Every year at Passover Jews retell the story of Israel's exodus from Egypt, and their escape from slavery and oppression. Our tradition reminds us that the Exodus narrative is not just any story, but one we must retell because we are asked to believe that we were present at that moment.

Episode 17: Tzav (Leviticus 6:1–8:36)- King and the Eternal Flame Shine forever

The way God calls to us is very personal, and we have to listen to hear the call.

This week we read a double portion Vayakhel-Pekudei. Moses assembles the people and tells them about the sanctuary they are to build but before that happens Moses tells them that God commands them to work six days but on the seventh day they shall rest. The seventh day is a holy day. The commandment to rest precedes the command to work. This tells us just how important it is for us to rest. God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. For many Jews today, many Jews Shabbat seems like a day of restrictions rather than an awesome day intended for rejuvenation. Shabbat is intended to be vacation from your workday world. Use it to reconnect with your family, spend time with your partner and or invite friends over to share a meal. Shabbat is God’s gift to us, every week of the year you are guaranteed a day off.

Every week, we get to renew our covenant with God and we pause to notice the sacredness of creation.

Today in our modern times we as Jews don’t have one Mishkan we have synagogues and we worship God not just in the Tabernacle but wherever we might be. And where we are located can have a significant effect on the spirituality we feel in that moment. Designing a prayer space is a sacred task to be done with great care. And so too must we take care to use that sacred space to nurture our personal and communal connections with God.

Change is possible in human nature, but it takes time, maybe even a long time. We know now that slavery is morally wrong. Part of our relationship with God is that God does not force us to change faster than we are able to do of our own free will. This week’s Torah does not abolish slavery, but it does set in motion a series of fundamental laws that will lead people, to abolish it of their own accord.

The Torah of one man, even a Moses, is not the Torah of a nation. Jethro’s plan is democratic, taking it out of the hands of any one individual and making it the property of the people. Exodus 18:1–20:23.

This week’s Torah portion is Yitro and this is the Torah portion where we finally get the 10 commandments. Let’s focus on number 10 Thou shall not covet..Anything that is your neighbor’s. In other words do not be envious of anything from your neighbor’s house. This is my favorite commandment because I believe this commandment is the key to happiness Exodus 18:1–20:23. Envy is the desire to have something belonging to someone else. This is an emotion, that brings out jealousy, resentment, bitterness the old green-eyed monster and makes people unhappy. Why should we want something just because others have it. The remedy for envy is gratitude. If we remember to define ourselves in our relationship to God and not define ourselves in relation to others we will be happy and grateful. Every morning we have built into our practice the Jewish blessing Modah ani Lefaneka...Thank you God. The prayer goes on to say thank you god for restoring my soul in me, You God are awesome. Taking on this daily practices has reminded me to be grateful for all that I have in the world and for all that God has given me.

Israelites are finally free and they are moving fast to leave Egypt. Now they find themselves at the edge of the sea. There is no way out and Pharaoh's army is not far behind. They are trapped and scared.