What’s the sound of oppression? The Zohar teaches that when the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt, the power of speech itself was in exile. We know many flavours of silence: rage, shock, grief, apathy, shame, quiet lovers, friends grown apart. “Israel cried out, their plea rose… and God saw Israel, and God knew.” It wasn’t […]Read Post ›
“God spoke all these words.” What are we to do with these Commandments? Why just ten, ignoring vast chunks of life? Why ten, when fewer abstract principles might leave freedom for flexibility? Why any? The Ten hint at a relationship promised in Moses’ first encounter with God, “I will be [ehyeh] with you on this […]Read Post ›
This is the book of Names, and God has one too: Ehyeh, “I will be”. This is my name too, and yours. When someone, Moses for example, says “I”, he means to say that the same collection of molecules called Moses today has an identity, a relationship to the collection of molecules called Moses tomorrow. […]Read Post ›
Pharaoh is a double symbol of evil. First, he is a problem, an obstruction of freedom, an impediment in the way of better reality. He is a system to be destroyed if the world is to be improved. God begins by telling Moses, “Go to Pharaoh;” fight the oppression, remove the obstruction. (We must do […]Read Post ›
Moses sees the violent injustice of slavery and the absolute truth, necessity, and inevitability of liberation. This way of seeing the world-as-it-is and the world-as-it-should-be equally clearly is “knowing God”; translating this vision into intelligible words for others is prophecy. Physically, Moses needs help to be understood. “See, I have given you as god to […]Read Post ›
If these biblical stories are important, it is only because in some form they are happening now; the archetypes we read about are the lives we live. Moses’ relationship with God is the kind we should strive to have with everyone. It begins with questioning – “Who am I?… What is your name?” – and […]Read Post ›
After forty years, the physical voyage of the Israelites through the desert is nearly over. Moses gives a final speech to the new generation, in order to transform history into myth, and to teach the people the possibility of doing the same. Moses “began to expound the Torah,” repeating what had happened. Something that happens […]Read Post ›
Moses senses his death. He alternates between despair, frustration and pragmatic preparation. “O Lord, source of all spirit and flesh, appoint a leader!” A successor is essential, and Moses sets about the delicate process of preparing Joshua to accept the role of leader, and preparing the people to accept Joshua. He teaches Joshua, listens, explains; […]Read Post ›
A spiritual life sees reality and believes there is more. A denial of reality or of the More is heresy, madness. The people build a golden calf, a god that can be touched – and Moses melts it down and feeds it to them, to make them taste the heresy they have chosen. Maybe he […]Read Post ›
“Moses spoke to the leaders of the tribes… this is the word of God.” How utterly, how impossibly certain is he in his message! The Midrash points out that all other prophets report “Thus said God,” while only Moses uses “This is”. How can one say something so absolutely and still be open to others […]Read Post ›
Silence and words. After the apparent tragedy of the death of his two sons “Aaron was silent.” He couldn’t even cry. “And Moses spoke.” His older brother gave words and structure to the situation, allowing for Aaron’s silence. This is the reverse of Moses’ original encounter with God: overwhelmed by responsibility and shame Moses protested that […]Read Post ›
According to one legend, when Moses is commanded to build a holy sanctuary for God, he is shown a vision of a building made of red, green, black and white fire. “How can I build that?” he asks. “You have your signs and I have my glory,” God responds. Living a spiritual life is to […]Read Post ›
The exodus from Egypt is chaotic. The rational order of things, slavery to Pharaoh, is finally being challenged. Pharaoh tempts Moses to limit his requests, tries to impose new rationality on the demand to serve God. Moses refuses. “Nothing will remain, for we do not know how to serve God until we arrive.” Nothing spiritual […]Read Post ›
120 words of Torah 