I introduced this sermon as being somewhat unorthodox, being that the main source is... well, you'll see. The message, however, is very Orthodox. :) Posting because, judging by the feedback, it seems it was very well received.
Bo Sermon 5774
Rabbi Avi Billet
Like all fathers, I
have a vested interest in my childrens' education. And I want them to really
understand the story of Yetzias Mitzrayim. After all, it is this story that
defines who we are as a people, and lays the foundation for our adherence to
God and the Torah.
To that effort, I took the important step of
introducing my children to Charlton Heston, as we watched Cecil B Demille'sepic in two parts.
There have been several films made of this story –
including, I think most recently, an HBO miniseries (though another one iscoming out in 2014 starring Batman) – they are usually attempts made by Christians (or just
Hollywood epic makers) to depict the story. I think Dreamworks may have been
the only Jewish effort to make it to the Big Screen, with their animated Princeof Egypt – which my kids saw a couple of years ago.
I picked the Ten
Commandments because a film made in the 50s is not going to be very bloody, and
will always make sure the stars look perfect, even when they are covered in
mud. But also because, unlike the other films which are titled Exodus, Moses,
The Bible or Prince of Egypt, this one's title indicates where the focus lies –
how the Exodus, as we too understand it, was a means to an end of getting the
Ten Commandments.
Of course, we know the
Aseres Hadibros was accompanied by a Torah of 613 commandments or more. But it
is the religious undertone that even the title suggests that I found to be
important to share.
I don't know if I had
ever seen the film from beginning to end.
And it's not so much
the film itself – which I am sure most of you have seen - but how it begins
that is most intriguing.
The film opens with thecamera aimed at a stage curtain, and Cecil B Demille steps out from between thecurtains and says this:
"Ladies and Gentlemen, Young and old.
This may seem an unusual procedure. Speaking to you
before the picture begins. But
we have an unusual subject. The story of the birth of freedom. The story of
Moses.
As many of you know, the holy Bible omits some 30 years
of Moses' life. From the time that he was a three month old baby and was found
by Bithya, the daughter of pharaoh, and adopted into the court of Egypt, until
he learned that he was Hebrew and killed the Egyptian.
To fill in those missing years, we turned to ancient
historians, such as Philo and Josephus. These historians had access to
documents long since destroyed, or perhaps lost like the dead sea scrolls.
The theme of this picture is whether man ought to be
ruled by God's law or whether they are to be ruled by the whims of a dictator
like Rameses.
Are Men the property of the State, or are they free souls under God?
This same battle continues throughout the world today.
Our intention was not to create a story, but to be worthy
of the divinely inspired story, created 3000 years ago: The Five books of
Moses."
CB Demille got his math wrong – many more years are
missing from Moshe's formative years until he returned at the age of 80 to
Egypt.
But the sentiment – that the Exodus was a birth of
Freedom, that the killing of the Egyptian was justified, the Question being the
property of the State versus free souls, and whether man ought to be a subject
of God or of a dictator, are important to hear at the outset of such a film. Lest
we be caught up in the idea that this is entertainment alone.
Such an inspiration has this story been that according
to Rabbi Ken Spiro's crash course in Jewish History in jewishpathways, the
Puritans viewed their emigration from England as a virtual re-enactment of the
Exodus. To them, England was Egypt, the king was Pharaoh, the Atlantic was the
Red Sea, America was the Land of Israel, and the natives were the Canaanites.
The Puritans were the new Israelites, entering into a new covenant with God in
a new Promised Land.
Similarly, the founding fathers saw themselves in
similar terms. Two of the proposals for the seal of the United States, advancedby Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson respectively, were
"Moses standing on the
Shore, and extending his Hand over the Sea, thereby causing the same to
overwhelm Pharaoh who is sitting in an open Chariot, a Crown on his Head and a
Sword in his Hand. Rays from a Pillar of Fire in the Clouds reaching to Moses,
to express that he acts by Command of the Deity.
"Motto, Rebellion to
Tyrants is Obedience to God."
