Parshat Yitro; Exodus 18:1-20:23 by Rabbi Denise L. Eger

The Torah Portion this week, Parshat Yitro contains the central legal document of the Jewish People. It is this week that God proclaims the Ten Commandments to Moses and the Children of Israel on Mt. Sinai. The Ten Commandments are the basis for the new society of the Children of Israel and would govern them in the wilderness, once they reached the Promised Land and even until today. The Ten Commandments become the foundation of all of the law, the Halacha. These ten basic rules of living also would become the foundation of the Western legal tradition as well. They are at the core of how we ought to live in the world and their messages are timeless and have as much resonance today as did long ago.

The portion tells us that three months after the Israelites had left slavery in Egypt, in their newfound freedom they bind themselves to a higher purpose and mission by accepting the commandments and accepting this unique covenantal relationship with the One God. “And now if you hearken well to Me and observe My covenant, you shall be to Me the most beloved treasure of all peoples, for Mine is the entire world. You shall be to Me a kingdom of priest and a holy nation (Ex. 19:5-6).” The children of Israel respond to this offer. “The entire people responded together and said, “Everything that God has spoken we shall do! (Ex. 19:8)” Even before they heard the words of the Ten Commandments, they accepted the covenant on faith and with the power of the miracles they had witness, including the sounds of the shofar blasting forth on Mt. Sinai, the parting of the Red Sea, the provision for food and drink in the desert and of course the exodus from Egypt itself.

This time not just Moses encounters the Divine, or one of the other ancestors, Joseph, Jacob, Isaac, or Abraham. This is a group encounter of God. This is an encounter that the people can see and hear. “On the third day when it was mourning, there was thunder and lightning and a heavy cloud on the mountain and the sound of the Shofar was very powerful and the entire people that was in the camp shuddered (Ex. 19:16). The People experienced God through sound, and sight and then God spoke the words that would change the world--I am Adonai your God who has taken you out of the land of Egypt from the house of slavery (Ex. 20:1).

The Ten Commandments cover the agreements to honor God and to honor one’s fellow human being. Some have said that the first 5 commandments are specifically focused on the ways we honor God and the last five commandments are specifically in dealing with our relationships with other human beings. The first five commandments dealing with belief in God, a prohibition of idolatry, a prohibition of vain oaths—showing contempt for God, the fourth commandment dealing with honoring God through Shabbat and finally, the fifth commandment honoring ones parents. While the second set of five commandments deal with our relationships in society including the prohibition against murder, the prohibition against adultery, the prohibition against kidnapping, the prohibition against bearing false witnesses and finally, the prohibition against coveting. But each of these honors God, even those dealing with the way we human beings deal with one another. For we are a reflection of the Divine when we treat one another with dignity and respect.

The Ten Commandments continue to be at the core of shaping humanity and the Jewish people. We would do well to hearken to them.

Parshat Beshallach; Exodus 13:17-17:16 by Rabbi Denise L. Eger

With this portion, the journey of the Children of Israel toward freedom really begins and it opens with an explanation of the route to the land of Israel. God doesn’t send them the most direct route, which would be the coastal route, (the way of the Philistines) but instead sends them out into the desert. The Philistines had a strong and sophisticated army. One could hardly expect the rag-tagged group of Israelites to face this battle as their first after escape from Egypt. This might frighten them into returning to Egypt let alone get them defeated right away and carried off into slavery in Philistia. Thus the journey although more arduous will take the Israelites across the Reed Sea and deep into the Sinai desert.

The Children of Israel have already been witness to the mighty hand of God through the plagues that descend upon Egypt. But they also are witness this week to the miracle of the splitting of the Reed Sea. God commands Moses, “to lift up your staff and stretch out your arm over the sea and split it; and the Children of Israel shall come into the midst of the sea on dry land (Ex.14:16-17).”

