BEFORE YOU START READING
Take a sec to get to know your hevrutah (study partner):
Suggested ice-breaker: What are some of the different names you have been called by in your life? By whom?
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם אֱלֹהֵי יִצְחָק וֵאלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב הָאֵל הַגָּדוֹל הַגִּבּוֹר וְהַנּוֹרָא אֵל עֶלְיוֹן גּוֹמֵל חֲסָדִים טוֹבִים וְקוֹנֵה הַכֹּל
Praised are you, Lord our God and God of our ancestors, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, great mighty awesome, exalted God who bestows lovingkindness, Creator of all.
Questions for discussion:
- Who are we speaking to, according to this text?
- Why do you think there is an appeal to ancestors? What role does it serve?
- It takes a lot to try to speak to God! Does this text give us a reason why we might be so bold as to appeal to God at all? What might it be?
(1) Now Moses, tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, drove the flock into the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. (2) An angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire out of a bush. He gazed, and there was a bush all aflame, yet the bush was not consumed. (3) Moses said, “I must turn aside to look at this marvelous sight; why doesn’t the bush burn up?”
- Why do you think the text goes to the trouble of telling you that Moses said "I must turn aside"? Does this sound like a prayerful act? Why or why not?
- Does the miracle require a second glace or is it obvious that it's strange from the start?
(4) When the LORD saw that he had turned aside to look, God called to him out of the bush: “Moses! Moses!” He answered, “Here I am.” (5) And God said, “Do not come closer. Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you stand is holy ground.
- What do you make of G-d waiting until Moses turns aside before speaking? Presumably, G-d could've just called Moses' name, bush or no bush, turning aside or otherwise. What's the deal with attention and intention?
- Did Moses understand he was standing on holy ground or, as was described earlier, as being on "the mountain of the Lord"? What might that tell you about the place he's in?
- What movements are associated with the beginning of the Amidah? What significance might those movements take on in light of this text?
- What movements are associated with the beginning of the Amidah? What significance might those movements take on in light of this text?
(ו) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אָנֹכִי֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י אָבִ֔יךָ אֱלֹהֵ֧י אַבְרָהָ֛ם אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִצְחָ֖ק וֵאלֹהֵ֣י יַעֲקֹ֑ב וַיַּסְתֵּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ פָּנָ֔יו כִּ֣י יָרֵ֔א מֵהַבִּ֖יט אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃ (ז) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֔ה רָאֹ֥ה רָאִ֛יתִי אֶת־עֳנִ֥י עַמִּ֖י אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וְאֶת־צַעֲקָתָ֤ם שָׁמַ֙עְתִּי֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י נֹֽגְשָׂ֔יו כִּ֥י יָדַ֖עְתִּי אֶת־מַכְאֹבָֽיו׃ (ח) וָאֵרֵ֞ד לְהַצִּיל֣וֹ ׀ מִיַּ֣ד מִצְרַ֗יִם וּֽלְהַעֲלֹתוֹ֮ מִן־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַהִוא֒ אֶל־אֶ֤רֶץ טוֹבָה֙ וּרְחָבָ֔ה אֶל־אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָ֑שׁ אֶל־מְק֤וֹם הַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙ וְהַ֣חִתִּ֔י וְהָֽאֱמֹרִי֙ וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י וְהַחִוִּ֖י וְהַיְבוּסִֽי׃ (ט) וְעַתָּ֕ה הִנֵּ֛ה צַעֲקַ֥ת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בָּ֣אָה אֵלָ֑י וְגַם־רָאִ֙יתִי֙ אֶת־הַלַּ֔חַץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִצְרַ֖יִם לֹחֲצִ֥ים אֹתָֽם׃ (י) וְעַתָּ֣ה לְכָ֔ה וְאֶֽשְׁלָחֲךָ֖ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה וְהוֹצֵ֛א אֶת־עַמִּ֥י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃
(6) I am,” God said, “the God of your parent, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. (7) And the LORD continued, “I have marked well the plight of My people in Egypt and have heeded their outcry because of their taskmasters; yes, I am mindful of their sufferings. (8) I have come down to rescue them from the Egyptians and to bring them out of that land to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey, the region of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. (9) Now the cry of the Israelites has reached Me; moreover, I have seen how the Egyptians oppress them. (10) Come, therefore, I will send you to Pharaoh, and you shall free My people, the Israelites, from Egypt.”
