With the death of Yosef, the Book of Bereishet (Genesis) comes to an end. The Book of Shemot (Exodus) chronicles the creation of the nation of Israel from the descendants of Yaakov. At the beginning of this week's Torah portion, Pharaoh, fearing the population explosion of Jews, enslaves them. However, when their birthrate increases, he orders the Jewish midwives to kill all newborn males.

Yocheved gives birth to Moshe and hides him in the reeds by the Nile. Pharaoh's daughter finds and adopts him, although she knows he is probably a Hebrew. Miriam, Moshe's sister, offers to find a nursemaid for Moshe and arranges for his mother Yocheved to be his nursemaid.

Years later, Moshe witnesses an Egyptian beating a Hebrew and Moshe kills the Egyptian. Realizing his life is in danger, Moshe flees to Midian where he rescues Tzipporah, whose father Yitro approves their subsequent marriage. On Chorev (Mount Sinai), Moshe witnesses the burning bush where G-d commands him to lead the Jewish People from Egypt to Eretz Yisrael, the Land promised to their ancestors.

Moshe protests that the Jewish People will doubt his being G-d's agent, so G-d enables Moshe to perform three miraculous transformations to validate himself in the people's eyes: transforming his staff into a snake, his healthy hand into a leprous one, and water into blood. When Moshe declares that he is not a good public speaker, G-d tells him that his brother Aharon will be his spokesman. Aharon greets Moshe on his return to Egypt and they petition Pharaoh to release the Jews. Pharaoh responds with even harsher decrees, declaring that the Jews must produce the same quota of bricks as before but without being given supplies. The people become dispirited, but G-d assures Moshe that He will force Pharaoh to let the Jews go.

PARSHA INSIGHTS

After witnessing the wondrous sight of the burning bush, Moshe receives his first prophecy. G-d calls out to him, “Moshe, Moshe,” and Moshe responds: “Hineni! [Here I am!].” The Almighty proceeds to tell Moshe that the time has come to save the people from their suffering and affliction in Egypt, and to bring them to the Promised Land. “Now,” says G-d, “go, I will send you to Pharaoh and you shall bring My people… out of Egypt.” But this time, “heneni” is much less forthcoming. It would be seven days of negotiation before Moshe would agree to assume the position of leader.

Moshe’s immediate response to the directive is, Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the Children of Israel out from Egypt? Moshe in effect said, “You set for me two formidable tasks: to defeat Pharaoh and to lead Israel. But I feel that I possess not the slightest strength or aptitude for either of these tasks —Who am I that I should be assigned such a mission?”

Now, Moshe is later described as “extremely humble, more than any other man on earth.” He knew now that he possessed none of the stuff of which demagogues, leaders, generals, heroes and rulers are made. It was only natural that a man of Moshe’s humility would recoil from such a mission, even though the call came from Hashem, Himself. Considering his own inadequacy, he feared he would be timid and weak in Pharaoh’s presence, and fail in the mission. It was also quite natural for Moshe to doubt whether he had the imposing, overpowering strength of personality required to transform a nation of slaves into a people of Hashem.

Indeed, in Hashem’s response, we see that Moshe may not have had these traits. Instead of reassuring him of his own ability, Hashem responds, “Because I will be with you! Precisely this will be the sign for you that it is I Who have sent you.” Those traits that in Moshe’s view made him unsuited for this task are the very ones that make him most qualified to carry it out. Precisely because Moshe sensed that he lacked the capacity to accomplish this mission by human power, Moshe was the one best-suited to accomplish Hashem’s mission. This very inadequacy will be the “sign” that this leader is Hashem-sent to carry out a Divine mission. Without this proof, the salvation of the people of Israel would be regarded as another event in world history, explicable by human forces, and contributing to human glory.

At the end of the seven days, Moshe remains unconvinced of his ability, and begs Hashem to send another man, more worthy, wise and capable. This utter lack of confidence in himself and in his ability is, in itself, the most vivid proof of the Divine origin of all that was done and spoken by Moshe. It is living testimony that the Torah was not given by Moshe, the charismatic leader, but rather through Moshe, the humble emissary.