This Shabbat is also called Shabbat Shirah; the Shabbat of the Song, after the Israelites had crossed over and Egypt was finally defeated. Singing plays a vital role in the transmission of tradition and culture. It is the emotional dimension that complements the more rational prose of history and law. The Torah is not just prose. It is called a…
Author: Jeremy Rosen
Song of Victory
Finally the Children of Israel can celebrate their freedom. But they do not get far before Pharaoh has once again changed his mind and, with his army of chariots, is pursuing them. Despair, fear, and a collapse of morale ensue. As we know, God intervenes. The Red Sea divides and they cross safely, but the pursuing army gets caught in…
Amalek
This week’s reading from the Torah starts with the Exodus. The Children of Israel leave slavery in Egypt and head out towards Sinai. But then the Egyptians change their minds and pursue them. They are defeated not by the fleeing slaves but by Divine, or Natural forces at the Red Sea. And yet the Egyptians are not regarded by the…
When Things Go Wrong
The Children of Israel come out of Egypt. It is like a rebirth. But almost immediately they are faced with one crisis after another. The Egyptian army pursues them. There is no water, no food. They complain against Moses, Aaron and God. The Amalekites attack them. Yet they come through all these difficulties. There is one word that is repeated…
Deborah
In the Haftarah too we read another song, that of the Prophetess and Judge Deborah. We often seem to forget that in the past we were led by this amazing woman who functioned on several levels. She was a Judge, a moral and just leader and she was a prophet who had a special relationship with God. She was also…
Negotiations
During negotiations between Moshe and Pharaoh, the plague of locusts, the least uncommon of the plagues, seems to have been the one that began to turn the tide. Pharaoh offers a concession. If the Children of Israel really want to go and worship their God they can indeed go for three days. But he asks who exactly they want to…