by Shani Mink, Pearlstone Center – Reisterstown, MD Blessings, on Blessings, on Blessings: Faith and Wonderment in Beshalach and Tu B’shvat In the parsha of Beshalach we have finally emerged from the darkness of egypt and we are now headed into a different sort of darkness, the darkness of the unknown. Trapped between Pharoah’s army and the Red Sea, the Nation of Israel turns to their leader Moshe and say “Why did you take us out here to die? It would be better to serve the Egyptians than to die out here in the wilderness.” After generations, our ancestors had grown too comfortable with the abuse and degradation of slavery and from this comfort emerged a paralyzing and complacent stagnation. Though their lives in Egypt were dark and full of terrors, it was a familiar plight, a plight in which they knew what to expect. The injustices that pepper our society are just as familiar and the darkness of the unknown just as terrifying. In light of recent political transitions, the plight of dis-empowered groups previously suffering in silence have been brought to the fore. Caught between Pharoah’s army and the Red Sea, we must chose to move forward; it’s now […]
Tag Archives | Pharoah
Parashat Va’eira | D’varim HaMakom: The JOFEE Fellows Blog
by Liora Lebowitz, Jewish Farm School – Philadelphia, PA Power from the People: A Story of How Moshe and Aharon Led the Israelite Resistance The parsha Va’eira is the story of Moshe and Aharon’s attempts to free the Israelite people from under Pharoah’s leadership. The parsha begins with G!d reassuring Moshe of G!d’s covenant with the Israelite people and G!d’s promise to free them from the land of Egypt. Moshe tries to tell the Israelites about G!d’s promise but they cannot fathom this happening. G!d instructs Moshe to go to Pharoah himself to demand that the Israelites be freed, a task which Moshe feels inadequate to do partially due to his speech impediment. In the end, Aharon joins forces with Moshe and acts as his speaker, and together they go up against the power of Pharoah. G!d instructs Aharon and Moshe to cast Aharon’s staff before Pharoah and it will turn into a serpent, in order to provide a sign for Pharoah of G!d’s power. This is the first action which Moshe and Aharon take in order to persuade Pharoah to let the Israelites go. Throughout the rest of the parsha, Moshe and Aharon enact the first seven of the […]
