B'Shallach: Why Our Birthday Party is Like the Exodus From Egypt

Last weekend, we got snowed out, and the synagogue had to cancel all Shabbat services and a good bit of our other weekend programming as well. This, of course, included the Kiddush luncheon we were going to hold in honor of my daughter, Caroline's first birthday. But, we remain 
undeterred! The luncheon has 
been moved to THIS Saturday morning instead (you're welcome to attend!), and Caroline, who didn't really know it was her birthday to begin with, will likely not even notice the scheduling shift. Plans change, you know? You can't be too firm about your original intentions, because there are ALWAYS forces beyond your control, hard at work making life a little more 'interesting.' Especially when your daughter is born in January, you probably have to start getting used to weather-intrusions... So the real question is (queue unexpected connection back to the Torah); is something similar going on in this week's parashah?

At the very beginning of our reading, we are told that God is NOT planning on leading the Israelites straight from Egypt to Canaan (a.k.a. The Promised Land). A direct, and somewhat brisk, hike across the desert would only have taken them a few days, regardless of how many Israelites we're talking about. And it CERTAINLY wouldn't have taken them 40 years! But from the get-go, the Torah tells us: "Now when 

Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although it was nearer; for God said, 'The people may have a change of heart when they see war, and return to Egypt.' So God led the people roundabout, by way of the wilderness at the Sea of Reeds" (Exodus, 13:17-18). So they were never going straight to Canaan. But the initial plan was almost certainly NOT to keep them in the wilderness for four decades; God had to be flexible and change the plan along the way. The people weren't ready to enter the land, not right away, and not even years later. It took a LONG time for them to get where God wanted them to go... physically AND emotionally.

Now, obviously the story of the Biblical Exodus from Egypt is a lot more complicated than planning a one-year old's birthday party. And it's quite different from almost any challenge you or I could face today. However, there are still some very important lessons we can learn from the story of the Exodus, and which really God and Moses should have learned at the time... but never really did. 

You see, a close reading of the text leaves you wondering whether the Israelites got more than they bargained for with God, and never really wanted to go on this long excursion in the first place! The Israelites certainly hated being slaves, and they DID want God to release them from bondage. I'm just not sure they wanted to LEAVE Egypt, or if they were really only looking for better wages and work hours. All throughout the wandering in the desert, the Israelites complain and try to turn around. After having witnessed massive plagues and clear demonstrations of God's omnipotence, the Israelites STILL don't trust in God when they're standing at the banks of the Sea of Reeds. Is it because they don't believe God CAN save them? No, I think they just don't really WANT God to take them out of Egypt. They want to go home.

Of course, this is really hard for us to imagine. Why would anyone want to return to slavery??? But again, it's not the slavery they miss, it's simply the familiarity. The 'comfort' of knowing your place in society; even when it's at the bottom of the totem pole. This new life is hard! They are given new commandments to live by, they have to work together to form an army, and then they're asked to conquer land. 

This freedom-business is rough! I think there are terrific lessons in here for all of us to learn. From God's point-of-view, if we're organizing a group, we need to make sure all members of the group are on board, ready to participate, and can be team players. Otherwise, 40 years of misery awaits... And from the perspective of the Israelites, it's an important reminder that most things worth fighting for take effort, dedication, and resilience. It's easier to be a follower, to remain passive, and not to stick your neck out to help anyone else or care about anything. But history is made when we get involved, allow ourselves to feel, and stand up for what we believe in. And regardless of where you are in the hierarchy, always remain flexible, and prepare for the unexpected. You never know when the next Polar Vortex is right around the corner...

 Photos in this blog post:

1. CC image courtesy of Tudokin on Wikimedia Commons

2. CC image courtesy of Ori229 on Wikimedia Commons

3. CC image courtesy of Mattes on Wikimedia Commons

4. CC image courtesy of Leoboudv on Wikimedia Commons