בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה אֱלֹהינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לַעֲסוֹק בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה, לַעֲסוֹק בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה, הפוך בה והפוך בה, לַעֲסוֹק בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה.
Barukh Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melekh HaOlam
Asher Kidshanu B'Mitzvotai V'Tzivanu
La'asok B'divrei Torah
La'asok B'divrei Torah
Hafokh Bah V'Hafokh Bah
La'asok B'divrei Torah.
(11) But Moshe (Moses) implored God יהוה, saying, “Let not Your anger, יהוה, blaze forth against Your people, whom You delivered from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand. (12) Let not the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he delivered them, only to kill them off in the mountains and annihilate them from the face of the earth.’ Turn from Your blazing anger, and renounce the plan to punish Your people. (13) Remember Your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, how You swore to them by Your Self and said to them: I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven, and I will give to your offspring this whole land of which I spoke, to possess forever.”
(3) Queen Esther replied: “If Your Majesty will do me the favor, and if it pleases Your Majesty, let my life be granted me as my wish, and my people as my request. (4) For we have been sold, my people and I, to be destroyed, massacred, and exterminated. Had we only been sold as bondmen and bondwomen, I would have kept silent; for the adversary is not worthy of the king’s trouble.”
Discussion Question:
What tactics are used by Moshe and Esther to fight for the survival of the people? Are there similarities? Are there differences?
Malbim (19th century, Russia) on Exodus 32:11
(1) Against Your people. God had said, “Your people have become corrupt,” referring to the mixed multitude whom Moshe took out of Egypt on his own authority. Moshe replied, “If only my people have sinned, why are You angry at Your people?
Rashi (11th century, France) on Esther 7:3
(2) And my people. Shall be given me in my request, that they should not be slain. Now if you ask, “What does it concern you?” [my answer is] “For how can I bear to see the disaster which will befall my people! And how can I bear to see the destruction of my kindred!” [Esther 8:6].
Discussion Question:
Do you agree with the commentators understandings of why Moshe would refer to the people of Israel as "Your people," while Esther would refer to the Jewish people as "my people"? Would you add or change anything to these explanations?
Reflection Questions:
- Are we fighting for the survival of our people/God's people still today? If so, in what ways? If not, when did we stop?
- Would you use Moshe's tactics, Esther's tactics, a combination, or neither in fighting for survival? Would it depend on the external circumstances? On your internal relationship with Judaism and with God? Something else?
- Within the context of fighting for survival, would you claim the Jewish people as "my people"? If only sometimes, when would you claim the people as "my people" and when would you not? What about outside of the context of fighting for survival?