(ח) וַיָּ֥קָם מֶֽלֶךְ־חָדָ֖שׁ עַל־מִצְרָ֑יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יָדַ֖ע אֶת־יוֹסֵֽף׃
(8) A new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph.
(ב)אשר לא ידע. עָשָׂה עַצְמוֹ כְּאִלּוּ לֹא יְדָעוֹ (סוטה י"א):
(2) אשר לא ידע WHO KNEW NOT [JOSEPH] — he comported himself as though he did not know him (Sotah 11a).
(ה) אָמַר רַבִּי סִימוֹן, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִבְרֹאת אֶת אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, נַעֲשׂוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת כִּתִּים כִּתִּים, וַחֲבוּרוֹת חֲבוּרוֹת, מֵהֶם אוֹמְרִים אַל יִבָּרֵא, וּמֵהֶם אוֹמְרִים יִבָּרֵא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים פה, יא): חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת נִפְגָּשׁוּ צֶדֶק וְשָׁלוֹם נָשָׁקוּ. חֶסֶד אוֹמֵר יִבָּרֵא, שֶׁהוּא גּוֹמֵל חֲסָדִים. וֶאֱמֶת אוֹמֵר אַל יִבָּרֵא, שֶׁכֻּלּוֹ שְׁקָרִים. צֶדֶק אוֹמֵר יִבָּרֵא, שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה צְדָקוֹת. שָׁלוֹם אוֹמֵר אַל יִבָּרֵא, דְּכוּלֵיהּ קְטָטָה. מֶה עָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נָטַל אֱמֶת וְהִשְׁלִיכוֹ לָאָרֶץ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (דניאל ח, יב): וְתַשְׁלֵךְ אֱמֶת אַרְצָה, אָמְרוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָמִים מָה אַתָּה מְבַזֶּה תַּכְסִיס אַלְטִיכְסְיָה שֶׁלָּךְ, תַּעֲלֶה אֱמֶת מִן הָאָרֶץ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים פה, יב): אֱמֶת מֵאֶרֶץ תִּצְמָח. רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי לָהּ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר אִידֵי וְרַבִּי פִּינְחָס וְרַבִּי חֶלְקִיָּה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי סִימוֹן אָמַר, מְאֹד, הוּא אָדָם. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית א, לא): וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וְהִנֵּה טוֹב מְאֹד, וְהִנֵּה טוֹב אָדָם. רַב הוּנָא רַבָּהּ שֶׁל צִפּוֹרִין אֲמַר עַד שֶׁמַּלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת מִדַּיְּנִין אֵלּוּ עִם אֵלּוּ וּמִתְעַסְּקִין אֵלּוּ עִם אֵלּוּ בְּרָאוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. אָמַר לָהֶן מָה אַתֶּם מִדַּיְּנִין כְּבָר נַעֲשָׂה אָדָם.
R. Simon said: When the Holy Blessed One decided to make the first person, the ministering angels formed themselves into groups and parties, some of them saying: “Let him be created!” and others saying, “Do not let him be created!” as it is said: “Lovingkindness and Truth meet, Justice and Peace kiss” (Ps. 85:11).2 Lovingkindness says: “Let him be created, because he will do acts of love,” and Truth says, “Do not let him be created, because he is all lies.” Justice says, “Let him be created, for he will do acts of justice,” and Peace says, “Do not let him be created, for he is all strife.” What did the Holy Blessed One do? He took Truth and cast it to the earth (to the ground), as it is written: “It hurled truth to the ground” (Daniel 8:12). The angels said to the Holy Blessed One: Master of the Universe, do you disgrace your own seal? Raise up Truth from the earth/ground, as it is written: “Truth from the earth will spring up” (Ps. 85:12) … R. Huna the Elder of Sepphoris said: As the ministering angels were arguing and disputing with each other, God created him [Adam], and said to them: “Why are you arguing! Adam has already been created.”3
What is "Truth?"Menachem Mendel of Kotzk, quoted in Itturei Torah*, Vol. I on Genesis 1:26
What is the advantage of casting aside "truth" while "peace" remained which also argued that "s/he not be created."? Yet when we cast aside truth, peace will prevail. The root of argument is that everyone fights for his/her own "truth". But when we push "truth" aside, there is no longer something about which to dispute. Thus there is no argument, and "peace" has no claim to make.
(יח) רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר, עַל שְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים הָעוֹלָם עוֹמֵד, עַל הַדִּין וְעַל הָאֱמֶת וְעַל הַשָּׁלוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (זכריה ח) אֱמֶת וּמִשְׁפַּט שָׁלוֹם שִׁפְטוּ בְּשַׁעֲרֵיכֶם:
(18) Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel used to say: on three things does the world stand: On justice, on truth and on peace, as it is said: “execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates” (Zechariah 8:16).
