We have shared many confidences in this space.
So I feel safe to share another.
I’m not a brave person.
I am scared of dogs and roller coasters.
Brave people fascinate me. I want to understand what motivates their desire to embrace scary things.
The other day I was scrolling through my feed. I love looking at beautiful nature and geography so often there will be scenes from exotic places or offers for trips to gorgeous locales.
So I didn’t pause when I saw the gorgeous vista of a bridge in New Zealand. As I passed through the picture of someone bungee jumping off this bridge I fleetingly thought that the person depicted looked a lot like a dear friend.
After a moment I took a second glance, it WAS my friend.
Then I watched the clip.
This friend swan dived off a bridge in a classic bungee jump, in a 141 feet drop.
I googled the exact information.
Then I called her.
I was fascinated to understand why?
I wanted to understand the mechanics of her bravery. How could she bring herself to take this leap into the abyss?
This week’s Torah portion is called Shmot, which means Names. It begins with the list of names of the children of Jacob who left the Land of Israel to sojourn in Egypt.
The narrative in Egypt quickly turns dark.
The Pharoah (not really his name, just his title) becomes concerned that his country may be overrun by Hebrews and a rebellion might ensue. In order to prevent such a catastrophe, Pharoah turns to his necromancers for advice. They prophesy that a man will redeem the Hebrews in the future. Pharaoh comes up with a fool proof plan. He will have all male newborns killed. He calls the two women who are the midwives, they are called Shifra and Puah (not their real names, but nicknames) and orders them to kill the male babies at birth.
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks calls this the first instance of civil disobedience in the Torah.
Because these brave women did not “follow orders”. They were answering to a Higher Power and would not participate in this nefarious scheme.
This was no small matter. Pharaoh was the leader of the civilized world. His power knew no bounds. His brutality was well known. Yet these two women refused to comply.
Their bravery was breathtaking.
The Torah shares an insightful nuance to this bravery by sharing their nicknames: Shifra and Puah.
Rashi the super commentator on all the Torah teaches us that Shifra was actually Yocheved, the mother of Moses. She was called Shifra because that name indicates that she carefully cleaned and swaddled the baby before presenting it to the mother. Rashi goes on to explain that Puah was actually Miriam, Moses sister, and she was given the nickname Puah because when she would hold a crying baby she would calm it by cooing Pu Pu Pu.
How charming.
Yet we know the Torah is not a story book. There must be deeper message behind this information?
The Torah is revealing the activities these women engaged in during this dangerous time.
Their lives were literally at stake when they chose to save the babies from death.
But they were not hysterical. They were intentional.
The depth of their faith and conviction allowed them to behave in a calm and professional manner.
The newly delivered Mom must have been in a state of frenzy if she had delivered a son, knowing his death could be imminent. The midwives calmed and soothed mother and child in those fateful moments. They kept their heads despite the very real danger.
That is bravery.

It is literally jumping off the edge of the world into an abyss.
The strength of the women in these Torah portions is epic. There are so many examples of deep seated spiritual bravery.
One more comes to mind when watching the bungee jump.
At the end, the participants is hanging upside down and a little dingy comes around an extends a rod which the participant grabs in order to reach the boat. This reminded me of the vignette of Moses being saved by Pharoah’s daughter.
Pharaoh had a daughter, whose real name is not mentioned in the portion. She is bathing in the Nile River and sees a basket floating with an infant baby boy aboard. Despite the distance between herself and the basket, she does not hesitate to save him, stretching out her arm to reach his basket dnd bring him close. Pharoah’s daughter was brave as well. She knew her Father’s vendetta against the Jews brooked no interference. Yet her attribute of loving kindness overcame her fear. Her bravery in the face of evil prevailed. The Torah shares the detail of her stretching out her arm an impossible distance to teach us that we should never assume that a task is impossible.
Challenges of all sorts can be overcome with fortitude and resolve. (The Rebbe of Kotz).
It is ironic that in a book which is entitled “Names” there are actually very few name names in the narrative. Most of the people are either anonymous or not identified by their real names. We don’t know their actual names.
Even the seminal story of Moses parents remarrying prior to his birth seems to be a story of generic people not specific individuals as they too are not identified by name.
The first name to appear in the narrative is Moses. It is the name given to him by the daughter of Pharaoh. It is her brave act of loving kindness in the face of great challenge that gives us the name of the Redeemer of the Jewish people.
The people in our Torah portion are larger than life.
Their names are not the most important detail we need to know about them.
What is eternal about these individuals is their actions.
In the face of extreme challenge they rose to the occasion, choosing life and light.
In our lives we too are called upon to make choices. Sometimes the scenario seems banal, not life and death. But nevertheless, the choices we make, often have consequences long after the event at hand.
Sometimes the choice or action we are taking requires strength and bravery.
Perhaps a family member is going through a health challenge and bravery in that situation is shoring up the patient and the other family members who are afraid and uncertain.
Bravery takes many forms.
It can be taking on new challenges and pushing past comfort zones.
In each life and each circumstance bravery takes many forms.
The brave women in this portion are not limited to their names, it is their actions which define them.
And to think their DNA courses in our veins.
Which challenge can we face with heroism and nerve?
The job is to use that strength with faith and fearlessness to continue to support those around us who need the help - no matter how much guts it might take!
We may be braver than we think.
Shabbat Shalom and so much love!!