5101 US-42 • LOUISVILLE, KY 40241 • (502) 423-1818

B’shalach (Exodus 13:17−17:16)

/in

This Week’s Torah Portion: B’shalach – בְּשַׁלַּח Exodus 13:17−17:16)

This week’s Torah Portion includes one of the oldest portions of the Torah, the famous “Song of the Sea.” Standing on the far side of Red Sea, having walked through walls of water to find their freedom, and witnessing Pharaoh’s army lost in the waves, the people of Israel sing this song – a victory ode to God who has carried them from Egyptian slavery to freedom’s shore.

After the song ends, the text continues:

Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand and all the women went out after her to dance with timbrels. And Miriam chanted for them:“Sing to the Eternal, for God has triumphed gloriously;

Horse and driver God has hurled into the sea.” (Exodus 15:20-21)

That is all that the Torah gives us of Miriam’s song. We do not know if the rest was lost or if the chant continued wordlessly or if that is all that there was. Miriam’s song was missing until our own day. It took a modern Miriam, Debbie Friedman, of blessed memory, to re-create the song with words and melody and rhythm, and to let the women and men of our day dance and celebrate this ancient story.

This week marked the 10th yahrzeit of Debbie Friedman who brought the music of Reform Judaism to life. May her songs live on in our hearts and in our prayers for generations yet to come.

Parsha B’shalach Torah Summary:

The Children of Israel escape across the Sea of Reeds from Pharaoh and his army, who drown when God drives back the sea. (13:17-14:31) Moses and the Israelites sing a song praising Adonai. (15:1-21) In the wilderness, God provides the grumbling Israelites with quails and manna. God instructs the Israelites to gather and prepare on the sixth day food needed for Shabbat. (15:22-16:36) The people complain about the lack of water. Moses hits a rock with his rod and brings forth water. (17:1-7) Israel defeats Amalek, Israel’s eternal enemy. God vows to blot out the memory of Amalek from the world. (17:8-16)

Bo (Exodus 10:1−13:16)

/in

This Week’s Torah Portion: Bo – בֹּא Exodus 10:1−13:16)

This week’s Torah Portion, Bo, begins in the middle of the story of the plagues upon Egypt which will inevitably lead Pharaoh to let our people go. Time and again, as each plague increases in severity, Moses asks Pharaoh to let the People of Israel go into the desert to worship their God and Pharaoh says, “No.” Now, God brings the plague of locust upon Egypt and even Pharaoh’s advisors exclaim: “Let the men go, that they may serve Adonai their God, do you not yet know that Egypt is destroyed?” And Pharaoh seems ready to relent. He calls for Moses and Aaron and tells them that he will allow only the men to go and worship their God.

Pharaoh thinks that only the men should go because he does not grasp the notion of freedom for all. Pharaoh cannot imagine that God wishes to relate to each and every one of this miserable people he has enslaved. Moses, on the other hand, explains the core value of monotheism to Pharaoh, and to us. All of us, young and old, men and woman, must stand before God – all of us as individuals, all of us as equals. All of us stand in relationship with God. And so, all of Israel must be allowed to go and worship God in the desert. God, who created every one of us, has a relationship with every one of us. All of us stand as equals before God.

Parsha Bo Torah Summary:

God sends the plagues of locusts and darkness upon Egypt and forewarns Moses about the final plague, the death of every Egyptian firstborn. Pharaoh still does not let the Israelites leave Egypt. (10:1-11:10) God commands Moses and Aaron regarding the Passover festival. (12:1-27) God enacts the final plague, striking down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt except those of the House of Israel. Pharaoh now allows the Israelites to leave. (12:29-42) Speaking to Moses and Aaron, God repeats the commandments about Passover. (12:43-13:16)

Va-eira (Exodus 6:2−9:35)

/in

This Week’s Torah Portion: Va-eira – וָאֵרָא Exodus 6:2−9:35)

This week’s Torah Portion is called Va-eira, “and I appeared”.  In it we begin the journey from slavery to freedom. God appears to Moses and calls him to “Go unto Pharaoh” and to tell him to “Let My People Go.” Could there be a more appropriate parashah for this Martin Luther King Shabbat? “From slavery to freedom… let my people go.” 

