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
(248) 352-8000 ext. 298
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