Shemos

The book of Shemos opens an entirely new chapter in the Jewish people. Genesis is the birth and beginnings of the nation, Shemos is when it grew up. There is an intriguing comment by RebYaakov Kamenentsky the late great American Rosh Yeshiva. He notes the fact that the usual spacing which separates the sedras in the Torah scroll is absent between the last two sedras of Genesis. The reason is because, this is the dawn of the new era of the Jews but it remains connected and attached to the stories and values of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The national character of the Jews was already formed by the patriarchs and matriarchs; Egypt was the experience which would test and refine it.

Almost anyone could recall that the Torah has one remark about our national character above all others. The Jews are a stiff necked people. We are determined and stubborn and deeply suspicious of any change which might not enhance who and what we are. Anyone appointed to lead such a nation would have to deal with this reality above all others. Anyone appointed to lead the Jews would first have to overcome this reality.

When G-d appears to Moshe and charges him with leading the Jewish people Moshe replies,

Chpt. 3 Vs.13 " And Moshe replied to G-d and said I will come to the children of Israel and say to them that the G-d of your fathers has sent me to you and they will say what is his name, what shall I reply?"

The Ibn Ezra explains that there was a tradition carried by the Jews from Yaakov, the person who would lead the Jews from Egypt would use a secret name for G-d which was not known to any but the greats of the people. Moshe already knew that persuading the Jews to accept his leadership would not be easy!

In Vs. 16 it reports that G-d told Moshe

" Go and gather the elders ( leaders) of the Jewish peolple and say that G-d the G-d of your fathers apeared to me. The G-d of Abraham, Issac and Jacob said Pokod Pokaditi ( I have remembered I have remembered you) and that which has happened to you in Egypt"

The Alshich points out that the strange expression "I have remembered you I have remembered you" was in fact another piece of code which unlocked the confidence and trust of the Jews. The last thing that Joseph said to the Jewish people was making them swear an oath, Genesis Chpt.50 Vs.25

" And Joseph made the Jews swear an oath to say Hashem will remember you will remember you and you will take up my bones from here"

There were to be two further proofs of authenticity, the real saviour of the Jews would use the strange phrase "G-d has remembered you has remembered you." This person would also be able to locate the sarcophagus which contained Joseph's body and bring it from Egypt.

After all this the Jews needed to witness the great suspension of nature at the miracles of the ten plagues which culminated in the Egyptian's "insane" pursuit of the Jews into the Red Sea. The Torah reports Exodus Chpt. 14 Vs. 31

" And the Jews saw the great hand which G-d had done with Egyptians and the people feared G-d and they believed in G-d and in Moses his servant"

So you might think that at last the Jews were convinced of Moses authenticity....but you would be wrong.

Later in Exodus Chpt 19 Vs. 9 the Torah says an amazing thing,

"And G-d said to Moses behold I will appear to you in a pillar of cloud in order that the people will hear when I speak with you and they will believe in you for ever"

Only now would they believe in Moses for ever, the belief they had in him before still carried question marks!

The Rambam in Hilchos Yisodei haTorah Chpt. 8. Halochoh 1. Makes an earth shattering statement about Judaism and miracles,

"Moses was not believed by the Jews because of the miracles which he did. Anyone who believes (in a prophet) because of the miracles that he does is a fool miracles could be achieved through occult forces....And what caused them to believe in Moses? When we stood at mount Sinai and heard with our own ears G-d speaking to Moses"

If the only legitimacy of Moses was miracles then later prophets could come along and perform tricks and claim as much right to establish or change Jewish Law as Moses. The Meshech Chochmoh echoes the words of the Rambam and says we believe in Moses as the prophet par excellence because all the Jews who stood at mount Sinai reached the level of becoming prophets (only a prophet can hear G-d) and they heard G-d speaking to Moses. We therefore are the witnesses to the authenticity of Moses. No other prophet can have that endorsement. If a prophet claims authenticity and challenges a tittle or a jot of the Torah of Moses, then we know they come under the category of false prophets. Jewish history is littered with the wrecks of such candidates and their movements. The hardest thing to do in the world is to convince the Jewish people of the authenticity of a prophet. The proof of illegitimacy, is any attempt to change the Torah.