Weekly Services

This week we begin the second book of the Torah, the Book of Exodus. 

Summary: 

The opening passage of Exodus recounts:” …A new Pharaoh arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph…” And no sooner does this new Pharaoh ascend the throne, than he announces “…The Hebrew nation in our midst has become too numerous and powerful! In the event of a war, they will surely join our enemies and overpower us!” The Pharaoh thus begins to diminish the freedoms of the Hebrews people until they become completely enslaved by him.  But the Pharaoh’s paranoia knows no bounds: He then decides to reduce the Israelite population by casting their newborn baby boys into the Nile River.

One desperate Hebrew mother places her baby in a basket, and hides him amidst the reeds of the river.  The Pharaoh’s daughter, who happens to be bathing in the Nile, spots the basket. When she opens it, she exclaims, “A Hebrew child!” Falling in love with the child, she decides to adopt him and gives him an Egyptian name: Moses – "Moshe" – “Drawn from water.”

Moses thus grows up in the royal court as the adopted grandson of the Pharaoh!  Many years later, one day, he notices an Egyptian official beating a Hebrew slave to death.  He is so horrified at the sight, that he strikes the official dead. Moses the prince of Egypt now becomes Moses the fugitive!

He flees into the Sinai desert.  There, he finds work as a shepherd for one Jethro. He falls in love with Jethro’s daughter, Tziporah, and they marry.  One day, many years later, Moses passes a burning bush. He approaches it and discovers that the bush, strangely, is not consumed by the flames. Suddenly, he hears: “Moses! Moses! Go down to Egypt… Go to Pharaoh, and demand that he let My people go!”  Moses stammers:” But Pharaoh and the Israelites will surely ask, ‘Who sent me’ Whom shall I say sent me?”  The voice replies: “Tell them, ‘I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE” has sent you.” Moses decides to follow the mysterious command!  

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Alvin Wainhaus