אֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַבָּאִים מִצְרָ֑יְמָה אֵת יַעֲקֹ֔ב אִישׁ וּבֵיתוֹ בָּֽאוּ
Now these are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt; each man and his household came with Jacob
|
Shabbat |
Name |
Parasha |
Haftora |
Brit Chadasha |
|
January 14 2023 |
Sh’mot |
Exodus |
Jeremiah1:1-2:3 |
Acts 7:17-35 |
The Parasha tells of the people of Israel’s affliction in Egypt, the hiding and rescuing of the infant Moses, Moses in Midian, the calling o Moses, circumcision on the way, meeting the elders, an Moses before Pharaoh. Shemot opens by narrating the descent of Jacob’s line into enslavement. Pharaoh pursues a ruthless policy of discrimination, enslavement, and extermination. Still, what is most striking about this first chapter of Exodus is not the brutality of Pharaoh, but the humanity of two heroines, Shifra and Puah. Pharaoh commands these two midwives to kill male Israelite children.
As the narrative unfolds, a picture is painted of Moses, who casts aside royal privilege in an act of empathy and anger and flees the palace to live a life of anonymity. God sees something in the character of Moses—so we are led to believe—that singles him out and makes him the obvious choice for redeemer of Israel.
It is not only his prophetic naming and early life experience that identify Moses as the redeemer; his entire personal narrative defines his unique role. The life of the people of Israel from national birth to possession of a permanent territory is coterminous with the life of Moses. He is in effect the national alter ego. But Moses himself is not as convinced of his destiny. Seemingly unwilling to take the position of leadership for the Children of Israel, Moses questions his worthiness for the role of redeemer. In an enigmatic passage in the book of Exodus.
The miraculous burning bush, unconsumed and marvel in that desert terrain with supernatural wonder erupting inside the ordinary urgency of Moses calling; for he is called to be God’s instrument of redemption, to alleviate the suffering of the Israelite slaves in Egypt. God who envelops all time past, present, and future. E’ehyeh asher Ehyeh, the foundation of His Holly name.
