Dear CBO Family,
This week's Torah portion is Shemot, the first chapter of Exodus.
In this Parshat we meet Moses. Moses meets God at the burning bush when he steps aside from tending his flock of sheep. God identifies Himself by name and tells Moses that He want to redeem His people, the Israelites, from slavery and bring them to the Promised Land. And, He wants Moses to lead them. Moses has great doubts about this and, in particular, his own role as leader of his people to accomplish such a huge task. Moses challenges God five times but God overcomes Moses' doubts by telling him His name and that He is the God of Moses' father, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob and, that He will be with their descendents forever. God also invokes Moses' faith in Him by giving Moses a staff, by turning it into a snake, by encrusting Moses' hand with leprosy, and by providing Moses with his brother, Aaron, who will speak the words to the Israelites and to Pharaoh that are given to Aaron by Moses through God to let the Israelites go. It is then that Moses concedes.
We have all made decisions that may have been filled with fear whether it's been leaving home for the first time, changing our career path, or where we live, making a financial decision of some kind, or changing an aspect of personality that had caused us problems in our life. In my work as a clinical social worker, I have seen many people who have made difficult decisions for themselves. Many of these decisions have been made after a prolonged period of suffering. Some people find that their health and self esteem are negatively effected by a great deal of excessive weight. Others might find that a relationship has brought chaos. Or that isolation has brought inertia to their life.
Oftentimes, people may see an uncomfortable situation as their “lot in life” because of some ill deed they have done. Or because they see themselves as unlucky. Or because it just seems too overwhelming to change. Of course some things cannot be changed because we don't have control of every aspect of our life. Certainly none of us caused the current pandemic. However, there are things that we can do to make our lives better. Start an exercise program. Learn a new skill such as joining online videos or meetings, emailing, social media, etc. Some of these things might feel overwhelming but starting out small, by taking one step at a time, and by having faith in the process can bring some joy to one's life.
Many things have been intensified by the pandemic. But, as with Moses who took a chance to change by putting his faith in God, we, too, can make changes in ourselves by believing that things can get better through change despite our fears.
We are in a new secular year and we have several vaccines. By staying safe and renewing our faith, may we all have a Happy and Healthy 2021!
Shabbat Shalom,
Sue Gardner
Affiliated with United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism