30 | JANUARY 16 • 2020 

Spirit
torah portion

T

he opening verses of the 
Book of Exodus are an 
abridged, shorter repe-
tition of a much more detailed 
account of the family, which 
grandfather Jacob brought with 
him on his journey 
to Egypt to meet his 
beloved son Joseph.
Rashi and Ramban, 
two classic biblical 
commentators, explain 
that with these opening 
verses, Exodus establish-
es its connection to and 
continuity with Genesis; 
they both add that the 
repetition of names 
expresses the great love 
God has for Jacob and 
his family. 
I believe the seem-
ingly repetitive verses contain 
a message that not only goes 
beyond this, but also holds the 
key to understanding the major 
mission and national mystery 
of the eternity of our people.
Many young Jews today are 
raising these questions: Why 
get married? And even more to 
the point: Why have children?
The Hebrew-Yiddish word 
nachas — joyous satisfaction 
— is heavily identified with cel-
ebrations involving one’
s chil-
dren and grandchildren. But 
when I investigated the nega-
tive population growth of many 
European countries, I realized 
perhaps it is observant Jewry 
that seems out of step with the 
world. I am truly convinced it 
is our Jewish obsession with 
progeny that is responsible for 
our continued survival and 
contemporary rebirth, and will 
guarantee our future.
One early talmudic com-
mentary, Rabbenu Asher 
(1250-1328), maintains there 
is no specific command to be 
married; marriage is merely 
the necessary preparation for 

fulfilling the commandment 
“to be fruitful and to multiply.
” 
(Ketubot 1:12)
For, you see, Judaism is a 
grand “unfinished symphony:” 
The Abrahamic mission is to 
convey to the world of nations 
a God of love, morality 
and peace in historic 
time. God promises 
through His prophets 
that eventually a more 
perfect society will be 
formed, and the world 
will be redeemed. Our 
narrative is to be found 
in the Bible. Our unique 
lifestyle, celebrations and 
memorials are detailed 
in the Talmud, and each 
Jewish parent lives in 
order to convey this 
mission to his/her child: 
To be a Jew is to parent — or 
to take responsibility — for a 
Jewish child of the next gener-
ation.
Hence the formation of our 
nation in Exodus emanates 
from the continuity of the 
family in Genesis. Each family 
of patriarchs and matriarchs 
bequeathed those in the direct 
chain of continuity. Jacob — 
the man and his household, the 
man and his forebears — came 
along with all his children and 
their children into Egypt.
These verses are not repe-
tition of past events; they are 
guideposts for our future. All 
Jews must carry with them — 
wherever Jewish destiny takes 
them — the Jewish portable 
household civilization that 
formed our peoplehood. Only 
on the basis of that glorious 
past will we be equipped to 
shape a significant and blessed 
future. 

Rabbi Shlomo Riskin is chancellor of 
Ohr Torah Stone and chief rabbi of 
Efrat, Israel.

Parshat 

Shemot: 

Exodus 1:1-

6:1; Isaiah 

27:6-28:13; 

29:22-23.

Rabbi Shlomo 
Riskin

The Promise
In Progeny

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