Although midrash at times attempts to solve textual problems, at other times midrash seems an illogical flight of fantasy that creates more problems than it solves. Such is the rabbinic comment about Pharaoh's daughter pulling Moses from the Nile River.

The Torah says: "The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe in the Nile, while her maidens walked along the Nile. She spied the basket among the reeds and sent her slave girl to fetch it." (Exodus 2:5)

The rabbis noticed that the Hebrew word for "her slave girl," amatah, is also the same word for "her forearm." They suggested that what the Torah was telling us was not that a slave girl fetched the child, but rather Pharaoh's daughter's forearm miraculously extended several feet so she could lift the child out of the water herself.

At face value, this is mystifying. Why would the rabbis twist the text in such a way to make a logical situation seemi illogical? What possible purpose can this perversion of the text serve?

Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk explains the rabbinic reasoning. He says that God extended Pharaoh's daughter's arm to emphasize the miraculousness of the event. However, he continued, even more miraculous than the extension of Pharaoh's daughter's arm was her initial response to Moses' cries. Even though she was far away from the basket, she did not hesitate reaching out to save the baby, regardless of the futility of her effort. Once she reached out, however, the miracle occurred. Against all reason, her arm extended and she saved baby Moses.

This teaches us, says the Rabbi of Kotzk, that when we want to perform a mitzvah we should never allow reason or logic to get in our way! If we have the desire and perseverance, miracles will occur to help us.

There is no end to the number of creative excuses we can come up with to prevent us from performing mitzvot: We don't have the time, we are too tired, it is too late, it is too expensive, it is too difficult, etc., etc., etc. Endless are the roadblocks we place in our way.

A Last Minute Miracle

Rabbi Menachem Mendel says that when we have an opportunity to perform a mitzvah we should push away our reluctance, hesitation, and doubt. If we just dig in with full commitment and full hearts, there is no end to the miracles we can accomplish!

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal