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Shabbat Bo 

Matthew Harkavy-Friedman

January 15, 2005

The story of the Exodus from Egypt is one of the most powerful tales of Jewish history and is passed down from generation to generation. It involves extraordinary events with ordinary people. Families and kids just like us. Our tradition of celebrating Passover comes from this part of the Torah.

In this week’s parasha, G-d tells Moses to go the Pharaoh and ask him to let the Hebrew slaves go. Whatever happens, G-d tells Moses. That the story should be passed down from generation to generation. G-d also tells Moses that Pharaoh will say “no” because his heart is hardened. If Pharaoh refuses, G-d says he will inflict the plague of locust. Pharaoh's servants say, “let the Israelites go so we won’t get destroyed.” Pharaoh tells Moses the people can go, but then takes it back. G-d inflicts the plague of locusts. The next plague imposed is darkness but even after that, Pharaoh will not free the Hebrews. It is important to Moses that everyone and everything must be liberated, both man and cattle. Moses learns from G-d that the final plague is to slay the first born, of both man and cattle. Based on G-d’s wishes, Moses passes along to all the Hebrews the plan for the night of the final plague when the first-born Egyptians are slain. Moses tells the plan for the night. The Hebrews are to follow an elaborate and specific plan including making a meal, marking their doors and making preparations to leave. Doorposts are marked with blood from lamb, bread is kept unleavened, bitter herbs are eaten. G-d passes over all houses that are prepared. The Hebrews are finally led out of Egypt. The events of this night are passed down from generation to generation and this is called Passover. We eat a similar meal, don’t eat leavened bread and eat bitter herbs to remember what happened to generations before us.

According to the Torah, the day when the Hebrews came out of Egypt was a demonstration of the strength of G-d, which helped the Hebrews to follow Moses into the desert and towards the land of Canaan. Moses told them to remember this day and reenact it, to some extent, every year in every generation to remember what G-d had done for each generation. This story is used to celebrate the freedom we achieved in those days, and to appreciate that freedom today.

The first thing the Torah portion makes me think is that things must be extraordinary to be remembered over time. When extraordinary things are accomplished, people get recognized- - like Roger Maris, Mark McGuire, Barry Bonds and Matthew Friedman. G-d is trying to be recognized by the Jewish people and talked about through the years. That is why he hardens Pharoah’s heart and makes the plagues so intense. In the text, G-d tells Moses that Pharoah’s heart has been hardened “That I might show these My signs in the midst of them; and that you may tell in the ears of your children, and of your children’s children, what I have wrought upon Egypt, and My signs which I have done among you; that you may know that I am the Lord.” The signs are a way of demonstrating power and importance.

The text in the parashat Bo also made me think that even the most common people could take part in great events-like the children, who did very little and still took part in the great event of leaving Egypt and crossing the desert to Canaan. Today, during the seder the story is told for the kids and by them. The kids start the story by singing the four questions. In the Torah they ask, “ what is the meaning of “the service.” What does the story of the Exodus have to teach us today? Why do we celebrate this holiday?” It is up to the parents to tell the story from generation to generation. Without the kids there would be no questions, without the questions there would be no seder and without the seder we’d still be in Egypt and not Israel. Kids can be pretty simple but they are an important part of history.

Finally, this Torah portion reminds me of the importance of sharing our history from generation to generation so that things are remembered. Repeatedly in this parasha the idea of passing the story of the liberation from Egypt from generation to generation is mentioned. In the beginning G-d says that the signs will let the Hebrews know of G-d and later, the main point of the seder is to pass along the story of the exodus from Egypt “so that each of us sees ourselves coming from Egypt.”

Reading out of the Torah as I become a bar mitzvah makes me part of the Jewish people. Reading the ancient holy text is cool. It also reflects the tradition of the Jewish people. My reading from the Torah today makes me a man and makes me become part of the Jewish community in a new way. It is cool that all Jews are reading the same Torah portion all over the world. It connects everyone like a giant telephone. Or the internet.

Even though this process was tough, especially the Hebrew part, I did it anyway. It is important for me to do it anyway, for myself, my parents and for keeping up Jewish traditions and passing them on to the next generation. I may be an ordinary person, but celebrating and remembering extraordinary events that make up the Passover story are really important to me.

Shabbat Shalom.