Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 28 Tevet 5784
Parsha Va-‘Era’: (Exodus 6:2 – 9:35)
Third Portion: Exodus 6:29 -7:7
Good morning! Tomorrow night is the new moon – the beginning of a new cycle. We are coming out of the time of chaos and repair. And we are heading into a time of order and; harshness until the full moon – and then blessing as the full moon fades back to the new.
It’s a great time to set intents for ourselves – to hold onto during the next cycle.
- What has been repaired this past month? What do we want to hold onto and continue focusing on that will be STRENGTHENED by the harshness?
- How is the Harshness we are facing DESIGNED to refine the repairs made?
- What blessing do we desire with this new repair?
Yesterday, we left off with many incredible lessons. Today’s portion begins in the middle of a sentence – verse 28 starts it – but 29 completes it. Here is what I wrote yesterday:
And now – how beautiful – this is how today’s portion ends:
28Now it came to pass on the day that the Lord spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt,
I believe the Torah is affirming this message to us. We are Moses. Hashem is speaking to US.
Allow ourselves to feel anger and wrath. We will heal. Going to a dry and painful place and getting out of our trauma comfort? That’s the path forward.
Are we ready to go to the dry and painful place? THIS is what the first two weeks will bring in this next moon cycle. We can choose to delay (the Israelites did) or we can take the journey within to this dry and painful place to engage our wrath and anger in a healthy way. To leave our trauma comfort and heal. And this is the completion of this idea:
29that the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “I am the Lord. Speak to Pharaoh everything that I speak to you.”
Hashem is saying to us. Great! You ready? LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Moses, you are going to lead us, RIGHHHTTT????
30But Moses said before the Lord, “Behold, I am of closed lips; so how will Pharaoh hearken to me?”
*Facepalm*
Moses RESISTS. And we can judge Moses for this resistance. Or we can receive it. The Torah sees us. Feels us. Loves us. Because the Torah knows us.
We DESIRE to do what we need to do to heal. AND we doubt. This trauma comfort is STRONG in us. Going to the painful dry place? We get in our own way. How will Hashem respond? Will he strike Moses down with anger? “You petulant fool! How many times do I need to argue with you before you get this??? Come on dude, just trust me.”
No. That’s not how this unfolds. Let’s see:
7:1The Lord said to Moses, “See! I have made you a lord over Pharaoh, and Aaron, your brother, will be your speaker.
Hashem reminds Moses of his POWER. Moses was afraid.
I have been learning the past few days from friends who are sharing the concept of “Gene Keys” – and something I heard and was unlocked for me? “Fear is Safe.” If you want to know more? I have a host of experts who do this work – and are AMAZING! Email me at tyler@tikkunolam47.com and I will connect you.
Fear. Is. Safe.
The Torah reinforces this idea. The Universe sees our fear. And instead of STRIKING US DOWN because of our fear? The Torah reminds us of our POWER!
Fear. Is. Safe.
My opinion? Because its honest. It’s true. Convincing ourselves we aren’t afraid? That’s survival. And not to be judged. But it’s an ark that becomes a prison.
The dry and painful place is seeing our own fears. Feeling safe in our fear. Will we go there on our own? Or will our hearts continue to harden? Let’s keep going:
2You shall speak all that I command you, and Aaron, your brother, shall speak to Pharaoh, that he let the children of Israel out of his land.
3But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and I will increase My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.
4But Pharaoh will not hearken to you, and I will lay My hand upon the Egyptians, and I will take My legions, My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt with great judgments.
Moses was afraid Pharaoh wouldn’t listen to him.
Hashem said “dude. I know. I am not ASKING YOU TO MAKE PHARAOH LISTEN TO YOU!”
This was what the Torah said:
29that the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “I am the Lord. Speak to Pharaoh everything that I speak to you.”
This is what Moses heard:
30But Moses said before the Lord, “Behold, I am of closed lips; so how will Pharaoh hearken to me?”
