Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 17 Tevet, 5785

Good morning! We are heading into Shabbat, a day of rest.  I’m not sure about you…but I think we all really need it. It is my hope that today, as we are in the chaos, we can see how it is reflecting back to us the need for repair.

I leave you with these thoughts from a year ago:

Here are my thoughts from last year:

Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 24 Tevet 5784
Parsha Shemot: (Exodus 1:1 – 6:1)
Sixth Portion: Exodus 4:18 – 4:31

Good morning! I really encourage you to read the commentaries below from two years ago.  There is a lot there.  This morning, as we prepare for the Sabbath rest before the next new moon (Wednesday night) we are leaving a cycle of Chaos and Repair and heading towards Order – with the first half of the month more “harsh” and the second half more “blessing.” 

I think we will find we will long for the chaos – AND appreciate the repair that the harshness will bring.  With this, let’s jump in:

18Moses went and returned to Jether, his father in law, and he said to him, “Let me go now and return to my brothers who are in Egypt, and let me see whether they are still alive.” So Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.”

What I find curious here is that Moses asked Jether for permission to return to Egypt. Dude just experienced Hashem in the burning bush – AND – now is asking Jether for permission. 

Just because we know our calling spiritually. Just because we see ourselves as free and liberated. Just because we may have a peaceful, active heart. We sill live in this limited space/time.  It’s both/and – we don’t need to choose one or the other. If it is Hashem’s will, this space/time won’t stop us from our goals.

Let’s keep going:

19The Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return to Egypt, for all the people who sought your life have died.”

20So Moses took his wife and his sons, mounted them upon the donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt, and Moses took the staff of God in his hand.

21The Lord said to Moses, “When you go to return to Egypt, see all the signs that I have placed in your hand and perform them before Pharaoh, but I will strengthen his heart, and he will not send out the people.

22And you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘So said the Lord, “My firstborn son is Israel.” ‘

23So I say to you, ‘Send out My son so that he will worship Me, but if you refuse to send him out, behold, I am going to slay your firstborn son.’ “

Alright. Hashem is talking to Moses here on his way to Egypt. Telling him how this will all unfold. “My firstborn son is Israel.”

This is powerful. Moses is telling Pharoah that Hashem sees Israel like a first born child.  As a dad – I reflect on my firstborn. She is the human that MADE ME a father.  Until she was born, I was not a dad. Her birth – that is my identity as a father.

We – as Israel – are what makes Hashem a father (or mother).  Without us, that would not be a part of HIS identity. Think about that. How important is that? And? Anyone stops us from being free? They will be slayed.

What is our takeaway? We can trust that Hashem wants us to be spiritually free and liberated. Why? So we are free to WORSHIP.  We are free to connect with the Universe. To be at one with Hashem – and the Neshama within us. Hashem cares SO MUCH for this connection? He will slay whatever is within us that gets in our own way.

Let’s keep going.

24Now he was on the way, in an inn, that the Lord met him and sought to put him to death.

Wow.

I read this before. And it seemed odd. Like out of the blue. But given what I just wrote? It makes a TON of sense. Hashem is literally going to slay what is within us – so we are free. 

Zipporah figured it out quickly, because Moses was likely in shock.

25So Zipporah took a sharp stone and severed her son’s foreskin and cast it to his feet, and she said, “For you are a bridegroom of blood to me.”

26So He released him. Then she said, “A bridegroom of blood concerning the circumcision.”

Moses had a son who was not circumcised.  This was a break of the covenant made with Abraham.  This was going to get in the way of Moses doing the work Hashem called him to do.

This was harsh.

And. It was repair.

And. It was blessing.

Interesting.

Let’s keep going:

27The Lord said to Aaron, “Go toward Moses, to the desert.” So he went and met him on the mount of God, and he kissed him.

Moses was also unaware – Hashem was with Aaron – providing the context for the gift for Moses – at Moses’ request. Aaron met Moses – and they kissed.  Blessing. Repair.

Let’s continue:

28And Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord with which he had sent him and all the signs that He had commanded him.

29So Moses and Aaron went, and they assembled all the elders of the children of Israel.

30And Aaron spoke all the words that the Lord had spoken to Moses, and he performed the signs before the eyes of the people.

31And the people believed, and they heard that the Lord had remembered the children of Israel and that He saw their affliction, and they kneeled and prostrated themselves.

With this repair? Moses and Aaron gathered the elders – and they believed.

Next takeaway:

To do the work we are called to do – to be who we are called to be- we must experience repair – both in chaos, and in order. We must experience harshness and blessing. All to live out – freedom, liberation, and love.

ESPECIALLY when we are stuck and enslaved.

 And? I think this repair? Is connected to grief.