I have mentioned Rabbi Shai Held in this blog previously. I find him to be brilliant in parsing the sacred scriptures of Judaism. He holds a world view that I can readily grasp and hold as my own – and I am grateful to him.
So why do I bring up Rabbi Held? Because this morning I read one of his commentaries on Exodus. Rabbi Held asks us to consider that besides being a story about the enslavement and liberation of Israel and a foundational story for Judaism, Christianity and Western culture in general, Exodus is also a story about gratitude and ingratitude. Very simplistically: Moses was successful in liberating Israel because of his gratitude; Pharaoh failed due to his ingratitude.
It’s a complex reflection/ argument that I could not do justice to here but if you’re interested get The Heart Of The Torah Volume 1 by Held, turn to Shemot #2which is titled “Gratitude and Liberation.” The last paragraph reads: “…to be grateful is a powerful manifestation of freedom – the freedom to live a life infused by mutuality and reciprocity. In allowing ourselves to be grateful, we free ourselves from the prison of our own self-enclosure and become available to meet and be met by others.” The thinking that gets Held to that paragraph is subtle and profound and worth reading.
My own take on it, today, the 14th of June 2025, is that the difference between a grateful Moses who liberated Israel and the Ungrateful man in our White House is shown by the use of force to frighten and imprison those who disagree. It is not lost on anyone what the military parade is about: not impressing the friends and foes of the United States but rather intimidating the citizens who think that this country is about something other than fear of neighbor. The lines of gratitude and liberation and ingratitude and enslavement are being drawn.
Try getting into your heart a feeling of gratitude for what you have; It will make you feel free.
PEACE and LOVEYA,
RON
Camel Through the Eye 