This Shabbat we begin the book of Exodus. Early on we read, “A new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph.” (Exodus 1:8) There is a midrash on Exodus that says the Jews were worthy of being redeemed from Egyptian slavery because they never forgot their Hebrew names. These two ideas are connected. Knowing who we are is essential to our destiny. What does it mean that the new Pharaoh did not know Joseph? The new Pharaoh forgot how Joseph saved Egypt and did not know Joseph’s people, so he was able to enslave the Israelites. The Israelites, despite their hundreds of years in Egypt and their back-breaking bondage, never forgot who they were. Remembering your name means holding on to the last essential shred of identity, which gives you the opportunity to find your way home again – despite the setbacks you meet along the way.
~Rabbi Dean

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