SHEMOT 5785 – A REFLECTION OF HUMAN NATURE

בס”ד

Our Torah portion, Shemot, recounts that when Moses grew up in Pharaoh’s household and went out to see his brothers, he saw “two Hebrew men fighting,” that were striking each other. Moses’ reaction was, “And he said to the wicked one, ‘Why do you strike your fellow?'” The word ‘strike,’ in the future tense, indicates that the man had not yet struck his fellow, and yet, he is already called ‘wicked.’ Indeed, the Torah (Sanhedrin 58b) learns from this that “one who raises his hand against his fellow, even if he has not struck him, is called wicked.” We can view the raising of the hand as the beginning of the act of striking another. This is the novelty of this matter: even the beginning of the act of striking causes a person to be called ‘wicked.’

However, the assertion that the person is called ‘wicked’ is not only because of the harm and suffering caused later to the person who was struck, but because of the person himself: a person who raises his hand against his fellow, even if it did not develop into an actual blow, and even if the other person has not yet suffered any pain or harm – the very fact that a person raises his hand reflects a level of behavior and a bad trait in his character, namely a negative inclination, and therefore he is called ‘wicked.’

We must add an explanation as to why the raising of the hand is specifically forbidden. The purpose of human creation is “to serve our Creator,” to serve the infinite Creator by having all the limbs of our body serve the L-rd. The ‘hand’ symbolizes giving, and that is its main function – to give charity, to do kindness, to help others fulfill mitzvot. When this ‘hand’ is raised for a completely opposite action – to strike another – there is a grave sin in this, because in doing so, a person transforms the function of the hand from the positive extreme to the negative extreme.

This topic is relevant to Noahides as well. Part of the Seven Laws of Noah is the prohibition of striking another. A person who injures another is responsible to compensate the victim in multiple ways, including the five aspects mentioned in the Torah: damages, pain, medical treatment, loss of employment, and embarrassment (Ramban Genesis 34:13). Therefore courts around the world must act upon and enforce the above law to reduce the rising level of violence worldwide.

From this, we can learn how great the action of ‘raising the hand’ in a positive manner – to act for the benefit of others more than nature and habit. By directing our forces to fulfill their purpose, we live a meaningful life.

Source: Likutei Sichos vol. 31 Page 1. Tractate Sanhedrin 58b.

By Rabbi Moshe Bernstein

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