Beha'alotcha: More Light, Less Ego
People often think that relationships are measured by power, the concentration of authority, and strictly guarding an unquestioned status. However, this week’s Torah portion teaches us the exact opposite lesson. True relationship, as demonstrated by Moses, is not about putting others down to make oneself look bigger. It is precisely the opposite: it is about empowering those around you and feeling genuine joy in their success, without ever feeling threatened.
The story begins when the "Asafsuf" (the mixed multitude)—a group of converts who joined the nation out of fear from the plagues of Egypt rather than for the sake of Heaven—once again find a reason to complain. "Who will feed us meat?", they claim, longing falsely for their past in Egypt. This complaint did not come from actual physical hunger, but rather from a desire to cast off moral responsibility and search for excuses. Moses…
True. But to do this Noahide need to motivate themselves, to study and observe and then be empowered to act on the world. Every action on the world must begin with man acting on himself first.