הוי דומה לו
Become similar to [the Holy One].
מה הוא חנון ורחום, אף אתה היה חנון ורחום
(ט) יְקִֽימְךָ֨ יְהוָ֥ה לוֹ֙ לְעַ֣ם קָד֔וֹשׁ כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר נִֽשְׁבַּֽע־לָ֑ךְ כִּ֣י תִשְׁמֹ֗ר אֶת־מִצְוֺת֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ וְהָלַכְתָּ֖ בִּדְרָכָֽיו׃
(9) G-d will establish you as a holy people for Himself, as He has sworn to you; if you will keep the commandments of G-d, and walk in His ways.
(טו) כִּי֩ כֹ֨ה אָמַ֜ר רָ֣ם וְנִשָּׂ֗א שֹׁכֵ֥ן עַד֙ וְקָד֣וֹשׁ שְׁמ֔וֹ: מָר֥וֹם וְקָד֖וֹשׁ אֶשְׁכּ֑וֹן וְאֶת־דַּכָּא֙ וּשְׁפַל־ר֔וּחַ לְהַחֲיוֹת֙ ר֣וּחַ שְׁפָלִ֔ים וּֽלְהַחֲי֖וֹת לֵ֥ב נִדְכָּאִֽים׃
(15) For so says the High and Lofty One That inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who is downtrodden and of humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the ones who are downtrodden.
(ג) וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אָנֹכִ֥י הָאֵ֖ל אֱלֹהֵ֣י אָבִ֑יךָ אַל־תִּירָא֙ מֵרְדָ֣ה מִצְרַ֔יְמָה כִּֽי־לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל אֲשִֽׂימְךָ֥ שָֽׁם׃ (ד) אָנֹכִ֗י אֵרֵ֤ד עִמְּךָ֙ מִצְרַ֔יְמָה...
(3) And He said: ‘I am God, the God of your father; don't be afraid going down to Egypt for I will make you there into a great nation. (4) I will go down with you into Egypt...
(ד) ... וְאָנֹכִ֖י אַֽעַלְךָ֣ גַם־עָלֹ֑ה ...
(4)... and I will also bring you up again...
(יט) וַיִּסַּ֞ע מַלְאַ֣ךְ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים הַהֹלֵךְ֙ לִפְנֵי֙ מַחֲנֵ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּסַּ֞ע עַמּ֤וּד הֶֽעָנָן֙ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיַּֽעֲמֹ֖ד מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶֽם׃
(19) And the angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them, and stood behind them;
(כא) וַֽיהוָ֡ה הֹלֵךְ֩ לִפְנֵיהֶ֨ם יוֹמָ֜ם בְּעַמּ֤וּד עָנָן֙ לַנְחֹתָ֣ם הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְלַ֛יְלָה בְּעַמּ֥וּד אֵ֖שׁ לְהָאִ֣יר לָהֶ֑ם...
(21) And Hashem went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light...
(ג) וְשָׁ֨ב יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ אֶת־שְׁבוּתְךָ֖ וְרִחֲמֶ֑ךָ וְשָׁ֗ב וְקִבֶּצְךָ֙ מִכָּל־הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֧ר הֱפִֽיצְךָ֛ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ שָֽׁמָּה׃
(3) Then Hashem your G-d will return your exiles, and he will have compassion upon you; He will once again gather you from all the nations, where Hashem your G-d has dispersed you.
(ט) בְּֽכָל־צָרָתָ֣ם ׀ לא [ל֣וֹ] צָ֗ר...
(9) In all their affliction He was afflicted...
(ד) וַיַּ֥רְא יְהוָ֖ה כִּ֣י סָ֣ר לִרְא֑וֹת וַיִּקְרָא֩ אֵלָ֨יו אֱלֹהִ֜ים מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַסְּנֶ֗ה וַיֹּ֛אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֥ה מֹשֶׁ֖ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הִנֵּֽנִי׃
(4) And when G-d saw that he turned aside to see, G-d called to him out of the midst of the bush, and said: ‘Moses, Moses.’ And he said: ‘Here am I.’
אמר לו הקדוש ברוך הוא למשה: אי אתה מרגיש שאני שרוי בצער, כשם שישראל שרוים בצער. הוי יודע, ממקום שאני מדבר עמך מתוך הקוצים, כביכול אני שותף בצערן...רבי יוסי אומר: כשם שהסנה קשה מכל האילנות, וכל עוף שנכנס לתוך הסנה אין יוצא בשלום, כך היה שעבוד מצרים קשה לפני המקום, מכל השעבודים שבעולם.