- Our phrase has appeared! What is it doing here?
- Who is G-d, according to G-d?
- What has G-d noticed? Does that sound like prayer to you?
- What is G-d's response to what G-d hears? What do you make of it?
(יא) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים מִ֣י אָנֹ֔כִי כִּ֥י אֵלֵ֖ךְ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה וְכִ֥י אוֹצִ֛יא אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃ (יב) וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ כִּֽי־אֶֽהְיֶ֣ה עִמָּ֔ךְ וְזֶה־לְּךָ֣ הָא֔וֹת כִּ֥י אָנֹכִ֖י שְׁלַחְתִּ֑יךָ בְּהוֹצִֽיאֲךָ֤ אֶת־הָעָם֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם תַּֽעַבְדוּן֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים עַ֖ל הָהָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃ (יג) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶל־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֗ים הִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֣י בָא֮ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ וְאָמַרְתִּ֣י לָהֶ֔ם אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם שְׁלָחַ֣נִי אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם וְאָֽמְרוּ־לִ֣י מַה־שְּׁמ֔וֹ מָ֥ה אֹמַ֖ר אֲלֵהֶֽם׃ (יד) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶֽהְיֶ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר כֹּ֤ה תֹאמַר֙ לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה שְׁלָחַ֥נִי אֲלֵיכֶֽם׃ (טו) וַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ ע֨וֹד אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה כֹּֽה־תֹאמַר֮ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ יְהֹוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֲבֹתֵיכֶ֗ם אֱלֹהֵ֨י אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִצְחָ֛ק וֵאלֹהֵ֥י יַעֲקֹ֖ב שְׁלָחַ֣נִי אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם זֶה־שְּׁמִ֣י לְעֹלָ֔ם וְזֶ֥ה זִכְרִ֖י לְדֹ֥ר דֹּֽר׃
(11) But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and free the Israelites from Egypt?” (12) And God said, “I will be with you; that shall be your sign that it was I who sent you. And when you have freed the people from Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain.” (13) Moses said to God, “When I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is God's name?’ what shall I say to them?” (14) And God said to Moses, “Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh. [difficult phrase, can mean 'I am that I am' or 'I will be that I will be' or maybe something else] God continued, “Thus shall you say to the Israelites, ‘Ehyeh sent me to you.’” (15) And God said further to Moses, “Thus shall you speak to the Israelites: The LORD, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you:
This shall be My name forever,
This My appellation for all eternity.
- How does G-d introduce G-dself?
- Notice the bold text both here and before. In light of everything we've seen so far, why do you think the amidah starts with these words?
- What do you think the amidah wants you to have in mind as you begin?
- If we are supposed to address G-d with these words, who are we impersonating?
God in Search of Man, A Philosophy of Judaism, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
God to the Biblical man is a Being whose manifestation is more than flesh and blood can bear. One cannot see Him, one cannot hear Him and remain alive (Exodus 33 :20; Deuteronomy 4:33) . "A dread, a great darkness" fell upon Abraham (Genesis 15:12) . To perceive Him is to be crushed by His majesty. In His sight, seraphim cover their faces and a prophet cries "I am undone" (Isaiah 6 :5) . When aflame with His presence, the world is consumed.
Then the startling moment occurred: God appeared to Moses "in a flame of fire out of the bush; and he looked, and lo, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed" (Exodus 3 :2). In the face of that startling fact, Moses said: "I will turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt." The question "why" was never answered. How indeed is it possible for the world to bear the divine?
Perhaps this is the meaning of the burning bush. A new element was brought into being: fire that burns but does not consume. It indicated a new order in God's relation to man, namely, that to reveal He must conceal, that to impart His wisdom He must hide His power. It made revelation possible.
The bush was the precedent for Sinai that was not crushed, for Israel that was not consumed. When the Lord was about to utter His word:
Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke,
because the Lord descended upon it in fire;
the smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln,
the whole mountain trembled greatly.
