Freedom Isn't Free

Last week's Torah portion begins in Egypt but ends outside of it. This week is the first "full week" out of Egypt. This is where we begin to put the Exodus back into "exodus." However, while removing the quotation marks and capitalizing the E is as huge as no longer BEING in Egypt, it was G-d doing all the "heavy lifting." Still, G-d wasted no time in making it quite clear, that he was expecting greater participation from the people when it came to putting the FREE back in "freedom."

"Freedom is not Free!"

The usage of G-d's name of Elo - him, from the start, signals a desire on his part to scale back his presence to the point where the people can begin to take responsibility for their own destinies.

But let's put it in perspective. He's still VERY much "hands-on." So for example, he split the sea for them but wouldn't do it until they had taken the initiative. Even that wasn't working out so well... fortunately, one guy named Nachshon stepped up.

The Baal Shem Tov teaches that the circuitous and sometimes terrifying routes we find ourselves on throughout our lives, as we journey towards deeper truth and honesty, expanded consciousness and understanding and hopefully more integrity, are all essentially extensions of the original journeys of our ancestors in the wilderness.

Like them, we sometimes feel frightened and alone. Like them, we are often tempted to opt out of the uncertainty that looms on the journeyer's path and retreat to the familiar coziness of what we know deep down to be slavery. Like them, we must remember that as lonely as it might get we are never truly alone. And like them, we must realize that the fear that overcomes our faith in our shakiest moments makes us human, not faithless.

Sending out positive blessing vibes to the universal fraternity of restless souls, to all of you holy seekers and searchers.