EXOD92 In the Exodus cycle, which is the core of the Five Books of Moses, we find the same intimate union of land, people, and faith. Here again this link is a consequence of the very structure of the biblical conceptions of history and human destiny. God has entered into history by establishing a special relationship to humanity through an elected part of the human race. But this people must be free if it is to be able to worship the Lord properly (Exodus 5:1-4). "Let My people go, that they may worship Me" is the leitmotif of the exodus (Exodus 4:23, 5:1-3, 7:26, 8:16, 9:1-13, 10:3). When the Jews are so totally oppressed, they cannot hear or grasp God's concern (Exodus 6:9). Conversely, when they are redeemed, they will know (e.g., experience directly) that the Lord God exercises the primary claim on their loyalty (Exodus 6:7, 20:2). Their redemption will be the most resounding testimony to the Lord's name and power (Exodus 7:5, 9:15, 11:8, 15:14-19, 18:1, 8-11). In turn, that act of redemption will be completed by bringing the people to their land (Exodus 6:8, 13:3-5, 11:16).

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EXOD93 As Moses returned from Midian to Egypt to begin his Divine task of liberation, Aaron went out to meet him [this verse]. The Midrash continues: "Had Aaron known that the Holy, Blessed One would have it written of him that behold, he is coming out to meet you [Exodus 4:14], he would have gone to meet Moses with timbrels and dancing" [Exodus 15:20 ] (or as we might say in modern argot, with a brass band and a parade).… [t]he lesson of the Midrash holds for us as well. On us too a spotlight focuses; our actions are observed. "Know what is above you," we learned earlier: "an eye sees, an ear hears, and all your actions are recorded in a Book." (Avoth ii 1). The Midrash just cited continues on: In the past, when a man did a mitzvah, a prophet would record it [in Scripture]. Now, when a man does a mitzvah, who records it?--Elijah… notes it down, and the Holy, Blessed One affixes His seal." Whatever we do, and privacy or under public gaze, leaves a permanent record. It will make its mark and have its influence, as surely as deeds of holiness and valor recorded in Scripture. This should be well remembered when we are asked to save a life or help ameliorate the welfare of brethren somewhere in the world. In the incidents in the Midrashic passage, the other people involved--Joseph, Moses, Ruth--faced great destinies. Before Heaven any human being for whom our charity is sought is important, and his destiny, that lies partly in our hands, is of great significance, be he old or young, sick or well, famous or unknown. So with each chance to give charity, we can choose what will next be written of us in the supernal scripture that records our life.

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EXOD94 See [[LEV774]] Leviticus 19:32 rise SINAI3 103

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EXOD96 When a person yields to temptation, he may still realize that what he is doing is wrong. He simply cannot control himself. In this situation there are aspects of hope: Although today he has lost his willpower, man is free, and tomorrow he may regain it. Today he has merely lost a battle. But there is still tomorrow, and eventually the war maybe won. Furthermore, sinners of this type are regarded more favorably in Jewish law when they seek forgiveness. The stern measures of the Bible are not intended as vengeance or reprisals; they are laws for expiation and atonement, for "settling your account," and they point the way to full forgiveness. In warning that a sinner should not be lashed to access, the Torah explains: it is in order "that your brother may not be degraded before your eyes" [this verse]. The Torah calls the sinner "your brother," to imply that after he has paid for his wrongdoing, he achieves full forgiveness and regains his status in the community of Israel. Even the death penalty is considered expiation and atonement, and it opens the way to life in the world-to-come. Thus the person who succumbs to his passions has three hopeful elements in his situation: (1) He can admit in honesty that what he did was wrong. (2) There is hope that he can return to consistent, dependable goodness and decency. (3) By accepting punishment, he is forgiven. For the rebellious sinner, however, none of these is very valid. Since he has a "philosophy," a rationale for what he does, the likelihood that he will repent and seek forgiveness is remote. In regard to such a type the Torah states, "But the person who acts with a high hand… blasphemes the Lord. … Because he has despised the word of the Lord and has broken His commandments, that person shall be utterly cut off; his inquiry is upon him." (Numbers 15:30-31). The punishment for this rebellious spirit is total kareth: removal from this world and from the world-to-come. This kind of transgression lay in the action of the people of Amalek (Exodus 17:8ff), and it brought down on them the Torah's harsh sentence of total extirpation, through all generations if necessary (Exodus 17:14, 16; Deuteronomy 25:17-19; I Samuel 15:3). At first sight this might seem strange, though: After all, we have been beset by many enemies during our history. True, Amalek attacked us; but so did Babylon, Rome, and others. Why does the Torah command us only in connection with this people, "Remember what Amalek did to you… Blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven"? (Deuteronomy 25:17, 19) The answer is that Amalek attacked the Israelites not because they threatened his land, nor even from a desire for booty and spoils, nor yet for vengeance. Amalek simply wished to thwart the plan of God. Amalek "did not fear God." (Deuteronomy 25:18). Amalek set himself in rebellion against the Almighty Himself: hence his special punishment. Pharaoh, as an individual, was also guilty of this kind of rebellion when he exclaimed, "who is the Lord that I should listen to Him?" [this verse]

