The Fire Inside

Shemot

Exodus 1:1 - 6:1

Précis: 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, Joseph, and the rest of the family. A new Pharaoh has arisen who “does not remember Joseph.” He afflicts 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 found 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 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.”

Exodus 3:2-3:“The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. So Moses said, ‘I must turn aside now and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up.’”

The "marvelous sight" of the Burning Bush is of course not a random occurrence. Midrash draws a connection between the word for flame (lavah) and the Hebrew word for heart (lev). There is something deep within Moshe that cannot be dissipated, even during the long years he spends away from Egypt in Jethro’s camp: his hatred of the slavery of his people. Moshe’s flaming heart had been the cause of his slaying of the Egyptian taskmaster, and now he confronts a flame which demands that he return to Egypt and become the instrument of the Israelites's freedom. Moshe looked at the flaming bush and could understand the demands of a flaming heart.

Each of us has within us our own burning flame that calls out to us to do right and act wisely. We also all have within ourselves a plethora of excuses why we can’t act like Moshe. The task is too difficult, we've tried so often and failed so often, I am just too busy now, and maybe it’s up to someone else.  God’s burning bush is a reminder to stop making excuses and undertake the necessary mission. Perhaps we can learn in our interpersonal and professional lives that taking action cannot and should not be deferred. Feel the heat, seize the moment.

Can we find unity?

Vayechi

Genesis 47:28 - 50:26

Précis: As the Book of Genesis comes to a close, Jacob lived (yayechi) 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, which is also the end of the Book of Genesis, Joseph, too, dies, after exacting a promise from his brothers and children to (eventually) bring his remains to the land of Israel as well.

            This week's reading ends the story of Jews as a family/clan, since we begin with the creation of the Jews as a nation in next week’s reading (Exodus).     

Genesis as a whole has a focus on family matters in general, and on sibling rivalry in particular. At the outset, we see that Cain and Abel, the first siblings, have a rivalry that results in murder. There are family rivalries explicit in the text (among Noah’s sons, between Lot and Abraham, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers) and there are additional rivalries hinted at as well (Rachel and Leah, Isaac and Ishmael). Most of these rivalries result in what we might call a “cold peace.” The Joseph story, however, seems different, as we see sibling rivalry overcome by repentance (t’shuvah) when the brothers offer themselves in place of Benjamin, and when at long last they apologize to Joseph for their treatment of him and the apology is accepted by Joseph as God’s will.

            Reading this parasha just a few weeks after celebrating Hanuka, when rivalry between Hellenist Jews and the Hasmoneans led to war, we can see a reason why the Sages were so focused on the family conflicts of Genesis, since these stories predicted the reality of a history of internal Jewish conflict.

            Sadly, despite our aspirations for “klal Yisrael,” we observe continuous religious disputes between and among our Jewish denominations in the United States.  The religious/political animosity we observe among the various contending constituencies in Israel is both horrifying and dangerous.  But if the sons of Jacob could peacefully reconcile, perhaps all of the current Children of Israel can find the unity which has so far eluded us. Is this foolish optimism, or is it a matter of hope? Optimism may be an aspect of one’s disposition, but hope is a matter of faith.  I prefer to hope for a new sense of unity among the Jewish People.