Author: Eve Posen

Your Own Free Will – Parshat Bo 5784

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Some sections of the Torah are more challenging to interpret than others. For many people, these tend to be the parts with a lot of death and destruction. In this week’s portion in particular, we have the final plagues, including the angel of death taking the firstborn. However, it’s not the violence I struggle with, but the way these moments bring up the question of free will. Specifically, does God intend for human beings to have it, and more importantly, to act on it? 

This week we read Parshat Bo, which details the Exodus from Egypt. The Israelites are a traveling people, and in Parshat Bo the Israelites are steps away from leaving Egypt. Pharaoh refuses several more times to allow the Israelites to leave, and each of the three refusals brings with it one of the three final plagues. The narrative continues with the procedures for leaving Egypt, including putting lamb’s blood on the doorpost, packing up, and then in future generations, recreating these events by celebrating what we now call Passover.

For me, the puzzling question in this text concerns the scope of the final plague: even the firstborn of the Egyptian slaves would be killed. By definition, a slave has no say one way or the other in the freedom of the Israelites. If these are the indentured servants to Pharoah, why would God also punish them? 

We read quite a bit about God manipulating situations. As we see over and over again, God interferes plenty, but rarely when it comes to free will. God offers opportunities for human beings to do the right thing when they can. Did the non-Hebrew slaves choose to become slaves? Not likely. However, when they saw the outcry of the Israelites, they could have chosen to join forces with the Israelites and others who were oppressed to fight for a better future.

This week our nation honored the contributions of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In the letter he wrote from the Birmingham city jail in 1963, Dr. King said: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” Free will plays a role all throughout the Torah, but it’s especially evident when individuals rise up against injustice. Today too there are bystanders and upstanders, and the upstanders are the ones who know we’re in this together.

A Toe in the Water – Parshat Vaera 5784

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Judaism offers us many opportunities to start fresh. In fact, there are four “new years” on the Jewish calendar: 1 Tishrei (Rosh Hashanah), 15 Shevat (Tu B’Shevat), 1 Nisan (the Exodus and birth of the Israelite nation), and 1 Elul (the tithing of cattle). Interestingly, the secular new year, Tu B’Shevat, and our reading about the Exodus in the Torah all happen around the same time, so needless to say fresh starts are on our minds in January.

Whether it’s a new food, a new exercise routine, or a new hobby, it’s helpful to have an excuse like the new year to explore those unchartered waters in our lives. And to a society that spent hundreds of years in bondage in Egypt, freedom was a completely new experience they didn’t know they were ready for. Parshat Vaera, this week’s portion, begins the Israelites’ journey away from Egypt. We find the Israelites in the midst of their transition from slavery to freedom. God reminds Moses about the covenant made with our forefathers and that redemption is in the near future. Moses tries to share this with the people Israel, but they aren’t ready to listen to him. And to be honest, Moses isn’t so sure of himself anyway.

So who is the most hesitant about this transition? Is it Moses, who’s afraid to take on the leadership of this nation in the desert without any real structure in place? Is it Pharaoh, who has to let go of an entire population of slave laborers? Is it the Israelites, who are afraid to leave because as bad as slavery was, at least they weren’t fearful of the unknown? Perhaps it is all three. 

It’s around the time of the fourth plague, when Pharoah is again faced with the decision of whether or not to let the Israelites go, that Moses suggests that he and Aaron – and perhaps all of Israel – leave temporarily. The purpose of this three-day excursion, at least according to Moses, is to be far enough away from the Egyptians to make a sacrifice to God. But could there be another reason? Could it be that Moses holds out hope that after three days he’ll feel more empowered to lead? Or is he trying to give the Israelites more time to realize the power of being free and to choose on their own volition not to return to slavery? 

Three days doesn’t sound like a long time in the grand scheme of 40 years in the desert, but maybe it was a “toe in the water” of freedom. Sometimes that’s all we need to realize the positive side of new experiences. Parshat Vaera reminds us that even though new adventures, foods, or friendships can be intimidating, it’s almost always impossible to know the outcome until you try. What will you try in 2024 for just one minute, for 10 minutes, for three days, or beyond?

Are We Worthy? – Parshat Shemot 5784

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Here’s a question to ponder about our biblical narrative: what would have happened if, at any point, God had decided that the Jewish people were not worthy of redemption? Or worthy of receiving the Torah? It’s a question without an answer because it hypothetically negates the existence of Judaism altogether. However, at certain times in the Torah, we see what happens when God seems to consider the worthiness and the future of the Israelites.

This week we begin the book of Shemot with the parshah of the same name. Shemot leads us quickly through the change in leadership in Egypt as a new Pharaoh, one who isn’t so keen on the Israelites, decrees that all males born should be put to death. Thankfully the midwives ignore this decree, and Moshe is kept alive. As an adopted Egyptian, Moshe joins the palace, but later learns he’s an Israelite. He flees out of fear for his life, marries a Midianite woman, and starts his own family.

In chapter two, we learn how God observed the Israelite nation: “God looked upon the Israelites.” This verse implies that God was checking on the people to see exactly how they were handling this latest stumbling block in their journey. An ancient commentator conjures the image of God observing the Israelites to see the choices they make. Were they fighting and competing with one another? Or, were they working together? Despite their misery, God sees the Israelites trying to help one another instead of each person only looking out for themselves. When one finished a task, that person would help another finish their job. Therefore, it’s because of this teamwork that God sees the Israelites as worthy of being freed from Pharoah’s harsh labor.

Imagine being an Israelite in Egypt with the new king who enforced harsh physical labor on the community. There were quotas to fill and deadlines to be had. They could have easily adopted an “every person for themselves” mentality, but the Israelites knew the best way – perhaps the only way – forward was to work together. Yes, God provided the circumstances and the leader for their redemption, but this unity of purpose is what led the Israelites out of slavery and into the world where Judaism became our religion.

As they say, teamwork makes the dream work. As a community, we support one another, even when it might not always be the easiest of work. The survival of our people has always hinged on knowing when to support one another, putting aside competition, and instead standing together. That’s how we continue to prove we are indeed worthy.

It’s a Full Life – Parshat Vayechi 5784

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I have spent many hours with families as their loved ones transition from the world of the living to the next world. In a vast majority of these moments, the family will reflect on the life of the person they love who is now gone. They’ll talk about their favorite memories of their loved one, the way they lived their life, the funny anecdotes. In all of these conversations it seems that when the individual who is dying or has died had a decent relationship with their family, the living family members try to make meaning out of the death by fixing purpose to the life that was lived. “He did so much, I’m glad his suffering is over now.” “She was fierce and adventurous all the way until her last days.” “They wouldn’t want to live a life in a poor state of health; I’m grateful they died with dignity.” 

There are also times when a family is simply not ready to let go. Sometimes, even when a loved one is physically unable to care for themselves or communicate their needs, the family will pursue every avenue to prolong the physical presence of their loved one on the earth. I find these moments to be the most challenging. When we’re born we have no ability to adequately communicate our needs or care for ourselves; it takes relying on others to learn how to exist in the world. Self-reliance is one of our most valued freedoms. There is dignity in being able to care for ourselves and contribute in some way to the world around us simply through our own personal agency. This leads me to question, what does it mean to live?

This week we read Parshat Vayechi, the last in the book of Genesis. The text begins with Jacob’s request that he not be buried in Egypt, and continues with Jacob blessing each of his sons in his final hours. It ends with Joseph making a similar request of his kin to bury him back in Israel when they finally leave Egypt.

The parshah opens with the simple words “and he lived,” referring to Jacob and his life. Earlier in the Torah, Jacob made the decision to wallow in grief after he assumed his beloved son Joseph had died. Jacob, in essence, was simply waiting to die. When we read this word “lived” here, the Torah seems to suggest that things turned around for Jacob, sharing that after he was reunited with Joseph, he had a renewed will to live and as such, didn’t let any moment simply slip away. One commentator theorizes that not only did Jacob live, but he was honored and treated with dignity. The dream of a life well lived.

The inescapable truth of life is that one day we will die. The time in between is all that we’re given, and it’s up to each of us to decide what it means to live a full life. From a practical standpoint, hopefully we will all follow the example of Jacob and Joseph and make our wishes known to those who will carry on after us. But when it comes to “living,” the intent should be on its fullness, however you interpret that. This time of year, when it’s easy to find It’s a Wonderful Life on television (including a 24-hour marathon of the film), we can get caught up in trying to live up to some unknown standard of wonderful. However, what we’re all really seeking when our time has come is that people will say, “It was a full life.”

Proudly Jewish – The Impact of Oct 7 on American Jewish Identity

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I had the honor of chatting with my friend and colleague Cantor Eyal Bitton on his podcast about my trip to Israel and the impact of October 7 on American Jewry. We discussed issues of Jewish identity, antisemitism, and the role of Israel in American Jewish life.

About Proudly Jewish: Cantor Eyal Bitton hosts conversations on Israel and Jewish identity in the aftermath of the October 7 massacre. You can listen to the podcast on your favorite audio app or watch each episode on YouTube.