Narrator:
Israelite Woman:
Neither the Pharaoh nor anyone else now in power remembers my ancestor JosephJacob's eldest son by his beloved wife, Rachel. Joseph, the dreamer, was his father's favorite and nearly murdered by his brothers. Sold into slavery, he became viceroy of Egypt where he ultimately saves the Egyptians and also his own family from starvation. His Hebrew name is Yosef/, his father JacobLit. heel Jacob is the third patriarch, son of Isaac and Rebecca, and father to the twelve tribes of Israel. More than any of the other patriarchs, Jacob wrestles with God and evolves from a deceitful, deal-making young man to a mature, faithful partner to God. His Hebrew name is Yaakov. and any of his eleven brothers. Jacob’s family, who came to Egypt from Canaan to escape the famine, decided to remain in Egypt with Joseph. In the years that followed, our people have become far too numerous for the Egyptians. They see us as a threat because we immigrants refuse to assimilate. We continue to speak our own language, we preserve our values, and we cling to our belief in our invisible God.
Narrator:
Israelite Woman:
Pharaoh has decreed that the Israelite men, our husbands and fathers perform forced labor.
When my friends and I see our men suffering, we go out to comfort them. We take them food, we take them water, we bathe them, we insist on having sexual relations at the day’s end. We refuse to lose faith in the future.
Narrator:
“But the more the Israelites were oppressed, the more they increased and spread out. (Ex. 1:12). And the Egyptians feared them even more.
Israelite Woman:
Pharaoh’s fatal mistake is that he underestimates us, the Israelite women. Intuitively, we know that we are responsible for the future of our people.
Narrator:
Pharaoh resorted to more barbarous measures and decreed the murder of all newborn Israelite males. Frustrated, Pharaoh ordered the Israelite midwives, ShifraShifra is one of the two Hebrew midwives mentioned in Exodus 1 who refuses Pharaoh's orders to kill the boy children, instead enabling them to live. She, along with her partner Puah, is instrumental in beginning the process leading to the Exodus. Shifra is often identified as Jochebed, Moses' mother. and PuahPuah, like Shifra, is one of the Hebrew midwives mentioned in Exodus 1 who defies Pharaoh's orders to kill the boy babies. This first act of defiance was instrumental in leading to the Israelite exodus from Egypt. Puah is often identified in the midrash with Miriam, Moses' older sister., to carry out his decree. “But the midwives feared God and did not do as the King of Egypt told them, but kept the infants alive.” (Ex. 1:17)
Israelite Woman:
Shifra and Puah inspire us all with their spirit and resistance to Pharaoh’s tyranny. Faced with the irreconcilable conflict between obedience to Egyptian law and allegiance to a higher moral law, Shifra and Puah, at great personal risk, heroically refuse to murder our babies.
Narrator:
It has been said that their eyes saw God in every mother’s face and their ears heard God in every baby’s cry. Until that moment, the world had not heard of civil disobedience in defense of a moral cause.
“Through the merits of the righteous women of that generation the Israelites were redeemed from MitzrayimLit. Egypt. Because the Hebrew word for narrow is tzar, Mitzrayim is also understood as "narrowness," as in, the narrow and confining places in life from which one emerges physically and spiritually. (Egypt).” Soteh 11b
Israelite Woman:
When our leader Amram, my friend Yocheved’s husband, hears Pharaoh’s decree, he separates himself from her. Many of our husbands follow his example. This infuriates Amram and Yocheved’s daughter MiriamMiriam is the sister of Moses and Aaron. As Moses' and Aaron's sister she, according to midrash, prophesies Moses' role and helps secure it by watching over the young baby, seeing to it that Pharaoh's daughter takes him and that the baby is returned to his mother for nursing. During the Israelites' trek through the desert, a magical well given on her behalf travels with the Israelites, providing water, healing, and sustenance.. She confronts her father and says, “Your conduct is more damaging than Pharaoh’s mandate, for Pharaoh sentenced only the male children, whereas you have pronounced sentence against all our children.” Miriam is very persuasive; Amram returns to his wife. Our husbands return to us.
