Voices of WRJ: Va-eira

How many times have you heard the story of Passover? How many times have you told the story of Passover? And yet, each time there is something new that is learned, something that was never realized before. And such it was this time for me.

This parashah begins with God announcing his name. As if God needs to be announced! But he continues to say that he has used other names along this journey, but now he is declaring “I am ADONAI!”

Everything else seems minor after this announcement. He continues by repeating his commitment to make Israel his people and to bring them out of servitude and to give them the land as he promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

That would be enough of a story right there! But now there is the “how to do this.” God continues to tell Moses what to say to Pharaoh, and in time to the people, themselves. Moses does not feel he can do this because of his strange way of speaking…he speaks of his uncircumcised lips.

Moses tells God that Pharaoh won’t listen to him. And God tells him what to say and to repeat his words exactly as he is told. This part stuck with me as I thought of how many times we are in the position of asking someone to do something and the back and forth discussions that follow. The person being asked feels they must decline, and we feel compelled to urge them on. Then I thought of Moses being the epitome of good leadership and now we learn who is coaching him! He is being told not only what to say, but how to say it!

As this parashah continues what we know as the “Ten Plagues” occur.

Nowhere in the parashah are they called “plagues.” They are known as “signs,” “marvels,” or “wonders.” And their purpose is to show Pharaoh God’s power. God is showing that he has the means to back up what he is saying. But they are Plagues in ever seder I’ve attended! Now I will try to use other words!

Another message in leadership that comes through here is the old advice, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again!” Never did I think that was a lesson from Moses! We see this being played out, again and again, …and we talk about it all the time!

The entire Passover story is not contained in this parashah, it carries over in the next two parashot. But it is enough to remind me of the story that my Mother, Marcelle Epstein Ossinsky z”l, told while she was preparing Seder. Several of us would be gathered in the kitchen as the many dishes were being made. “Just think,” she said, “Jewish women have been preparing these same dishes for this night for thousands of years. I wouldn’t want to be the one who breaks the chain.”

May we each remember that we must be careful not to break the chain!

Judith O. Rosenkranz is a Past President of Women of Reform Judaism and a member of Congregation Schaarai Zedek Sisterhood. She is a native Floridian, born in Daytona Beach. Congregation Shaarai Zedek is celebrating their 125th birthday in 2020.