Parashat Shemot - Bricks Without Straw & a Third Shot

 And Joseph and his generation died. And a new king arose….

Power corrupts. Even if we give the new Pharaoh the benefit of the doubt at the start, seeing the growing numbers of Israelites leads him to enslave a nation in Egypt’s midst. I can’t help but see parallels in the world. Governmental systems that can work, and work well, are instead stumbling due to parties determined to remain or get back into power. It’s painful to watch.

In this week’s parasha, Pharaoh, seeing the possibility of an uprising among the currently peaceful Israelites. When his actions don’t have the desired result, he pushes harder, even taking away the basic nessities for the jobs to which they are set. In remembrance of the extra work, this week’s first challah is a bundle of straw gathered to make brick and build store cities. It is a reminder that we can push and accomplish what we need to do even when the obstacles keep rising before us. 

It’s also for the covid boosters and the continuing measures to keep the pandemic in check. There will likely be many more spikes and falls before we move from pandemic to endemic. But we will overcome. We must have faith. And so the second challah is the burning bush. Aflame, surprising Moshe, the bush draws him to it, and from it emanates God’s voice calling Moshe to service. It may feel like the world is on fire. We must have faith that it will not be consumed.

And, there’s always the cupcake challah. It isn’t a Gorman Shabbat without a cupcake challah. This week I felt like swirls because sometimes the world seems chaotic, but when you look at it from afar, you can see beauty. I am the eternal optimist. I admit, living through a global pandemic feels overwhelming, especially in the context of politicization of the virus and the vaccine and the ever widening political spectrum. I am tired, sometime numb. But I have faith. I believe things will improve. I believe times in the past have been worse. We will not be consumed, for we are infused with the Divine spirit.

Shabbat shalom. For all who celebrate Christmas, and even for those of us who do not, I hope this is a merry Christmas, filled with joy and grace and hope for the future. We will be enjoying our Chinese food Shabbat lunch.