The Holy One, Blessed be He said to Moses, You do not sense that I too dwell in sorrow just as Israel dwells in sorrow. But you should know: from the place I speak to you from within the thorn-bush, [that is a sign] as it were that I too am a partner in their sorrow. "... Rabbi Yossi said: Just as the thorn-bush is the hardest of all the trees, and any bird that enters into it does not come out unharmed, so too the servitude in Egypt was harsher to God more than any other servitude in the world.
(י) וַיִּרְא֕וּ אֵ֖ת אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְתַ֣חַת רַגְלָ֗יו כְּמַעֲשֵׂה֙ לִבְנַ֣ת הַסַּפִּ֔יר...
(10) and they saw the God of Israel; and there was under His feet the like of a paved work of sapphire stone...
כמעשה לבנת הספיר. הִיא הָיְתָה לְפָנָיו בִּשְׁעַת הַשִּׁעְבּוּד, לִזְכּוֹר צָרָתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהָיוּ מְשֻׁעְבָּדִים בְּמַעֲשֵׂה לְבֵנִים (ויקרא רבה):
This had been before Him during the period of Egyptian slavery as a symbol of Israel’s woes — for they were subjected to do brick-work.
(טו) יִקְרָאֵ֨נִי ׀ וְֽאֶעֱנֵ֗הוּ עִמּֽוֹ־אָנֹכִ֥י בְצָרָ֑ה...
(15) He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble...
(25) And they sat down to eat bread; and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites came from Gilead, with their camels bearing spices, balm, and lotus, going to take th down to Egypt.
(כא) וַיְהִ֤י יְהוָה֙ אֶת־יוֹסֵ֔ף וַיֵּ֥ט אֵלָ֖יו חָ֑סֶד וַיִּתֵּ֣ן חִנּ֔וֹ בְּעֵינֵ֖י שַׂ֥ר בֵּית־הַסֹּֽהַר׃
(21) And Hashem was with Joseph, and showed kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the warden.
(ז) וַיִּשְׁאַ֞ל אֶת־סְרִיסֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אִתּ֧וֹ בְמִשְׁמַ֛ר בֵּ֥ית אֲדֹנָ֖יו לֵאמֹ֑ר מַדּ֛וּעַ פְּנֵיכֶ֥ם רָעִ֖ים הַיּֽוֹם׃
(7) And he asked Pharaoh’s officers that were with him in the ward of his master’s house, saying: ‘Why do you look so sad today?’
(נ) וּלְיוֹסֵ֤ף יֻלַּד֙ שְׁנֵ֣י בָנִ֔ים בְּטֶ֥רֶם תָּב֖וֹא שְׁנַ֣ת הָרָעָ֑ב אֲשֶׁ֤ר יָֽלְדָה־לּוֹ֙ אָֽסְנַ֔ת בַּת־פּ֥וֹטִי פֶ֖רַע כֹּהֵ֥ן אֽוֹן׃
(50) And Joseph had two sons before the year of famine came, whom Asenath the daughter of Poti-phera priest of On bore to him.
From here we learn that a man must practise abstinence during times of famine (cf. Taanit 11a).
(ב) ומשה היה רועה - ...כשהיה משה רבינו עליו השלום רועה צאנו של יתרו במדבר, ברח ממנו גדי ורץ אחריו, עד שהגיע לחסית, כיון שהגיע לחסית, נזדמנה לו בריכה של מים ועמד הגדי לשתות, כיון שהגיע משה אצלו, אמר: "אני לא הייתי יודע שרץ היית מפני צמא, עיף אתה." הרכיבו על כתיפו והיה מהלך. אמר הקדוש ברוך הוא: "יש לך רחמים לנהוג צאנו של בשר ודם, כך, חייך! אתה תרעה צאני ישראל."
(2) ... Once, while Moses our Teacher was tending [his father-in-law] Yitro’s sheep, one of the sheep ran away. Moses ran after it until it reached a small, shaded place. There, the lamb came across a pool and began to drink. As Moses approached the lamb, he said, “I did not know you ran away because you were thirsty. You are so exhausted!” He then put the lamb on his shoulders and carried him back. The Holy One said, “Since you tend the sheep of human beings with such overwhelming love - by your life, I swear you shall be the shepherd of My sheep, Israel.”
