“My ancestor was a wandering Aramean; he went down to Egypt and sojourned there, as a people few-in-number, but he became there a nation, great, mighty and many…”
(Deuteronomy 26:5)
We are descended from those who wandered and were few in number and we have become numerous. This refrain comes up again and again throughout the Jewish year, and we recite these words as part of our narrative of the Exodus from Egypt at the Passover Seder as well.
In our month of reflection leading up to the High Holy Days we seek context – how do our concerns measure up with those that faced our ancestors?
I feel pretty lucky to live as a Jew in this time and place.
Still, we have real and justifiable concerns.
Let us hold those ideas in our minds at the same time – the worries over the curses mentioned in later in this week’s Torah reading, as well as the gratitude for our blessings.
May this week’s blessings help us better contend with this week’s challenges.
Wishing everyone a good week,
Jonathan