from Egypt because they didn’t adopt the
culture of their host nation. They never
changed their Jewish names, they continued conversing in the Holy Tongue, and
they maintained their distinctively Jewish
garb. “Reuven and Shimon went down [to
Egypt], Reuven and Shimon left [Egypt],
for they did not change their names.” It’s
no coincidence that the entire Book of Exodus, which discusses the Redemption
and its immediate aftermath, is called Shemos. Using one’s Jewish name or wearing a kippah may not be as meaningful or
spiritually uplifting as studying Torah or
doing a mitzvah, but in a certain sense
these symbols of Jewish identity are far
more important. They demonstrate Jewish pride and dignity, they are symbols of
our uniqueness, they are our defence
against assimilation, and in their merit we
will witness yet another redemption – the
Final Redemption.
The Talmud declares: “In the merit of
the righteous women of that generation,
USING ONE’S JEWISH NAME OR WEARING A KIPPAH
MAY NOT BE AS MEANINGFUL OR SPIRITUALLY
UPLIFTING AS STUDYING TORAH OR DOING A
MITZVAH, BUT IN A CERTAIN SENSE THESE SYMBOLS
OF JEWISH IDENTITY ARE FAR MORE IMPORTANT.
our ancestors were redeemed from Egypt.”
The woman, in her capacity as the mainstay and foundation of the home, sets the
tone of the entire household and is the one
who determines the character of the home.
The Jewish women in Egypt recognised
their unique responsibility and privilege,
the task of raising proud Jews in the midst
of the most modern and scientifically enlightened culture of the time. They accomplished this mission and brought redemption for the entire nation. According to
Kabbalah, the souls of the last generation
before the arrival of the Messiah are reincarnations of the generation which left
Egypt. Today, too, the women who imbue
their Internet age children with a strong
Jewish identity are the ones who are setting the stage for the final redemption. JL
Printed with permission from chabad.org,
the Judaism website
Rabbi Naftali Silberberg is a writer, editor, and director of the curriculum department
at the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute. Rabbi Silberberg resides in Brooklyn, NY, with
his wife Chaya Mushka and their three children.
MELTON METHODS EMBODY PESACH
As Melton celebrates 10 years of adult Jewish
learning in Cape Town, Pesach emerges as a
clear and enlightening metaphor for the
Melton methodology.
Melton and Midrasha Institute director Viv
Anstey compares the four children we speak of
at the seder table and the Melton way of learning: “Drawing in various perspectives of commentary to our teaching is like interacting
with the four children sitting around the table,
each one invited to be engaged, even if he
holds an alternative position or has a differing
entry point.”
Pesach, like Melton learning, is about unpacking our stories, and empowering ourselves
with knowledge and understanding to make us
Jewishly literate, and so equip future generations to continu RFV