The Vort - Mission Statement: Jewish People. Parashat Yitro
This week’s parasha, Yitro, is a classic. A righteous father-in law dropping solid leadership advice. The Big 10 Commandments. Psychedelic prophecy. My highlight though is the following verse. I like it so much because, for me, it’s like the Jewish people’s theological mission statement in 17 words. Let’s me try and break it down. First, the verse:
ועתה ×× ×©×ž×•×¢ תשמעו בקלי ×•×©×ž×¨×ª× ×ת בריתי ×•×”×™×™×ª× ×œ×™ סגלה מכל ×”×¢×ž×™× ×›×™ לי כל ×”×רץ
“And now, if you hear my voice and keep my covenant, you will be for me a treasure from among the nations, for all the world belongs to me. Exodus, 19:5″ Now, the breakdown.
Be Here Now
“ועתה And now”
Our purpose on this earth as Jews is happening in this very moment. It’s not sealed in history, and it’s not waiting for us in a next world. It’s happening now, and it’s real.
The Search for God
“×× ×©×ž×•×¢ תשמעו בקלי If you hear my voice”
Implicit in these words is that God is speaking. It’s our job to try and tune in and hear. It might come obviously, in flames and smoke, or it might come still and small, in the cries of the poor and the sick, in a silent cave, in the question of a child. But it’s there. Waiting.
The Power of Relationship
“×•×©×ž×¨×ª× ×ת בריתי And keep my covenant”
The primacy of relationships, to God, parents, family, and strangers, and more are an absolute fundamental to Judaism. Our relationship to God is a primary model of that. We have many covenants with God, covenants about land, about justice, about how we treat others, how we treat ourselves. What I believe was so revolutionary about Judaism is not that there is a single force in the world responsible for its creation, but that every human being can be in relationship with that force. You, yes you, can be in relationship with the creator of the universe! How sweet is that!? But there’s expectations that come with it. Of course, we understand those expectations and that relationship differently. I believe that relationship, and those expectations, are expressed to the Jewish people through Torah.
Love and Destiny
“×•×”×™×™×ª× ×œ×™ סגלה מכל העמי×- And you will be for me a treasure among all the nations”
Ah, here we get to the stickiest one to our enlightened post-modern ears. Particularism! Ethno-centrism! Racism!
This is how it works for me. Let me know in comments if you feel differently…
