That feeling isn’t new. In fact, it echoes through one of the most powerful stories in the Torah.

We all know the story of Moses. Born into slavery, hidden away, destined for greatness. But what about his sister, Miriam? The Torah tells us, in Exodus 2:4, that “His sister positioned herself at a distance to know what would happen to him.” Simple enough on the surface, right? But Jewish tradition, particularly in the Shemot Rabbah, a classical collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, digs deeper. Why did Miriam stand at a distance?

Rabbi Amram, quoting Rav, gives us a glimpse into Miriam's past. According to them, Miriam wasn't just any little girl. She was a prophetess! Even before Moses was born, she was proclaiming that her mother would give birth to the savior of Israel. Imagine that kind of conviction, that kind of faith! The Shemot Rabbah paints a vivid picture: when Moses was born, the house filled with light – a sign, a confirmation! Miriam’s father, overjoyed, kissed her on the head, acknowledging her prophecy. We even see this reflected later in Exodus 15:20: “Miriam the prophetess, sister of Aaron, took the drum." The text emphasizes her role as Aaron's sister, because this prophecy came when she was just Aaron's sister – before Moses was even born.

But then, the decree came. All newborn Hebrew boys were to be thrown into the Nile. Can you imagine the horror? The despair? When Moses was cast into the river, Miriam’s mother, in her own grief and pain, turned to her daughter, perhaps even striking her head in anguish, and cried, "Where is your prophecy now?" Talk about a gut punch.

That's why, the Shemot Rabbah explains, Miriam stood at a distance. She wasn't just a concerned sibling; she was a young woman grappling with doubt, questioning her own divinely inspired vision. She was there "to know what would be the fate of her prophecy." Was she wrong? Had she misunderstood? Was all that hope for nothing? It's a heartbreakingly human moment amidst a monumental story.

But the Rabbis don't stop there. In a beautiful move, they elevate the verse beyond a literal interpretation, seeing it as an allusion to the Divine Spirit itself. “Positioned herself [vatetatzav]" echoes "The Lord came and stood [vayityatzev]" (1 Samuel 3:10). "His sister" recalls "Say to wisdom: You are my sister" (Proverbs 7:4). "At a distance" mirrors "From a distance the Lord appeared to me" (Jeremiah 31:2). And “to know [lede’a] what would happen to him" alludes to "As the Lord is a God of knowledge [de’ot]" (1 Samuel 2:3).

In this reading, Miriam's vigil becomes a metaphor for our own relationship with God. We, too, often stand "at a distance," questioning, doubting, wondering where the Divine is in the face of suffering. We seek wisdom, like a sister, hoping to understand the grand plan. Like Miriam, we yearn to know, to understand God's ways, even when they seem hidden.

So, the next time you read the story of Moses, remember Miriam. Remember her faith, her vulnerability, and her unwavering presence, even from a distance. Her story reminds us that even prophets grapple with doubt, and that even in the darkest of times, hope – and the Divine – may be closer than we think. It also reminds us that sometimes, standing at a distance is the bravest thing we can do.