This is how the Children of Israel escape the pursuing Egyptians. Although Pharaoh had agreed to let the Israelites go free, again he changes his mind and sends his army after them. As if the death of the first born of Egypt wasn’t enough, now God will humiliate the army of Pharaoh as they are cast into the sea as it crashes back down on the Egyptians after the Israelites cross safely. As the Egyptian come into the path of land made clear by the splitting sea, their chariots are trapped as Moses once again stretches out his arm and the waves of the Sea come crashing down on the entire army of Pharaoh. “God churned Egypt into the midst of the sea (Ex. 14:27).

Moses in Shirat Hayam—the song of the sea, celebrates this miracle and the defeat of the Egyptians, which is a triumphal poem beginning in Chapter 15 of Exodus. It proclaims God’s power, strength and victory over the Egyptians. Famously, in 15:11 are the words that became part of our prayers—the Mi Camocha—Who is like You mighty in holiness awesome and doing wonders?

We learn too of Moses’ sister Miriam in this parasha. She leads the women with timbrel and with drums and dances and sings out the poem of victory. Miriam is referred to as a prophetess. An important position and some say, she is part of a triumvirate of leadership with her brothers Moses and Aaron.

The portion concludes with the first of complaints of the Children of Israel; a theme that will repeat itself with regularity. Although they have just witnessed the greatest of miracles, and they have experienced God’s saving hand—the children of Israel’s next response is to kvetch and complain about a lack of water and food. They seem to doubt God’s power at the very beginning of their journey. Although these amazing miracles were just done for them, they had little faith. Their attitude can be summed up in the phrase—so what have you done for me lately?
But God’s infinite love provides, water, manna and quail to satisfy their thirst and hunger. Even as Moses and God tries to teach the Israelite a lesson by the rules of collecting the manna, the lesson of following God’s commandments, the children of Israel test and test, and refuse to open their own hearts to God’s power, strength, and love.

This theme of the Israelites’ stubbornness will repeat throughout the rest of the Tanach and will cause both Moses and God to show anger at different times.

The truth is that we still are a stubborn people—often refusing to follow God’s mitzvot and complaining that God doesn’t provide for us. Perhaps we only need to open our eyes and hearts to the miracles that still abound.

Parshat Bo; Exodus 10:1-13:16 by Rabbi Denise L. Eger

One of the central motifs of Judaism is the liberation of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery. Parshat Bo enumerates the last of the plagues from the locust to the slaying of the Egyptian first born. Pharaoh finally agrees to Moses and the Israelites’ demand to be free. The freedom of the Israelites is not won by earthly battles rather it is Divine warfare that God sends to convince the stubborn Pharaoh of the might of the God of Israel.

Moses, adopted prince of Egypt may be the messenger of God, but it is God who brings the plagues as a response to Pharaoh’s intransigence. For Pharaoh is seen as not simply as an earthly king by the Egyptians but a God and this is a battle between Gods (even as Pharaoh is only a pretender to the Divine throne). Thus these signs and wonders that God performs must convince the Egyptians, Pharaoh and his courtiers and yes, even the Israelites of the power and awe due the God of Moses and the Israelites. In chapter 11 the text says, “”Now Adonai had said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not heed you, in order that My marvels may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.” (Ex. 11:9)

With each plague in this portion, Pharaoh momentarily relents and considers letting the Israelites go. But then willfully changes his mind. The text says that God stiffened Pharaoh’s heart. But Jewish tradition believes that while all is foreseen, God does give humanity free will. And although Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, Pharaoh could have used his mind, thought, rationality, and his own free will to overcome the stubbornness implanted by God. He could have used his compassion to understand that oppression of a small minority diminishes the sacred. But instead Pharaoh lets his passions and emotionality and hunger for power rule his being. He cannot read the signs before him that there is indeed a power greater than his own; that power is the power of the one God. His greediness results in the death of his own heir, his son.

This is a lesson for each of us. When we let our ego and hubris rule our character, it always will lead to serious consequences. As in Pharaoh’s case, the death of his future. This is true for each of us. When we ignore God, ignore the spiritual connection we human beings must have to function properly; our own ego blocks the path of our success. When we allow these negative passions to rule us, it is harder to tap into the divine and the sacred that lifts us to lead lives of holiness. When our ego rules our lives, when we seek power at all costs, these are the true plagues of the spirit. But if we heed God’s rule of logic, love, caring and faith then we can be the kingdom of priests, holy to God that we Jews are called to become.