(ב) וַ֠יֵּרָא מַלְאַ֨ךְ יהוה אֵלָ֛יו בְּלַבַּת־אֵ֖שׁ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַסְּנֶ֑ה וַיַּ֗רְא וְהִנֵּ֤ה הַסְּנֶה֙ בֹּעֵ֣ר בָּאֵ֔שׁ וְהַסְּנֶ֖ה אֵינֶ֥נּוּ אֻכָּֽל׃ (ג) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֔ה אָסֻֽרָה־נָּ֣א וְאֶרְאֶ֔ה אֶת־הַמַּרְאֶ֥ה הַגָּדֹ֖ל הַזֶּ֑ה מַדּ֖וּעַ לֹא־יִבְעַ֥ר הַסְּנֶֽה׃
(2) An angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire out of a bush. He gazed, and there was a bush all aflame, yet the bush was not consumed. (3) Moses said, “I must turn aside to look at this marvelous sight; why doesn’t the bush burn up?”
אסורה נא ואראה אתבונן ואראה.
אסורה נא ואראה; I will try and understand the phenomenon by looking at it more closely.
Rabbi Ariella Rosen
In other words, even the simple act of turning his neck a few degrees was enough for God to decide Moses was worthy of the prophetic messages he would soon receive, and the mantle of leadership that he would assume. It did not matter that he made a slight hesitation rather than a full detour; it was enough to open himself to an encounter that would change not only his life but the course of an entire people.
In other words, even the simple act of turning his neck a few degrees was enough for God to decide Moses was worthy of the prophetic messages he would soon receive, and the mantle of leadership that he would assume. It did not matter that he made a slight hesitation rather than a full detour; it was enough to open himself to an encounter that would change not only his life but the course of an entire people.
A New Prayer for Our Country: On Beginning the Book of ExodusBy Rabbi Danielle Upbin
We the people, One nation under God, turn to You, our Protector, our Rock and Redeemer. Guide us through the Exile of what this nation has become. A nation we no longer recognize - a time of darkness, plague, death and distortion. Salvage Truth, who has become a stifled mute, drowning offshore in the shadows of Lady Liberty’s torch.
God of our Ancestors, You once answered the agonized cry of an enslaved people writhing under the hardship of tortuous taskmasters. You remembered them, performed miracles for them, and raised them up to be Your people. God who pierced through history with a Strong Hand and an Outstretched Arm, remember us. Bless us with Your Grace and saving power.
Amidst the tumult of a teetering democracy, we cry out now.
From the horror that is a land of fear, dividing our country, we ask: Ad matai? How much suffering is enough? This, too, is a prayer. We, who had been standing on the precipice of a new beginning, a vaccine of hope, we ask that You see us through to a life of peace, healing and reconciliation for all.
Ha’Makom - God of this Place and of all Places, we recognize that this place, our America, is also Holy Ground. We have turned to see, but the fire is raging and consuming. Deliver us on Eagle’s wings, the symbol of this great Nation. Hineni. We are ready. God above, protect our democracy and our ideals, shelter our institutions and our nation’s leaders. Free us, save us, redeem us, deliver us, and bring us to safety. Amen.
We the people, One nation under God, turn to You, our Protector, our Rock and Redeemer. Guide us through the Exile of what this nation has become. A nation we no longer recognize - a time of darkness, plague, death and distortion. Salvage Truth, who has become a stifled mute, drowning offshore in the shadows of Lady Liberty’s torch.
God of our Ancestors, You once answered the agonized cry of an enslaved people writhing under the hardship of tortuous taskmasters. You remembered them, performed miracles for them, and raised them up to be Your people. God who pierced through history with a Strong Hand and an Outstretched Arm, remember us. Bless us with Your Grace and saving power.
Amidst the tumult of a teetering democracy, we cry out now.
From the horror that is a land of fear, dividing our country, we ask: Ad matai? How much suffering is enough? This, too, is a prayer. We, who had been standing on the precipice of a new beginning, a vaccine of hope, we ask that You see us through to a life of peace, healing and reconciliation for all.
Ha’Makom - God of this Place and of all Places, we recognize that this place, our America, is also Holy Ground. We have turned to see, but the fire is raging and consuming. Deliver us on Eagle’s wings, the symbol of this great Nation. Hineni. We are ready. God above, protect our democracy and our ideals, shelter our institutions and our nation’s leaders. Free us, save us, redeem us, deliver us, and bring us to safety. Amen.