The opening of this week''s Torah reading is God''s command to Moses: “Bo el Paroh." All too often this is translated (or rather mistranslated) as, “Go to Pharoah.” But in fact, “Bo” clearly means ''come'', not go. A slight semantic difference, you might argue. But let''s not be be anti-semantic, for any good semite knows that semantics are everything when you''re talking Torah. What''s more, this is the first word and title of the parsha itself and the title of the parsha is always taken to be an encapsulation of its essence.
So what does this title “bo'''' reveal to the semantic-conscientious reader?
First off, it is essential to note that this is the parsha where we witness the actual flight from Egypt. The entire book of Shmot has been building up to this crescendo of final release from the Egyptian strangle-hold. This is the parsha which relays no less than historie''s quintessential narrative of ''Leaving''. This is the very GO of “Let my people Go.” The very ''exiting'' of the Exodus! So why in the world is the title ''Come'' and not ''Go''!?What is the meaning behind this biblical riddle?One answer – Paradox. The Torah''s subtle insert of ''come'' in the place of ''go'' can be taken as a hint about the important place paradox holds in all journeys towards freedom. Any seasoned spiritual journeyor can tell you that a hallfmark of the spiritual quest is the encounter with paradox. Physicist Neils Bohr said, “The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. But the opposite of a profound truth may well be another profound truth.” When it comes to encountering the profounder truths of life, it is inevitable that we come face to face with paradox.Thus, in our parsha, one paradox is that coming and going are essentially joined. The Zohar, playing off of the word Bo, portrays God ushering Moses from chamber into innermost chamber, until he comes face to face with a mighty serpent, the inmost symbolic core of Egypt.1 The message is that in order to leave Egypt, Moses had to fully come to, enter and encounter Egypt''s very heart of darkness. There is no leaving without first fully entering.But even more paradoxical than that is the very fact that God calls Moses to ''Come to Pharoah'' as if God Himself was somehow there with Pharoah....sitting on Pharaoh''s sleeve – nay, within his very skin. The implicit message of “Bo” is thus God''s alluring promise that when you come to Pharoah, you are coming to Me.And so it is in our personal lives. When we face our Pharoahs, then we find God. I see it daily in my own life and in my work as a psychotherapist. Our Pharoahs are more often than not ruling our most intimate interactions with our partners, parents, children, friends. We are all in some way enslaved by poor communication and misunderstandings. When we avoid these conflict areas then resentments fester and love and intimacy are slowly bled out of our lives. But when we engage the conflict, finding ways to courageously talk through the misunderstandings, then our relationships flourish. When we face our fears, our foes, our fiends, we find their very opposite – freedom, release, God.This is the model of paradox taught by Parshat Bo. The Moses in us is able to find the God in Pharoah.Divine grace is inherent even and especially in our greatest moments of pain. And in the end, the great promise of paradox is that there is a truth that is bigger than what makes sense, a truth that accounts for life''s most bewildering contradictions. And what''s more – the next time you stumble upon a paradox, remember that it might just mean that you are on the verge of your next great leap into freedom.PharodoxThe Contradictionhas come nowcloaked in her finest cloudsWith her Book of Inversionsinstructing and soundRiddled with ridiculousread silently aloud:*“To be spared the stormYou must first flee the shelterYou must shatter the vesselto best sip its nectarYou must face your worstTo claim your betterAnd as for your enemy,Tis your highest endeavorTo seek out his speechFor God bids from his lipsTo seek out his eyesFor in them is God’s glimpseYour freedom only fitsupon Pharaoh’s fine throneYour sovereignty sitsWhere he sits aloneAnd take comfort in the factthat you''re bidden ''here'' and not ''there''- Its God alone who calls youto lure and to lairCome soft to your Satanyour best friended fiendand taste the servitude dishthat''s reserved for the freedSo come as you leaveand believe while in doubtfor the truths best decreedby your enemies mouthAnd all you risk will be repairedA thousand fold rewardFor in facing your fearsis the face of your LordSo come, beckoned and blinking,to the dank serpent''s dencoil up with the snakewho sheds light with his skin*Further notes on paradox:I just had to include these mind-bending examples of paradoxes (Thank you Wikipedia for the source).The following are statements that illustrate paradox:1. "This statement is false." - the statement can not be false and true at the same time.2. "Is the answer to this question no?" (In this case, if you replied no, you would be stating that the answer is not no. If you reply yes, you are stating that it is no, because you said yes.)3. "The statement below is false.""The statement above is true"