Oy! (Sh’mot and the Solstice)

So I missed writing last week.

It was such a hard week. For me and for Joseph.

Joseph’s father Jacob/Israel died.

Joseph himself died.

We finished the book of Genesis; it’s the end of an era: a transition.

We, too, are in transition: passing the solstice this week, transitioning into winter, entering the book of Exodus.

The days are short and the darkness long.

Dark times.

And Exodus begins with a new, dark era for the Israelites in Egypt.

The previous generations of Jacob and Joseph have long passed on, a new, worse Pharaoh has arisen. The gap between the Egyptians and the Israelites has widened.The Jews are now enslaved. They are no longer safe in this land they had entered looking to escape famine.

The new Omicron variant of Covid is flourishing and it’s scary. It’s a sign that this pandemic is far from over. Many are in danger and many are forced inside into isolation again.

Many who came to the U.S. to escape war and famine are not safe here, either.

The gap between the haves and the have-nots has widened.

But with this new era, Moses is born, though born into bondage.

He grows up privileged, but connected to his people. When he witnesses two Israelite slaves fighting, he interferes; why are you fighting your fellow? The two become angry at him; Who are you to tell us what to do? Who made you lord?

Moses then kills an Egyptian slave driver and must run for his life.

He’s got everybody mad at him.

But then he is assigned the role of savior of his people. Now married with children, God speaks to him through the burning bush and tells him to return to lead His people to freedom.

The brightness of God’s presence in the fire of the bush feels like too much for Moses, as does his assignment.

Each time Moses questions God’s choice of him as a leader, God tells Moses, “I will be there with you.”

As Moses pushes back, God keeps saying, “I will be there for you, and your brother Aaron will be there for you, too…Look, he’s on his way now, and he will be so happy to see you.”

God keeps giving Moses “signs” that will prove God’s existence and strength to “the people.”

A couple of weeks ago when I went wedding dress shopping again with my daughter, I was on the subway and in mid-town Manhattan and it was packed with unmasked people dressed in Santa hats, some in shorts (it was 60 degrees in NYC in December! Yikes! Strike 2), and they were crowding in lines together and in restaurants.

I was so angry and wanted to scream: “What do you think you’re doing? This pandemic is not over! The new variant is coming to New York! It’s probably even here now! Take your Covid and go back to where you came from, you tourists!”

I was so ready to fight my fellow humans. Was that helpful?

Whenever we finish a book of the Bible, we say, “Chazak, Chazak, v’Nitchazek: Strong, strong, let’s be strong for each other.”

That’s really all we can do sometimes: just be there for each other.

May we look for the signs that tell us that we are not alone, turn to each other and give each other strength during this dark period, and figure out how not to fight amongst ourselves: support each other.

And may we have faith that we will come out of this, that we will lead each other to freedom, and make this country and the world safe for all.

Because though the winter solstice is the darkest day of the year, we have to remember that the days begin to get brighter.

And let us say Amen.