“He Is My Brother”: The Trait That Made Moses a Leader

Many years ago, a postage stamp was issued in the United States depicting a thin man carrying a much heavier man on his back. Beneath the image were the words: “He is not heavy, he is my brother.”

How true that statement is.

The Defining Trait of Moses

When God appointed Moses for his mission, he was already eighty years old. What do we know about his life up to that point? The Torah does not recount dramatic achievements or heroic exploits. Instead, it highlights three seemingly simple stories, all sharing one common thread: the quality of carrying the burden with another.

This idea is captured in the verse: “And it came to pass in those days that Moses grew, and he went out to his brothers and saw their suffering” (Exodus 2:11). Moses “went out to his brothers.” The entire Jewish people were his brothers, and he went out specifically to see their pain, by placing his eyes and his heart upon their suffering.

This quality of sharing in another’s burden, is one of the foundational principles of Jewish life. Moses was chosen for the greatest mission in history largely because of his ability to step outside himself, to move beyond his natural ego, to feel another’s pain, and to help as much as he could.

Why Was Moses Chosen?

Moses’ first prophetic revelation occurred at the burning bush, while he was tending the flock of his father-in-law in the desert. The Torah describes the moment: an angel of God appeared to him in a flame of fire within a bush, yet the bush was not consumed. Moses said, “Let me turn aside and see this great sight.” Then the Torah states: “And the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, and God called to him from within the bush” (Exodus 3:2–4).

At first glance, this seems puzzling. Wouldn’t anyone stop to look at such a strange and wondrous sight? What was so special about Moses “turning aside” that merited divine revelation?

Turning Away from the Self

The answer lies in the words of the Midrash. The Sages explain that when Moses “went out to his brothers and saw their suffering,” he did more than observe — he felt their pain deeply. He wept and said, “I wish I could die in your place.” He even physically helped them carry their burdens.

God said: “You left your own concerns and went to see the suffering of Israel, acting toward them like a brother. I will leave the heavenly realms and speak with you.” This is the meaning of the verse: “God saw that he turned aside to see” — He saw that Moses turned away from his own self-interest to share in the suffering of others.

This is what made him worthy of the mission. Moses stepped out of himself for the sake of his people, and therefore God, measure for measure, “stepped out” to redeem them.

Compassion That Begins Redemption

At the beginning of the story, Pharaoh’s daughter Batya, rescues the infant Moses from the river. The verse says: “She opened it and saw the child, and behold, the boy was crying, and she had compassion on him.”

According to one explanation, the crying child was not Moses, but his brother Aaron. It was Aaron’s cry that stirred compassion in her heart.

This detail carries a deeper message. The exile in Egypt began because of conflict between brothers — when Joseph was sold by his siblings. If so, it makes sense that redemption would begin when that division is repaired — when one brother cries for another.

When a brother feels the pain of his brother, the first footsteps of redemption begin to be heard.

A Call for Our Time

In our prayers, we often ask God: “Do not hide Your face from us.” Perhaps the path begins with us.

If we turn to see others, not just to notice, but to truly feel and empathize, then God will turn toward us as well and illuminate us with His presence.

Just as Moses turned aside to see, so God turned toward him.

The choice is in our hands.