I
"These are the names of the sons of Levi in order of their birth: Gershon, Kehas, and Merari" (Shemos 6:16). The Shelah asks, why does it say "the names of" regarding Levi's sons and not regarding Reuven and Shimon's sons (6:14:15)? The Shelah explains that Shevet Levi did not suffer in galus. Levi knew this and wanted to include himself in the distress of the community (l'hishtateif b'tza'ar ha'tzibbur). Therefore, he called the names of his sons after the galus: Gershon, as they were geirim (strangers) in a land not theirs (see Breishis 15:13); Kehas, as their teeth were kaihos - set on edge (see Rashi Vayikra 26:20); and Merari, as the Mitzrim embittered (vayemararu) their lives (Shemos 1:14). From here one learns to join in the pain of the community even if the suffering does not touch him.
These names were given before galus Mitzrayim (Breishis 46:11). Presumably, Levi was not only privy to the ensuing galus, but also to the fact that his descendants would be spared (see Rashi Shemos 5:4).
II
The phrase "in order of their birth" (letoldosam) is also unique to Shevet Levi. Perhaps, the three names reflect the three stages of galus. The galus lasted two hundred and ten years (Rashi Breishis 42:2). As long as Levi himself was alive, there was no slavery (Rashi Shemos 6:16). This period, which lasted ninety-four years (Sifsei Chachamim), is represented by Gershon, as they lived in a land not theirs. The remaining one hundred and sixteen years of slavery were not identical. Initially, their teeth were set on edge from the hard labor (Shemos 1:11), corresponding to Kehas. The bitterness intensified thirty years later, the third stage represented by Merari. Amram, son of Kehas, named his daughter Miriam (from mar), because of the increased bitterness. This period lasted eighty-six years, which was Miriam's age at yetzias Mitzrayim (Yalkut Shimoni 165, see Zayin Ra'anan note 8).
III
The legacy of Levi, passed down to Kehas and Amram, who named Miriam based on the suffering which did not reach him, extended to Moshe Rabbeinu as well. On his first very first foray outside of Pharoh's house, Moshe saw the suffering of his brethren (Shemos 2:11). He focused his eyes and heart to be distressed over them (Rashi).
Remarkably, in his comment on "G-d (Elokim) saw B'nai Yisrael, and G-d knew" (Shemos 2:25) Rashi uses a similar expression: "He focused His heart upon them, and did not hide His eyes from them." Hashem was responding to the crying out of B'nai Yisrael because of their suffering (Shemos 2:23). Similarly, "He will call me and I will answer him, I am with him in distress (imo Anochi b'tzara)" (Tehillim 91:16). Thus, Moshe fulfilled imitatio dei, by being in distress over Am Yisrael's suffering.
IV
The very next passuk (3:1) begins: Moshe was grazing the sheep of Yisro. The Medrash Raba (2:2) relates the Moshe had mercy on a wayward sheep and carried it on his shoulder. Hashem said, as a result, "You will shepherd my flock Yisrael".
Earlier, Moshe saved Yisro's daughters from the shepherds who drove them from the well (Shemos 2:17). They reported to Yisro, "A Mitzri man saved us from the shepherds" (2:19). The Medrash (Breishis Raba 36:3) teaches: Moshe is greater than Noach. Noach descended from "ish tzaddik" (Brieshis 6:9) to a drunkard - "ish ha'adama" (9:20). Moshe ascended from "ish Mitzri" (Shemos 2:19) to "ish Elokim" (Devarim 33:1), a man of G-d.
The Meshech Chochma (Breishis 9:20) explains the contrast: Noach was self-absorbed in his righteousness and did not rebuke his generation. Moshe was forced to flee Mitzrayim because he did intervene to save a fellow Jew (Shemos 2:11-15, see Rashi 2:15). [Alternatively, he saved Yisro's daughters who called him ish Mitzri]. Logically, one focused on his own service of Hashem would reach greater heights than one who sacrifices himself for the needs of others. Yet, the Medrash teaches, the opposite is true. Noach, the "tzaddik in peltz", who ignored his surroundings, became a drunkard. Moshe, who cared for anyone who suffered: Bnai Yisrael, a victim of a Mitzri's beating (Shemos 2:11,12), damsels in distress, and even a wayward sheep, reached the highest level attainable, a man of G-d. In contrast to Noach, he saved his entire generation (Medrash Devarim Raba 11:3).
V
Today, 22 Teves 5785, marks exactly sixteen months since the pogrom of 22 Tishrei, Simchas Torah 5784, Oct. 7, 2023. The atrocities of rapacious murderers are unprecedented since the Holocaust. Ever since then, the soldiers and citizens of Israel have suffered terribly: lives and limbs lost, homes abandoned, missiles and drones from faraway foes forcing millions into protected rooms. As Mitzrayim of old, they, our enemies, have embittered our lives. Now, as then, we have cried out to Hashem to end our suffering.
We, American Jewry, like Levi, must include ourselves in the suffering of our embattled Israelis, even if it does not reach us. Like Moshe, we must focus our eyes and hearts to be distressed over them.
The exponential rise in antisemitic acts and rhetoric reminds us that we, too, are in galus. We represent Gershon, strangers even in this kingdom of kindness (Igros Moshe, Choshen Mishpat 2:29), notwithstanding unprecedented wealth and prominence.
All our brothers and sisters in the Holy Land have suffered, in vastly varying degrees, during these difficult wartime months, set on edge reminiscent of Kehas. And thousands of acheinu B'nei Yisrael, batzara u'bashivya, in distress and in captivity, and their families, are victims of life-ending and life-altering terror, tragedies corresponding to Merari.
May Hashem respond to the sincere crying out of worldwide Jewry sharing the distress, past and present, in Eretz Yisrael, as He did in Mitzrayim. May He focus His heart and His eyes upon Klal Yisrael, even as we focus ours on the victims of terror and trauma. "As in the days when you left the land of Mitzrayim show them (Am Yisrael and/or our enemies) wonders" (Micha 7:15, see MHK edition).
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