Parashat Shmot | Sowing the Seeds for the Fruits of our Labor

When “a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph[1]” rose to the throne it is clear that troubles are brewing in the land. Those rapidly surface. The new king is worried, “the people of the sons of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, otherwise they will multiply, and in the event of war, they will also join those who hate us, and fight against us and depart from the land.[2]” He therefore finds ways to make their lives miserable. He orders the baby boys to be killed in one manner, and when that does not work, he commands, “Every son who is born, you are to throw into the Nile, but every daughter, you are to keep alive.[3]” Certainly the Sons of Israel tried to find ways to save their newly born baby boys in a variety of ways. In one of them, “the woman conceived and gave birth to a son; and when she saw that he was beautiful, she hid him for three months. But when she could no longer hide him, she got him a papyrus basket and covered it with tar and pitch. Then she put the child in it and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile.[4]” This is how the story of Moses begins.

I decided to go back to Sefer HaAgadah to Bialik and Ravnitski to find out what they have decided to include regarding this matter. I found that they actually decided to include a story that involved a speaker and which is based on a teaching from Shir HaShiriam Rabah. “Rabbi set and preached, and the listeners snoozed, so he wanted to wake them up. So he said: ‘there was a woman in Egypt who delivered six hundred thousands from a single womb.’ There was there a student, and his name was rabbi Ishmael the son of rabbi Yosei, who asked him: ‘who may it be?’ he responded: ‘this was Jochebed who delivered Moses, and he is equal to six-hundred thousand of Israel’.[5]” I must admit I feel lucky as I do not have the problem that rabbi experienced. However, Bialik and Ravnitski took the liberty of shortening the original that included the explanation to this outstanding equation. From the original we learn: “This is because it is stated " Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang"[6].

The idea of waking up a drowsy audience by presenting them with an unexpected surprise is not something used only by speakers. Hyden’s Surprise Symphony[7] was written with that in mind. He noticed, so the story goes, that people come to concerts more to be seen rather than listen and have the tendency to catch a quick nap during concert time. He therefore composed the symphony so that after a nice introduction theme played in piano, that is quietly, suddenly the orchestra roars with a sudden fortissimo chord. This of course causes the audience to wakeup all surprised and then the music goes back to its quiet routine. I am quite certain the Hyden did not spend time reading Shi HaShirim Rabah but he certainly knew how to catch an audience’s attention. Quickly.

This week I had the privilege to attend, as the immediate past-chair, two meetings of the finance committee of the Israel Reform Movement, as well as its board of governors’ meeting. I much enjoy it because it entails minimal responsibility and to my great fortune a lot of satisfaction. The Movement, under the leadership of my friends Yair Lootsteen, chairperson, and Anna Kislanski, CEO, approved an annual budget that exceeds thirty one million New Israeli Shekels. This is the largest budget ever of the Movement in Israel. Many have toiled in order to make this happen and there is no way I can mention them all today. However, there is certainly a chord played in full volume that exclaims that we are here, we will stay, we shall flourish, and that we withstand difficulty and hardship.

In a certain way we have laid a basket, protected from within and from without, in the belief that it can travel towards a port of safety. You should not take this for granted. It is a demanding task to which our friend and congregation member Lior Ben Zur, past chair of this congregation, is a partner to. In order for us to continue this work, we need to strengthen also our own congregation, erecting foundation which are strong and deep. Eventually the basket needs to get to a place where it will leave the water and its content will become a formidable force. All of you, all us, must part take in this effort. Sometimes, you know, even a small basket can produce significant and meaningful fruits.

Shabbat Shalom and wishes for Good Health.

Reuven Marko, 24 December 2021, 21 Tevet, 5782

[1] Exodus 1 8 [2] Exodus 1 9-10 [3] Exodus 1 22 [4] Exodus 2 2-3 [5] Sefer HaAgada, Bialik & Ranitski, 3rd Edition, [6] Exodus 15 1 [7] Symphony No. 94 in G major, surprise appearing in the 2nd of 4 parts, the Andante.