This is Rabbi Cat Zavis from Beyt Tikkun, sharing my reflections on Parashat Vaera, the beginning of the plagues in the Book of Exodus. It is hard to read this story of liberation at this time in our collective history. Even as the fragile ceasefire holds and aid is finally entering Gaza, Netanyahu’s government has unleashed a wave of violence and attacks in the Jenin refugee camp and throughout the West Bank (both by Israeli occupation forces and settlers) that is unprecedented, only exacerbating the genocide and ethnic cleansing. And in the United States, Trump has unveiled executive orders that threaten so many communities’ safety and well-being and that of the planet. I’d like to jump ahead in our story to when we have liberated ourselves from this current reality and are wandering lost in the desert. But alas, here we are. So what might we learn from this week’s parsha?
The cries and grief of humanity unleash Divine compassion both that within us and beyond us and that lays the seeds for liberation. Mourning and grieving are the foundation from and upon which healing, repair, and transformation are birthed. Take time to cry, grieve, groan, scream, and mourn. When we really listen and hear the cries and groans of humanity, it will awaken within us the courage to speak truth to power and stand up for liberation and justice, even if we are tongue-tied.
Like Pharaoh, Netanyahu and Trump’s hearts are hardened. A hardened heart makes it impossible to see, let alone care about, the “other” or the planet.
Moses’ job was to begin the process of nation building. This is our work as well. We are hearing the groans and cries of the oppressed. We are coming together to challenge and confront the Pharaohs of our time. Nation building, movement building, takes time. There are setbacks along the way. Yet joining together as a mixed multitude of peoples from all walks of life and different identities, and different stations in society and the world is what it is going to take to bring forth our collective liberation and to uplift the humanity of all. Together we can build a nation and world grounded in values of love, care, kindness, generosity, justice, dignity, liberation, and ecological sustainability. We can’t get there alone. We can only get there together. The road will be bumpy. Things will be challenging and even horrific. And we can and must, again and again, lean into one another and have faith and trust that we will prevail.
Shabbat Shalom
#ParashatVayechi #TorahReflection #ShabbatShalom #Humanity #Peace
Another way to stay connected is by following us on social media!
LINK TREE linktr.ee/beyttikkun