Parshat Vaera 5778
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in this week's parsha that Hashem commanded Moshe and Aharon to stand before Pharaoh and demand that he let Bnei Yisrael out of Mitzrayim. But before this happens, the Torah (Chapter 6, Pasuk 14) first goes through the lineage of Moshe and Aharon in order to clarify precisely who they were and where they come from. And the Torah doesn't begin with just the immediate family of Moshe and Aharon, but includes the whole tribe of Levi. Nor does the Torah bring just the tribe of Levi, it starts from the very beginning of the tribes with Reuven and Shimon, all in order to explain to us the precise background of Moshe and Aharon. Why does the Torah bring the first three tribes, Reuven, Shimon, and Levi, and stop there when identifying Moshe and Aharon?
There are various explanations given by the different commentators. Rashi brings an explanation from the Medrash Rabbah (13, 8) that since Yaakov was critical of Reuven, Shimon, and Levi when he blessed his children it was necessary to list them at this juncture in order to stress their importance and significance. They are brought here to stress that they were equal members of Clal Yisrael along with the other tribes.
The Meshech Chachmah brings a different explanation from the same Medrash as to why these three tribes are mentioned here. The Medrash brings in the name of the Rabanan that these three tribes were unique among the tribes in that they established themselves as the most powerful of the tribes and exerted authority over the others. They were able to do this since they didn't work as slaves in Egypt. Accordingly, they didn't receive a portion in Eretz Yisrael; shevet Levi, as is known didn't have their own portion, Reuven received in Ever HaYarden, and Shimon was told by Yaakov that he would be spread out among the tribes (Achalkeim B'Yaakov) and the Ramban teaches on the pasuk that their portion was within the portion of Yehuda.
It is based on this Medrash that the Meshech Chachmah explains a difficult pasuk in our parsha right before the listing of these tribes. We read in the parsha (Chapter 6, Pasuk 13), Vayetzavem el Bnei Yisrael V'el Pharaoh Melech Mitzrayim Lehotzi es Bnei Yisrael M'Eretz Mitzrayim, Gd commanded Moshe and Aharon to Bnei Yisrael and to Pharaoh to let Bnei Yisrael out of Egypt. Why were they commanded to Bnei Yisrael as well?It was Pharaoh who had the slaves! Since the Medrash teaches that these tribes had a special status in Mitzrayim they probably had Jewish slaves as well. The command to free the slaves included a reminder to Reuven, Shimon, and Levi to free their slaves as well.
This explains a Gemara Yerushalmi in Rosh Hashanah (Chapter 3, Halacha 5) which teaches on the words Vayetzavem el Bnei Yisrael from the pasuk above that He commanded them the mitzvah of freeing Jewish slaves after seven years. Apparently it was relevant at this juncture to teach this halacha to Bnei Yisael, in particular to these three tribes. And the point of this halacha is that no one Jew is meant to establish total authority over another Jew. Though one might find himself in a position of subservience to another Jew, it is meant to be temporary, and ultimately the tribes of Bnei Yisrael are meant to be distinct and individual entities. This is the meaning of the pasuk at the end of the parsha (Chapter 6, Pasuk 26) Hotzi'u es Bnei Yisrael al Tzivosam. Hashem commanded Moshe and Aharon to take out Bnei Yisrael al Tzivosam; each family and each tribe as a distinct unit.
Lest one think this is troubling that were slaves to Jewish owners as well, the Meshech Chachmah explains this to be great Providence, Hashgachah Pratis. The reason Bnei Yisrael merited to be redeemed was because they remained a separate nation even while being slaves in Egypt; they kept their own dress, language, etc. And they were always anticipating their redemption. But these tribes, as Rashi teaches from the same Medrash, felt ostracized by their father and not part of the nation. Had they been slaves like all the others they might very well have assimilated into Egyptian society. The fact they had a position of authority in Mitzrayim and had slaves themselves enabled them to maintain their place among Clal Yisrael; a nation of great tribes, each one with its distinct role and not subservient to one another.
Good Shabbos
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