Somehow Finding Our Way

First, a classic story.  Sammy comes home from Hebrew school and his parents say, “what did you learn today?”  He says, “The teacher told us a story about how a long, long time the children of Israel were being chased by Pharaoh and his soldiers.  They got to the edge of the sea and they were trapped.  All of a sudden, God sent Apache helicopters and the Israelites got on them.  A they were flying away, the Egyptians began firing semi-automatic rifles.  The Israelites fired back with Uzis, and before long, they landed safely on the other side of the sea where they boarded 747’s and flew first-class, straight to Tel Aviv.”

The parents are a little surprised by the story.  “Is that what your teacher actually told you?” “Not exactly,” says Sammy, “but if I told you the story my teacher told us, you’d never believe it.”

About this morning’s story, including the splitting of the sea and the Israelites’ safe passage through it, many students of all ages have asked the question, did it happen?  Is the story true?

Elie Wiesel once wrote that there are some things which happened which are not so true and some things which may or may not have happened that are very true.

Speculation and archaeological research notwithstanding, it’s not likely that we will ever determine the degree of historical truth behind this pivotal story in the Torah.

I challenge us, instead, to consider its emotional truth.

If we have ever felt that we are trapped and unable to move forward, the story of the crossing of the sea can give us hope that we can find a path where we didn’t imagine one existed. 

If we allow the story of our ancestors’ finding a path, and walking through that path, and singing a song of thanksgiving on the other side, to encourage us to believe that we too might find a path and sing a song, then we have embraced the truth of this story.

A century and a half ago, even the most enlightened anti-slavery proponent believed that Black Americans were not equal to Whites in any way.  A few days ago, the nation’s first African American president was inaugurated for the second time.

Last week, the Israeli public wondered if the only option for the direction of the nation was more extremism and more intransigence.  This week, they realize that, due to their own efforts, they have found a more moderate and sensible path.

The 7th grader who wonders how he or she will survive the social pressures of middle school one day makes it to college and realizes that the things that matter at 12 and 13 don’t matter so much at 20. 

The person who feels fully disconnected from Jewish tradition discovers, if the community is sufficiently welcoming, that there are many ways to enter and engage.

There is a rabbinic teaching that comes from Masechet Brachot, the passage of the Talmud that deals with blessings.  Haro’eh ma’abrot yam tzarich latet shevach v’hodaya lifnie hakadosh baruch hu.  Whoever sees a passage way in the sea, needs to give thanks to God.

Literally, the teaching gives us an opportunity to recall the crossing of the sea, described and immortalized in this morning’s Torah reading.

But it also reminds us that transitional opportunities are a gift.  They propel individual life forward and are the engine behind societal growth. 

We may not know how we’ll get to the other side, but more often than not we do get there.  The truth of that moment, lived and recalled, is undeniable.  And, just as we did this morning, we say thank you.