|
|
||
HOME
|
|
Drash for Shabbat Shemot By Barner Tiefenbrunn - January 12, 2007 O.K, here we begin. The book of Exodus marks the transition from the prologue of the of the patriarchal period to the main focus of the Torah: the deliverance from Egyptian bondage and the establishment of the covenant between God and Israel. The very prosperity and prolific procreation of the Israelites is interpreted by the Egyptian authorities as a threat to the political structure of their country. A new Pharaoh comes on the scene, or is it the old king who conveniently forgot all that Joseph accomplished for his country, and orders the midwives Shifrah and Puah to kill all the boys born and let the girls live. Revering God they disobey the king’s order and surprisingly they are not even punished for their civil disobedience and they are rewarded by God. Does it not sound familiar with our current political scene? The Egyptians are therefore charged with the obligation to drown all the male Israelite infants. A true map for a Holocaust, with the subsequent enslavement and death for a specific race. The stage is thus set for the introduction of Moses, the dominant personality of the Torah. Moses was born to a Levite family, and to escape the decree of death is placed in a tiny ark and floating on the Niles is found by Pharaoh’s daughter who adopts him as her own child. After he slays a taskmaster he escapes to the land of Median unlike the midwives, marries, begins a family and tends the flocks of his father-in-law. While he is thus engaged he comes upon a burning bush which is not consumed. The God of the patriarchs, having noted the oppression of the Israelites, has elected Moses to be the agent of deliverance. Seeking ways to convince both himself and the Israelites of this revelation Moses first secures the divine name of God as a sign by which to validate the authenticity of his calling. He is still reluctant to accept the role. Which brings to my mind a skit by a satirical group in Israel called "Hagashash Ha-chiver" (the Groping Blind), where the Israeli command seeks a volunteer for a special mission. One guy shows up and is thus chosen. He is told that he will have to parachute into the area. "I am afraid of heights", O.K. He will be taken by boat and all he had to do is swim 50 yards. "Can’t be done, I can’t swim." He will be taken by a jeep through the desert. "I get car sick". "Why did you show up?" " I just wanted to tell you that I am not the right person for the mission." As Moses resists being the chosen messenger he is given three signs. The first-his rod changes to a snake which is flexible and becomes rigid again. That will be like the heart of the Pharaoh. Unyielding-compliant- and harden again. The second, Moses’s hand turns to be afflicted with leprosy and restored to it’s healthy state. Symbolic to the condition of the Israelites under Joseph and then becoming oppressed and unhealthy. The third signal was that the water of the Nile will turn to blood which would be irreversible. Once the deliverance takes place it can only lead to the Israelites coming back to the promised land. Let us hope that more of us will be willing to volunteer to do more for Temple Emanu-El so that we and our children will inherit this promised future. Ken Yehi Ratzon. Shabbat Shalom.
|
