Ex. 1:1 - 6:1
PrĂ©cis: With this parasha, we begin the second book of the Bible, Exodus. In Hebrew, the title for this book is “Shemot” (names) because the first verses begin with a listing of “names” of the Israelites who came down to Egypt with Jacob, to dwell in Goshen in response to Joseph and Pharaoh’s offer.
A new Pharaoh has arisen who “does not remember Joseph.” He enslaves the Israelites and orders the killing of all male children. A Levite male child is born, is hidden by his parents, and is sent down the river in a reed basket where he is saved by Pharaoh’s daughter. He is subsequently identified as Moses.
Nothing appears in the text about Moses’ childhood, other than that he is raised in the house of Pharaoh. As an adult, Moses witnesses a taskmaster beating a Hebrew and slays the taskmaster. Next, he witnesses a fight between two Hebrews. When he attempts to intervene, one Hebrew mentions Moses’ killing of the Egyptian. Fearing disclosure, Moses flees to the desert.
There, Moses becomes a shepherd in the camp of Jethro, a Midianite “priest.” He encounters the burning bush and learns God’s “name.” Moses receives his charge to free the Israelites and is provided with signs to authenticate his mission. Before leaving Jethro, Moses marries Zipporah and they have a child. Moses and his brother Aaron go before Pharaoh and ask that the people be freed to worship God in the desert. They are refused, and the burdens are increased on the slaves, who become angry with Moses for his interference. The parasha ends with God telling Moses, “You now will see what I will do to Pharaoh.”
(From Jan. 6, 2021) Yesterday’s attempted coup and invasion of the Capitol by a mob, many carrying Trump banners, others American flags, and others toting the Confederate Battle flag of traitors reminded me that our Jewish tradition can be a source for solace at this awful time.
Michelle Missagieh, writing in MyJewishLearning.com (1/17/17) talks about the excuses Moses makes in attempting to reject his responsibilities of leadership. She cites three instances. First, Moses is instructed to gather the Israelite leaders, and when he demurs, God promises to smite the Egyptians (presumably with plagues) in Exodus 3:15-22. Moses says he will lack proof, but God tells Moses how to turn a rod into a snake as evidence of his competence (Ex. 4:1). Moses again offers an excuse: he is “slow of speech.” God reassures him once again. God pushes Moses, Moses pushes back. Moses is the opposite of our current President: he rejects his right to leadership. Missagieh suggests that Moses’ hesitation comes from the common human fear of failure. She cites Buber’s account of the Hassidic Rabbi Zusya, of the late 1700’s, who before his death said, “In the coming world, they will not ask me: ‘Why were you not Moses?’ They will ask me: ‘Why were you not Zusya?’”
All Moses needed to do was to be himself. What is important is not overestimating oneself with the sin of narcissism, and what is equally important is not unduly humbling oneself. What is important and necessary is knowing one’s place in the world and understanding one’s obligations. We are not challenged to do more than we are capable of or permitted to do, but neither are we free to do less than we are able to accomplish.
This week, I offer a challenge to Americans of good faith everywhere, and to President-elect Biden and Vice-President-elect Harris in particular: do not do more than you are legally capable of but do no less. Know your place under our constitutional government and respond to the needs of all of the American People, with the kind of leadership which Moses exhibited.
Remember, the story of the Exodus was not over in a single day; in fact, it was a more than 40-year struggle. But that struggle ended with the realization of great hope: the attainment of the land. May our own goals for a reunion of the American polity and a rededication to our constitutional processes come soon and in our day. Ken yehi ratzon.
P.S. Five years have passed. President Biden did his job and successfully prosecuted the rioters and the seditious mob which invaded Congress, who sought to overturn not only the election results, but our Constitution. We now know with certainty that then-President Trump encouraged the rioters, endangering even his own Vice President. Five years after the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, Trump is using presidential power—through mass pardons, firings at the Justice Department and FBI, and official messaging— in an Orwellian attempt to recast the violent siege as a peaceful protest and to legitimize false claims that the 2020 election was stolen. He still accuses former Vice President Mike Pence of refusing to block certification of the electoral votes and continues to blame police for the violence.
To add to his lengthy list of offenses against our country and the Constitution we can add his unforgivable (though nonreviewable) pardons of the mobs who threatened our nation’s future and attacked the brave police defenders of our national capitol. These seditious convicted felons are now seeking “compensation” for the “wrongs” done to them.
Five years ago, I prayed for a rededication to our constitutional processes. Unfortunately, the current President defies all for which I prayed. I can only repeat that prayer today, with the continuing hope that it happens quickly in our time.
