Turn It Again: Torah Wisdom for Today – Shemot

Turn It Again: Torah Wisdom for Today

In Pirkei Avot, a book of maxims in the Mishnah, an ancient rabbi, Ben Bag-Bag said about Torah study, Hafokh bah, vaHafokh vah, dkhola bah.” Turn it over and over, for everything is in it. For two thousand years, thats what Jews have done. Here is another turning.

Parshat Shemot 2025
The Making of a Hero

The Book of Exodus begins with a description of the birth of a hero, namely the unlikely rise of Moses as an abandoned infant set afloat on a wicker basket who becomes an aristocrat, only to renounce his life of privilege in favor of becoming the savior of the Jewish people. What conditions some people to act heroically in ways large and small, while most of us succumb to the “bystander effect,” in which we are loath to take action against perceived injustices? Can anyway become a Moses? If so, what is required to transform us?

Many of us have been impacted by the work of Joseph Cambell, the great mythologist, who delineated an archetype of the hero’s journey, which consisted of three stages: departure, initiation, and return. The Biblical Moses is an ideal portrayal of this motif. He experiences multiple departures, from when he is first set adrift on the Nile, to when he must flee Egypt after striking down the slave-driving taskmasters.

His initiation, a phase composed of transformative trials, include defending Jethro’s daughters from potential violence in a well scene, as well as the notable narrative of the Burning Bush, in which he directly receives a call to heroism from God. This is followed by his return to the Egypt he abandons where he becomes the savior of the Jewish people.

Most of us probably won’t experience a divine call to action. Thankfully, psychology suggests that this is not necessary. There is a developing body of research that suggests that heroes are not born but made through a combination of personality traits, life experiences, and situational factors. Traits such as empathy, moral courage, and resilience often define those who take heroic action.

In his later years, Stanford psychologist, Philip Zimbardo established the Heroic Imagination Project in an effort to inculcate the traits and qualities necessary for heroism by engaging in acts of heroic imagination. These include developing the capacity to recognize which social and environmental pressures can prevent us from taking action, then possessing the moral courage to act according to one’s values, even in the face of personal risk or societal opposition. Finally, by anticipating situations where heroic action may be needed, we can mentally rehearse responses. Just as basketball players who visualize successful free throw shots can increase their ratio, it appears that imagining ourselves taking action predisposes us to do the right thing when the hour of moral emergency appears before us. The act of moral imagination prepares us to overcome our natural fears so that we won’t succumb to the bystander effect.

While we are still in the early phases of determining what sort of moral education can produce higher levels of heroism, there are some universally recognized characteristics that are necessary, such as courage and selflessness. The Jewish tradition of studying Moses as a test case can help us, especially if we view the story of Exodus from that pedagogical lens. When we do so, it can teach us four main lessons: We need to embrace ethical awareness, develop our moral courage, mentally rehearse taking action in hypothetical situations, and seek moral role models, past and present, who can inspire us. When we apply these insights, we may find it easier to commit to action. As with any sort of personal growth, small, incremental steps can transform us. We don’t need to depart to become heroes. Rather, daily life presents each of us with numerous initiation opportunities in which we can stand up and make a difference.

You already embody everything that the heroes of fairy tales and mythology possess. All you need to do is practice. Be a hero, and be a blessing.