We're now in Week 2 (in the Torah-reading cycle) of Exodus. The figure chosen to win freedom for the Children of Israel showed three aspects of his character in the opening portion of the book: 1. His passionate rejection of tyranny, 2. His moral acuity, and and 3. His lack of desire for
power.
As a young adopted member of the royal court, Moses sees an Egyptian overseer beating a Hebrew slave, Moses becomes enraged and kills the abuser. Fearing for his life, he flees to Midian, where he finds a job as a herder and a wife (his boss's daughter Zipporah). While tending his flock, Moses sees a bush that burns without being consumed. He
stops to look at it (how many had passed by without seeing?) There God addresses him and tells him to return to Egypt and lead his enslaved people to freedom. Moses repeatedly tells God that he doesn't want the job, isn't fit to do it. Finally, God loses patience and gives him a command he can't refuse.
We'll be reading from Parashat Va'era (Exodus
6:2-9:35).
