Torah Portion
Moses' Sense
Of Justice
the persecuted, we summon- the
courage to challenge an unjust soci-
ety.
Moses did not ask whether or not
he should get involved, for he saw
Jewish unity as a necessity. Shalom
(peace) is the foundation on which
Jewish life and achievement are
his week's sedrah intro-
built. Shalom bayit — peace at
duces Moses and his
home — is a prerequisite for
-
entire family. We learn
Shalom al Yisrael — peace upon
about the character of
Israel. Shalom bayit is a critically
Moses from his decisive and dra-
important Jewish goal that we have
matic actions.
not yet achieved, either in our
The Torah provides three
homes or in our Jewish
instances where Moses
communal family. As we
intervenes to save an inno-
meet the critical issues of
cent victim from an attack-
our time, we need to
er, each one an archetypal
counsel together to coor-
situation.
dinate our response and to
Moses first intervenes
support the duly elected
when he sees "an Egyptian
leaders of Israel.
beating a Hebrew, one of
Communal strife is a
his kinsmen." This is a
luxury Jews have never
clash between a Jew and a
been able to afford.
non-Jew. Later, he tries to
When Moses flees and
RABBI IRWIN
stop "two Hebrews fight-
heads
for Midian — outside
GRONER
ing." In the third case, he
the
jurisdiction
of the
Special to the
defends the seven daughters
Egyptians
—
he
has an
Jewish News
of the priest of Midian
encounter at a well and pro-
from the shepherds who
tects the Midianite maidens
came to drive them away.
from their everyday victimization.
In all three, Moses rose to the
Ahad Ha-am wrote that Moses
defense of justice — whether the
had not learned caution from his
culprits were Jews or non-Jews and
earlier interventions, despite the
regardless of the identity of the vic-
fact that "his passion for justice"
tims. Because all three cases occur
had brought about his exile from
within a few verses of one another,
his country. As soon as he
they serve as a silent commentary
approaches another place of human
on Moses' concept of justice and
habitation — even while he sits by
the need for action.
the well outside the city, without a
Commentators examined careful-
friend to offer him shelter — he
ly the first case. What do most peo-
hears the cry of outraged justice and
ple do when they see injustice being
immediately hastens to the rescue.
perpetrated? They get upset and
This time, the quarrel is not
angry; they sputter pieties; they
between Hebrews, but between people
don't get involved. Intervening can
entirely unknown to him; but that
mean trouble. But, He turned this
makes no difference. He helps the
way and that and, seeing no man
weak women against the shepherds
about, he struck down the Egyptian
who trample on their rights.
and hid him in the sand."
The prophet draws no distinction
A modern commentator says-
between man and man, only
Mo.ses sought to find a way to bring
between right and wrong.
the Egyptian to justice for his crim-
inal and inexcusable conduct. But
"he saw there was no man" — there
was no one to whom he could
appeal for justice, since they were
all enemies of Israel. Realizing that
Can you name some instances
the law would not protect the Jew
when good intentions turned to
in Egypt, he took the law into his
bad results? What sacrifices do you
own hands.
see as reasonable to maintain
It is the teaching of Moses that
Jewish unity? How can we meet
to protect the innocent and defend
some of the current issues, bearing
in mind the need for Salom bayit?
Irwin Groner is senior rabbi of
Congregation Shaarey Zedek.
INIMMIMWE'Re Atbe.a1W.
Shabbat Shemot: Exodus
1:1-6:1; Isaiah 27:6-
28:13; 29:22-23.
IT
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Conversatio
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