 | Proactive, Not Passive
Moshe's name should have been 'Mashui' – it was Pharaoh's daughter who took him out of the water and called him Moshe, but the word "Moshe" is from the active verb, even though he was passive and didn't do anything himself. Why does his name not reflect that?
So many times people say there is nothing they can do, that they are victims of circumstances. In the midst of the great murderer of Jews, Pharaoh, his own daughter defies him with wisdom and decides she will not allow Moshe to die in the bulrushes and draws him out. She makes a proactive decision not to be a victim of circumstances to draw him out and raise him like a son.
So too every one of us, as Daniel Shimon ben Sharon has been in captivity for 90 days, are going through difficult circumstances, and the question is: what do we do with what we are given. We are called upon to make a personal choice: are we going to be a victim of circumstances, inactive, complaining, or are we going to be protagonists and do everything in our power to be proactive and to make a difference? | | This week, World Mizrachi organized the solidarity mission from Central-Yeshiva University High School for Girls, and they are having a great time!
Would you like to organize a mission for your school or community? Contact Ilan Frydman at ilan@mizrachi.org for more information. | |  | NEW RESCHEDULED DATES
LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE! | |  | Rabbi Perez addressed the students of Ulpanat Ahavat Yisrael in Ramat Beit Shemesh, where his niece is a pupil.
The school described Rabbi Perez's talk: "During the talk, he spoke about [his son who is being held hostage] Daniel, his brother Yonatan who was also injured... and about the struggles of his family and the nation. He gave us all chizuk with important insights, for this period and for life in general." | | SHEMOT
Seeing the Good in Others
By Rabbi Judah Mischel After the fratricide story of Kayin and Hevel, Sefer Bereishit details the heart-wrenching conflicts between Yishmael, Yitzchak, Eisav, Ya'akov, and Yosef and his brothers. Only after leading us through these painful and dysfunctional sibling rivalries, the Torah gives us Sefer Shemot, the account of our redemption. Here begins the account of tikun, an antidote to all those negative patterns and broken family relationships.
In our parasha, Moshe ascends to the leadership of Am Yisrael, he feels uncomfortable; perhaps his older brother, Aharon, feels slighted. But Hashem assured Moshe that he need not be concerned:
But he said, "Please, My G-d, send through whomever You will send… make someone else Your agent…"
Hashem, angry with Moshe, said, "There is your brother Aharon… He, I know, speaks readily. Even now he is setting out to meet you, and he will be happy to see you."
(Shemot 4:13–14)
Literal translation of the last phrase is "He will see you, and rejoice in his heart." Rashi confirms that Aharon was genuinely happy for Moshe, and celebrated his success. Midrash Rabbah says, "They would rejoice in one another's greatness (achievements)."
Moshe and Aharon are role models of brothers who complement one another and work together. They had the admirable middah of firgun – a trait of genuine, unselfish delight and pride in the accomplishments of the other.
"Look, how 'good' and how 'pleasant' it is when brothers dwell in unity!"
(Tehillim 133:1)
Here, "good" refers to Moshe; when he was born, his mother "saw that he was good." Likewise, "pleasant" refers to Aharon, who reconciled alienated spouses and friends. As the kohen, Aharon blessed all with shalom, leaving trails of pleasantness wherever he went.
Moshe wished his older brother Aharon to lead, while Aharon deferred to his younger brother, Moshe. They covered for one another and wished one another success. Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai reveals that in merit of Aharon's firgun, rejoicing over Moshe's achievements, he merited to wear the urim v'tumim, the breastplate of the Kohen Gadol: "The heart that rejoiced over the greatness of his brother was given the joy of being adorned with the breastplate upon which was inscribed the names of all of Am Yisrael."
It is no mistake that our Redemption from Egypt manifested through brothers who worked together in harmony. They had different roles but they considered each other equals, not competitors. This is a lesson for us as well: when we are confident in ourselves and comfortable with our role in the world, we can be m'fargein, happy that our brothers and friends are successful. Rambam, in Sefer haMitzvot (206), defines firgun as a core Jewish value: "Whatever I wish for myself, I should wish for that person."
Reb Yerucham Levovitz in Da'as Chochmah u'Mussar, says the greatest among us can be swept up in jealousy. Indeed, it is challenging to not become ensnared in some form of rivalry, to fully and sincerely rejoice in one another's success. This points to the exalted level of Aharon and why he is one of the most beloved holy men in our history.
May we be elevated above the perception of insecurity which drives jealousy and competitiveness. May we climb to see the 'goodness' and 'pleasantness' of our people. May we celebrate one another's achievements and successes, and in this way wear the 'breastplate of Aharon', inscribed with the name of every Jew, upon our heart. Rabbi Judah Mischel is Executive Director of Camp HASC, and Mashpiah of OU-NCSY. He is a member of Mizrachi's Speakers Bureau (www.mizrachi.org/speakers). | | |
📣 The Youth materials for Parshat Shemot are now online!
📰 HaMizrachi Parsha Weekly Youth Edition, a Parsha sheet designed for youth
🗞️ Chavruta, a study sheet great for kids or parent-student sessions
🌐 Now Available in Spanish and Portuguese!
👉 To download, print, and register: mizrachi.org/youth | | 🇮🇱 WANT TO BRING A SOLIDARITY MISSION TO ISRAEL?
🌍 World Mizrachi is the global leader in organizing over 40 delegations from 8 countries over the past month!
📩 For more information, contact Ilan Frydman: ilan@mizrachi.org | | The Parshat Shemot edition of HaMizrachi Parsha Weekly is now available! | |  |  Schools for Schools!  Mizrachi's Schools Department is launching an initiative to show solidarity and support Jews around the world to schools in Israel. In the spirit of achdut and true empathy that world Jewry has shown, you can make a meaningful contribution to their resilience.
 Letters/Videos of chizuk
 Ice cream/Pizza/Toys
 Remote learning supplies (headphones, tablets, laptops)
To support the campaign go here  jgive.com/new/en/usd/donation-targets/114919 | | 📖 "The Jewish State" Available to Purchase
Following the book launch at Mizrachi's World Orthodox Israel Congress, "The Jewish State" by Rabbi Doron Perez is available to buy online for delivery to Israel, Australia, Canada, UK, and USA, as well as for collection at the Mizrachi offices in Israel and South Africa.
For some of the approbations, see the flyer above.
To purchase, click here: mizrachi.org/the-jewish-state-order-form | |  | Tzurba Hilchot Shabbat Program has begun!
Tzurba M'Rabanan is a groundbreaking learning program that makes the learning of Halacha clear, relevant and interesting.
To date, the Lax Family Tzurba M'Rabanan English Series consists of 16 volumes, covering over one hundred and fifty topics in Halacha.
For more information and to purchase volumes of Tzurba M'Rabanan, go to tzurbaolami.com | | | Besorot Tovot and Shabbat Shalom! | | | | |
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