Exodus 33:12–34:26, Numbers 28:19–25
This week's commentary was written by Rabbi Marc Wolf.
"Remember this day, on which you went free from Egypt, the house of bondage, how the Lord freed you from it with a mighty hand. . . . You go free on this day, in the month of the Spring" (Exod. 13:3b–4).
As we set our tables and prepare for our seders, we cannot help but hear the echoes of our journey from persecution to freedom amplified in the headlines. Our holiday of Hodesh Ha'aviv—the "Month of the Spring"—comes at a time when the ripple effects of what has been dubbed the Arab Spring are just beginning to be felt. The recent 2010 Human Rights Report of the U.S. State Department emphasizes that any retrospective analysis of North Africa and the Middle East must take into account how the landscape has changed dramatically over the past few months. What the report (as flawed as pieces of it are) finds intriguing about the Arab Spring is that the demands for "meaningful political participation, fundamental freedoms, and greater economic opportunity" are driven by overwhelmingly younger citizens who "seek to build sustainable democracies in their countries."
How do we—as a world community and as a people who experienced a similar national awakening—help write the next chapter in this story? And how do we ensure that the course is one of construction and not destruction? The lure of religious fanaticism is strong; and writing a national narrative that sets a course for pluralism is a challenge that can only be met through encouragement and guidance. A vacuum will be filled by what occupies the most space surrounding it.
The story of our national origin that we read at the seder can serve as a relevant guide.
When called to lead the children of Israel from slavery to freedom, Moses's overwhelming concern was not how Pharaoh would respond to his insolence, but rather whether he would be able to convince these slaves that they were a people to be redeemed. Moses never questions the legitimacy of the mission. He recognizes the plight of the Israelites as God does. His reluctance hinges on the questions of his ability to turn these people into a nation. Redeeming slaves is much more than freeing them from shackles. Redemption will only come once the people recognize their position as a nation.
Throughout the narrative, Moses reiterates his concern. "Moses said to God, 'When I come to the Israelites and say to them, "The God of your fathers has sent me to you," and they ask me, "What is His name?" what shall I say to them?'" (Exod. 3:13). Beyond the signs and wonders that God gives Moses to act as his bona fides, God continuously reassures him that the elders and the children of Israel "will listen to you" (Exod. 3:18).
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