Ravaging Redemption

In the midst of celebrating our “national” freedom from slavery to the Egyptians (and isn’t that somewhat problematic – the overuse of the word “national,” often leading to a nationalistic attachment to an ancestral “nation” about which we only know a limited amount?), the strife inflicted upon the Egyptian nation and people through the plagues left this other “nation,” many of whom were presumably innocent, with a great physical, emotional, monetary, and property wound. The need felt to establish and build up a “national identity,” or tell the story of this one group of people against the others amongst whom they lived, led the writers of our Torah text to a certain indifference about the suffering of others affected by G!d’s (or natural) phenomena meant to send a message.

Over the years, faithful people have made admirable attempts to bring this issue to light, and allowed for discussion about the way we view others’ suffering, particularly in light of our own – especially when their “group” inflicts pain. When we are hurt by a particular group of people, sometime we assign blame to everyone in that group – even if they weren’t involved in the painful actions. We may turn inward – whether to ourselves, or by only feeling safe within our own group. This leads to distrust, delusion, degradation of others, and a general paranoia. Eventually, this increasingly unhealthy response leaves us alone, unproductive, self-pitying, tired, and angry.

While there are certainly people who may act against us, and we can learn how to seek protection from them, staying open to relationships and seeking to build connections widely and diversely offer us a bond with people who will look out for us. These bonds can create a sense of family that goes beyond blood, beyond nationality/ethnicity, and beyond (or into a new) place. A feeling of home among diverse groups provides safety when our “normal” situations become precarious – when we begin wandering and searching for a new “home.”

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The new semester has officially started, and komps kaos kontinues raging. I have started a new book, and now am thinking through how to work harder on my language learning/review.