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Moses The Outcast
Becomes A Leader

Shabbat Shemot: Exodus 1:1-6:1; Isaiah 27:6-
28:13; 29:22-23.

0

n the secular new year, we of the seven daughters of a priest
begin reading a new book of Midian who came to draw wa-
in the Torah, the Book of ter at a well for the flocks. Moses
Exodus. Actually it is a went to their defense and was
continuation of the Joseph sto- brought to their home; he ulti-
ry, just finished last week; only mately married one of the
now we turn from story and leg- daughters, Zipporah.
Pharaoh died, and a new king
end to history and revelation.
Scholars believe these events came to the throne. The stress of
took place in the latter part of the enslaved Hebrews became
the 13th century B.C.E.
worse. Their groans and
The Hebrew people
their misery were noticed
settled in the Egyptian
by God who now com-
missions Moses to be
province of Goshen and
grew into a people of con-
their leader. One day, out
siderable size. Now the
on the desert, Moses
scripture says: "There
hears a voice calling to
arose a new king who
him: "Take off your
knew not Joseph." The
shoes, for the ground you
text assumes that the
stand on is holy ground."
reader remembers what RABBI R !CHARD
Moses saw a burning
C. H ERTZ
Joseph did for the Egypt-
bush that was not con-
TO THE
ian people — only SPECIAL
sumed. He hears the
JEWISH NEWS
Pharaoh did not.
voice of God telling him
Pharaoh is worried about the he is to be the leader of the peo-
rise in the population of the He- ple and to free them from slav-
brews on his eastern frontier. ery.
His proposal: Cast all Hebrew
Ultimately, Moses leaves Mid-
boy children into the River Nile ian, goes back to Egypt with
and drown them. He did not Aaron, his brother, and goes to
want any "fifth column" to un- the palace to confront Pharaoh.
dermine the security of Egypt.
Pharaoh was probably more
The unseen hand of God is at worried about keeping his He-
work so that Pharaoh's crown- brew laborers working to make
ing evil actually introduces a se- bricks out of straw for his build-
ries of events culminating in the ing projects. The sedrah ends
with Pharaoh ordering an end to
liberation of Israel.
How so? The Torah tells how the straw for bricks.
"Let them find their own
Pharaoh's daughter, bathing in
the Nile, spied a wicker basket straw," he says. "That will teach
containing an infant. That very Moses a lesson."
moment, Miriam, sister of the
Thus Moses and Aaron have
baby, comes up to Pharaoh's found their mission in a disas-
daughter and asks if she needs ter. Their audience with
a nurse to suckle the baby. The Pharaoh is abruptly terminated.
princess names him Moses and The futility of gaining any hope
hires the baby's own mother to of liberation is driven home to
nurse him. Thus Moses was Moses.
adopted into the royal household
and grows up as a prince.
Some time after Moses had
grown, he saw one of his kinfolk
beaten by an Egyptian officer.
Moses struck the officer down
without realizing he had been
seen by witnesses. Now his act
was public. Pharaoh heard of it
and wanted Moses killed for the
act; Moses flees. He severed the The Yiddish movie Vu Is Mein
ties with the aristocratic society Kind will be shown at 12:45 p.m.
in which he had been raised and Monday, Jan. 6, at the Jimmy
became an outcast, fleeing for his Prentis Morris Jewish Commu-
life.
nity Center. There is no charge.
Where to go? The land of Mid-
At 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9, the
ian, where he takes refuge, is a Yiddish Culture Club will meet.
large area under the control of a The Senior Forum meets every
Midianite confederation of tribes. Thursday at 10:30 a.m. There is
Now comes the familiar story no charge.
Weekly Erev Shabbat services
Richard C. Hertz is distinguished
have resumed on Fridays at 12:45
professor of Jewish studies at
p.m. Cantor Max Shimansky,
University of Detroit-Mercy.
Cantor David Gutman and Ida

❑

and related medical

conditions.

ALFRED I. RUBENSTEIN, M.D.

all a Medical Clinic

HEALTH THROUGH NUTRITION

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