for Parshat Bo
i
God said to Egypt:
let My people go
to worship Me in the Desert.
He brought terror upon the Egyptians,
the task-masters,
until finally they forced the people out
so they could be with God in the Desert
as God had wanted—
so God’s terror would cease.
Egypt forced the people out
just as the people were baking bread.
Their dough hadn’t risen up yet
and suddenly they were forced into their journey.
Their bread came out matzoh.
ii
Egypt knew
that their one path to safety
was for the people to be with God.
So Egypt drove the people toward God
before the people were ready.
iii
Sometimes you are not ready to follow God.
Not yet.
There is still bread to make,
dough to let rise.
But just then,
the people of the world might need you to be close to God—
not for your sake, but for their sake.
Then it is not up to you, anymore,
to say if you are ready to leave,
if you are ready to begin.
Your life with God
is not always about you.
That is the lesson of matzoh.
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Shabbat shalom,
Abe
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I got some interesting, thoughtful responses to my piece about forgiveness two weeks ago. As a response to those responses, I offer a recent news article—the amazing story of Eva Mozes, the Auschwitz survivor who adopted Rudolf Höss’s grandson.
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Please pray for Yechiel ben Michal
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