Yesterday, while driving to our Torah on Tap study session at the Alchemy Tavern I saw a rainbow. The clouds parted over the Interstate and I smiled as I saw the beautiful colors; colors promising beauty and hope after a bit of darkness. The rainbow took me back to the Torah portion of Noach during which the first rainbow was affixed within the clouds. As you remember, the world was overwhelmed by wickedness and corruption. God had no choice but to destroy the world, the most horrific event imaginable.
The primary message of the text is God could not tolerate terrible behavior in a beautiful world. God saw the wickedness, responded and then placed a visible reminder of the BRIT (covenant) with all humanity as a rainbow in the clouds. Just as God saw the wickedness, God placed a rainbow for both God and us to see and to remember the covenant.
In this week's Torah reading God hears the cries of the Israelites and God remembers the BRIT (covenant) with Abraham. Remembering the BRIT is central to God in both Torah readings but the mechanism used as a reminder is different. In Noach’s time the BRIT is for all humanity and the reminder is a visual cue. In the Moses experience the BRIT is specific to the Israelites and the cue is audible.
What may we learn from these different elements? Perhaps timing and populace are key. In the early experience, close to Creation, which is marked by God’s seeing that everything is good, God sees many acts within a small population which does not bear any specific religious or ceremonial affiliation. In this week’s encounter, a focus is on Moses who is descended from Abraham. It is Abraham who hears God’s call on some occasions. Perhaps the auditory connection which already exists between God and Abraham serves to remind God of the covenant with the Israelites.
As we study this Parshah (Torah portion) which focuses on Moses and God’s sacred connection to Israel we can also remember that God is connected to all living beings in a sacred and enduring manner. May the Divine response of seeing and hearing suffering inform our daily lives so that we respond to those in need.. May we all open our eyes and our ears and remember how to better emulate God in our own lives.
Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Steve Silberman
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