Sharing Lightens the Load (Shabbat Yitro)
Sharing Lightens the Load (Shabbat Yitro)

Moses and the Israelites [having] narrowly escape Egypt…now must now traverse a seemingly endless wilderness. People quarrel with each other, and Moses tries to mediate their disputes. They struggle to find food and water, and Moses responds by trying to ensure everyone has what they want to eat. In disbelief, Yitro, Moses’ father-in-law hears what Moses has been doing, and famously scolds him:

לֹא־טוֹב֙ הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתָּ֖ה עֹשֶֽׂה׃ / The thing you are doing is not good…

Focused on making it through each day, Moses completely loses perspective; forgets what an impossible situation he’s in.

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sermonAdam Lavittdecision fatigue, exhaustion, support, compassion
Approaching our Inner Pharoah (Shabbat Bo)
Approaching our Inner Pharoah (Shabbat Bo)

Torah tells us to meet God we must first meet Pharaoh right here. Who is Pharaoh? He is essentially recognizable by his heart, repeatedly described as “hard”, or “heavy”.… At first, Pharaoh sets his own course. But, with every plague, it becomes more difficult for him to change. His reactions become engrained in habit, until his heart closes completely. Maybe we recognize this in ourselves. Can see Pharaoh’s hardened heart right here in our midst.

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sermonAdam Lavitthope, Pharoah, compassion