Born great, becoming greater

“Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” This famous line from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night feels especially relevant to this week’s parshah, Va’era, where we are formally introduced to Moses.

Though Moses’ birth is described earlier in Exodus, this week, the Torah details his lineage, tracing back to Reuben, Jacob’s oldest son, through Levi, Moses’ great-grandfather. Why does the Torah revisit Moses’ background? What’s the message behind his ancestry?

According to the Midrash, Moses was “born great”, with a divine light filling his parents’ home at his birth. As he grew, circumstances thrust greatness upon him. Despite his initial protests at the burning bush, G-d insisted Moses was the right leader for the Jewish people. But greatness is never just about destiny, it’s also about personal effort.

This is where the concept of yichus – lineage – comes in. Often, yichus is used to gauge someone’s merit, especially in the context of matchmaking. It reflects noble ancestry or spiritual merit, suggesting the influence of virtuous ancestors watching over their descendants. But yichus isn’t everything. As history shows, Abraham, the first Jew, had no distinguished lineage, while Esau, the son of Isaac and grandson of Abraham, squandered his spiritual inheritance.

The saying goes that yichus is like a series of zeros. If preceded by a “one” – representing personal merit – those zeros multiply its value. Without that “one”, they remain meaningless. In other words, great lineage without personal virtue is hollow.

The Torah’s emphasis on Moses’ genealogy counters potential misconceptions. With the mysticism surrounding his birth and mission, it could have been easy to mythologise him, much like figures in other religions. Instead, the Torah grounds Moses in reality: he was born to human parents, grew up in human circumstances, and achieved greatness through effort and divine guidance.

This lesson speaks to all of us. Though Moses was born into unique circumstances, his ultimate greatness came from his actions and choices. Every Jewish child has the potential to be a Moshe Rabbeinu, a leader in their own generation, not because of their lineage, but because of their capacity for growth, self-refinement, and dedication to their mission.

Greatness isn’t a birthright or mere happenstance. It’s a choice, shaped by how we respond to the opportunities and challenges G-d places before us. Like Moses, we all have the potential to transform our inherent gifts and circumstances into a legacy of true greatness.