Shemot/Exodus

The theme of Genesis is Creation and the beginning of our relationship with G-d. However, Genesis focus’s on the individual and their stories, their history and what it teaches us. How we can relate to the trials of our ancestors.

This shabbat we enter Shemot/ Exodus. There is a significant change in the focus of this book. All of the sudden we are learning about the community, the Children of Israel.

What they experienced as a whole, as a nation, the Israelites. There are individual stories peppered within the book but in the main, it is concentrating on all of us not what we can do individually but what we can achieve together.

In fact in the book of Exodus, is the only place that we find G-d appearing to everyone together.

Where was that?

Mount Sinai.

But let’s go to the beginning. What were the Bnai Yisrael doing?

They were building pyramids for Pharoah.

How did this happen?

There is a madrash that teaches us that firstly everyone came to work, then slowly the Egyptians stopped and then finally they found themselves enslaved.

We are often faced with challenges and situations around us that we aren’t too comfortable but they don’t seem that bad. The truth is, this is how very bad choices are made.

So how do we stop this from happening?

We have to be aware of our actions and those of the people around us.

We are told that after a certain while, Pharaoh stopped providing the materials and they had to gather them themselves.

Can anyone remember what we eat on Passover that reminds us of the mortar?

Not only did they have to find and mix the materials themselves, they had to build on sand. So what happened?

It all collapsed.

We learn that Pharaoh at that time wasn’t looking for anymore material gain. He just wanted to “break” the children of Israel.

Have you ever done something for no reason? It’s important to find meaning in what we do other wise there is no pride, we feel dispirited. We know it is a waste of our time.

I always try and consider the question..

What did we learn today?