Shortly after moving back to El Paso, I started studying Torah with a young Jew who eventually wanted to introduce me to his father. “I must warn you, my dad is hostile to Judaism and rabbis,” he said apologetically. Guess what? We had a lovely conversation which evolved into a weekly Torah study session for several months together and we have been in touch ever since.
In this week’s parsha we learn about Moshe’s job interview with G-d. While tending to his in-laws’ sheep he encountered a burning bush where G-d appointed him leader of the Jewish nation with the urgent mandate of guiding them out of Egyptian slavery.
Perhaps someone else would have jumped on the opportunity but Moshe hesitated for seven days. In a fascinating conversation recorded in 34 verses, Moshe presented numerous objections to his new mission. Aside from his doubts about his own ability to influence Pharaoh to free the slaves, he understood the mission is far greater than merely fixing a catastrophic injustice. G-d was sending him as a divine messenger, with a divine message, to the Jews as well. Securing their release from slavery was one thing; convincing them to follow him into a barren desert, after living in Egypt for over 200 years, seemed to be a far greater challenge.
"Behold they will not believe me, and they will not heed my voice, but they will say, 'The L-rd has not appeared to you.'” Moshe argued that although there was no logical reason for the Jews to leave Egypt, divine instruction would certainly do the trick. The trouble is they will not believe the messenger.
In response, G-d told him to throw his staff on the ground. It turned into a vicious snake and Moshe fled from it until he was instructed to grab it and it reverted back to a staff. G-d then told him to put his hand in his shirt and it became white with leprosy and was healed shortly thereafter.
How did these miracles answer Moshe’s question? Historically, the serpent was the first creature to use the power of speech as a tool for deception and leprosy is a divine punishment for slander. G-d’s response to the suggestion that the Jews would not accept divine prophecy was to express that this was false and akin to slander.
Although Moshe’s perspective was based on data and personal observation, in preparation for his new role of shepherding the Jewish nation, G-d taught him an inherent truth about the Jews. As the descendants of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, the greatest believers to ever live, Jews will always believe in G-d and accept and trust divine communication. Never stop believing they are believers.
This truth helped me ignore my friend's warnings about his father’s hostility to Judaism, and this truth should motivate all of us to confidently and joyfully share the beauty of Torah study and Mitzvah observance with our fellow Jews.