“A Mixed Mixture Went Up”

January 30, 2020
By Beth Mordecai
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“A Mixed Mixture Went Up”

In this week’s parsha, Bo, we celebrate our exodus from slavery. We, the children of Israel are a mighty nation that God is bringing out from slavery to redemption, to freedom. God brings us out as a community.

Our Torah tells us “a mixed mixture went up.” The rabbis believe that every word in the Torah was specifically chosen by God for a reason. In this verse, I believe the Torah is commenting on community and relationships. Not only is there a mixture of people going up from slavery to freedom, it is a diverse group that is mixed amongst itself. I understand this verse to be telling us of the importance to branch out from your family or your social comfort group to join together with others.

In the Exodus from Egypt, we came together as individuals to be part of this great group that God would redeem. In our lives we can take this lesson and continue to come together to join with our community but also to meet new people. May God bless us to have the courage to meet someone new and help us to come together in relationship. It is only then as a group that we can work towards freedom.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Metz

Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Shabbat