Exodus 19:18
The mountain burned with fire up to the heart of heaven,
darkness, cloud and thick darkness.
Deuteronomy 4:11
The mountain burned with fire and was not consumed.
The Matriarchs
יְשִׂימֵךְ אֱלֹהִים כְּשָׂרָה, רִבְקָה, רָחֵל וְלֵאָה.
Historically, the Matriarchs (Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel, and Leah) were not included in the Amidah. Many of us in the Conservative movement have been including their names for at least 50 years. It is a fair bit harder to suss out a narrative thread binding them all together in the same way as the above (their names do not appear together in the Torah and they get a lot less screen-time than the men), but I thought it would be good to include below some of the passages which I believe can help us to understand how we might say that each of them had a relationship to G-d and/or the covenant which makes their inclusion in the Amidah relevant and intuitive.
(1) The LORD took note of Sarah as G-d had promised, and the LORD did for Sarah as G-d had spoken.
(10) She said to Abraham, “Cast out that slave-woman and her son, for the son of that slave shall not share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.” (11) The matter distressed Abraham greatly, for it concerned a son of his. (12) But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed over the boy or your slave; whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her voice, for it is through Isaac that offspring shall be continued for you. (13) As for the son of the slave-woman, I will make a nation of him, too, for he is your seed.”
וַיְנַגַּ֨ע יְהֹוָ֧ה ׀ אֶת־פַּרְעֹ֛ה נְגָעִ֥ים גְּדֹלִ֖ים וְאֶת־בֵּית֑וֹ עַל־דְּבַ֥ר שָׂרַ֖י אֵ֥שֶׁת אַבְרָֽם׃
But the LORD afflicted Pharaoh and his household with mighty plagues on account of Sarai [lit. "Because of the word (davar) of Sarai"], the wife of Abram.
What is indicated by the phrase Because of the word of Sarai? An angel descended with a staff from heaven at that moment, and when Pharaoh later approached her to remove her shoe, he struck him upon the hand, and when he approached to touch her clothing, the angel struck him again. However, the angel consulted Sarah before administering each blow. How do we know that? We know that because it is written: Because of the word of Sarai. Scripture does not say “Because of” or “For the sake of” or “On account of her merit,” but simply, Because of the word of Sarai. If Sarah told the angel to strike him, he struck him, and if she told him to desist, momentarily, he desisted.
What qualities or characteristics might we now bring into our amidah from Sarah?
(21) Isaac pleaded with the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD responded to his plea, and his wife Rebekah conceived. (22) But the children struggled in her womb, and she said, “If so, why do I exist?” She went to inquire of the LORD, (23) and the LORD answered her,
“Two nations are in your womb,
Two separate peoples shall issue from your body;
One people shall be mightier than the other,
And the older shall serve the younger.”
What qualities or characteristics might we now bring into our amidah from Rivkah?
(9) While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s flock; for she was a shepherdess.
Rachel is one of the only women in the entire Torah to be described this way. Being a shepherd is something every single patriarch does, but she's the only matriarch to do it.
A cry is heard in Ramah-e—
Wailing, bitter weeping—
Rachel weeping for her children.
She refuses to be comforted
For her children, who are gone. (16) Thus said the LORD:
Restrain your voice from weeping,
Your eyes from shedding tears;
For there is a reward for your labor
—declares the LORD:
They shall return from the enemy’s land.
(11) All the people at the gate and the elders answered, “We are. May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built up the House of Israel! Prosper in Ephrathah and perpetuate your name in Bethlehem!
What qualities or characteristics might we now bring into our amidah from Rachel?
(31) The LORD saw that Leah was unloved and G-d opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
Note here G-d's concern with the plight of Leah. The word for womb here, racheim, comes from the same root as rachamim or 'compassion'. G-d notices Leah and acts through a medium which evokes care and compassion for her.
And Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: From the day the Holy Blessed One, created the world, no one thanked the Holy Blessed One, until Leah came and thanked G-d, as it is stated: “This time I will give thanks to God,” (Genesis 29:35).
What qualities or characteristics might we now bring into our amidah from Lead?