Two different realities. Moses INFERRED from Hashem what he thought Hashem wanted him to do. Hashem didn’t task Moses with “CONVINCE PHAROAH.” Hashem just said “speak to Pharaoh what I tell you. I will work out the rest.”
Did we catch that the first time we read it? I did not.
How often do we INFER things that bring us right to fear? Hashem did not INSINUATE anything in His message to Moses. He just wanted Moses to speak to Pharaoh. It was all a part of the plan.
What is the takeaway for us?
In a given moment – we can act. If we are afraid of the next step? We may be getting ahead of ourselves. If a moment calls for us to speak – it may be for the purposes of a plan greater than ours. Just because someone doesn’t listen? It is NOT OUR JOB for them to listen. I can talk, communicate, and try to get my heart and mind out in a way that is clear. AND. The person we are trying to communicate may be hardened and blocked and they are in no position to receive that. We don’t have to take that personally.
Our freedom? Speak our truth. Be candid. Live in our power. If we are afraid someone will reject our truth? That fear is safe.
Let’s keep going. Why is this all happening? Why is Moses WASTING HIS TIME talking to Pharoah if Hashem has told him it’s going to fail? What does this have to do with freeing the Israelites? If the plan is the plan, what is the value of Moses speaking to Pharoah?
5And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord when I stretch forth My hand over Egypt, and I will take the children of Israel out of their midst.”
Mind blown. Moses was speaking to Pharoah because NOT ONLY was he taking the Israelites out of Egypt, Hashem wanted the EGYPTIANS TO KNOW EXACTLY WHO HASHEM was.
Why?
Out of Ego? Hashem is sitting up there going – “I am going to rescue the Israelites and make sure the Egyptians know it’s me because I have an ego to stroke?”
No. I don’t believe this.
I believe it’s because Hashem is love. And He knew. There were Egyptians who would TASTE AND SEE Hashem. And would go with the Israelites. And (Spoiler alert) we are going to learn as this story unfolds? Egyptians went with the Israelites into the wilderness.
Moses was asked to speak to Pharaoh because Hashem wasn’t just rescuing the Israelites from the slavery of Egypt – he was rescuing the EGYPTIANS from their own spiritual slavery.
Physical slavery. Spiritual slavery.
The Torah is about BOTH.
Two different realities. Hashem’s reality. Moses’ reality.
Two other different realities. Israels’ reality. Egyptians’ reality.
And. This is NOT binary. Because. 1 + 1 = 3.
What does this mean?
- Hashem’s reality is one. Hashem IS one.
- Moses is one. Moses IS one.
- Together? Hashem and Moses forms a RELATIONSHIP. That relationship IS a new entity that has entered the picture. That RELATIONSHIP is ALSO one.
Hashem + Moses? That equals three = Hashem’s reality PLUS Moses’ reality PLUS The reality of the RELATIONSHIP between Hashem and Moses.
Hashem was co-creating with Moses. Moses had a part. But Moses wasn’t alone. This did not fall fully to his shoulders to carry. There was a third reality being created.
1 + 1 = 3.
Israel + Egypt = 3 = Israels’ reality. Egypts’ reality. The integrated reality of both peoples. This “integrated reality?” This is why this was playing out. Hashem saw this entity. He saw this three.
1 + 1 = 3.
Let’s finish today’s portion:
6Moses and Aaron did; as the Lord commanded them, so they did.
7And Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron was eighty three years old when they spoke to Pharaoh.
What a BEAUTIFUL ending. Moses and Aaron ACCEPTED 1 + 1 = 3. They did as they were asked. They RECEIVED Hashem and did not resist Hashem. They CHOSE to submit to Hashem’s love and expansive perspective and reality and just did.
And it took them EIGHTY YEARS of living in order for them to learn this lesson.
I am not sure how many of us are 80. But as an almost 52 year old man? There is some comfort in seeing this reality 28 years before Moses did. That’s not my ego. That’s soothing balm for my heart.
Because immediately I go inward and say “why did it take me so (I want to use a curse word here but I won’t) long to understand this?” I want to judge myself.
