Overview – Sefer Shemot/0/en

Overview – Sefer Shemot

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Structure of the Book

Sefer Shemot tells how the Israelites transformed from a nation of slaves serving Paroh to a nation of free people serving Hashem.  It can be divided into three main sections:

• "Slavery and Redemption" – The first unit, Chapters 1:1 – 15:21, speaks of the period of bondage and Israel's physical emancipation by Hashem.
• "A Nation in Transition" – The second section, Chapters 15:22 – 18:27, is a transition unit which describes the short period when the nation is already free, but have not yet covenantally bound themselves to God. It describes the people's first challenges on the road to nationhood.
• "Servants of Hashem" – The last section, Chapters 19:1 – 40:38, speaks of the nation's spiritual redemption and their entering into a covenantal relationship with Hashem.¹

This division is based on the above thematic issues, the different settings of each unit,² and the varying protagonists highlighted in each section.³  The Song of the Sea (Chapter 15) serves as a further literary marker, festively closing the first unit and separating the prose accounts which surround it.  For elaboration on the book's structure, and further subdivisions of each of its sections, see Structure – Sefer Shemot.

Themes

Nation Building

Much of Sefer Shemot deals with the challenges faced by Israel as they become an independent nation.⁴ 

Becoming "Servants of God"

Through the events of the Exodus and Revelation at Sinai, the Nation of Israel begins to forge a covenantal relationship with Hashem.  What does Sefer Shemot teach about ---?

• Religiosity in Egypt –

Challenges of Leadership

Sefer Shemot introduces the first national head of Israel, Moshe, and in so doing touches upon many issues related to leadership:

• Relating to God, relating to man – Are the same qualities needed to become the highest of prophets as are required to be a political and national leader?  Did Moshe excel in both areas equally?  Contrast the opinions of Ralbag and Abarbanel in Did Moshe Need Yitro's Advice?⁵

• Family life – What toll does leadership take on the quality of one's family life? How did Moshe's duties affect his relationship with Tzipporah? See אחר שלוחיה, Mystery at the Malon, Moshe's Family Life, and Miryam's Critique of Moshe and his Cushite Marriage
• Impediments to leadership – Moshe is described as being "כְבַד פֶּה וּכְבַד לָשׁוֹן". Why would Hashem choose an orator with speech difficulties?  How might this choice have affected Moshe's ability to lead? How might have it affected the nation's perception of him?  See Moshe's Speech Impediment.
• Delegating responsibility – What were Moshe's various responsibilities as Israel's leader?  How much time did he spend on each of his judicial, administrative, military and prophetic duties? Which of these was he willing to delegate to others?  See Moshe's Duties and Yitro's Advice.
• Flawed leadership? Must our leaders be viewed as perfect role models, or is it legitimate to criticize some of their actions? Was Moshe's taking the law into his own hands to kill the Egyptian an act deserving of praise or condemnation? How is one to understand Aharon's role in the Sin of the Golden Calf? 
  
• Righteous Gentiles?

Patriarchal Promises Fulfilled

Theological Issues

Many theological and philosophical issues are raised through the various stories of Sefer Shemot:

• Free Will – Throughout the story of the Plagues, we read how Hashem repeatedly hardened Paroh's heart, causing him to persist in the enslavement of the Israelites. Taken at face value, these verses suggest that Hashem actively made Paroh sin. Why would Hashem try to keep someone from repenting?  Moreover, do these verses suggest that man does not always have free will?  Might there be circumstances under which Hashem removes a person's freedom of choice? See Hardened Hearts for elaboration.
• צדיק ורע לו – Sefer Shemot does not preface the description of the nation's bondage with mention of any sin, making one question what they did to deserve such a fate. Why was the decree of exile and enslavement necessary? In general, why is suffering sometimes part of the Divine plan?  See Purposes of the Egyptian Bondage and, for a more general discussion of the issue of theodicy, see צדיק ורע לו.
• Revelation
• Prophecy
• Nature of Miracles

 

¹ See Ramban

² While the first section takes place in Egypt, the transition unit occurs en route in the Wilderness and the final chapters take place while the nation is camped at Mt. Sinai.

³ While the first section focuses mainly on the interactions between Paroh and Moshe (and their respective nations), the second two speak of the relationship between Israel, Hashem and Moshe.

⁴ See R. D"Z Hoffmann's introduction to the book,, where he points out that just as Sefer Bereshit speaks of the creation of the world, Sefer Shemot speaks of the creation of the Nation of Israel.

⁵ See Ralbag also in Moshe's Speech Impediment.