Don't Just Pray. Do Something.

Friday February 7, 2025/9 Sh'vat 5785

Parashat B'Shalach/Shabbat Shirah

Friends/Hevre, 

It’s a tense moment when this week’s portion, B’shalach, opens.  We escaped from Egypt and were heading towards the desert but our enemies were chasing after us.  There we were with the sea in front of us, while our enemies gained on us from behind.  We were sitting ducks.  What were we to do?  

True to form, first we faced our fear with sarcasm.  We said to Moses,

הֲֽמִבְּלִ֤י אֵין־קְבָרִים֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם לְקַחְתָּ֖נוּ לָמ֣וּת בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר/Are there not enough graves in Egypt so you took us out here to the wilderness to die?

Then we blamed him for all our problems.  הֲלֹא־זֶ֣ה הַדָּבָ֗ר אֲשֶׁר֩ דִּבַּ֨רְנוּ אֵלֶ֤יךָ בְמִצְרַ֙יִם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר חֲדַ֥ל מִמֶּ֖נּוּ וְנַֽעַבְדָ֣ה אֶת־מִצְרָ֑יִם כִּ֣י ט֥וֹב לָ֙נוּ֙ עֲבֹ֣ד אֶת־מִצְרַ֔יִם מִמֻּתֵ֖נוּ בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃/We told you to leave us alone and let us be slaves to Pharaoh!  We'd rather be his slaves than die out here in the wilderness!  In other words, this was all Moses' fault.

Moses, the consummate leader, didn't react to us.  He just calmly told us to relax and that everything will be ok.  And then, out of our sight, he panicked. How do we know he panicked if he was out of our sight?  Because of the verse which comes next: 

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה מַה־תִּצְעַ֖ק אֵלָ֑י דַּבֵּ֥ר אֶל־בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וְיִסָּֽעוּ׃/God said to Moses,

Why are you crying to me?  Tell the Israelites to move forward!

The 11th century French commentator, Rashi, read God’s words as:  “Moses, why are you praying to me?  Now is not the time for prayer.  The people are in trouble.  Don’t just stand there davening, do something!” Prayer is important, God seems to have said, but it’s not always the answer.  

Prayer didn't enable us to cross the sea.  Prayer didn't plant our roots in the land of Israel.  Prayer didn't prevent toxic hatred between Jews and the Temple walls from falling.  Prayer didn’t rebuild the Temple.  Prayer didn’t establish thriving Diaspora communities.  Prayer didn’t protect us, or heal us, from centuries of persecution. Prayer didn’t cool the ovens of Auschwitz. Prayer didn’t establish the State of Israel.  Prayer didn’t desegregate the United States.  Prayer won’t ease vicious antisemitism throughout the world.  Prayer won’t bring an end to the war in Gaza. Prayer won't bring all the hostages home.

Actions.  Deeds.  Work.  Risk. Sacrifice. Courage.  These are the things that have changed the world and will change our lives. Inspired by prayer, emboldened by prayer, comforted by prayer. But not reliant on prayer.  Big difference. Someone ought to remind those among the Haredim in Israel who continue to evade IDF service in order to immerse themselves in the world of religious practice while risking everyone else's lives in the battles to protect the State of Israel.

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel taught, “We don’t pray in order to be saved; we pray in order to be worthy of being saved.” Prayer shouldn’t focus on our wishes. Instead, prayer should inspire us to reflect divine intentions in our actions.  If we are created in the image of God, if we, as Rabbi Heschel taught, ARE the image of God, then we have to behave in ways that serve as reminders of God’s presence. If we engage in acts of violence, if we speak words of hatred, if we are silent in the face of injustice, if we are indifferent to social and political endangerment, then we desecrate and diminish the divine presence in the world. 

Prayer is meant to reorient us to the sacred task of being human; to deepen our engagement with the mystery and majesty of life. Its purpose is to strengthen our sense of responsibility for our own and each other's wellbeing. Prayer should carry us out of the sanctuary and into the world of prayerful action.

“Don’t just daven. Do something.” Words to live by if we truly want to preserve democracy, defend our people, protect all innocent people, promote our values, end our wars, and save our planet. Don't just pray. Act.

With continued prayers for our ability to bring home all the hostages, protect the soldiers, heal the injured, comfort the bereaved, and build a lasting peace in Israel and around the world, and with blessings for a Shabbat Shalom,

Dini

Photo Courtesy of Ronen Avisror