a Hebrew man, one of his brethren." (Sh'mot, 2:10)
At that moment, "He [Moshe] turned to each side and saw that there was no man, so he struck the Egyptian and buried him in the sand." (Sh'mot 2:11)
The sentence in its simple meaning implies that Moshe looked around, saw that no one was watching, and then killed the Egyptian. The commentator S'forno offers the following explanation: Moshe looked at "two sides" and "from the side of brotherhood he was compelled to act." (S'forno on Sh'mot 2:11). The reference to the word "sides", by S'forno seems to imply that there were two sides to Moshe.
There was the Moshe who was raised in Pharaoh's palace. He saw the Hebrew being beaten and looked within himself, a prince raised within the highest echelon of Egypt. Moshe saw himself as an Egyptian. Perhaps he was not inclined to go to such 'extremes' on behalf of a Hebrew. Then there was the other side of Moshe, the Hebrew who was rescued by the righteous daughter of Pharaoh from the fate of murder by drowning, as decreed for other Hebrew babies at the time. He was raised until the age three by Shifra, who is identified by tradition as Yocheved; his own mother. He was thus cognizant of his Hebrew past and devoted to those sacred traditions and to his people. Hence, there were two sides to Moshe.
It was a personal challenge at that moment. He was no doubt well aware of the implications of striking the Egyptian if he were caught. If he managed to escape with his life, then all his ties with Egypt would immediately be severed and he would become a wanted man. On the other hand, he could have ignored the situation, turned around and headed back to the Pharaoh's palace, and simply reasoned to himself that it was not his fight. Or he could have reasoned the ultimate justification - that it would be easier to continue to work within the system, as he had done, where he could effectively assist his people. Why jeopardize all his good work on behalf of one individual? But then there is the Moshe who witnessed the suffering of his brother and was compelled to act in accordance with Jewish tradition, which mandates that one must not stand idly by the blood of another.
The verse continues, "and he saw no man." Moshe was briefly torn, but he had to make a decision, he could not just stand there as a bystander. In such a situation, there is no neutrality. To just be neutral, he would indeed be as the sentence states, "no man." (Sh'mot 2:11)
Moshe acted, "he struck the Egyptian." (Sh'mot 2:11) As a future leader of the Hebrews, Moshe demonstrated the kind of courage of true leadership. By his actions, Moshe, who lived amid two worlds, made a decision - he killed the Egyptian taskmaster, and also the Egyptian within himself.