Dispel the Darkness (Bo 1/31/25)

Dispel the Darkness

This past week at MHJC, three families lost loved ones: the Koltons, the Sobermans, and the Konigstein/Kovels. Two weeks earlier, the Sudrans, Rokofskys, and Osdobys saw their patriarchs and matriarchs pass on. Part of the benefit of belonging to a synagogue is the support of the congregation as an extended family. Let’s make sure we reach out to all our families in need. Mourning doesn’t end when the Shiva is over.

In Parshat Bo, the last three plagues are brought on the Egyptians: Locusts, Darkness, and the Death of the Firstborn. If we were to conclude that the plagues were incremental, that each plague is worse than the one that preceded it, then what’s so intolerable about the plague of darkness? Compared to vicious locusts, fiery hail, and pestilence, darkness almost sounds like a reprieve.

“Then God said to Moses, “Hold out your arm toward the sky that there may be darkness upon the land of Egypt, a darkness that can be felt.”

Moses held out his arm toward the sky, and thick darkness descended over Egypt for three days.

People could not see one another, and no one could move about for three days.”

This past Friday night, we test-ran our “Shabbat Light” initiative, and we had an excellent turnout. When I asked our attendees this question, they responded with numerous excellent responses.

1.    Darkness is a primal fear-from our youth we’re “scared of the dark.”

2.    Darkness was a blow to the Egyptians’ primary god, Ra. The sun obeyed the Hebrews’ God, dismantling their belief system.

3.    Darkness is the most far-reaching of the plagues. Animals, plants, and humans all rely on the sun. The other plagues attacked one or two of these components, but darkness affected them all. Without the sun, life cannot exist. The Egyptians must have felt that life on the planet was ending.

However, our congregants left out one answer that Rabbi Sharon Brous, in her book “Amen,” espouses: loneliness.

If we look in the Torah, there are only two cases where something is classified as not good, and the both deal with loneliness. The first case is after the creation of Adam in the Garden of Eden:

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֔ים לֹא־ט֛וֹב הֱי֥וֹת הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְבַדּ֑וֹ אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־לּ֥וֹ עֵ֖זֶר כְּנֶגְדּֽוֹ

God said, “It is not good for the Human (Adam) to be alone; I will make a fitting counterpart for him.”

The second case is when Yitro, Moses’ father in law sees him judging the masses all by himself:

“But when Moses’ father-in-law saw how much he had to do for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing to the people? Why do you act alone while all the people stand about you from morning until evening?”

Moses replied to his father-in-law, “It is because the people come to me to inquire of God.

וַיֹּ֛אמֶר חֹתֵ֥ן מֹשֶׁ֖ה אֵלָ֑יו לֹא־טוֹב֙ הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתָּ֖ה עֹשֶֽׂה

But Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing you are doing is not good. You will surely wear yourself out, and these people as well. For the task is too heavy for you, you cannot do it alone.

Yitro suggests that Moses appoint judges and advisors of varying expertise to help him guide the masses. Moses should not do it alone.

Rabbi Brous says the harshness of the plague of darkness is that it separated everyone from one another. Furthermore, they couldn’t see each other’s pain. We are social creatures. We live to be with others and help others as well. The plague of darkness not only separated the Egyptians from each other, causing them to feel alone in the world, but also, “People could not see one another,” it also stopped them from helping and supporting one another. When Hail was crashing down, or pestilence was killing their flocks, at least people could console one another. They were going through this together, and that comradery inherently lightened the burden. Yet, in this plague, they were all alone. Darkness disassembled their community and inhibited their ability to share care and offer compassion.

During the early stages of Covid, we all witnessed our hunger for camaraderie. How many of us lept to join Zoom services, classes, concerts, and games to provide community when we were all separated?

The Plague of Darkness reinforces in us what it means to be human. We crave companionship, and we also desire to help others.

In the song, Forever Young, Dylan captures these two essential aspects of life:

May God bless and keep you always

May your wishes all come true

May you always do for others

And let others do for you

Help us make MHJC a place where support and companionship are regularly found, where we can receive the uplift we need and offer our strengths to others. Currently, numerous families are suffering from loss: reach out to them. We also started a fund to help those suffering from sickness and homelessness in LA. All the money collected will go to the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles.

Our friendship and compassion will dispel the darkness.

R’ Neil