Finding God in the Still Silence
Rabbi Tom Samuels
April 2020
The Passover story begins with the Israelites thriving in Ancient Egyptian society. They had became firmly ensconced in Egypt, where they prospered and flourished, “Thus Israel settled in the country of Egypt, in the region of Goshen; they acquired holdings in it, and were fertile and increased greatly.” (Genesis 47:27) (Rabbi David Hartman)
But soon, the narrative takes an abrupt turn: “A new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people: “Look, the Israelite people are much too numerous for us. Let us deal shrewdly with them so that they may not increase; otherwise in the event of war they may join our enemies in fighting against us and rise from the ground.” (Exodus 1:7-8) A radical change of fortune befalls the children of Israel and 400 years of brutal slavery ensues. (Rabbi David Hartman)
The Talmudic Tractate Pesachim (116a) states that when we tell the story of the Exodus from Egypt, we must start with the unpleasant and finish with the pleasant: “You begin with (telling about) shame and conclude with praise and thanksgiving.” The story of Passover thus begins by telling about our ancestors’ servitude and immersion in idolatry; only then do we proceed to tell about our liberation.
This is a pedagogy for understanding how we are to relate to God, to life itself. That our founding national tale is not only about freedom and liberation, but also about uncertainty, arbitrary evil and the inherent unpredictability that is part and parcel of human history. That the appearance of a new king “who did not know Joseph” is an ever-present possibility.
Rabbi Irwin Kula teaches that rather than teach absolute truths, Judaism invites us to dance with dualities and contradictions: Life and Death, Hate and Love, Right and Wrong, Sorrow and Joy. To realize, to embrace, that no one can stop the flow of time. Life is gone so very quickly, and likewise are mankind’s worldly deeds.
This Passover, let us strive to embrace that there is no perfect balance to achieve. Rather, all we need to do, are able to do, is to seek and find beauty, the Divine, in our every day lives. After all, that is where HaShem resides, in the kol demamah dakkah, the sound of delicate silence.” (1 Kings 19)
Rabbi Tom Samuels
April 2020
The Passover story begins with the Israelites thriving in Ancient Egyptian society. They had became firmly ensconced in Egypt, where they prospered and flourished, “Thus Israel settled in the country of Egypt, in the region of Goshen; they acquired holdings in it, and were fertile and increased greatly.” (Genesis 47:27) (Rabbi David Hartman)
But soon, the narrative takes an abrupt turn: “A new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people: “Look, the Israelite people are much too numerous for us. Let us deal shrewdly with them so that they may not increase; otherwise in the event of war they may join our enemies in fighting against us and rise from the ground.” (Exodus 1:7-8) A radical change of fortune befalls the children of Israel and 400 years of brutal slavery ensues. (Rabbi David Hartman)
The Talmudic Tractate Pesachim (116a) states that when we tell the story of the Exodus from Egypt, we must start with the unpleasant and finish with the pleasant: “You begin with (telling about) shame and conclude with praise and thanksgiving.” The story of Passover thus begins by telling about our ancestors’ servitude and immersion in idolatry; only then do we proceed to tell about our liberation.
This is a pedagogy for understanding how we are to relate to God, to life itself. That our founding national tale is not only about freedom and liberation, but also about uncertainty, arbitrary evil and the inherent unpredictability that is part and parcel of human history. That the appearance of a new king “who did not know Joseph” is an ever-present possibility.
Rabbi Irwin Kula teaches that rather than teach absolute truths, Judaism invites us to dance with dualities and contradictions: Life and Death, Hate and Love, Right and Wrong, Sorrow and Joy. To realize, to embrace, that no one can stop the flow of time. Life is gone so very quickly, and likewise are mankind’s worldly deeds.
This Passover, let us strive to embrace that there is no perfect balance to achieve. Rather, all we need to do, are able to do, is to seek and find beauty, the Divine, in our every day lives. After all, that is where HaShem resides, in the kol demamah dakkah, the sound of delicate silence.” (1 Kings 19)