How Moses Ends Genesis

How Moses End Genesis
Exodus’ fourth portion could be nicknamed “The Israelites Escape”. In this poignant moment in the Torah, the Israelites are running across Egypt after God struck Pharaoh and his citizens with the tenth plague. God sends Moses to the Sea of Reeds for a final awe to display before Egypt. According to the Torah, Pharaoh’s army chases the Israelites to the sea. When the Israelites feel like they are trapped, Moses lifts his staff. God releases an eastern wind, and the Sea of Reeds part to make a path for the Israelites to crossover. Pharaoh chases the Israelites on the path, but the Israelites make it across. Pharaoh does not. Miriam leads her fellow people in the Song of the Sea. The newly liberated caravan took their first steps into the wilderness this week. It was a bumpy road this week as the Israelites complained and cursed God almost every second since they sang the Song of the Sea. God, Moses, and Aaron have the challenge of getting the Israelites to be appreciative of what they have; freedom.
All these years I have been “anti-Joseph”. Joseph was my least favorite of the four Genesis men. Genesis concludes with the portion of Vayehi. Each time I have gone through it, I have always been disappointed. Joseph breaks this chain of men who die in the Promised Land. Instead, Joseph is embalmed like a mummy in Egypt. At last, light has shined upon Joseph. On the eve of their escape, “Moses took Joseph's bones, who had exacted an oath from the children of Israel saying, ‘God will be sure to take notice of you, then you shall carry up from here with you” (Exodus 13:19). It is such a minuscule detail in the portion, yet I feel so satisfied reading it. Every good story has reincorporation and here is the Torah’s reincorporation. Moses is officially freeing the slaves. In my opinion, Joseph is being freed just as much as the other Israelites are.
When we leave a place, we take our important belongings. Our precious photographs and favorite memories come with us. What do we classify as an important object? Sure, Joseph was taken out of Egypt. What about all the other Jews who died in Egypt? Do they not deserve to be freed too? As liberating as Moses releasing Joseph is, we need to think about what we would take. If we had just hours to leave the country to a brand new land, what would we bring? I would be sure to have my family. Of the Jewish items in my home, I would be sure to have my Tanak and tallis. Also, I few of my many yarmulkes would come too. The only real material, non-sacred object I would bring is my autograph picture by Joe DiMaggio. On the contrary, some people would classify that as sacred. Would I bring the dead bodies of my ancestors? I would say most likely not. Surely, packing for the wilderness would really show the values we see in our world.
Does returning somewhere bring about the same feelings as when we left? If Moses were to go back to Mount Sinai, would he feel a sense of liberation? Packing or reorganizing brings us back into the memories of a house, a town, or even a country. When my parents go back to Rockland County, do they feel a sense of freedom? As terrifying as an Auschwitz visit could be to a Jew, how important is it to return to where our people suffered? We always plan the future out. We are all about progress. What happens when we pack so quickly and move so quick, we cannot smell the roses? I believe Joseph gets left behind.