Standing at Sinai

The Torah portions that we read in the month of February stand out for me because of their epic sense of destiny. In just a few short weeks, the Israelites go from being a ragged group of slaves to being a people uniquely bound to God and a vision of the future. How this transformation takes place, and for whom, says a lot about who we are as a people, and what we stand for.

Perhaps central to understanding the experience of liberation and Sinai for the Jewish people is understanding who was there. Our common knowledge of the experience, bolstered by years of Passover seders and Hollywood movies, paints a picture that is straightforward and passionate. After four centuries of enslavement, the righteous descendants of Jacob were rescued from their bondage and led out of Egypt by Moses towards their destination at Sinai. Just as a single family had gone down to Egypt in earlier days, that same family emerged whole from the furnace of Egypt.

While this version of events embodies much of the story from the Torah, there is one sentence that occurs in this narrative that changes the complexion of the entire narrative. In chapter twelve of Exodus, we read that as the six hundred thousand Israelites departed, "also a mixed multitude went up with them." In only five Hebrew words, the text of the Torah communicates a central truth about who we are. In our central, foundational experiences as a people, we were not defined by genetic links, but by our heritage of belief and practice.

Thousands of years ago in Egypt and at Sinai, it was the experience of God that made a person an Israelite, not an exclusive lineage. Those who thirsted for freedom and for a genuine connection to the Jewish people were welcomed as a part of the family, and contributed to our strength. The situation today is very similar. We can liken the less than desirable conditions for our people over the past centuries as a sort of "Egypt of oppression," as surely as we can look at the relative freedom and security that we now enjoy as a deliverance. It should come as no surprise that in our moment of freedom, many people who come from outside of our genetic heritage find who we are and what we believe to be very attractive. We should be welcoming of this attention and interest, as certainly as we were millennia ago.

This past year has seen an unprecedented interest in conversion to Judaism here at Temple. It is inspiring to me as a rabbi, and a real tribute to the energy and warmth of our congregation, that so many are seeking us out. In years gone by, this might have caused some apprehension among many Jews. Today, it should be a source of rejoicing. In our unique story of freedom, we are empowered to share our vision and faith with any who would share it. As spring breaks forth this month and causes the trees and flowers to bloom, we should continue to let the spiritual energy of who and what we are shine out, to illumine within the walls of our Temple and beyond. We have a good thing and should not hesitate to share it with all who seek in honesty.