Making it good: Parshat Shemot

Abstract

This is a divine task of immense proportions and the challenge of living in a broken world. God models it and invites us to do the same. Moses’ mother models it and invites us to do the same. She was able to see beyond Pharaoh’s awful decree by looking at the exquisite innocence of her son and naming the unvarnished beauty and goodness she saw in front of her. Her optimism and fierce commitment at this difficult time had a prophetic impact on the Jewish future. She gave birth to Judaism’s greatest hero: “Never again did there arise in Israel a prophet like Moses…” (Deut. 34:10).