Shabbat Bo

Written by Abigail Howard Thursday, 10 January 2008

This week’s Torah portion is Bo, which is to do with God’s instruction to Moses to ‘come out of’  the land of Egypt.

The portion tells us about the eighth plague which is locusts, the ninth plague-darkness, and finally the tenth plague-the death of the Egyptian first born. Before the occurrence of the last plague Aaron and Moses instruct the Israelites on the laws of the Passover, on what day and in which month, the final plague will happen. The people are commanded to explain these observances to future generations as a reminder to us all. The Israelites take their instructions from Moses and smear lamb’s blood on their doorposts, with the result that the Egyptian first born sons, including Pharaoh’s first born son, are killed. This prompts Pharaoh to allow the Israelites to leave the land and hence wander the desert for 40 years. The portion concludes with us being told that 600,000 people departed from Egypt as well as children, live stock and a mixed multitude of others.

Having just returned from Eilat, where I was honoured to be part of a reunion between the president of my Synagogue and her only two living relatives who escaped Nazi Germany, this portion reminds me of that time not so many years ago. How many times was Hitler asked to let go, not only Jewish people, but a mixed multitude of others. How many times did he say NO!

At a friend’s son’s Bar-mitzvah service many years ago, the rabbi asked the congregation if it was time we taught the Holocaust in our communities in the same way we teach the exodus from Egypt. Was not Hitler a modern Pharaoh? After 10 years I still cannot fully answer this question. I think the Holocaust is still all too new and shocking to us, but is what Pharaoh did to our ancestors any different and why are we not as horrified?

As I sat in a hotel foyer with three eighty plus year olds retelling their stories about leaving Berlin, and all that went on there before they left, it made me wonder if perhaps the Israelites, after the 10 plagues and the nastiness that went on in Egypt, wandering in the desert was also a great adventure. We will never know!

Abigail Howard
Early Years Consultant
Leo Baeck College
Department of Education & Professional Development