Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Bo Revisited

The Torah as a text is probably at least 2000 years old, and has been the foundation text for Jewish thought and action for as long as it has existed.  Over time there have been hundreds if not thousands of explanations written by a myriad of sources.
The Constitution of the United States - while not as old as the Torah - was written over 200 years ago.  Over time there have been amendments made that reflect the differences in the culture of our country over time. 

The challenge:  How do we remain faithful to a foundation text while bringing its ideas into a contemporary setting?  We cannot ignore this challenge, not in our religious lives nor in our secular settings. 
  • Which parts of this parasha convey ideas that are uncomfortable to you?
  • Which sections are as easily understood in the context of today's thinking as they were in the time of the original writing?
The calendar being what it is, this year parshat Bo does not come on the weekend we celebrate Martin Luther King's birthday.  With the exception of that difference, the suggestions for analyzing the text in last year's blog are as relevant as they were last year.  In the unlikely event that you thoroughly examined all the articles suggested, I welcome your suggestions for other resources.  Please share your thoughts with other readers by commenting below.

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