parshat Shmot

In this week's Torah reading Hashem promises Moshe he will redeem the nation of Israel out of Egypt and he will take them to a good and broad land. How can such a small land be called broad? The Natziv explains this issue.

Moshe’s first action as an emerging leader was that he saw an Egyptian beating an Israelite and killed the Egyptian (Shemot 2:11-12). This was followed by confronting two Israelites fighting and trying to stop them, only to be scorned, “Who has placed you as an officer and judge over us? Will you kill me the way that you killed the Egyptian?” (ibid. 14). Moshe was then sought by Paroh and slated for execution, but he managed to escape to Midian.

"Who is wise?" ask the Rabbis. "Ha-roeh et ha-nolad - he who sees that which is yet unborn."