Dear Friends,
Moses was somewhat of a reluctant leader. In last week’s Torah reading, when he encountered God at the burning bush and was asked to go to Egypt and advocate for the Israelites’ freedom, he did not want to go. Moses was concerned. Who was he, that either Pharaoh or the Israelites would listen to him? That is one of the reasons that in this week’s Torah portion, Aaron, his brother, stands with Moses. Aaron helps hold his brother up, and gives him the confidence he needs to speak up to Pharaoh, bringing God’s message of deliverance and freedom to fruition.
This weekend we will be celebrating the legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. While civil rights has come a long way over the years thanks to Dr. King and his work, this year has made it abundantly clear that we still have a long way to go for his dream of having been to the mountaintop to be a reality.
Like Moses, there are those who speak with prophetic voices shedding light on injustice and systemic issues that continue to plague our society. May we all have the strength, the wisdom, and courage to be like Aaron, to help magnify the voices of those who need to be heard, so that we can work towards achieving Dr. King’s dream, together.
Rabbi Josh Dorsch
