Mussar HaTorah
21 Teves, 5769 Vol. 10, No. 13 Parashas Shmos
mitzvah of saving a Jewish life; how is it conceivable that Moshe would have passed it up?
We must conclude that Moshe really would have seized the chance to do this mitzvah even if there were others that were ready and able to kill the Egyptian.
The lack of response by other Jews did not determine whether Moshe would react, but rather how he would react. Moshe would not have acted with the same intensity had he known that other people were available. The Midrash is explaining that Moshe surveyed the scene and saw no one else ready to act. This knowledge did not make him hesitant, feeling alone and unsure. Instead, seeing this state of affairs filled him with courage and strength. He focused on the fact that he was the only one willing to save his Jewish brother. This knowledge
only caused Moshe to increase his zealous fervor.
How often do we find ourselves in situations that call for action, that require