A Night of Vigil
This week, in Parashat Bo, we read about the final plagues and how -- after 430 years in the land of Egypt -- the Israelites finally arrive at the night when they are to depart from Egypt. About that specific night, the Torah says (in Exodus 12:42):
לֵ֣יל שִׁמֻּרִ֥ים הוּא֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה לְהוֹצִיאָ֖ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם הֽוּא־הַלַּ֤יְלָה הַזֶּה֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה שִׁמֻּרִ֛ים לְכל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְדֹרֹתָֽם׃
Leil shimurim hu ladonai l'hotziam mei'eretz mitzrayim, hu halaila hazeh ladonai shimurim l'chol b'nei yisrael l'dorotam.
That was for Adonai a night of vigil to bring them out of the land of Egypt; that same night is Adonai's, one of vigil for all the children of Israel throughout the ages.
This is a puzzling verse; like nighttime itself, its meaning feels somewhat obscured. The phrase "leil shimurim" -- "a night of vigil" -- is unique to this pivotal moment in Torah, mysterious and powerful. The word shimurim, in fact, appears twice in the verse, as it seems that the Israelites (b'nai yisrael) are called on to emulate God throughout time in standing watch, or being awake, or guarding, on this night. (Incidentally you also might recognize another famous phrase -- "ha-laila hazeh" ("on this night") -- from the Four Questions we recite at the Passover Seder)!
Rabbinic interpretations of this verse mostly center around the meaning of "leil shimurim," the "night of vigil.” Midrashim link this particularly wondrous nighttime event to other examples of Divine intervention or revelation that come at night (e.g. "And God came unto Balaam at night..."). Night, it seems, is a particularly ripe time for communication between humans and God. In addition, commentators argue about whether this particular night of the Exodus represented finality and the ultimate example of divine protection and redemption or -- in contrast -- a first example that sets all of Jewish history up to be about the anticipation of future redemption.
Meanwhile, this text has been hanging out in the back of my brain all week, and I keep hearing echoes of it in the many activities and discussions swirling in our community. This has prompted more questions than answers for me, and I'm happy to be able to share some of my own swirl, inviting you to take up any of the questions below that might feel ripe or helpful to you this week. For example:
You might have noticed that Wednesday was the first time since early November that sunset happened after 5pm here in Seattle. Local news stories drew attention to this transition, prompting me to consider again how much of our time we in the Pacific Northwest spend in darkness during these winter months. I wondered to myself: what kinds of openings to the Divine presence might we experience in this season of long nights?
Last Shabbat, a number of us gathered to study liturgy before the Shabbat Minyan. We read a nugget that's embedded inside the Nishmat prayer each Shabbat -- "Va'Adonai lo yanum v'lo yishan..." -- a poetic passage about how "God never slumbers nor sleeps" but rather "wakes the sleeping." Jumping off from both that liturgy and our parasha verse, I ask: What kind of protection are we craving? In what ways are we ready/needing to be roused into a greater state of wakefulness?
At Prep & Practice on Sunday, our learning with families/kids focused on Rosh Chodesh and the big idea that the Hebrew calendar is connected to the natural world through the moon cycle. This week's new moon, in particular, marked the beginning of Shevat, the month in which we'll celebrate birthday of the trees and consider the fruit they promise to bring in their new season of growth. I wonder: How might we look up at the night sky to get our bearings? What hints of future redemption - or at least growth and potential - can we perceive right now, in our own lives, our community and our society?
Today/Friday is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Separately, important conversations have been swirling in the Seattle Jewish community this week around antisemitism (how to define it, how to combat it, and more). And, this has been yet another week characterized by gun violence, hate crimes, and police brutality in our country. At times of greater distress and challenge we humans tend to yearn for Divine protection... and that was no less true as the Exodus unfolded than it is today. How might the “leil shimurim” concept serve as a helpful lens, inspiring us to perceive God’s vigil and calling us to stand guard ourselves in the face of oppression and hatred (whether directed towards ourselves or others)?
Finally, the holiday of Passover is now just under ten weeks away, which means it’s not too early to start thinking about how we will mark this special night of "leil shimurim" through our Passover seders this year.
One place to consider all of these questions, in good company, would be at tonight’s Kabbalat Shabbat service with Kohenet Traci Marx. It feels thrilling to say that this Friday night service will be back in person for the first time in nearly three years... and it promises to be beautiful, musical, and reflective as always. Please do join us!
Chodesh tov and Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Rachel Nussbaum