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EXOD95 … one who has the trait of pride must exert himself and rid himself of it, for it is a bad defect. Its potential harm is great and ever-present, and its potential benefit very slight. Therefore, one must remove himself very far from it. For pride brings one to destruction, as it is written (Mishlei 16:18): "Pride goes before destruction," and it also brings him to lowliness, as it is written (ibid. 29:23): "A man's pride will lower him." We are all well aware of what happened to Pharaoh because he said [this verse]: "Who is Hashem that I should listen to His voice?" And to Golias the Philistine, who said (I Shemuel 17:10): "I have reviled the armies of Israel," to Sancherev, who said (Yeshayahu 36:20) "Who, among the gods of all these lands, rescued their lands from my hand?" And to Nevuchadnetzar, who said (Daniel 3:15): And who is the god that shall deliver you out of my hands?" -- and all of the others who spoke the same way and whose end was shame and disgrace. One who possesses this trait is not rescued from sin and transgression, as Shelomo wrote (Mishlei 21:24): "The proud scorner is called a mocker; he acts in the fury of malice."

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EXOD97 See [[GEN1418]] Genesis 34:13 guile FREUND 85

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EXOD98 The concept of vigilance relates to a person's actions and affairs. He must contemplate and survey his actions and his conduct, to see whether they are good or not, so as not to risk the loss of his soul, Heaven forbid. And he must not pursue his habits thoughtlessly, the way a blind person walks [as] in darkness. ... Yirmeyahu bemoaned the evils of his generation, among whom this affliction was like a plague. They paid no heed to their actions, and they failed to consider whether they should embrace them or flee from them. And he said, in reference to them (Yirmeyahu 8:6): "No man feels remorse for his wickedness, saying, 'what have I done?' – – as one [person] they rush to stay their course, like a horse charging headlong into battle." In other words, they were constantly propelled forward by the impulsiveness of their habits and ways, without leaving themselves time to critically examine their conduct. As a result they fell into wrongdoing without being aware of it. This is surely one of the shrewd ploys of the evil inclination, which relentlessly labors to burden the hearts of people until they are left with no spare moment, either to contemplate or to observe the path they are taking. For it knows, that if they would only minimally devote attention to their ways, they would, no doubt, immediately begin to regret their deeds, and this regret would intensify until they would abandon sin altogether. This is similar to the advice of that wicked Pharaoh, he said [this verse]: "The work shall be made harder for the men, [so that] they shall be [busy] doing it and not talk about trivialities." His intent was not only to deny them any respect [from their work] to take note [of their own plight] or to plot against him, but also to prevent them from any reflection, by means of ceaseless toil.

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EXOD100 See [[EXOD15]] Exodus 1:17 feared AHAVCH 25

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EXOD101 These with the Jewish "policeman," also slaves, who had been appointed by Pharaoh to oversee the work production of their fellow Jews. When Pharaoh cut back on straw but insisted that brick production not fall, these Jewish "policemen" were instructed to use any means to ensure production. Yet they refuse to hurt the Jews who did not meet their quota, and, instead, they were beaten. It was these Jews, who put their fellow Jews' needs before their own, who were designated [by Moses in the desert] as the elders and were worthy for Jewish leadership. The Midrash (Shemot Rabbah 2:2] asks why it is that so many Jewish leaders were shepherds, and answers that, like Moses who went out of his way to help a weak sheep, the shepherds demonstrated sensitivity to each sheep. How much more so would they be caring and sensitive to the needs of the Jews they would lead. It is clear, then, that Jewish leadership is to be conferred only on those who demonstrate this one quality of caring for other Jews.

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EXOD99 A leader must help those who are subservient to him and never take unfair advantage of them. These officers were Israelites. They had pity on their fellow Israelites and did not force them to fulfill their quotas. When the officers handed over bricks to the Egyptian taskmasters, the taskmasters beat them for not having pressed the workers to fill their quotas. Shmos Rabbah 5:20 cited by Rashi. The Chofetz Chayim writes that leaders very often take unfair advantage of the people under them. The just mode of behavior, however, is never to act condescendingly to others, even if you are elevated to a rank above them. Arrogance is a trait which is strictly forbidden. According to some authorities SMAG [Sefer Mitzvos Hagodol - AJL], Prohibition 64, see B'air Mayim Chayim, Prohibition 5, the prohibition against arrogance is listed among the 613 commandments of the Torah. We should learn from the officers of the Children of Israel who not only did not take unfair advantage of those under them, but who even suffered physical pain to aid them. Machaneh Yisroel, part 2, ch.3.

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