Religious Tolerance

Yitro
Exodus 18:1 - 20:23

Précis: Following last week’s trip through the Red Sea, Moses is reunited with his father-in-law Jethro (“Yitro”), his wife Zipporah, and with his two sons. Yitro acknowledges God, gives sage advice to Moses about delegating responsibility, and Moses appoints assistants (judges). The Israelites come to the foot of Mount Sinai where, in the definitive transcendental experience, we read the story of Revelation, as the “Ten Utterances” (Commandments) are spoken to the People by the very Voice of God.

Exodus 18:12 “Moses went out to meet his father-in-law; he bowed low and kissed him; each asked after the other's welfare... ‘Blessed be the Eternal,' Yitro said. . . ‘Now I know that the Eternal is greater than all gods’. . . .And Yitro brought a burnt offering and sacrifices for God.”

Many would argue that this parasha is the “most important” part of Torah, containing as it does the Ten Commandments. From this perspective, it is interesting that the parasha is named after a non-Jewish “priest” of a foreign nation. Upon learning about the Exodus and defeat of the Egyptians at the Red Sea, Yitro comes to greet Moses in the verse cited above. Yitro acknowledges the supremacy of the Israelite God and offers a sacrifice to the same God. This incident has much to teach us about how Jews should interact with those of other faiths.


First, we learn that belief in God is not the exclusive possession of the Jewish People. Second, we observe that you don’t have to be Jewish to pray to God. Third, Jews can learn important lessons from others: after all, Yitro teaches Moses important lessons in leadership and delegation of authority. Finally, by separating the beginning of this parasha (with Yitro’s important role) from the conclusion of last week’s reading (about the evil Amalek), we learn that we need to judge non-Jews by what they do, and not by what they are.


Jews have persistently absorbed much from the culture and thought of the societies in which we have lived. For example, one can point to so-called “Hellenist” practices (the use of logic, symposia, “schools” of thought, etc.) as critical in the development of rabbinic Judaism. Later, one can clearly see elements of Greek and Muslim thought in Maimonides’ works. More recently, one can look to American religious denominationalism in the 19th century to help explain the adoption of Jewish American sectarianism.


To borrow a currently popular word from American political punditry, there is nevertheless a certain Jewish “exceptionalism.” We have been “chosen” for (and we have accepted) a covenant relationship with God with unique duties and responsibilities not required of others. All humans all equal in the sight of God, but we are not the same.


To demonstrate this last point, the text tells us that despite their mutual acceptance of the same God, Yitro and Moses go their separate ways. Differences between peoples and religious groups are real and cannot be ignored. Our tradition tells us that the righteous of all faiths share a place in the world to come. Jews have the ability to learn from and interact with others from different faith traditions, and we must treat others with respect and dignity. At a time of rising religious intolerance around the world, it's a lesson we can't afford to ignore.

Does God Have a Hand in History?

B'shalach


Exodus 13:17-17:16


Précis: And when Pharaoh “had let them go” (b’shalach), the story of the Exodus from Egypt is concluded - almost. Carrying with them the bones of Joseph and the "spoils of Egypt," Moses leads the Israelites by way of the Red Sea. They cross the Sea ahead of Pharaoh’s pursuing army, in which they subsequently drown. Moses sings his triumphant Song of the Sea, and Miriam’s song of joy follows. The Israelites begin to murmur against Moses and Aaron because of a lack of food and water. God provides heavenly “manna” to eat and instructs Moses to strike a rock to obtain water. The Shabbat is introduced as a day of rest, even before it appears in the 10 Commandments. In their first battle, with Amalek, the Israelites are successful as long as Moses’ hands remain in the air, and with the help of Aaron and Joshua (who support Moses’ arms), the Israelites succeed.


Exodus 15:1-19 “Then sang Moses and the Children of Israel this song....”


This week we observe "Shabbat Shirah - the Sabbath of Song," when we read of the miraculous intervention by God, saving the Israelites from the pursuing Egyptians. The Shabbat gets its name, of course, from the reading this week of the Song sung by Moses in celebration of the survival of the Israelites, and of the destruction of the Egyptians.

Before proceeding, it’s appropriate to mention the untimely death this past week of Debbie Friedman, z’l. The wonderful singer, songwriter and teacher touched millions with her melodious kavanah, and her death just prior to Shabbat Shirah is ironic and in some way appropriate, although much, much too soon. May her memory always be for a blessing.

The Exodus story could have ended earlier, but instead we have a final “change of heart” by Pharaoh, who pursues the Israelites to the edge of the Sea, only to see his army destroyed. As JTS Chancellor Ismar Schorsch observed, this brings the Exodus story full circle: from the river where Moses was saved to the Sea where the Jewish People are saved. Just as Pharaoh tried to eliminate the Jews by drowning the male children, now his own army is drowned.

In addition to the niceties of literary bookends, the text is an important reminder of the ancient belief that God intervenes in human history. The rabbis inserted this text into the daily liturgy as a reminder of God’s compassion and importance in our daily lives. To many modern Jews, the idea of God’s intervention in the world or in personal events is problematic, because it raises the corollary question of why God (apparently) fails to act at times of great horror and loss.

Whether or not we believe in God’s intervention in the day to day events of our lives, I do believe that something beyond ourselves accounts for the survival of the Jewish People through millennia of persecution. It’s more than “good luck” or “coincidence.” At the core of this week’s reading is a belief in salvation through Divine influence, based on the concept of a covenant relationship. It is a theme worth considerable and serious thought.