(יא) וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֗ם וַיִּגְדַּ֤ל מֹשֶׁה֙ וַיֵּצֵ֣א אֶל־אֶחָ֔יו וַיַּ֖רְא בְּסִבְלֹתָ֑ם וַיַּרְא֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִצְרִ֔י מַכֶּ֥ה אִישׁ־עִבְרִ֖י מֵאֶחָֽיו׃
(11) And it was in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brothers, and he looked at their burdens, and saw an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, one of his brothers.
וירא בסבלתם. נָתַן עֵינָיו וְלִבּוֹ לִהְיוֹת מֵצֵר עֲלֵיהֶם (שמות רבה א'):
He set his eyes and mind to share in their distress. (Exodus Rabbah 1:10)
מהו וירא? שהיה רואה בסבלותם ובוכה ... והיה נותן כתפיו ומסיע לכל אחד ואחד מהן. רבי אלעזר בנו של רבי יוסי הגליגי אומר: ראה משוי גדול על קטן, ומשוי קטן על גדול, ומשוי איש על אשה, ומשוי אשה על איש, ומשוי זקן על בחור, ומשוי בחור על זקן, והיה מניח דרגון שלו והולך ומישב להם סבלותיהם, ועושה כאלו מסיע לפרעה. אמר הקדוש ברוך הוא: "אתה הנחת עסקיך והלכת לראות בצערן של ישראל, ונהגת בהן מנהג אחים, אני מניח את העליונים ואת התחתונים, ואדבר עמך."
What is, "And [he] looked?" For he would look upon their burdens and cry ... And he would give of [i.e. use] his shoulders to assist each one of them. R' Eliezer the son of R' Yose the Galilean said: [If] he saw a large burden on a small person and a small burden on a large person, or a man's burden on a woman and a woman's burden on a man, or an elderly man's burden on a young man and a young man's burden on an elderly man, he would leave aside his rank and go and right their burdens, and act as though he were assisting Pharaoh. Hashem said: You left aside your business and went to see the sorrow of Israel, and acted toward them as brothers act. I will leave aside the upper and the lower [i.e. ignore the distinction between Heaven and Earth] and talk to you.
יצער אדם עם הצבור שכן מצינו במשה רבינו שציער עצמו עם הצבור שנאמר (שמות יז, יב) וידי משה כבדים ויקחו אבן וישימו תחתיו וישב עליה וכי לא היה לו למשה כר אחת או כסת אחת לישב עליה אלא כך אמר משה "הואיל וישראל שרויין בצער אף אני אהיה עמהם בצער."
An individual should share in the distress of the community, for thus we have found in regard to Moshe, that he shared in the distress of the community, as it says: "And the hands of Moshe were heavy, and they took a stone and placed it beneath him, and he sat upon it." Now, did Moshe not possess even one pillow or one cushion upon which to sit? However, this is what Moshe said: "Since Israel is in a state of distress, so, too, will I share in their distress."
(יב) קָחֶ֗נּוּ וְעֵינֶ֙יךָ֙ שִׂ֣ים עָלָ֔יו וְאַל־תַּ֥עַשׂ ל֖וֹ מְא֣וּמָה רָּ֑ע...
(12) 'Take him, and look well after him, and do him no harm..."
(א) הַדָּבָ֞ר אֲשֶׁר־הָיָ֤ה אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֙הוּ֙ מֵאֵ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה אַחַ֣ר ׀ שַׁלַּ֣ח אֹת֗וֹ נְבוּזַרְאֲדָ֛ן רַב־טַבָּחִ֖ים מִן־הָֽרָמָ֑ה בְּקַחְתּ֣וֹ אֹת֗וֹ וְהֽוּא־אָס֤וּר בָּֽאזִקִּים֙ בְּת֨וֹךְ כָּל־גָּל֤וּת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ וִֽיהוּדָ֔ה הַמֻּגְלִ֖ים בָּבֶֽלָה׃
(1) The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, after that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him being bound in chains among all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah, that were carried away captive unto Babylon.
(י) וַיִּרְא֕וּ אֵ֖ת אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְתַ֣חַת רַגְלָ֗יו כְּמַעֲשֵׂה֙ לִבְנַ֣ת הַסַּפִּ֔יר וּכְעֶ֥צֶם הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם לָטֹֽהַר׃
(10) and they saw the God of Israel; and there was under His feet the like of a paved work of sapphire stone, and the like of the very heaven for clearness.
