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”Crying Out Is Crucial”

Writer's picture: Elissa FelderElissa Felder

”Crying Out Is Crucial”

  Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh to advocate for

                                                              the release of the Jewish people.

                                                  Up until this point the Jews had been silent.

                                 There is no record of their complaints, their sighs or their cries.

                                    It seems that the Jewish slaves were mute and voiceless.

                                   They were burdened with backbreaking and oppressive work.

                                                        They were tortured relentlessly.

                                             Perhaps they thought this is the way it had to be.


                                Yet, with the arrival of Moses the Israelites found their voices.

                                          His desire to help them legitimized their pain, and

                                                         gave them hope for change.

                                       Moses helped them turn from silent victims into

                                 people feeling their own self-worth and capable of crying,


                                        “Bnei Yisrael sighed from the labor, and

                                                                  they cried out, and

                                  their supplication on account of the labor rose up to God.”


                          By defending them and showing them their intrinsic value

                               Moses taught them to be sensitive to their suffering.

                       They quickly realized that all the oppression, humiliation, and

                                       cruelty they had experienced was wrong,

                                            unjust and a manifestation of evil.

                        Moses introduced the idea that servitude must be fought against

                                                               and protested.

                                  They learned to demand justice and retribution.

                     

                          With a newly acquired perspective on their anguish and pain

                           the Jewish people began to protest and cry out to God.

                        God heard them and continued the process of their redemption.


                     The second plague God brought upon the Egyptians was that of

                                                          an infestation of frogs,

                             “The[y] (the frogs) ascended and covered the land.”

                                          In response both the Egyptians and

                                                  Pharaoh cried out to Moses

                                                          to remove the frogs.

                                    Instead of just the Israelites crying, we also

                              learn about the crying of Pharaoh and the Egyptians


                                    Furthermore, the Midrash tells us that when,

                                             “Moshe left [Pharaoh’s presence,]

                                          he cried out to Gd regarding the matter,

                                                     (devar) of the frogs.’

                                       Now, Moses is also seen to be crying out.


                             A cacophony of wailing accompanied the suffering.

                    Cries of pain and suffering, of injustice, and of pleading for an end.

                             The Jews, the Egyptians and Moses all cried out.

                       The Jews cried because of their oppression and hard labor.

                        Pharoah and the Egyptians cried out of discomfort from and

                                                      disgust of the frogs.

                       Moses cried out to implore Gd to end everyone’s hardship.


                     Crying out is a valid, important and powerful expression

                                          of deep, and painful emotions.


                    Perhaps we too need to cry out more, to express how we feel.

                May our cries motivate us to rally against the injustices in our world.

             May our cries motivate us to fight harder to end our collective suffering.

              Finally, may we be sure to cry out to, and implore God to heal the world,

                                      end suffering and bring global peace.


                                                            Shabbat shalom.


                                                                   Much love

                                                                       Elissa



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