1.
Let's go back to basics. This Shabbat, worldwide Jews will complete reading the Book of Bereishit. Sometimes, amid all the media noise, we forget the most basic truths of our lives. The end of Bereishit is a good time to remind ourselves of these values :
- The creation of the world as an ordered, purposeful place with an ongoing struggle between light and darkness, good and evil, with good gradually prevailing.
- Humanity's creation in God's image and the sanctity of human life, referencing the first murder and the cry "What have you done? Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground.”
- Avraham as the first immigrant to the Land of Israel, receiving eternal promises regarding the land.
- The Jewish people's role in the Middle East as bringing blessing and morality despite facing violence.
- The ultimate disappearance of enemies while the seemingly weak nation survives.
- The danger of internal conflicts, as illustrated by Yosef and his brothers.
- The final reconciliation in Parshat Vayechi, as Yaakov blesses his twelve sons, each with their own unique blessing, emphasizing unity without uniformity
Sefer Bereishit. The basic lessons learned in preschool remain true and relevant today. May we all learn them. Shabbat Shalom.
Behold—a nation!
* Translated by Janine Muller Sherr
What is the first statement uttered by the evil Pharoah?
It’s important to pay close attention to his words: “Here is a nation of people who are much too numerous for us.”
Before issuing his evil decrees and enslaving us, Pharoah offers us a gift— he is the first person to define us as a nation, “the Israelite people.”
While in the Book of Bereishit we are depicted as a family, in the Book of Shemot we are promoted to the status of a nation.
Ironically, the person who first identifies the eternal unity and holiness of our people is our enemy. He is able to notice, better than us, that this group of tribes and families who have settled in his country are actually one nation, with one Torah and one defining purpose, and a connection to one another that is impossible to break.
Our enemies have always known this well. Hitler said: Here is a nation.
Sinwar said: Here is a nation. Our enemies know, but the question is do we understand this fact and its significant ramifications.