Friday night at Beth El – The power of gratitude
Congregants and Friends,
Please join us for services Friday night, December 20 at 7pm for an inspiring kabbalat Shabbat service.
Our next Saturday morning services are on December 28. Please see www.bethelaustin.org for our schedule.
Cantor Ben-Moshe’s Weekly message:
This week we begin the reading of Sefer Sh’mot, the Book of Exodus. We are told that there was a new king of Egypt “who did not know Joseph”. Of course, this meant that there was a new dynasty, which chose not to recognize what had been done by their predecessors. Our Sages teach that in this case Pharaoh was guilty of the sin of ingratitude-refusing to acknowledge how Joseph had saved Egypt from famine. As Jews, we are commanded to show gratitude, even to the Egyptians who enslaved us, because we found refuge in their land during the time of Joseph. This is why the Torah tells us not to hate Egyptians, “…for you were a stranger in his land”. May we all be mindful of the debt of gratitude which we owe to all who have helped us and guided us in our lives. Shabbat Shalom.
This week we begin the reading of Sefer Sh’mot, the Book of Exodus. We are told that there was a new king of Egypt “who did not know Joseph”. Of course, this meant that there was a new dynasty, which chose not to recognize what had been done by their predecessors. Our Sages teach that in this case Pharaoh was guilty of the sin of ingratitude-refusing to acknowledge how Joseph had saved Egypt from famine. As Jews, we are commanded to show gratitude, even to the Egyptians who enslaved us, because we found refuge in their land during the time of Joseph. This is why the Torah tells us not to hate Egyptians, “…for you were a stranger in his land”. May we all be mindful of the debt of gratitude which we owe to all who have helped us and guided us in our lives. Shabbat Shalom.
Rabbi Tarlow of Texas A&M Center for Jewish-Hispanic Relation weekly Parasha:
This week we begin our yearly reading of the second book of the Bible, Sefer Shmot, or as it is known in English the Book of Exodus. There are great parallels between Genesis and Exodus. Each one deals with a creation story. Genesis deals with the creation of the world and a new philosophy or way of life. Exodus also tells a creation story, that of the people of Israel. Each deals with issues of good and evil, degradation and dignity. In Hebrew the book is called “Shmot” meaning “Reputations” or “Names” while in translation it is called Exodus.
Perhaps the difference between the Hebrew text and foreign translations is more than a mere differentiation in words, but rather it represents a difference in philosophy. Calling the book “Exodus” puts the emphasis on our fleeing Egyptian slavery, and calling the book, Shmot (names) changes to context from our flight from slavery to our fight for human dignity.
In the Bible, names are important. In Genesis Adam shows domination over the animals and partnership with G’d by giving them names. In slavery who demonstrates domination by having the right to give his/her slave a name. Names indicate where and to whom we belong. Without a name or reputation we have no history. History is the story of our shmot/our names and collective reputations and implies freedom of choice and the ability to make decisions. Thus, Joseph, in the latter parts of the book of Genesis freely gives up his Hebrew name and history for an Egyptian name. Might that have been part of the reason that Jacob came to understand that Joseph was not capable of being the next leader of Israel and passes the mantel of leadership to his son, Judah?
Although our parents give us names we create the meaning of our shemot (names and reputation) by the way we act. In Genesis we were a free people and our names reflected the personalities of our leaders. In Exodus, on the other hand, we are treated as less than human and become a mass without names. In the Bible’s second book we then travel to freedom and gain the right to name ourselves, to take life into our own hands, and to shape our own destiny.
This journey to freedom is not without perils. Our national travels in this book (and those that follow it) are not always easy. Often we get scared, seek the easy way out, or want to return. Nevertheless, despite the our failings we were blessed with a leader of vision, Moses. Moses never loses hope, never really loses faith and seems to know that while history may repeat itself, human beings cannot progress if they do not dare to plunge into history and transform the challenges of the past into the opportunities of tomorrow. Exodus is a book of vision; it is a book about life and inspiration and reminds us that each of us is on a personal journey in which we make a name for ourselves in the vastness of time. What type of name are you making for yourself?
