BeShallach

Our ancestors left mitzrayim, the narrow place, and came to the shores of the sea.
The waters were before them; the Egyptian army was at their back.
Frightened they cried out:
We can’t go forward.
We must return to what we know.
It is better to be enslaved, better to serve what is not true, than to be out here in this
Unknown wilderness.
Moshe said to them:
Have no fear, stand and see the transformation that is possible.
Then Moshe turned to the Mystery and uttered a wordless plea for help.
The Mystery replied to Moshe: Why do you call out to me.  Tell the people to journey. (Ex. 14:15)
 
And the people did journey.
They journeyed across the sea.
But first they journeyed into themselves.
 
All through the night with the Egyptians behind them and the sea at their feet, a cloud of God covered them in the darkness, clothed them in light and kept them safe.
And all through the night the people journeyed into themselves and into the strength of the community.
And by morning they had all found the bitachon—the trust—to step forward into the raging sea.
Together through the darkness of night they found the trust to leave who they had been and all they had known for a life that was beyond their imagination.
God led them in bitachon and they weren’t terrified. (Psalm 78:53)
 
On the shores of freedom they sang and danced
And then, moments later, their fears returned and despair returned.
 
And this is the journey we inherit:
We leave the narrow places again and again.
Through raging seas and momentous fears
We arrive at a new moment and exalt at the expanse.
Challenges reappear and so does the terror
And again we reach for the trust, the strength, the willingness
To find our ways through.
 
Reach for each other, the Mystery calls.
And reach for me.
I am with you in every aspect of this constant journey
And I am your healer.  (Ex 15:26)

—Rabbi Yael Levy