Thursday, December 30, 2010

i want to be like the pharoah's daughter

this is a special shout-out to the incredible wisdom of the cyclical design of torah study. i've been going to torah study for a few years. yet this is the first time it has come to my attention that pharoah's daughter consciously raises a hebrew baby as a hebrew. i mean, she could have hired an egyptian woman to nurse him but, no, she gets a hebrew nurse to suckle the child. she names the baby moshe explaining, i drew him out of water. really, what causes an egyptian elite woman do that? this is sort of equivalent to the mistress in a southern plantation raising a black baby as her son. what is she thinking? obviously she is not. she is moved by a force that is way bigger and stronger than the mind. compassion. and that is god shining through her. so brilliantly. so fully. there's no fear, no doubt, no second-guessing, no resistance. what would others think of me? will it jeopardize my privileges? she looks at the baby, and that's it. this egyptian woman is so open and receptive. it is clear to me that the divine power knows no tribe, no race, nor country borders, nor gender, nor class. no wonder i truly feel i am a hebrew because i am a boundary crosser. i am an israelite because i wrestle with god. i want to be like the pharoah's daughter. let the force of compassion move through me and go the whole distance. amen.

1 comment:

  1. The Divine, in recognizing the differences, binds us all with humanity. He begs us all to cross those boundaries in compassionate relationships. He calls us to honor the uniqueness in each person...what a beautiful example of that honor and love....an Egyptian woman, saving a Hebrew baby, to have him suckled by another Hebrew, with the child eventually speaking for Ha Shem to free the Hebrew people from slavery.
    And ultimately, crossing these boundaries, created freedom. Simply amazing.
    I agree with you totally....let this same force of compassion move through me and go the whole distance. amen.

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