Spirituality

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Multiple Identities

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

W

Joseph always identifies himself as
hat could you possibly
a Hebrew. But Moses allows himself
have in common with a
to be identified as an Egyptian and
man born in Egypt mil-
doesn't even register a protest.
lennia ago? So much has changed
Is Moses uneasy with his Jewish
in the world, in society, in attitudes
identity? Does he feel the pull of the
towards life. On the other hand, has
non-Jewish society around him, a
the essential nature of being human
society that feels as comfortable as
really changed?
the shirt on his back? It is
Moses is such a towering
difficult to tell. Soon, God
figure in the Torah that it is
will come decisively into
possible to overlook aspects
Moses' life and Moses will
of his character. The
leave all attachments to
complex nature of Moses'
Egyptian culture behind.
identity can be seen from
Those of us who con-
the outset. Ask yourself
sider ourselves modern
this — did Moses consider
Jews can see in Moses a
himself Egyptian or Jewish?
Jew living in two worlds.
Or perhaps even Midianite,
Like a young Moses, we
since he married into a
Rabb i Steven
live in, are educated in, and
Midianite family? Which
Rub enstein
strongly identify with the
box would Moses circle on
Sped al to the
surrounding culture.
his census form?
Jewis h News
Unlike Moses however,
We rightly think of
we choose not to reject the
Moses as a great Jewish
culture around us; a culture that we
leader. But Moses grew up in the pal-
value for the many opportunities it
ace of Pharaoh, raised by Pharaoh's
provides us and which we admire for
daughter, educated as an Egyptian.
a wide variety of reasons.
How could he not consider himself
Still, Moses' eventual rejection of
Egyptian?
Egypt allowed him a clarity concern-
Of course, the Torah tells us that
ing his religious identity, which many
when Moses grew up he "went out
American Jews fail
among his kinsfolk
to achieve. Instead,
and witnessed their
we are left to balance
labors." This seems
our love of Jewish
a clear indication
tradition with our
that Moses identi-
American lives. Like
fies himself as a
Moses, we wear
Jew. In fact, Moses
"Egyptian" clothes
will permanently
on the outside.
alienate himself
The question is,
from Egyptian
are you willing to let your Jewish
society soon after leaving the palace
when he kills an Egyptian taskmaster identity step forward (as does Moses)
to lay claim to a significant role in
who is beating a Jewish slave.
your life? ❑
Nevertheless, Moses' identity
remains a mystery. When Moses flees
Steven Rubenstein is the rabbi of
from Egypt, he escapes to Midian
Congregation Beth Ahm in West
where he meets the daughters of
Bloomfield.
Yitro (his future wife among them).
Perhaps because Moses is wearing
Egyptian clothing, Yitro's daughters
Conversations
refer to Moses as an Egyptian when
Have your Jewish priorities and
telling their father of meeting Moses.
your secular life ever come into
One rabbinic midrash is critical of
conflict? How have you resolved
Moses for not correcting this misper-
the conflict?
ception. Moses is compared negatively
to Joseph. In all of his time in Egypt,

Are we like Moses
or Joseph in
identifying
as Jews?

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January 7 • 2010

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