Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 5 Shevat, 5785

Good morning! It is a new week, and we are navigating a ton of energy around us.  Many are feeling like we are being backed into a corner.

And yet, like the Israelites being backed up the sea, with the Egyptians in pursuit, they had options.

They just couldn’t see it.

Moses saw it. He knew the options in front of them, and he trust Hashem to work it out.

What is called for in this time we are living in?

Empathy.

When we desire to dehumanize the other – when we attempt to try to protect ourselves from pain and suffering by demonizing the other – we are called to do the opposite.

Empathy.

When backed into a corner?

Empathy.

First? Empathy and tenderness for OURSELVES. Because we tend to be our worst enemy.

Second? Empathy and tenderness for others.

It is important to remember – those who it appears to have little empathy for others? Most likely don’t have empathy and compassion for themselves.

Self and Ego being polar opposites.

We are not talking minds and logic here.

We are talking heart and soul.

This is what supports us when backed into a corner.

What do we need for empathy today?

What do we need to discern the difference of the discord around us – and find the empathy within.

What do we need to listen?

The Israelites listened to Moses – as tough as that was. Moses listened to Hashem.

Are we listening?

Here are my thoughts from last year:

Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 12 Shevat 5784
Parsha Be-Shallah: (Exodus 13:17 – 17:16)
Second Portion: Exodus 14:9 – 14:14

 Good morning! As we start this week leading us to the Full Moon of Shevat, and the Holy day of Tu B’Shevat -the new year for trees – the final parts of the old tree are being removed from our life to clear space out for the next year and a new tree being planted.  This is a hard time. It’s new. It’s disorienting. And. We have the tools we need to navigate it!

I wrote this last year, and it seems super salient:

For the Jews; they cried out to Hashem. They confronted Moses. But Moses trusted Hashem. He (likely) pulled the memory of his engagement at the burning bush, the plagues, the power Hashem gave him. That made the difference.

We have power we don’t realize we have. The current moment. Any current moment. You have the ability to pull energy from the past and bring it to the present.

Start thinking about ways to pull energy from your past into the current moment to create a DIFFERENT reality.

And. If you are daring? Send past energy into the FUTURE moments you are concerned about. Or send the energy of the moment into the future. And then be there to receive it.

Play around with this energy. It’s incredible.

Moses’ reaction in today’s passage is very different than the children of Israel. Their past was couched in slavery. Moses’ past had been transformed by Hashem.  Let’s dig in!.

The context for today’s passage is Hashem leading the children of Israel backed into a corner. Hashem put them on the edge of a sea, and Pharaoh was about to box them in:

9The Egyptians chased after them and overtook them encamped by the sea every horse of Pharaoh’s chariots, his horsemen, and his force beside Pi hahiroth, in front of Ba’al Zephon.

10Pharaoh drew near, and the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold! the Egyptians were advancing after them. They were very frightened, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord.

11They said to Moses, Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us to die in the desert? What is this that you have done to us to take us out of Egypt?

12Isn’t this the thing [about] which we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, Leave us alone, and we will serve the Egyptians, because we would rather serve the Egyptians than die in the desert?

Can we relate?

• We have $250 in our bank account, and $1000 rent is due Friday.
• Our fridge has no food in it, and our children are struggling with hunger.
• We are out of a job, and are unsure where provision will come.
• We are diagnosed with a medical issue and we are unsure of the future.

It is THESE moments we are real. Our fear response. We have a few options:

• Feel safe in the fear. Trust in things working out. Take action in RESPONSE to the situation and not REACT out of our fear.
• Run away in the fear. Avoid the situation in our emotional energy.
• Fight the fear. Be angry at the situation and try to resist the reality.
• Be unable to make decisions or move.

What did the children of Israel do? They asked for help. They cried out to Hashem.

Full stop.

Asked.

For.

Help.

How much within us HATES asking for help? We are supposed to be GROWN ADULTS who need no help.  Asking for help is WEAK! These are all thoughts that consume us.

And? After they asked Hashem for help? They felt weak. And they IMMEDIATELY went into fight mode, didn’t they? They told Moses they would rather live in slavery than free to be backed into a corner to trust.

And yet? When someone asks US for help? How do we respond?

I am not sure about you, I feel joy when someone comes to me for help, and I have the resources to provide it. 

If I knew someone cared about me was suffering and wasn’t asking for help, my heart would break.

I imagine MOST OF US feel this way.

How did Moses respond to their desperation and anger?

13Moses said to the people, Don’t be afraid! Stand firm and see the Lord’s salvation that He will wreak for you today, for the way you have seen the Egyptians is [only] today, [but] you shall no longer continue to see them for eternity.

14The Lord will fight for you, but you shall remain silent.

Just sit with this. 

The Lord will fight for us. We just need to be quiet and watch Hashem work. To receive.

As we are in the final three days of the harshness of Shevat leading us to Tu B’Shevat. As we are feeling backed into a corner. Hear this.

Fear. Is. Safe.

Because it puts us in touch that we don’t have to do this on our own.

13Moses said to the people, Don’t be afraid! Stand firm and see the Lord’s salvation that He will wreak for you today, for the way you have seen the Egyptians is [only] today, [but] you shall no longer continue to see them for eternity.

14The Lord will fight for you, but you shall remain silent.

Receive this.

Just receive.

Those are my thoughts. What are yours?