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What does Hashem (ה׳) mean when commanding Moshe to lead "benachas" and endure the people's abuse? Nachas means putting directives on the table without imposing—empowering rather than controlling. True leadership and parenting require tolerating cursing and rebellion, because only when you absorb abuse does the child or nation know it's about their development, not your ego.
Rabbi Zweig explores Rashi (רש"י)'s commentary on Shemos 6:13, where Hashem (ה׳) commands Moshe to lead the Jewish people "benachas ulisbosem"—calmly and with patience. The shiur unpacks what these terms truly mean, revealing profound lessons about leadership, parenting, and the art of empowerment. Rashi's language seems puzzling: "lanhegem benachas" (lead them calmly) and "ulisbosem" (be patient with them). But what does "calmly" mean when addressing a nation of millions? And "lisbosem" carries a stronger connotation than patience—it means "suffer them." The Torah (תורה) is demanding that Moshe absorb abuse, as clarified by a parallel Rashi in Bamidbar 11:12, where Moshe protests his burden: "Did I conceive this nation? Did I give birth to them?" Rashi explains that the nursemaid (omen) carries the child even when the child stones and curses her—and this is the model for leadership. The Jewish people, Rashi states bluntly, will stone and curse their leaders, and Moshe must be prepared for this.
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Why does the Midrash connect Pharaoh's expulsion of the Jews to the mitzvah of shiluach hakan? The shiur develops a chiddush that Pharaoh's sin wasn't only drowning the children, but the insensitivity of expelling the parents afterward. The deeper analysis reveals that Pharaoh may have valued the Jews greatly and wanted to control them—making his expulsion an act of tremendous cruelty, not liberation.
Why does Moshe respond to the splitting of the sea with shirah rather than praise or thanksgiving? Rashi's use of "al libo" reveals that shirah is an emotional expression—a response of love to love. When Hashem shows personal care, the only adequate response is "I love You too," not mere gratitude or praise, and this principle applies to all relationships.
Shemos 6:13
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