January 19, 2006 Moses and King Parshat Shemot (Exodus 1:1-6:1)
This past week, we observed the birthday of a great leader, Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr., who was able to move his people from
seeing and believing his great vision to acting, responding and
persevering in the face of violent opposition. In this way, King
was like Moses in this week's parshah. It is also no coincidence
that King couched his historical vision in the story of the
Exodus, comparing his people's plight to that of the Israelites
in Egypt. This week we meet Moses, our new leader and adviser.
Moses is commanded to go to Egypt, gather the people and demand
their freedom from Pharaoh. "And Moses and Aaron went and
gathered the elders of the children of Israel. And Aaron told
them all of the things that God had said to Moses; and he
performed the signs in the eyes of the people. And the nation
believed; for they heard that God was remembering them because
God saw their plight, and they were humbled and they bowed low"
(Exodus 4:29-31). Neham