Exodus Cycle Two VaEra 6:2 to 9:35

VaEra


In VaEra we see that the gift of the covenant doesn’t guarantee an easy intimacy with YHWH, nor does it let us float care-free to redemption. We need to work for it and needless to say, the work is challenging. Therefore, many of us are left groaning.

What do we do about this? What if the only way to heal is to cause pain? What then? What we also see in VaEra is that there’s a gap. If our work is to close it (and it is) we have to accept that the closing is painful. So we must be as gentle as possible, and move on. But there is a gap. It’s there now. It’s what keeps us exiled from the masterpiece of links we refer to as Ein Sof. It’s the barrier that keeps us from our true self, one being of pure love.

First though, what is happening here? Well, God appears to Moses and reveals Himself as YHWH. He says that He doesn’t do the same for Abraham, Isaac or Jacob. Then He says ani shamati et naakat b’nai yisrael asher mitzrayim maevidim. In English: I have heard the groaning of the Israelites whom the Egyptians are holding as slaves. Here’s a question. Is God referring to all of the Israelites? Or to only those being held as slaves? Grammatically (in both English and Hebrew) it can be either. Well, you might think, of course it’s all of us. We’ve read the story. Jacob brings his whole family to Egypt. There are no runaways, hitchhikers, rebels, ex-pats, disinherited discontents, sparks who escape on an extra camel. But wait….there is at least one adoption. Moses is adopted! Even more…what if we ourselves escape from the linear aspect of Torah? Then, we must realize that people increase. We find new levels and places in which to live. So, of course all Israelites are not slaves in Egypt, not now, not then. Some hold a sacred space that must be understood on our march towards consciousness. Some hold the connection between the slave and the prophet. It’s easy to overlook. But without the clear appearance of each step, we lose the path.

I want to go over the construct here. For the sake of a visual, let’s say that on top there’s Elohim. Like Ein Sof, Elohim is the radiant series of links that connects us all, that gives birth to Himself. This is how God is designated (to the reader) at the beginning of line 6:2. Then, there’s YHWH. This is the place of intimacy and knowledge revealed to Moses. This is important. Let’s say we are a piece of Elohim (and we are) then we want to give directions to reach us. We say …please go that way, towards that name, towards YHWH. Because beyond YHWH…you will find Me. Back to the construct, after YHWH there is the prophet who sees YHWH and the direction. Then there are the people who see the prophet and YHWH (but not necessarily the direction). Then, there are those who see or don’t see the prophet but who follow anyway. And getting darker, there are those who don’t see anything.

The gap I’m referring to specifically has to do with those who see both the prophet and YHWH (but not necessarily the direction)...those who are not in bondage or who just decide not to cling to it. These people do exist.

And, as Elohim, the only way to bring the slaves out of darkness is to accept the flaw in our creation and to fill the gap. How do we do this? By pushing the darkness down with even greater darkness, opening the links, and letting the love flow in.

Now, we can’t possibly do this alone. As Elohim, we are after all, pretty abstract. So we create a manifestation of ourself… a being whose lips can open. We speak to him through the heart of the fire, the place where chesed meets gevurah, where kindness meets power.

Then, we convince this being (Moses) of his responsibility to help. We tell him we will act through him. And even if the slaves do not see, and even if it stands to reason that the Pharoah won’t listen, Moses still has to embrace who he is. So, he speaks before YHWH twice. He interrupts YHWH. That’s because he realizes that YHWH is simply the sign, the name, the direction. In short, speaking before YHWH shows that he can carry out the divine kavannah. Moses is ready to act.

And act he does. He allows himself to be the vehicle by which we send the plagues. Imagine. It’s easy to see images in the forefront, the connection somewhere in the background. Actually though, in our realm (yes the realm of Elohim) the links are in the forefront. Therefore, the material is a blur. It can transpose and re-transpose. The staff can become the snake, for example. Water can become blood. Frogs and lice can appear from…nothing. And as the darkness pushes down darkness, the light floods in. People step forward, those who begin to see the prophet, to see YHWH. There’s suddenly a path that can be followed.

Sometimes in life we have to recognize the faults of our own creations. Then we have to appear and act in a causative way to heal the obvious pain. There’s sadness here. Pain. Great pain. There’s nothing heroic about this. It’s just what needs to be done. Finally, those in darkness will turn and see the step and know. As it says in the haftorah, I will cause a horn to spring forth from the house of Israel and I will give you open lips in their midst, and they will know that I am YHWH.

So, may we all see that darkness to push darkness out is an act of healing but not an act of man. It's an act of Elohim. May we be the light that sees the prophet that knows YHWH that fills the gap that creates the steps so that we all stay on the path and rise towards divine consciousness. May we appear and re-appear as pure compassion, May we take responsibility to open our hearts and be the love/radiance of the one being.