Wednesday, January 21, 2009

The Glory of the Lord

Anytime you see this phrase, I would like you to remember Moses' mother, Jocheved.

Jocheved, from the Hebrew Yh (Lord) and kavod (glory).

Jocheved gave birth to Miriam and Aaron and Moses. And after Pharaoh's evil decree came that all male babies born to the Hebrews were to be thrown into the Nile, Jocheved hid her lastborn for three months. I don't doubt that other Hebrew mothers hid their baby boys as well. Their stories are not recorded because the story of Exodus focuses on Moses.

And Jocheved made a little ark and lined it with pitch and placed her infant son in it. I use the word 'ark' deliberately. Most English translations render the word tevah as basket. An unfortunate translation. The only other time this word is used is in Genesis with the story of Noah and the flood. Just as a remnant of humanity and the animal species were saved from destruction by getting onto the ark, so too was Moses saved from death by being placed in an ark.

Did Jocheved hear the voice of the Lord telling her to build an ark? Did the Lord tell her that in so many days that Pharaoh's soldiers would come looking for Hebrew male babies to throw into the Nile? I don't know. But her work was blessed by God. And because of her efforts, Moses survived.

And after Moses was rescued from the Nile by Pharaoh's daughter (whom the rabbis named Bityah (daughter of the Lord) ), Miriam, his sister, got his mother to be his wetnurse.

And once again Jocheved was reunited with her son. And she nursed him until he was weaned. How old would Moses have been then? 3? 4? I wonder what Jocheved told Moses about his people while she had him. Did she tell him the stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and his brothers? Did she tell of Sarah, Rebekah, Leach, Rachel, Bilhah, Zilpah, and Tamar? Hagar and Ishmael? Esau? I wonder if she instilled in Moses a love for God and His ways of justice and righteousness of mercy and compassion. For we see that all that is evident in Moses' later years as he leads the Israelites out of Egypt and through the wilderness to the Promised Land.

Praise the Lord for Jocheved, God's glory, which was revealed in her actions and in her son Moses.

"And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed. And all flesh shall see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken it." Isaiah 40:5

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Six Women

Were it not for no fewer than six women, Moses would never have been able to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Who are these women? Jocheved, Miriam, Pharoah's daughter, Shifrah, Puah and Tzipporah.

Jocheved, Moses' mother, who hid him for three months after he was born and then placed him a little ark and trusted that God would take care of her son.

Miriam, Moses' older sister, who watched her baby brother and ran to Pharoah's daughter and got as a midwife for her brother none other than his own mother.

Pharaoh's daughter, who took compassion on the baby Moses and instead of turning the little ark over and letting the baby drown or get eaten by a crocodile, took him into the palace and raised him as her own son.

Shifrah and Puah, Hebrew midwives who defied Pharaoh's order to kill all male babies of the Hebrews. And because they feared God, God established households for them. They were of lowly status in Egypt but they stood up the most powerful man in the kingdom.

Tzipporah, Moses's wife, daughter of a Midianite priest, who saved Moses' life, when Moses was gravely ill on his way down to Egypt.

Because of these six brave women who hardly get the recognition they deserve in Bible studies and sermons and commentaries, Moses was able to stand before Pharaoh and say let my people go. Moses could perfom signs and wonders and lead the Israelites out of Egypt and through the wilderness to Sinai and receive the Torah and lead the Israelites for forty years through the wilderness to the Promised Land. Moses is arguably the most famous character in the entire Torah. The Torah is called the "Five Books of Moses." And yet, were it not for these six women, there'd have been no Moses.

Praise God for Jocheved, Miriam, Pharaoh's daughter, Shifrah, Puah and Tzipporah.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Vayehi (and he lived) Genesis 47:28-50:26

And Jacob lived seventeen years in the land of Egypt with the whole mishpucha (family-70 souls in all). Why not say that Jacob sojourned in Egypt? After all, when he meets Pharaoh in last week's parsha, he says the years of his sojourn on earth have been few and hard. Jacob was a sojourner. His father Isaac was a sojourner. His grandfather Abraham was a sojourner. They were wanderers on the earth. They had no permanent resting place even though Canaan had been promised on oath to them and their descendants. A sojourner lives day to day. Look up the etymology of sojourn. It comes from the French for 'day.' A sojourner worries about how he will live each day. What will he eat? What will he wear? Where will he sleep? Who will give him a job? Can he expect to be protected by the laws of the land?

In Egypt, all these concerns were taken care of. Jacob and his family settled in Goshen, the best part of the land of Egypt. They had plenty of land for their flocks and herds. They didn't have to worry about the famine since Joseph, as VP (Vice Pharaoh), had stored up the grain from the seven years of plenty. Jacob and his family were living in Goshen at the good graces of Pharaoh, who was certainly pleased with Joseph and trusted him. So why wouldn't he take care of Joseph's father and brothers? What to eat, what to wear, where to sleep, will they be afforded the protection of the laws of the land? It's all taken care of. Jacob doesn't have to be a sojourner. He can settle in the land. He can live as he wished-with all his sons and daughter. His heart, which had broken and died within him at the sight of Joseph's ornamented tunic torn and bloodstained, has been revived at the news that Joseph is alive. And not only alive but doing very well indeed, thank you very much.

The whole mishpucha is back together. The brothers can tend their sheep as before without interference from the Egyptians-who find shepherds detestable. They're in very good country. No worries about food or water. It's the good life.

There's a nice symmetry with the number 17. Jacob lived seventeen years with Joseph in the land of Canaan. This was before Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. Now, at the end of his life, Jacob gets to live another 17 years with his beloved son. The first seventeen years were marked by conflict. The last seventeen years, I would imagine, are much more peaceful.

hazak, hazak, v'nit'hazek (be strong, be strong and let us be strengthened)

Friday, January 2, 2009

Happy Brit Millah!

IF Jesus was born on December 25 (and there's debate about that), then January 1, would be the day of his circumcision. As it is said, "For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised." Gen 17:12

New Years Day is the annual celebration of Jesus entering into the covenant of Abraham.