Va-eira (Exodus 6:2−9:35)

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.