Listening Brings Redemption

The Parshiyot of Vaeira and Bo focus on the plagues and the preparations for the Israelites’ redemption. These two parshiyot are bookended by a focus on one particular theme:  listening. At the beginning of Vaeira, Hashem tells Moshe (6:5): “And also, I heard the cries of the children of Israel…” The process of redemption began when God heard the cries, and it doesn’t matter whether those cries were prayer or cries of pain. As a result of God’s hearing those cries He sets into motion the ten plagues (7 in Vaeira and 3 in Bo). The plague of the firstborn is the straw that breaks Egypt’s back. Before they can leave, the Jews must merit their redemption by fulfilling mitzvot commanded by Hashem. Those mitzvoth entail aspects of the Pesach holiday. Some of the commands were unique to the Pesach celebrated in Egypt. Other mitzvoth apply to all future Pesach holidays as well. Parshat Bo ends with another mitzvah that reminds us of the Exodus: redemption of the first born donkey. In that context the Torah states (13:14):

“And it will come to pass if your son asks you in the future, saying, “What is this?” you shall say to him, “With a mighty hand did the Lord take us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” This teaches us that the Exodus from Egypt will be an important aspect of Jewish identity – not just in that generation but in the future as well. In order for a parent to answer the child’s question, the parent must be listening to the child. We see that listening bookends the story of redemption: the process begins with God listening to His people and the postscript of the story is when parents listen to their children. It seems to me that the Torah is teaching us that redemption can only come about through listening. This was true in Egypt and this remains true today. When we listen to another person we validate their existence and acknowledge their story. When we listen we show we care. When we listen we demonstrate humility by acknowledging the presence and importance of other people.  Our shul’s Rabbinic and Education team is comprised of men and women who are talented orators. Each of them can speak well, present an interesting shiur and deliver an inspiring Dvar Torah. Just as important is the fact that we are all eager and skilled listeners. We understand the value of listening and the fact that relationships are built and strengthened through listening. I encourage you to give us the opportunity to listen to you and to hear your story. We are available to meet with you and to speak with you. But most importantly we are available to listen to you. And listening is an integral factor in redemptions, both large and small.