And. The Torah reminds us? We are on the right track. We are where we need to be. We are learning lessons when we need to learn them.
And that brings me tremendous comfort.
What are your thoughts?
Here are my thoughts from the past two years:
Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 24 Tevet, 5783
Todays portion has me thinking a lot about our own obstinacy. What are the messages that Hashem has been sending us that we struggling to hear?
If the goal is to listen so that we can be spiritually free and liberated, where are we ignoring the message being sent?
This is where I find myself. I’m also reflecting on yesterday’s Torah “detour” and how that key may play into this situation.
I’ve been working towards a personal desire and goal over the past few months. And I’ve been taking a “detour” as of late (sorry to vaguebook here, but it’s fairly personal).
Yesterday I met someone who helped me see where I had been ignoring messages Hashem (if you want to say “the universe” you can) had been sending me. A part of me had been “asleep” ignoring the impact of something I had been holding onto. I didn’t consciously realize I was stuck because I was asleep. My heart was hardened and not soft.
It really pushed me to have to “let go” almost in a sense of “let my people (or paradigm) go.” It required some difficult conversations last night.
Though it was tough, I find myself feeling free this morning. I feel more awake.
All this to say; what are you holding onto? What do you need to “let go” this morning because your heart is hardened and/or you’ve been asleep? How are you like Egypt?
Let’s not harden our hearts to the point it takes Hashem to hit us over the head with a board so we will listen.
What are your thoughts?
Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for Tevet 24, 5782
Todays portion picks up where Sunday’s left off (after a quick detour yesterday).
God speaks to Moses saying “I am God. Tell over to Pharaoh everything I speak to you.”
And of course, given everything God has done to show Moses his power, he does it.
Um. No. Good old Moses; “But I have sealed lips! How will Pharaoh possibly listen to me?”
God explains; in actuality, Pharaoh WONT listen to Moses because his heart will be hardened. It’s not about success or failure; it’s about following Hashem.
We get an insight into the 10 plagues and Hashem’s purposes for them. Because Pharaoh’s heart was hardened and he wouldn’t listen, God says “When I stretch forth My hand over Egypt, the Egyptians shall know that I am God and I will take the children of Israel out from among them.”
It really wasn’t about Pharaoh in the end; his heart was hardened. It was about the Egyptians understanding that God was God. I think that’s an interesting perspective!
Rabbi Schneerson adds to this;
Viewed from this angle, the plagues were not so much a form of Divine oppression against Egypt but rather, something that was intended for their benefit, to teach them a valuable religious truth. The harshness of the plagues was only necessary because the Egyptians were highly resistant to the message. They were such devout polytheists–a belief in which their ego was heavily invested–that it would take a series of national catastrophes to prove the truth of monotheism to them. But in theory, at least, they could have learned the same lesson much more easily.
If the Egyptian exodus had been a perfect one, the nations would have come to “know that I am God” without the havoc and destruction of the plagues. In fact, God saw it as tragic that the Egyptians had to be destroyed, rather than learn their lesson: ”’My handiwork is drowning in the sea, said God to the angels, when they requested permission to sing, and you want to sing praise!” (Babylonian Talmud, Megillah 10b). But, sadly, the Egyptians had proven to be too obstinate and, as human beings with free choice, they refused to accept the truth of one God. The time had clearly not yet come for complete redemption, and at this point in history, God’s plan could only be furthered, unfortunately, through destruction.
But regardless of the approach-destruction through plagues, as it was in the past, or “repair” through the Messiah, as it will be in our days–the theme remains the same. Our task as Jews is to act as a source of genuine ethics and spirituality for the entire world, so that all nations “shall know that I am God” And then, “God will be King over the entire earth. On that day, God will be One and His name will be One” (Zechariah 14:9)
Moses and Aaron responded positively to God here and went to speak to Pharaoh.
The Portion ends letting us know that Moses was 80 and Aaron was 83 when they went to Pharaoh.
Interesting thoughts today. What are yours?
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