Prior to Moshe and Aaron making progress in their mission to extract the Jewish people from Egypt – their first efforts yielded no success, at least not in that realm – the Torah once again introduces Moshe and Aaron and delineates their pedigree. It begins with delineating the families of Ruben and Shimon, and then it proceeds to the tribe of Levi and it’s family heads. One of the Levites that are mentioned, aside from Moshe and Aaron, Elazar, Aaron’s son and successor, and his son Phineas. The Torah reveals to us that Elazar married from the daughters of Putiel, a reference to Jethro and Joseph according to Rashi. The attribution of Phineas provides a launchpad for a fascinating exploration of an important subject: how much should parents and educators strive to ease the environment in which their charges operate, and how much adversity should be created for them. Along the way, we discuss the fascinating and frankly puzzling arrangement that Moshe had with his father-in-law, Jethro.

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