Here in our weekly Torah Portion, we remember the beginning of our journey, from slavery to freedom – the journey which God promised us, would one day lead us to the Promised Land. Dr. Martin Luther King, who began for us our own journey as a nation, from slavery to freedom, once said: “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” In Dr. King’s memory, and in the memory of all those who have carried us to this day, let us strive to keep on moving forward, until we have built together that Promised Land of liberty and justice for all.

Parsha Va-eira Torah Summary:

Despite God’s message that they will be redeemed from slavery, the Israelites’ spirits remain crushed. God instructs Moses and Aaron to deliver the Israelites from the land of Egypt. (6:2-13) The genealogy of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and their descendants is recorded. (6:14-25) Moses and Aaron perform a miracle with a snake and relate to Pharaoh God’s message to let the Israelites leave Egypt. (7:8-13) The first seven plagues occur. God hardens Pharaoh’s heart, and Pharaoh rescinds each offer to let the Israelites go. (7:14-9:35)

Sh’mot (Exodus 1:1−6:1)

/in

This Week’s Torah Portion: Sh’mot – שְׁמוֹת (Exodus 1:1−6:1)

“A new king arose over Egypt; And he said to his people, ‘Look, the Israelite people are much too numerous for us. Let us deal shrewdly with them, so that they may not increase; otherwise in the event of war they may join our enemies in fighting against us and rise from the ground.’”

From Pharaoh who enslaved us in Egypt, till today, we find the same hate speech coming from leaders and tyrants.

When leaders incite against minorities in their midst, when they speak about us and them, instead of caring for all the inhabitants of the land, when they try to divide and not to unite. 

Then you know you are dealing with the same kind of tyrant pharaoh was!

Parsha Sh’mot Torah Summary:

The new king of Egypt makes slaves of the Hebrews and orders their male children to be drowned in the Nile River. (1:1-22) A Levite woman places her son, Moses, in a basket on the Nile, where he is found by the daughter of Pharaoh and raised in Pharaoh’s house. (2:1-10) Moses flees to Midian after killing an Egyptian. (2:11-15) Moses marries Zipporah, the daughter of Midian’s priest. They have a son named Gershom. (2:16-22) God calls Moses from a burning bush and commissions him to free the Israelites from Egypt. (3:1-4:17) Moses and Aaron request permission from Pharaoh for the Israelites to celebrate a festival in the wilderness. Pharaoh refuses and makes life even harder for the Israelites. (5:1-23) “A new king arose over Egypt; And he said to his people, ‘Look, the Israelite people are much too numerous for us. Let us deal shrewdly with them, so that they may not increase; otherwise in the event of war they may join our enemies in fighting against us and rise from the ground.’” From Pharaoh who enslaved us in Egypt, till today, we find the same hate speech coming from leaders and tyrants. When leaders incite against minorities in their midst, when they speak about us and them, instead of caring for all the inhabitants of the land, when they try to divide and not to unite. Then you know you are dealing with the same kind of tyrant pharaoh was!

Va-y’chi (Genesis 47:28–50:26)

/in

This Week’s Torah Portion: Va-y’chi – וַיְחִי (Genesis 47:28–50:26)

Jacob our ancestor blesses his grandchildren saying: “May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh” (Genesis 48:20). That is the traditional blessing for children till today. But their names are really Ephraim and Manasseh. Jacob’s blessing is saying to them and to us, May God make you who you ought to be, may God make you true to yourself. May you be you! And that will be the greatest blessing of them all.

Parsha Va-y’chi Torah Summary:

Jacob blesses his grandchildren Ephraim and Manasseh. (48:1-20) Jacob’s twelve sons gather around his deathbed, and each receives an evaluation and a prediction of his future. (49:1-33) Joseph mourns his father’s death and has Jacob embalmed. Jacob is buried in Hebron in the cave of the field of the Machpelah in the land of Canaan. (50:1-14) Joseph assures his concerned brothers that he has forgiven them and promises to care for them and their families. (50:15-21) Just before he dies, Joseph tells his brothers that God will return them to the Land that God promised to the patriarchs. The Children of Israel promise Joseph that they will take his bones with them when they leave Egypt. (50:22-26) Jacob our ancestor blesses his grandchildren saying: “May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh” (Genesis 48:20). That is the traditional blessing for children till today. But their names are really Ephraim and Manasseh. Jacob’s blessing is saying to them and to us, May God make you who you ought to be, may God make you true to yourself. May you be you! And that will be the greatest blessing of them all.