This Shabbat we begin the reading of Exodus, the second book of the Hebrew Bible.
“The Book of Exodus, much like the Book of Genesis, opens in pervasive darkness. Genesis describes the earth as ‘unformed and void, with darkness over the surface of the deep.’ In Exodus, darkness attends the accession of a new Pharaoh who feared the Israelites and so enslaved them. God alone lights the way out of the darkness in Genesis. But in Exodus, God has many partners, first among them, five brave women.”
— Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (ז״ל) and Rabbi Lauren Holtzblatt
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The names of those heroes are Yocheved, Shifra, Puah, Miriam, and Batya. It is extraordinary that a three-thousand year old patriarchal culture would so prominently feature women in its master narrative. As we tell and retell the Exodus story, we reflect on the contributions of these women with gratitude and we imagine how much richer our story might be had we not suppressed women’s voices in so many ways. As we celebrate our story of freedom, let us reflect on the important work that still needs to be done to make our community a more welcoming, equitable, and diverse place for every member of our community.
How might we, as individuals and as a community, do more to raise up the voices of those who have been marginalized or silenced in the past? How might we do a better job of telling and celebrating their stories?
— Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback
