Snakes and Serpents

Va’era

Exodus 6:2 - 9:35

Précis: In this second parasha in the book of Exodus, God reiterates His intention to free the Israelites from bondage and to create a covenant with them. Moses goes back to Pharaoh to seek release of the Israelites. Pharaoh refuses and we see the first seven of the fabled plagues: blood, frogs, fleas, beetles, cattle disease, boils, and hail. Pharaoh relents after each plague begins, deciding to let the people go, but then God “hardens Pharaoh’s heart” and he refuses to allow them to leave.

Ex. 7:8-9 “The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ‘When Pharaoh speaks to you and says, 'Produce your marvel,' you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and cast it down before Pharaoh.’”

         Yossi Ziffer, in MyJewishlearning.com (1/12/15) makes note of the fact that Moshe and Aaron must convince Pharaoh to let the Israelites go, while at the same time, convince the Israelites to accept them as leaders and messengers from God. How they go about this dual-track process shows how the message to each are different.

            Last week, the process of negotiation with Pharaoh and with the Israelites began, and it continues this week. In both cases, miracles and signs are required. If we look at those miracles, they offer a clue to the different approach Moshe and Aaron takes with Pharaoh and with the Israelites.

            Last week, Moshe tells God that the Israelites will not believe him. God gives Moshe several “signs” (miracles) designed to prove to the Israelites that Moshe is the real thing. Moses is to toss his staff on the ground, where it becomes a snake (in Hebrew, "nachash"); when he reaches for the snake’s tail, it becomes a staff once again.

            This week, Aaron tries the snake miracle before Pharaoh and throws down his staff, which turns into a serpent (tanin). Pharaoh’s servants toss their staffs down, which also turn into serpents. Aaron’s serpent eats those of the Egyptians.

            We see similar miracles with subtle differences. For the Israelites, Moses' staff turns into a snake (nachash), while for the Egyptians, Aaron's staff turns into a serpent (in Hebrew, "tanin"). What does this difference signify?

            For insight, we can review the earliest parts of Genesis, where we find snakes and serpents in the two distinct accounts of creation. The first chapter of Genesis focuses on God as the universal Creator. On the 5^th day, God decides (Gen 1:21) to create living creatures, including  the great taninim (serpents), the forbearer of Aaron’s staff .

            In Genesis Chapter 2, most of the Creation story relates to the creation of man and woman, and their eventual downfall as a result of the snake (nachash), the ancestor of Moses’ staff. So how does this help with our question about the differences between Moshe’s and Aaron’s staffs?

            It may be that the symbols show the different messages Moshe and Aaron were transmitting. To Pharaoh,  who did not recognize God's rule over the world, Aaron uses the imagery of Genesis Chapter 1, where God's as Cosmic Creator is stressed. On the other hand, Moshe focuses on the God of Genesis Chapter 2 who is an intimate, caring God. And even though Adam and Eve were expelled from Eden because of the “nachash” Moshe shows the Israelites that, by his converting it back to a staff, the way is open for the Israelites to return to an intimate, personal relationship with God.

            This comparison of the snake/serpent miracles also shows us the purpose of the Exodus: The Israelites were not merely freed from Egyptian slavery; they were liberated so that they could enter into a close relationship, or covenant, with God at Sinai.

            Sometimes a word or two can make a major difference in our understanding of stories which we have ready many, many times. This is just one such example.

Finding Strength in Diversity

Vayechi

Genesis 47:28 - 50:26

Précis: As the Book of Genesis comes to a close, Jacob lived (vayechi) in the land of Egypt for 17 years and dies after giving a final, poetic, individualized ethical testament to each of his sons. In a great funeral procession, Joseph, his brothers, and Pharaoh and his court bring Jacob’s body to Machpela to be buried. At the end of the parasha, Joseph dies after exacting a promise to bring his remains to the land of Israel as well.

Gen. 50:26 “Joseph died at the age of one hundred and ten years, and he was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt.”

            Arthur Sandman, of the Jewish Agency for Israel, has written (JCSANA 12/13) about the closing verses of the Book of Genesis, noting that upon the death of Jacob, he was embalmed by the physicians and carried to Canaan to be buried at Machpela. Joseph also asks to be buried in Canaan, but that does not occur until Joshua brings his bones back for internment at the conclusion of the Exodus. 

            The Book of Bereshit ends with the words of the verse cited above. One can ask why  we have the apparently unnecessary word “b’mitzrayim”(in Egypt). We surely know where he was, and it was, of course in Egypt. Sandman suggests that the Torah is telling us that Joseph’s “place” (Egypt) is defective. He notes that the grammar of the final phrase can be read, “he was embalmed and placed in a coffin, in Egypt,” making “coffin” and “Egypt” metaphors for each other. Joseph, unlike his father, is not returned to his kin; his bones are interred and trapped in a box in a place that will soon be a trap for his descendants.

            Our Jewish tradition focuses on life and not on death. Both Jacob and Joseph spent many years of their lives in exile. In the end, Joseph’s forced exile from Canaan constituted a greater estrangement from the land that was Jacob’s.

            Diaspora Jewry wrestles constantly with its relationship with the land of Israel. (“Wrestle” is a word I use intentionally, as it is the definition of what it means to be a Jew). Should we return to the land like Jacob? Will the Diaspora become a trap for us as it was for Joseph? Is  there the potential for enhancing the future of the Jewish People not only through the State of Israel, but also through the experience of living in the rest of the world?

            I am suggesting that the answer is “yes.” Throughout our history, the strength of the Jewish People has been found not solely on our reliance to Torah and performance of mitzvot. We have been strengthened throughout our history by our exposure to the thoughts and customs of others: Greeks, Romans, Muslims, Poles, Americans, and yes, even Germans. The cultures in which we have found ourselves have been the source of strength as well as death and disaster. We have, as a People, taken from others and expanded our Jewish horizons and lifestyles.

            As we conclude the reading of the Book of Genesis, we recite “hazak, hazak, v’nitchazek” (Be strong, be strong, and will be strengthened). By being strong in both Israel and in the Diaspora, we will be strengthened as one People.