Dear Friends,
This week as we begin the Book of Exodus the following verse speaks loudly to many of us, especially today: "A new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph." (Ex. 1:8). We witness a transition in leadership. For many years, life was very good for the Israelites. The Pharaoh with whom Joseph ruled, and who arranged for Joseph's family to immigrate to Egypt, and do very well there, is no longer in power. Time has passed and a new leader emerges. This one is advancing a different agenda with new priorities; he sees the Israelites not as friends but rather a threat. The new Pharaoh enslaves the Israelites, oppresses them, and "makes life bitter for them with harsh labor [making] mortar and bricks." (Ex. 1:14)
The commentary on this episode is rich; and the text gets richer. At the depth of their despair, after Pharaoh's fear of the Israelites rises to new heights, he issues a decree demanding that all new born boys be killed. Here, early in Exodus, we see the first demonstration of resistance; two brave heroines named Shifra and Puah refuse to comply with the decree. Countless lives are saved.
Later in the narrative, Moses is born. He too was saved; in time he becomes the leader of the Israelites and marches them out of slavery in Egypt into freedom in the desert.
Shifra, Puah and Moses are faces of protest and resistance in the early chapters of Exodus. They refuse to go along with the status quo. When they see injustice they respond, acting with their conscience, and doing what is needed to protect their people.
From the time of the Exodus until now, leaders have arisen who "knew not Joseph." As difficult as these periods in time have been for Jews in particular and often times for humanity in general, there always seems to be brave, ordinary women and men like Shifra, Puah, Moses who respond to challenges in challenging times. There are women and men who rise to the defense of the defenseless, raising their hands and their voices, marching on their feet, sometimes at great risk, to bring about change.
On this Shabbat Shemot we linger on the words we declared last week upon completing the Book of Genesis, Hazak, Hazak V'nithazek-be strong, be strong, and be strengthened. May the brave examples of those who came before us, thousands of years ago and a generation ago, inspire us to be strong, to be strengthened, and to apply our strength, our courage and our fortitude to fight for justice, morality and compassion here and abroad.
Please join us tonight at 6:30 for our Musical Shabbat Service where I will have a few more words to say about our Torah portion as it relates to this current moment in our history.