Parshas Bo - Moshe's Anger

After Moshe warns Pharoah that in the tenth plague, the first born in each family in Egypt will die, the verse tells us: “And he left Pharoah’s presence in a burning anger” (Exodus 11:8).

Why was Moshe so incensed? It seems unlikely that Moshe was upset that Pharoah’s continued obstinacy blocked Jewish liberation, because God has promised him moments earlier that after this last plague, the Jews would be imminently released (11:1). So why is Moshe filled with anger?

Rashi suggests that Moshe is upset because shortly before he warned Pharoah about the last plague, Pharoah said “Don’t come see me again!” (10:28). Given that we’re told later that Moshe “was exceedingly humble, more than any person on the earth” (Numbers 12:3), we can probably rule out a personal slight as the motivation for Moshe’s fury. So what then? I suggest that Rashi is pointing to a critical, though perhaps often overlooked, aspect of Moshe’s character – his universal outlook.

We will recall that Moshe’s adoptive mother was an Egyptian princess and he was raised in the palace. Though his current mandate as God’s messenger led him to focus exclusively on the liberation of the Jewish people, Moshe may have retained some attachment to and concern for the Egyptian people. We know as well that when he fled Egypt, after executing the Egyptian taskmaster who was needlessly torturing a Jew, Moshe arrived in Midian and saved Yisro’s daughters – all non-Jews – from being harassed by the local shepherds (2: 17). It appears that Moshe actively cared about all people, not just his Jewish co-religionists. It is possible, then, that Moshe’s anger stemmed from his concern for the Egyptians and his frustration that Pharoah – in his great arrogance - had just needlessly squandered an opportunity to save them from incredible suffering.

As Jews, we believe that we follow a particular destiny. This Torah verse should prompt us to consider that our unique destiny does not preclude us, and indeed should prompt us, to exercise compassion for the broader world around us. 

VaYigash - Righteous Grumblings

Shortly after his family resettles in Egypt, Joseph brings his saintly father to meet Pharoah. Struck by how old Jacob looked, Pharoah asks him one question: “How many are the days of the years of your life?” Jacob replies: “The days of the years of my travels are a hundred and thirty years. Few and evil have been the years of my life and I have not attained the years of life of my fathers in the days of their travels” (47:8-9). Accepting that Jacob faced many trials in his life with his brother Esau, his wives, and his father-in-law, as well as the abduction of his daughter, bitter infighting between his sons, and the disappearance of his son, his response to Pharoah is still perplexing. Is this the way a righteous man, who (we would think) models an acceptance of God’s will, speaks about his life to a major world leader?   

Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman (Ramban), a noted community leader and scholar in 13^th century Spain, asks this very question. He suggests that Jacob’s answer was intended to address Pharoah’s puzzlement at Jacob’s aged appearance, which was uncommon in Egypt. Jacob’s reply stated, in essence: “I look older than most people because I’ve faced many painful situations.”

I would suggest another rationale for Jacob’s seemingly bitter response to Pharoah. Jacob’s practice was to keep a distance from people who he viewed as unsavory or as potentially poor moral role models for his children and grandchildren. We can see this practice reflected in Jacob’s negative response to his brother Esau’s offer that they travel together (33: 12- 14), and his quick flight from his father in law’s house (Chapter 31). Jacob may have sensed that Pharoah would take a keen interest in the elderly father of his top official, Joseph. So Jacob did what he could to discourage Pharoah’s interest, by offering a sour and bitter outlook on life in their first encounter. It seems that Jacob’s tactic was successful, because the Torah records no further contact between the two men.

MeKaytz - Plausibility Quotient?

Pharoah, the king of perhaps the greatest superpower country in that era, tells Joseph – a Hebrew slave and the former prisoner – about his two dreams and Joseph offers a compelling interpretation, as well as some advice on how to handle the dream’s forecast of future events. Pharoah reacts by stating: “Can we find someone like this, in whom resides the spirit of God?” … Since God has caused you to know all this, there is none so discreet and wise as you. You shall be over my house and according to you all my people shall be ruled; only in the throne will I be greater than you.” (41:38-40).

I find Pharoah’s reaction hard to fathom. Yes, the dream interpretation and the advice may have seemed quite fitting, even wise. But would anyone – let alone a formidable ruler like Pharoah – turn around and immediately appoint a total stranger to be prime minister? There’s no background check, no apprenticeship, no offer of a cushy post as ‘top advisor’ – instead, Pharoah installs Joseph as almost a political rival. How can that be?

Some Biblical commentators suggest that Joseph’s interpretation was so spot-on, it demonstrated that he knew more about the dreams then Pharoah initially revealed. Noticing this, Pharoah understood that Joseph was Divinely inspired and put him in the best post to capitalize on his Godly connection. And then there’s a midrashic story (Talmud Sotah, 36B) that posits that Pharoah subjected Joseph to a leadership assessment test, in which he challenged Joseph to prove his mastery of different languages. In the course of the test, Joseph not only demonstrated mastery of the 70 known languages but also showed his knowledge of Hebrew, which Pharoah could not master. To cover up the fact that he was bested in this situation, Pharoah offered Joseph the top position on condition that he swear not to reveal the results of the language test to anyone else.

The explanations are interesting. But I have a difficult time connecting either one to the text in the Torah portion. So, for me, the question persists.