The Torah does not introduce us to Moshe as an adult, ready to save the Jewish people. Instead, the Torah tells us of his birth and adoption by the Egyptian royal family.
Moshe’s childhood contains subtle descriptions of his nature, resulting in his eventual leadership. It is clear throughout that although brought up in the palace; he was aware that he was a Jew:
וַיְהִי בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וַיִּגְדַּל מֹשֶׁה וַיֵּצֵא אֶל אֶחָיו וַיַּרְא בְּסִבְלֹתָם וַיַּרְא אִישׁ מִצְרִי מַכֶּה אִישׁ עִבְרִי מֵאֶחָיו – It came to pass in those days. Moshe grew up and went out to his brothers and saw their burdens. He saw an Egyptian man striking a Hebrew man of his brothers (2:11).
He recognized the slaves as his brothers, which distressed him – וַיֵּצֵא אֶל אֶחָיו וַיַּרְא בְּסִבְלֹתָם. His people were suffering, yet he was a prince of Egypt!
When he came across an Egyptian officer abusing a Jew, it was too much for him to ignore:
וַיִּפֶן כֹּה וָכֹה וַיַּרְא כִּי אֵין אִישׁ וַיַּךְ אֶת הַמִּצְרִי וַיִּטְמְנֵהוּ בַּחוֹל – He looked this way and that way, and saw that there was no-one; he struck the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. (2:12)
At that moment, he decided to kill the Egyptian and stand with his people, committing a crime against the law and land of the people that had raised and nurtured him.
R’ Nathan Lopez Cardozo notes how this story in the external world mirrors Moshe’s internal conflict. He was a walking contradiction, Egyptian and Jew, yet neither as well! He looked within, this way and that way – וַיִּפֶן כֹּה וָכֹה – and saw that there was no man, just different parts – וַיַּרְא כִּי אֵין אִישׁ. So he left the Egyptian inside him in the sand, rejecting Egyptian culture and values – וַיַּךְ אֶת הַמִּצְרִי וַיִּטְמְנֵהוּ בַּחוֹל.
Moshe put his neck on the line for others, and this story reveals what we should all know, that it is impossible to be neutral. Sitting on the fence is a vote for a political party – the dominant party. Washing your hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral.
You’re already taking sides.
By not doing or saying something, are you unintentionally lending support to something you probably ought to oppose?