Parshat Shemot: Shakespeare’s ‘Greatness’
William Shakespeare knew exactly how to crystallize human traits and experiences into timeless sound bites. In Twelfth Night, Act 2, Scene 5, Malvolio reads Maria's letter (believing it to have been written by Olivia's hand): "If this letter falls into your hands, think carefully about what it says. By my birth I rank above you, but don’t be afraid of my greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them...." This quote has been occupying my mind recently. Not because I think of myself as being great (in any of the dimensions described!) I am simply trying to understand how it can apply to the person we are going to meet for the first time in today's Parsha, namely Moses or as we know him - Moshe Rabeinu - Moshe our teacher. The so-called ‘Prince of Egypt’ appears to have ticked all three boxes! Exodus 2: A certain man of the house of Levi went and married a Levite woman. The woman conceived and bore a son; and whe