The parsha concludes with the description of the observance of the first Passover and the subsequent rules for observing this sacred time of year. The remembrance of the exodus from Egypt comes to remind us not only of the great plaques that set us free, but that the bread of affliction, matzah, the simple bread of the ancient Israelites, is still the bread of freedom. Even though baked in haste, the first taste of matzah at the Seder is always sweet just as the firsts taste of freedom is sweet.

Passover reminds us that we are always setting out on a journey toward freedom. We all have our Egypt—and Passover is the season to begin those journeys out of the slaveries that bind us.

That is why we conclude the Seder with the messianic hope, Next year in Jerusalem. It is the prayer that our journey to the Promised Land will be fulfilled. And so we pray on Pesach and every day may we go from slavery to freedom, from degradation to dignity, from the rule of evil to the rule of Divine love.

Parshat Vayera; Exodus 6:2-9:35 by Rabbi Denise L. Eger

This parsha begins with a recounting of the story from the previous week—God’s call to Moses and revelation of the Divine four-letter name. This recounting omits the drama of the burning bush and merely reports the basic conversation that links God to the ancestors, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And although they called this God by another name—El Shaddai, indeed this is the same God they knew. God also acknowledges to Moses that God has heard the moaning of the Israelites enslaved by the Egyptians. It seems to have awakened God to the covenantal promise made so long ago.

Verses 6-8 of Chapter six will seem familiar to all who have celebrated a Passover Seder meal. God promises to free, deliver, redeem, take and bring the people Israel to freedom and the promised land of the covenant. Each of these promises is associated with one of the four cups of wine and the fifth untasted cup at the Seder meal.

Chapter seven of Exodus in parasha Vayera begins by once again confirming Moses mission to Pharaoh to free the Israelites. God seems to coach Moses and Aaron on exactly what they need to do before Pharaoh. God tells Moses to tell Aaron to throw down his staff before the Pharaoh and God will turn it to a snake. God orchestrates the scenario between the Egyptian king and Moses the Egyptian prince turned Hebrew liberator and follower of God. Each interchange between Moses and Pharaoh serves to elevate God’s power over the magic and religion of Egypt and God’s control of Pharaoh’s responses (by stiffening his heart) unmasks the false god premise of the Pharaoh. Thus the encounter and the plagues begin as with each pleading to free the people Israel only stiffens Pharaoh’s resolve to keep the Israelites enslaved. The first seven plagues, of the River Nile turning to blood, the frogs, the vermin, the wild animals, the pestilence, boils and hail.

There have been many analyses of the plagues, searching them for some logical explanation. But one can also look at each of these plagues as also a way to cut down the gods and goddesses of ancient Egyptian religion so that the monotheism of Israelite religion reigns supreme.

Several times God shows the Egyptians and the Pharaoh that indeed the Israelites are so beloved and protected that the plagues will not affect the Israelites only the Egyptians
In chapter 8 the text says, “ But on that day I will set apart the region of Goshen, where My people swell so that no swarms of insect shall be there, that you may know that I, Adonai am in the midst of the land. And I will make a distinction between My people and your people.” Further with the plague of pestilence the livestock of the Egyptians are the ones affected, not the Israelites’ livestock. And again with the plagues of hail, “Only in the region of Goshen, where the Israelites were there was no hail.” (v. 9:26)

Each of the seven plagues as described in this parasha build in severity. They do display the might of Adonai and the lengths to which this God will protect the people Israel. Pharaoh is however a slow learner and is not used to having to make decisions under such duress. Thus as the drama concludes next week, in Parshat Bo, we will see that Pharaoh’s stubbornness, and hardened heart will be his family’s undoing – with the death of his own firstborn son. This is indeed a steep price to pay—the future of the Pharaonic throne, and indeed all of Egypt for a few slaves.