Parshat Bo
In the first words of this week’s parashah, God commands Moshe: “Bo el Par’oh” — which we usually translateas “Go to Pharoah!” But literally the word “bo” does not mean “go” but rather “come.” Strictly speaking, what God says to Moshe is not “Go to Pharoah” but “Come to Pharoah.”
Rabbi Menahem Mendel of Kotzk understood that as a reminder that it is impossible to go away from God. From God’s perspective, we are always coming toward, since God is present everywhere, even in places (like Pharoah’s palace) that we fear the most. Whether we know it or not, we are always moving in God’s direction.
The point is that, even in the darkest places, there are sparks of holiness. Even the most difficult journeys offer opportunities to grow, to make this broken world more whole. Wherever we are heading, there is always sacred work to do.
May we remember — even when we must descend into the Egypts of this world (or the Egypts within ourselves) — that we can never go from God, but only come toward. And may that knowledge give us strength and courage.