Thomas Jefferson also suggested allegorical scenes. For the front of
the seal: children of Israel in the wilderness, led by a cloud by day and a
pillar of fire by night.
The eye on top was
described in the proposals as the "The Eye of Providence in a radiant
Triangle whose Glory extends over the Shield and beyond the Figures."
Thomson himself
explained the eye and the motto Annuit Coeptis "allude
to the many signal interpositions of providence in favor of the American cause."
It should not come as a surprise that the Great Seal of
the United States has an unfinished pyramid as its image. Charles Thomson gave only a brief explanation of the
symbolism, saying "The pyramid signifies strength and duration"
– which the website greatseal.com suggests was no doubt influenced by the Great
Pyramid of Egypt.
But perhaps, in the back
of their mind, the pyramid also represented the struggles of ancient Israel,
without being so overtly making a nod to it.
Looking at all this, we
can understand how the story of the Exodus is viewed by others as a force for
Liberty. But we have a question.
The Talmud Yerushalmi in Pesachim says that when it
was time to leave Egypt, Moshe's voice
carried for the distance of 40 days, to say 12:31 [שם יב לא] קומו צאו מתוך
עמי. לשעבר הייתם עבדי פרעה מיכן והילך אתם עבדי ה'. באותה שעה היו אומרים [תהילים
קיג א] הללויה הללו עבדי ה' ולא עבדי פרעה.
How is it that leaving
slavery of Egypt to becoming slaves to Hashem – עבדי ה' is considered Liberty? How is it
freedom?
In 2001, I was
privileged to study drama under Danny Maseng. Danny Maseng is a very
interesting Jew, who probably identifies mostly with the Reform movement. But
he grew up with a Hassidic grandfather in Israel and holds many Hassidic
teachings in the palm of his hand. When he was on his soul journey he studied
Zen philosophy and entered the world of Buddhism, and while he identifies as
Jewish, he incorporates the things he has learned along the way into how he
teaches and practices drama. I studied DRAMA with him – to teach in Jewish
camps.
One great Zen teaching
he incorporated to this was "If you want to give a cow freedom, put afence around the meadow."
In drama this means that
you have a script, the whims of the director, and the limits of the stage. But
as the performer, you have your own creativity, your own interpretation of the
character, how the character talks, moves, perhaps eats, and what body language
it uses when relating to people and other stimuli. You have a lot of freedom.
When it comes to us as עבדי ה, it means that on one hand we
have the teaching of the Anshei Knesses Hagdolah in Avos to make a Syag Latorah
– to make a fence for the Torah.
But it also means that
while we have rules, we have a tremendous amount of freedom. And it is the
rules that keep us sane, and that keep us as model citizens in our own right.
L'havdil – there are
many Hollywood celebrities who feel rules do not apply to them. Many of them
have mug shots from their – in some cases multiple – arrests. How many young
celebrities die young from drugs, drunk accidents or other causes that seem to
have been possible only because of their reckless lifestyles?
We have a mandate to
take care of ourselves. We have rules that dictate a concern for our health.
Does not that make us free to live as long a life as possible?
We have Shabbos. True,
we do not do מלאכה. It's a
restriction. But it is very liberating. We are forced to relax, to enjoy, to
eat a good meal, with calm, with peace, with family, perhaps with friends and
good company, to talk about things that matter, or to talk about nothing
important at all. We dedicate time for our spiritual side and religious needs in
living Shabbos, and in coming to shul.
I read an article
recently about a study that demonstrates that rituals – whether religious or
even the simple act of having a huddle before every football play – are good
for people in the long run. As Jews, we have many rituals in our davening
alone. Sit for this, stand for this, sing this together, chant this
aloud, respond to this call in the tefillah.
In our davening and leining, we have nusach and the taamei hamikra. There is a way the davening and leining should sound. But every chazzan, every reader, injects much of his own personality into how he does it. What melodies he picks. What intonations he utilizes. He is given a lot of freedom to exercise his creative juices.
