Tammy Jacobowitz-The brave birthing of a nation (Shemot)

Quickly, with hardly any warning, Parshat Shemot introduces the story of the Israelites’ slavery in Egypt. One moment, it seems, the Israelites enjoy the privileges of a protected group, prospering alongside their Egyptian neighbors. Each son of Jacob’s family is celebrated by the text, reflecting their collective status as Joseph’s family. And then, a few verses later, the tide changes, and the Israelites’ entire reality shifts with it. By verse 11, the system of taskmasters, forced labor, and oppression is in full swing. The Israelites are enslaved to Pharoah’s empire. They are living embittered lives, with no other options in sight.

And yet, at the same time that Shemot describes the mechanics of slavery, the seeds for redemption are already being planted. Indeed just before we read Pharoah’s first inciteful speech against the Israelites, the Bible relates that the Israelites were involved in outsized population growth.

Read the full article on the Times of Israel