By Rabbi Howard Wolk
Parashat Bo
This d’var Torah is dedicated to the memory of my wife, Annette Wolk, z”l, Chana Bayla bas Yehoshua, whose fifth yahrzeit will be observed on Tuesday, Feb. 4, the 6th of Shevat.
May her memory always be for a blessing.
Pharaoh, at times, seems like a sympathetic soul. What does G-d want from him? The Torah says: “So that all of Egypt knows that I am Hashem.”
After several plagues it seems that Pharaoh is there when he and his advisers proclaim:
“It is the finger of G-d.”
“I have sinned this time.”
“Hashem is the righteous one.”
Is this not enough for Hashem? What more is required of Pharaoh?
The answer comes in the first command given to the Jewish people as a whole as found in this week’s Portion of Bo:
“HaChodesh hazeh lachem rosh chodoshim — This month is for you the head of all the months.”
What do the month of Nissan (the first month, in which Passover occurs) and the Exodus from Egypt represent?
What kind of connection is there between Pharaoh and declaring Nissan as the first of all the months?
It is G-d being involved in the lives of His people.
One level of belief — the foundation of belief — is Hashem as Creator.
Therefore the Torah begins with Genesis, the Creation story, to teach us about the might of G-d.
Belief in G-d only as Creator is not sufficient. There are many Jews and non-Jews who believe in G-d as Creator. But they do not perceive Him as being vital in their daily lives.
They view Him as the Grand Watchmaker who got the universe going but is no longer actively involved in what occurs to it.
I once had a discussion with someone involved in the organization Planned Parenthood. He said: “Rabbi, I have my religious values and then I have the work I do in the secular community.”
My response to him was: Our religious/ethical values are supposed to be reflected in our work in the community. Otherwise, it can lead to a split personality. If I compartmentalize my value system, then I am limiting its scope.
If a person says, putting on tefillin is important, but not business ethics; tzedakah is important but end-of-life issues are not something I care to analyze from a Torah perspective — then, the result is a type of religious split personality.
Pharaoh could see G-d as Creator, not as one who does battle for the Children of Israel.
The Exodus story shows that G-d does concern Himself with us. Therefore, the month in which His interest became manifest, that month becomes the first month and the first mitzvah.
Pharaoh refused to adopt this type of realization. Therefore, he was punished.
This first mitzvah, of Nissan being our first month, is a lesson for us of the ongoing love and dedication G-d has for His people.
That love has been manifest during these past 16 months of warfare. With all the sacrifices, injuries and kidnapped hostages, there are daily miracles that occur. Please read some of the many stories and books published since the Gaza War began to see how dramatically people’s lives have been saved and transformed.
May Hashem protect the holy soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces, see to the safe return of all the hostages and protect our people in the State of Israel.
Shabbat Shalom.
Rabbi Howard Wolk
Rabbi Howard Wolk is community chaplain with Jewish Family Service of Greater Dallas. He is rabbi emeritus of Congregation Shaare Tefilla and a past president of the Rabbinic Association of Greater Dallas. He may be reached at rabbiwolk@jfsdallas.org, 469-206-1681.