The rules of modesty in
dress and general behavior – help us display who we are as people and not as
objects. People in the general society advocate that "I can dress how I
want because it's a free country." But we've all seen the sign, "No
shirt no service." Or "No shoes no service." A person can be
arrested for indecent exposure. So you can't really do "Whatever" you
want.
We are truly free when
we present ourselves as the mentchs we are. And we have the luxury of a dress
code without uniforms. We can be as creative as we want, within the fence of
what we call modesty. It doesn't have to be black and white. There are many
shades of gray, as well as many colors in the rainbow, between the extremes of
black and white.
Freedom as servants of
God means not that I can do whatever I want at all times. It means that I am
given a guidebook and a set of rules that help make me into an incredible
person. While I forge my own personality throughout my life.
I am limited to certain
meat products, but I can be as creative as I want in my kitchen.
I have to daven three
times a day, but where I daven, how long it takes me, how much kavvanah I have,
is my choice.
I have to learn Torah?
But I can choose what I learn, how much time I dedicate to it, who is my
teacher or study partner.
I have to visit the
sick? Good. It makes me a better person.
I have to make a shiva
visit? Good. טוב ללכת
לבית אבל. It reminds me of what is important in life, and it helps the
mourner remember that he or she is not alone despite the loss.
I have to honor the
Torah? Good. It reminds me that God is in my life. That my ancestors were
redeemed from Egypt. That God revealed Himself to them at Sinai.
I have to give money to
the needy? Good. It helps me be a partner with God in helping His destitute.
I have to have children?
If God blesses us to have children, there is nothing more liberating than being
God's partner in Creation. And when I raise them properly,
hopefully I see God in them every day.
Even the Mitzvah of
having a king in Israel was for him to keep the people in line as servants of
God, just as he too is a servant of God. And while the king could theoretically
abuse his position, he wasn't supposed to.
My land is mine, my
property is mine, my produce is mine.
I have a mitzvah to
care for the Kohen, the Levi, the Ger, the stranger, the orphan and the widow,
and give them some of my produce? And reserve some for God? Good! It helps me
remember what true priorities are – helping the weak, the defenseless, and
those who provide for my spiritual sustenance.
You want to give a cow
freedom? Put a fence around that meadow. You can make it as large a fence as
you want. But once there is no fence, the cow isn't free. It is lost. Very
quickly.
So I credit Cecil B
Demille with making the title of his movie Ten Commandments. Because it reminds
us the Exodus led to being subjects of a Commander. A Commander who wanted our
Liberty, granted our Freedom, and gave us an amazing gift at the liberating
moment that Sinai was.
Demille said a battle
plays itself out to this day – and it continues to our day as well. It is a
battle fought by the media at every turn and by liberals who shun religion and
mock any concept of religion because it doesn't suit their vision of "what
makes sense."
And so to answer his question: Are Men the property of
the State, or are they free souls under God?
We said it on Rosh Chodesh 2 days ago - הללו עבדי ה'.
And we say an ode to our
Freedom on a daily basis at the end of Uva L'tzion:
ברוך הוא אֱלֹהֵינוּ
שֶׁבְּרָאָנוּ לִכְבוֹדוֹ. וְהִבְדִּילָנוּ מִן הַתּוֹעִים. וְנָתַן לָנוּ תּוֹרַת
אֱמֶת. וְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם נָטַע בְּתוֹכֵנוּ. הוּא יִפְתַּח לִבֵּנוּ בְּתוֹרָתוֹ.
וְיָשֵׂם בְּלִבֵּנוּ אַהֲבָתוֹ וְיִרְאָתוֹ וְלַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹנוֹ וּלְעָבְדוֹ
בְּלֵבָב שָׁלֵם. לְמַעַן לֹא נִיגַע לָרִיק וְלֹא נֵלֵד לַבֶּהָלָה:
Not just that we are
free souls under God, but that we are free souls ONLY when we are under God.
May we too be worthy of
the divinely inspired story, that we may live out our lives as עבדי ה', as we saw this morning when our
ancestors began to experience a unique form of Liberty after the Plague of the
Firstborn, with true appreciation of the freedom we have as His subjects.
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