Embracing Diversity: Lessons from the Erev Rav
As we delve into Parashat Bo this week, we find ourselves reflecting on a pivotal moment in Jewish history – the Exodus from Egypt. This Torah portion is not just about liberation from physical bondage; it’s about the transformation of a diverse group of individuals into a unified nation.
וְגַם־עֵ֥רֶב רַ֖ב עָלָ֣ה אִתָּ֑ם וְצֹ֣אן וּבָקָ֔ר מִקְנֶ֖ה כָּבֵ֥ד מְאֹֽד׃
Moreover, a mixed multitude went up with them, and very much livestock, both flocks and herds.
Today, let's turn our focus to the “Erev Rav” or the “mixed multitude” as we engage with Parashat Bo. When the Israelites left Mitzrayim (Egypt), they were accompanied by an Erev Rav (Exodus 12:38). This term, shrouded in mystery, has been interpreted in various ways throughout millennia of Biblical interpretation, both positively and negatively. Modern scholars continue to debate its exact meaning. It is likely that the Erev Rav consisted of Egyptians who decided to join the Israelites, as well as other ethnic groups living among them. Rashi, the renowned medieval commentator, describes the Erev Rav as a “mixed multitude” – a mingling of various nations who had become proselytes.
The journey of this diverse group from Mitzrayim to Mount Sinai is not just a biblical account; it signifies a profound element of our identity. The Torah's narrative teaches us that when God spoke at Sinai, each person, regardless of their origin, heard the divine voice in a way they could comprehend. This is an early and powerful acknowledgment of diversity within unity, a principle that has been central to our Jewish experience throughout the ages.
However, years later, the Rabbis of the Talmud viewed the Erev Rav less favorably. They were blamed for instigating the sin of the Golden Calf and other transgressions in the desert. This perspective reflects a struggle, one that is not just biblical but also contemporary – the challenge of embracing diversity within our community.
Today, our Jewish community is a tapestry of varied beliefs and practices. We have Zionists, non-Zionists, and anti-Zionists. We have folks who were raised Jewish and people who later in life threw their lot in with the Jewish people. We have those who are more observant, those who are secular, and everything in between. And yet, according to our tradition, all these voices were present at Mount Sinai, receiving the Torah together.
The lesson from the Erev Rav is twofold. First, it reminds us of the dangers of scapegoating. When things go wrong, it’s tempting to blame “the other” – those who don’t fit neatly into our understanding of who “we” are. But in doing so, we risk losing the richness that diversity brings to our community.
Second, the Erev Rav challenges us to recognize the value in our differences. Each voice, each perspective, enriches our understanding of Torah and Jewish life. Just as God spoke to each person at Sinai in a language they could understand, we too must learn to communicate across our differences, to hear the divine in every voice.
So, as we read Parashat Bo, let’s remember the mixed multitude. Let’s honor the diversity within our community, not as a source of division, but as a source of strength. Let’s strive to hear the divine in every voice, knowing that it is precisely this diversity that has sustained us as a people throughout the ages.
Shabbat Shalom.