Yocheved conceives and gives birth to a son. I don’t know where she finds hr faith and courage to hide him. Somehow, little Miriam believes that her brother will grow up to be the one who will lead us to freedom.
Miriam stands by the water keeping watch over her brother’s basket until it is drawn from the water by none other than Batya, the daughter of Pharaoh. Miriam approaches Batya and arranges to have her own mother, Yocheved, be the baby’s wetnurse.
Narrator:
Pharaoh’s daughter was an instrument of God in the process of liberation. She reached out beyond station and class in willful disobedience of sovereign authority. In saving an Israelite infant, she denied the supremacy of her father, the king, and her deity.
“Then Adonai took us out of Mitzrayim (Egypt) with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with awesome power, with signs and with wonders.” (Deut. 26:8)
Many years later, MosesThe quintessential Jewish leader who spoke face to face with God, unlike any other prophet, and who freed the people from Egypt, led them through the desert for forty years, and received the Torah on Mt. Sinai. His Hebrew name is Moshe. confronted Pharaoh and demanded the release of his people. The Egyptians had withstood nine plagues at the hand of the Israelite God. Yet the Israelite where still enslaved. Pharaoh continued to deny their freedom. Before the tenth plague – the worst of all – occurred. Moses assured the people that they would leave.
Israelite Woman:
As the time approaches, I am confused. I am perplexed. I am uncertain about what will be best for my family. Of course, we could remain in Egypt with the life that we know. It is brutal. It is difficult. But this is what we know. Or we can follow this leader on an unknown journey. For me there is only one decision. In my heart of hearts, I know we must go because this is the only chance that I have, that my family have, that my people have, for a future.
When I think about my foremothers – SarahThe first matriarch, wife of Abraham, and mother of Isaac, whom she birthed at the age of 90. Sarah, in Rabbinic tradition, is considered holy, beautiful, and hospitable. Many prayers, particularly the Amidah (the central silent prayer), refer to God as Magen Avraham – protector of Abraham. Many Jews now add: pokehd or ezrat Sarah – guardian or helper of Sarah., RebeccaThe second Jewish matriarch, Isaac's wife, and mother to Jacob and Esau. Rebecca is an active parent, talking to God when she is pregnant and learning the fate of her children, then ultimately manipulating Isaac and the children to ensure Jacob's ascendancy. Her Hebrew name is Rivka., LeahThe third of the Jewish matriarchs, Lead is the eldest of Lavan's daughters and one of the wives of Jacob. She is the daughter whom Lavan tricks Jacob into marrying instead of his younger daughter Rachel, whom Jacob has requested to marry. Leah is mother to six of the the twelve tribes and to one daughter, Dinah., RachelLavan's younger daughter and Jacob's beloved wife second wife (after he is initially tricked into marrying her older sister, Leah). Rachel grieves throughout her life that she is barren while Leah is so fertile. Ultimately, Rachel gives birth to Joseph and dies in childbirth with Benjamin. Rachel is remembered as compassionate (she is said to still weep for her children), and infertile women often invoke Rachel as a kind of intercessor and visit her tomb on the road to Bethlehem. – I draw the strength to make my decision. Just as they left the homes of their birth for the sake of my future, so must I go for the sake of my children and grandchildren. And so, we bake our bread, gather our belongings, and leave.
When we reach the sea, we are terrified that we will drown. But one person steps into the water; others follow. Gradually, the waters part. We begin to walk on dry ground.
What a glorious feeling. It is as if I am giving birth to myself, to my future.
Narrator:
The waters did not part in anticipation of the crossing. Rather, it took a leap of faith for the Israelites to step into the sea. It was that deliberate demonstration of faith that led to the miracle.
Israelite Woman:
It was through the merits of the righteous women of that generation, that the Israelites were redeemed from Mitzrayim.
Are we prepared tonight to step into the water? To step into the story of our lives and our people’s lives?
