Parashat Shemot

By Tamar Rabinowitz | Dean, Jewish Studies and Hebrew 

How challenging that this week’s parsha coincides with the news of a multi-phase ceasefire and hostage release deal set to go into effect on Sunday. In Parashat Shemot, the first chapter of Exodus, we hear the cries of the Israelites after generations of slavery:

רָאֹ֥ה רָאִ֛יתִי אֶת־עֳנִ֥י עַמִּ֖י אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וְאֶת־צַעֲקָתָ֤ם שָׁמַ֙עְתִּי֙
“I have surely seen (literally see, seen) the affliction of My people in Egypt, and their cries I have heard” (Exodus 3:7).

These screams trigger God’s response, initiating what we imagine to be the beginning of redemption. But the story that unfolds reminds us that redemption is rarely smooth or immediate. For 469 days, Israelis have screamed. Some of their cries—hoarse from grief, boiling anger, anguish, and despair have been directed towards God, and others, as seen in ongoing protests, have been directed towards their political and military leaders. 

When God tells Moses that He has heard the cries of the Israelites, it comes with a promise: “I will bring them to a good and spacious land.” And yet, we know the rest of the story. The end of slavery is only the beginning. The journey is fraught with setbacks—Pharaoh intensifies the oppression, withholding straw while demanding the same quota of bricks. The people’s suffering grows worse before relief is in sight. Moses himself confronts God, crying:

“My lord, why have You brought harm to this people? Why did You send me? Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has dealt worse with this people; and still You have not delivered Your people?.” (Exodus 5:22-23).

Moses’ anguish resonates today. How do we hold on to hope when the path to redemption feels so bumpy and unclear?

The truth is I don’t have an answer to this question. For now, I will hold on to this flicker of hope that this ceasefire and hostage release offer —a fragile step towards something better. Rashi maintains that the repetition of “רָאֹ֥ה רָאִ֛יתִי” (see, seen) emphasizes God’s deep, empathetic engagement with the Israelites’ pain. Perhaps this is offering us a model as we move forward on this meandering journey towards a better future for both Israelis and Palestinians. In our world, where political noise often drowns out human anguish, perhaps this week’s parsha is calling our attention to the fact that redemption begins when we listen to the cries of all who suffer, and to take the small steps toward peace and wholeness that this moment demands.