You inspire me. You have texted, emailed and called to check in on me and my family. You have asked how you can help others who have been evacuated or lost their homes. You have reached out to find out how we can support the firefighters and first responders. You have done all of this while dealing with your own concerns, anxieties, and difficulties.
This is what it means to be a part of a sacred community. This is how we support and show up for one another. This is what it means to be a member of Am Yisrael, the Jewish people.
It is in this week’s Torah portion that we first encounter that word, “people”, in relation to our community. It is, someone paradoxically, Pharaoh who says:
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֶל־עַמּ֑וֹ הִנֵּ֗ה עַ֚ם בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל רַ֥ב וְעָצ֖וּם מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃
And he said to his people, “Look, the Israelite people are much too numerous for us.”
הָ֥בָה נִֽתְחַכְּמָ֖ה ל֑וֹ פֶּן־יִרְבֶּ֗ה וְהָיָ֞ה כִּֽי־תִקְרֶ֤אנָה מִלְחָמָה֙ וְנוֹסַ֤ף גַּם־הוּא֙ עַל־שֹׂ֣נְאֵ֔ינוּ וְנִלְחַם־בָּ֖נוּ וְעָלָ֥ה מִן־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
Let us deal shrewdly with them, so that they may not increase; otherwise in the event of war they may join our enemies in fighting against us and rise from the ground.” (Exodus 1:9-10)
We are Am B’nei Yisrael—the people of Israel. We stand together. In good times and in difficult times, too. In the darkness and the light we are one. When Pharaohs rise against us or when allies come to our aid, we remain united.
In this time of disaster and destruction here in our city of Angels, in this moment of anticipation and hope for the return of our hostages, in the darkness and in the light, we are eternally Am B’nei Yisrael. We are the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; Sara, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah.
We are united. We are one. We are resilient. We are strong. We are here for one another, come what may.
Am echad—one People.
Lev echad—one heart.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Yoshi