THE JEWS; THE PEOPLE WITH THE BIGGEST HEART
Our Parsha opens with Pharaoh granting Moshe permission to leave. “You may go serve your G.D, who is planning on going?” Moshe responds “With our young and with our old, with our son’s and with our daughters, with our sheep and with our cattle we shall go for it is a Holiday of HaShem” Pharaoh responds “Not so! Only the men shall go for that is what you are interested in!”
Pharaoh is suggesting that Moshe is lying by saying that his interest is to serve HaShem. His argument is that if your interest is to serve HaShem why must women and children go? The implication is that Pharaoh does not understand that serving HaShem is a family event. Pharaoh is a man of religion, albeit idolatry, why does he not understand?
In this short dialogue we find one outstanding distinction how Yiddishkeit differs from the religions of others.
We can divide our life’s endeavors into two classes. The first class are those endeavors that give meaning to our lives. This may include activities that serve family, hobbies and things that give us enjoyment. The second class are those endeavors that we must do to achieve the former. This may include our profession, paying our bills, meeting with the doctor and dentist annually and so on. The latter are those activities that we would prefer not doing but must be done to get back to the meaningful activities.
In Pharaoh’s understanding, religion was relegated to the latter. In other words, Pharaoh understood the powers of the gods to be a power that needed to be dealt with. If he wanted the Egyptian economy to do well, he knew that his gods could get it done. However, those gods needed to be treated nicely. They needed to be woken up with nice music and pleasant incense. The gods needed to have people bow before them and offer them sacrifices and so on. Naturally, this was an art which not everybody was able to perform properly. Just as you would hire a lawyer to represent you in court, you would hire a priest to represent you before your gods.
Given Pharaoh’s perspective, Moshe’s request that the entire family is going to serve HaShem was bogus! Since when do children serve G.D? What can they offer Him?
To contrast this with Judaism it is important to recognize that although Judaism is a religion it is also a relationship. We find many relationships; husband – wife, parent – child, friend – friend, siblings, teacher – student and so on. Judaism is the relationship between Ha-Shem and His beloved people. All successful relationships are built upon appreciation and recognition that each party has for the other.
The Chovos Halvovos, written by Rabbeinu Bachya in the 12th century, teaches us what is required by every Jew to be successful in their Judaism. In this book he lays down in great detail all the points necessary to be addressed in order to build that relationship. Rabbeinu Bachya named his book Chovos Halvovos, Dutie s of the Heart, because the heart is the home of love and fear, concern and care; it is the organ associated with relationships. We express our love to someone as loving them with all our heart.
We all have a personal relationship with HaShem. Consider how much He has granted us, how much He provides for us. Have we ever done anything for Him for which He owes something? Everything He does, He does for us because He cares about us! He made the whole universe for us!
These are the thoughts that permeate the thought process of the Jew. It is no wonder that Moshe tells Pharaoh that every member of our people; young and old, boys and girls and even our animals. How can anybody be absent?
This is who we are.
Have a wonderful Shabbos.
Paysach Diskind