Torah tidbits

Lead Tidbit
G-d was Totally Up Front

The term UP FRONT indicates both "before hand, in advance" and "straight-forward, frank". G-d was both of those things when He chose Moshe to go before Par'o and "start the Exodus-ball rolling".

Moshe sees the Bush burning but not being consumed and his curiosity draws him near to investigate. G-d calls to Moshe from the Bush and tells him to remove his shoes because of the holiness of the place. G-d introduces Himself (so to speak) as the G-d of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, and He tells Moshe that He has seen, heard, and knows the plight and pain of His nation in Egypt. And, G-d says that He is going down into Egypt to save the people from the hands of Egypt, take the people out of the land, AND TO BRING THEM TO A GOOD AND EXPANSIVE LAND, A LAND FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY. Right up front, G-d tells us that the land to which He had sent Avraham, the land in which Yitzchak lived all his life, the land where Yaakov was born, to where he returned after exile in Lavan's house, the land that Yaakov reluctantly left in order to see his long-lost son... that's the land He will be taking us to.

Then, when Moshe questions the validity of his (Moshe) being sent to Par'o, G-d tells him the other thing that will be happening after they leave Egypt - they will return to the very location of the Bush - namely, Chorev, Har Sinai - and "serve G-d on this mountain". This is understood to be the commitment to the Torah made at Har Sinai. When G-d sent Avraham Avinu to Eretz Yisrael, Avraham did not say, No thanks, I think I've make a life for myself here (or anywhere else, for that matter). When offered the Torah, our ancestors did not say, No thank you.

Every Jew, in every generation is given the Torah and sent to Eretz Yisrael. We know what G-d wants of us, we need only embrace the Torah with enthusiasm and commitment, live our lives in Eretz Yisrael, and thereby hasten the Complete Geula, BIMHEIRA B'YAMEINU, AMEN.


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