Give your Pesach observance, so full of meaning every year, even more relevance. Read this powerful Teaching Guide shared with us by Rav Siach and the Masorti Movement in Israel. Use this to deepen your holiday celebration and bring some great conversation to your Seder table.
ְכ אזְָרח ִמ כםיְִהי ה ָל כם ַהֵגר ַהָגר ִאְת כםוְ ַהְבָתל ָכמ ך ִכי ֵגִרים ֱהיִי תם ְב א רץ ִמְצָריִם ֲאנִייְהוָה ֱא ֵהי כם.
The stranger among you shall be unto you as the home-born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.
(1) “כי גרים הייתם” – מום שבך אל תאמר לחברך (2) “אני ה’ אלהיכם” – אלהיך ואלהיו אני.
For you were strangers: Do not mention the defect of your friend if it is also a defect that you share.
I am Hashem, your God: Your God and his [the stranger’s] God.
How are you struck by Rashi’s explanation of why a Jew should not oppress the stranger?
What do Rashi’s comments add to the understanding of our relationship with the stranger and God’s relationship with the stranger?
And God seeks those who are pursued (Eccl. 3:15).
One chose Jacob. Joseph was pursued by his brothers, Hashem chose Joseph. Moses was pursued by Pharoah, David by Saul, but when Saul was pursued by the Philistines, and the Holy One chose Saul. Israel is pursued by the nations, and the Holy One chose Israel.
What is this source’s perspective on looking out for those who are running away/ being pursued? Is there value/harm in always looking out primarily for the “pursued” and disadvantaged?
The text from Leviticus reads, “You shall love the stranger as yourself.” Is that any different from Rabbi Sacks’ quote, “you should love the stranger because you were once strangers? What does it mean to love the stranger as you love yourself?
Based on these sources, what are the underlying reasons that Jews have an obligation to strangers in general and the influx of Syrian refugees in particular? Do you find the reasons compelling?
These sources express that our narrative of oppression and redemption have a direct effect on our obligation to strangers. Should our past determine our future obligations?
Do you think the obligation of the State of Israel to refugees differs from that of the American Jewish community to refugees? Is the obligation different for non-Jewish nations?
Download your own copy of the complete Limud/Teaching Guide here.
Now watch and share this powerful and heartwarming video by Israeli composer Alma Zohar. It brings a core teaching to life with great poignancy. Download the lyrics, in Hebrew and in English, here.
וְֵגר א ִתְלָחץוְַא תםיְַדְע תם אתנ פ ַהֵגר ִכי ֵגִרים ֱהיִי תם ְב א רץ ִמְצָריִם.
You shall not oppress the stranger; for you know the heart of a stranger, since you were strangers in the land of Egypt.