We are living through a time of great turmoil and change and the outcome is unclear. Climate change seems to be accelerating. Russia‘s (or perhaps more accurately Putin’s) invasion of Ukraine has caused untold suffering, has upended the world food and energy markets, and pits the forces of freedom against those of despotism on the battlefield once again. At home our political system seems increasingly unresponsive to the challenges of our time,and there are many in our country who question the basic values and underpinnings of our democracy.
The Book of Exodus explores another time of great social upheaval and conflict – the struggle of an enslaved people to overcome tyranny and oppression to become free. This week’s Torah portion finds Moses and Aaron, as the representatives of the Israelites and God, locked in a battle of wills with Pharoah, the strongest ruler of the most powerful country of that time. All of Moses’ efforts to liberate the Israelite slaves only lead Pharoah to treat them more brutally, which leads them to lose faith in Moses’s leadership. Heartsick, Moses cries out to God, “The Israelites would not listen to me; how then should Pharaoh heed me, me—who gets tongue-tied!” (Exodus 6:12) God replies, a few verses later, “When Pharaoh does not heed you, I will lay My hand upon Egypt and deliver My ranks, My people the Israelites, from the land of Egypt with extraordinary chastisements.” (Exodus 7:4)
God is reminding Moses that he must not lose faith and must keep working toward God’s goal of freeing the Israelites. So it must be with us – we cannot lose sight of God’s goal of a just and fair society, where every human being has the opportunity to live lives of dignity and peace. Having just come out of Hanukkah, we should remember the words of the Alter Rebbi (19th C. Poland) that a little light drives out a great deal of darkness, or the words of Rebbi Tarfon, “It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it;” Pirkei Avot 2:16. Just as God reminded Moses, we must remind ourselves to keep working to make the world a more just place.
Vaera, Exodus 6:2-9:35, Parshat Hashavua for Shabbat, January 21, 2023
January 20, 2023 by Dean Kertesz • Drashot
We are living through a time of great turmoil and change and the outcome is unclear. Climate change seems to be accelerating. Russia‘s (or perhaps more accurately Putin’s) invasion of Ukraine has caused untold suffering, has upended the world food and energy markets, and pits the forces of freedom against those of despotism on the battlefield once again. At home our political system seems increasingly unresponsive to the challenges of our time, and there are many in our country who question the basic values and underpinnings of our democracy.
The Book of Exodus explores another time of great social upheaval and conflict – the struggle of an enslaved people to overcome tyranny and oppression to become free. This week’s Torah portion finds Moses and Aaron, as the representatives of the Israelites and God, locked in a battle of wills with Pharoah, the strongest ruler of the most powerful country of that time. All of Moses’ efforts to liberate the Israelite slaves only lead Pharoah to treat them more brutally, which leads them to lose faith in Moses’s leadership. Heartsick, Moses cries out to God, “The Israelites would not listen to me; how then should Pharaoh heed me, me—who gets tongue-tied!” (Exodus 6:12) God replies, a few verses later, “When Pharaoh does not heed you, I will lay My hand upon Egypt and deliver My ranks, My people the Israelites, from the land of Egypt with extraordinary chastisements.” (Exodus 7:4)
God is reminding Moses that he must not lose faith and must keep working toward God’s goal of freeing the Israelites. So it must be with us – we cannot lose sight of God’s goal of a just and fair society, where every human being has the opportunity to live lives of dignity and peace. Having just come out of Hanukkah, we should remember the words of the Alter Rebbi (19th C. Poland) that a little light drives out a great deal of darkness, or the words of Rebbi Tarfon, “It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it;” Pirkei Avot 2:16. Just as God reminded Moses, we must remind ourselves to keep working to make the world a more just place.