וכעצם השמים לטהר. מִשֶּׁנִּגְאֲלוּ הָיָה אוֹר וְחֶדְוָה לְפָנָיו:
i.e. as soon as they (Israel) were redeemed, there was light and joy before Him.
(יג) וַיֹּ֖אמֶר "בִּ֣י אֲדֹנָ֑י שְֽׁלַֽח־נָ֖א בְּיַד־תִּשְׁלָֽח"׃
(13) And he said: ‘G-d, send by the hand of him whom You will send.’
ביד תשלח. בְּיַד מִי שֶׁאַתָּה רָגִיל לִשְׁלוֹחַ, וְהוּא אַהֲרֹן.
i.e. by the hand of him whom You are accustomed to send; i.e. Aaron.
(יד) וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֨ף יְהוָ֜ה בְּמֹשֶׁ֗ה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הֲלֹ֨א אַהֲרֹ֤ן אָחִ֙יךָ֙ הַלֵּוִ֔י יָדַ֕עְתִּי כִּֽי־דַבֵּ֥ר יְדַבֵּ֖ר ה֑וּא וְגַ֤ם הִנֵּה־הוּא֙ יֹצֵ֣א לִקְרָאתֶ֔ךָ וְרָאֲךָ֖ וְשָׂמַ֥ח בְּלִבּֽוֹ׃
(14) And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and He said: "Is there not Aaron your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he is coming here to meet you; and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart."
בשכר (שמות ד, יד) 'וראך ושמח בלבו' זכה לחשן המשפט על לבו:
As a reward for "he will be glad in his heart," he merited to wear the Choshen haMishphat on his heart.
(א) שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּעֲל֗וֹת לְדָ֫וִ֥ד הִנֵּ֣ה מַה־טּ֭וֹב וּמַה־נָּעִ֑ים שֶׁ֖בֶת אַחִ֣ים גַּם־יָֽחַד׃ (ב) כַּשֶּׁ֤מֶן הַטּ֨וֹב ׀ עַל־הָרֹ֗אשׁ יֹרֵ֗ד עַֽל־הַזָּקָ֥ן זְקַֽן־אַהֲרֹ֑ן שֶׁ֝יֹּרֵ֗ד עַל־פִּ֥י מִדּוֹתָֽיו׃
(1) A Song of Ascents; of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity! (2) It is like the precious oil upon the head, coming down upon the beard; the beard of Aaron, That comes down upon the collar of his garments.
וכי שני זקנים היו לאהרן ואת אמרת הזקן, זקן?! אלא כיון שראה משה את השמן יורד על זקן אהרן, היה שמח כאלו על זקנו ירד.
Did Aharon, then, have two beards, that it is mentioned twice here? Rather, when Moshe saw the annointing oil running down upon the beard of Aharon, he rejoiced as though it had run down upon his own beard.
(יח) ... וְאָֽהַבְתָּ֥ לְרֵעֲךָ֖ כָּמ֑וֹךָ אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֽה׃
(18) ... love your neighbour as yourself: I am the LORD.
(ט) וְגֵ֖ר לֹ֣א תִלְחָ֑ץ וְאַתֶּ֗ם יְדַעְתֶּם֙ אֶת־נֶ֣פֶשׁ הַגֵּ֔ר כִּֽי־גֵרִ֥ים הֱיִיתֶ֖ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(9) You shall not oppress a stranger; for you know the heart of a stranger, seeing that you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
(לד) כְּאֶזְרָ֣ח מִכֶּם֩ יִהְיֶ֨ה לָכֶ֜ם הַגֵּ֣ר ׀ הַגָּ֣ר אִתְּכֶ֗ם וְאָהַבְתָּ֥ לוֹ֙ כָּמ֔וֹךָ כִּֽי־גֵרִ֥ים הֱיִיתֶ֖ם בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם...
(34) The stranger that lives with you shall be to you as the home-born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt...
(יח) עֹשֶׂ֛ה מִשְׁפַּ֥ט יָת֖וֹם וְאַלְמָנָ֑ה וְאֹהֵ֣ב גֵּ֔ר ... (יט) וַאֲהַבְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־הַגֵּ֑ר ...
(18) He executes justice for the orphan and widow, and loves the stranger... (19) You shall therefore love the stranger...