The cries of the newborn babies and their desperate mothers versus the terrible decrees that ordered the death of those babies, were what weighed against the hearts of the Jewish midwives in Egypt. Compounded with that was the potential capital punishment that hung over the heads of the Jewish midwives should they choose to refuse orders.
Yet even as the midwives faced these two options, it would seem it was never much of a moral quandary for them as to what they were going to do. The Torah tells us that G-d's mandate of morality was more supreme to them, than that of Pharaoh, and thus they found a way to keep the babies alive and refuse Pharaoh's orders.
The midwives, Shifra and Puah, are just one element of the story of Exodus which share this powerful message. Likewise the Torah also records other incidents like that of the Jewish people who had been appointed as taskmasters, who took terrible beatings themselves rather than impose awful suffering on their fellow Jewish people.
The details of stories such as these helped sear and actualize the spiritual Jewish conscience
2026 is no different than 3300 years ago, and as we go about our day to day living, our interactions and challenges may be different, but the responsibility to remember that our loyalties remain true to the Torah's values and morality which have become intrinsic to who we are over thousands of years, continues to be as true as ever.
Our responsibility to stay laser focused on never forgetting our mission and purpose in this world, namely in shaping and building a world that G-d can call home, through living the values of kindness, empathy, justice and fulfilling the Divine commandments, is something that has been our anchor for thousands of years. In addition, it is these same principles and values which will help us continue to be beacons of light and people with tremendous impact on the goodness and kindness happening in the world around us.
Please join us tomorrow for Shabbat Services and the Kiddush Luncheon to hear more and to discuss these values and other stories more at length.
Also, please consider joining us at our next course on Jan 27th as we explore some of these same principles and how Jews have grappled and lived these values through many different scenarios over so many generations. You can read more in the link below.
Good Shabbos & Shabbat Shalom
Yisroel