Bo D’var Torah: Delivered by A.S., January 24th, 2026

“We are living in biblical times, there is Pharaoh, and I am afraid of him.” These words were said during this week’s Thursday morning Torah study. 

In the Torah, the world is made and remade again and again. Parshat Bo comes after generations of enslavement under an authoritarian regime. God sends Moshe to Pharaoh, and what follows is a series of negotiations. Moshe and Aaron demand freedom. Pharaoh asks: who will go? And Moshe answers: everyone - young and old, sons and daughters, flocks and herds. Pharaoh offers his first compromise: the men may go. This is new. Until now, there was no flexibility at all. But the answer is no. Partial freedom isn’t enough. The locusts come and strip Egypt bare. Pharaoh confesses, begs, and asks for relief.

Then comes darkness - a thick, paralyzing darkness. And again Pharaoh calls Moshe, this time offering more: all the people may go, even women and children - but the herds must stay. Bodies can leave, but wealth, labor, and future security remain behind. And again, the answer is no. “Not a single hoof shall remain.” Freedom that leaves something - or someone - behind is not freedom.

Only after the story reaches its most devastating moment, the death of the firstborn, is full freedom possible.

And even before that freedom is certain, the Israelites receive their first mitzvah of marking each new month. Because there will be many, many new months in their free future. 

Their freedom came through refusal - through rejecting offers that leave anyone behind. And only then do the Israelites begin to leave the narrow place.

We read this story twice a year: once during the normal Torah cycle and once during Pesach. I’ve been thinking about this so, so much this week. During Pesach, we read this story because it is our story. We’re are mitzrayim and then we are free. And right now, we read this story in a moment of “normality.” Of course there are special things about this shabbat in particular, especially here at Nehar welcoming Rabbi Leora, Heny, and Ray-ray back this week. But this is just another Shabbat. We are safe. What opens in this safety? How can we read the words anew when we decenter ourselves? 

Right now, this world is brimming with suffering and many people are not safe. In the United States, we are having our own government used against us. Our tax dollars are paying for our people to be killed and abducted at unbelievable scale. ICE is in our schools and daycares. Picture a daycare with children, teachers, colorful wallpaper and rugs…military does not belong there. They are going door to door in Minneapolis yes and also all over California and in Massachusetts we may be gearing up for another surge soon. The words “We are living in biblical times, there is Pharaoh and I am afraid of him.” are haunting and real. But, I will say - this parsha is not about the suffering. Parsha “Bo” - “come”, come to Pharaoh; come speak truth to power. This is a parsha of challenging authoritarianism and demanding something better. No, we will not leave behind our women and children. No we will not leave behind our herds of animals. There is no freedom without freedom for all. There is a midrash about a world made with justice alone not being good enough - we need compassion too. Pure justice sweeps away the innocent and we cannot have innocent people, lost to the forces of “justice”. I said this parsha is about speaking truth to power. There are so many things we can do. I sent an email earlier today with options that involve money, time, body presence, etc. Please take a look. We have some fantastic organizations in MA like the LUCE hotline, the refugee and immigrant assistance center, Mass Immigration and refuge advocacy coalition and more - they need resources. Give them resources. If you ask yourself “why haven’t I donated to these kinds of organizations?” and you don’t like the answer, great - give them resources so they can continue refusing the current truth for so many people here. I went to the ICE out protest today at South Bay and someone shared the words of a Palestinian faith leader - we cannot leave the task of imagination to the oppressor. 

We are living in biblical times, there is Pharaoh, and there are so many things we can do in community. We need to imagine ways of keeping our faces and hearts soft in this moment of history. And like Moshe, we’re not settling for anything less than freedom for all.

Shabbat shalom.