Parshat Shemot, 1:1-7
Stars or Insects?
Shared responsibility means that each party carries 100% of that responsibility, not that each carries 50%. So, when I suggest, as I do, that the Jewish nation was partly responsible for Egypt’s virulent anti-Semitism, that does not release the Egyptians from one iota of their responsibility.
The Torah recounts a radical deterioration in the stature of the Jewish people in the first seven sentences of the Book of Shemot. This deterioration began only after the passing on of Yaacov and his sons.
The deterioration is clear from the contrast between Rashi on the first sentence, and the Sforno on the seventh. Rashi questions the need for the Torah to once again list the names of each of the twelve sons. The reason he gives is to emphasize that each was a “Star” in his own right. (Perhaps this is the origin of the usage of the term “Star” in reference to an achiever or celebrity!) Stars each have a name, and Hashem refers to their names each time He brings them in or out. So too, these men are referred to by name when the end of their lives is related.
Each one a Star: all members of that family were significant contributors in their own right quite apart from their share in the contribution of the family. They were team players, but not only team players. In addition to their team play, they were stars of universal brilliance.
Verse 7, however, is a shocker. If you read it not knowing its author, you could be forgiven for thinking it was written by Pharoh, Hitler or some other notorious anti-Semite rather than by Hashem Himself! “And Israel became many (see Onkelos on “uffaru”), swarmed like insects (“vayishretzu” see Ibn Ezra and Seforno) and grew enormously in number and influence; and the land became saturated with them.”
The comment is not only a description of their numbers and influence, but also of their conduct. The Seforno says “after the passing on of those seventy people (Yaacov and his family), they drifted into insect-like behavior. “Insects swarming over the land”, is the way G-d, no doubt sadly, finds it necessary to describe His nation in the period before the rise of Egyptian anti-Semitism.
From Princely Power to a Swarming Rabble
What a fall: from Star to Insect! Stars are noted for their individual stature. Insects are nothing as individual creatures; it is when they swarm that they become at best a nuisance and at worst terrifying. When the Jewish people carried themselves like princes, there was no anti-Semitism in Egypt. The hatred began in response to their insect-like behavior. When Jews relied on their numbers and their political influence to impact public opinion, they became the objects of hatred.
Being a member of G-d’s people carries both responsibility and influence. Our responsibility is to use our influence appropriately. We are at our best when, as individuals, we use great spiritual and intellectual stature and the force of our personalities and moral standing to influence the way society thinks and acts . We can do this through speaking and writing, but most of all through what ought to be the compelling force of the uprightness of our characters and our glaring integrity.
When we do not have stars of that caliber to lead the way, we resort to the tactics of pressure groups, lobbying, protesting, and petitions. Like insects, these tactics are effective only when they entail swarms of people, large numbers of signatures, and influential interest groups. We are not a nation of pressure groups and politicians. We are a nation of teachers and role-models; Mamlechet Kohanim veGoy Kadosh (A Kingdom of Priests; a holy nation).
Spiritual Growth and Study of Torah
How do we develop a cadre of people capable of leading society and creating opinions by the force of their own personal stature? This is the true Jewish journey; a journey of character development and growth of stature through deep reflection into G-d’s Torah and the acquisition of sterling character through the spiritual practice of Musar. Midot, character, is the most important aspect of growth in Judaism. iAwaken.org is dedicated to helping people acquire the tools they need to engage in life in ways that impact others and elevate the experience of Hashem’s presence in the world.
