Super Heroes of All Types

Rabbi Joel Fleekop

Saturday, January 19, 2008

A recent issue of Newsweek Magazine included a picture of Wonder Woman next to the title “Holy Hot Flash, Batman.” The article, which focuses on the expanding role of female comic book writers, points out that for the first time since her creation during World War II, Wonder Woman will be permanently authored by a woman.

Fans of the comic book series are waiting to see if Gail Simone’s ascendancy to chief writer will bring changes to the plot lines of the long standing series. Penned for almost all of her 66 years by men, Wonder Woman hasn’t traditionally differed from other comic book heroes. Aside from her choice of clothing, which we can blame on her male creators, she acts just like all the other stars that fill the pages of DC and Marvel’s offerings. In issue after issue she goes around beating up bad guys and fighting for the values that she holds dear, namely truth, justice, and the American way. A physical champion of what is right, Wonder Woman fits the traditional definition of a hero, super or not, male or female.

We find similar heroes in this week’s Haftarah portion. As Gregory mentioned earlier, our reading from the Book of Judges tells of the triumphs of Devorah and Yael. Though one a career leader and the other a one time warrior, both are celebrated because of the role they play in leading the Israelites to victory over the Canaanites. The story of Yael is my wife’s favorite Bible story. Rich in imagery, it is easy to imagine a comic book rendering of her sneaking up on the satiated and sleeping Sisera and driving a tent peg into his skull.

But there are other heroes that don’t fit the traditional model; heroes whose actions would not make for a very good comic book.

The events of this week’s Torah portion depend on two such heroes.

The first, as you may have guessed is Moses. Moses is the dominant human actor in the story of the Exodus yet the descriptions we have of him do not match those of a traditional hero. He is a reluctant leader who often lacks confidence. He speaks with a lisp and relies on his brother to communicate for him. And though he helped defend Tzipporah and her sisters at the well, he rarely makes use of physical force. Moses is not the self-driven and self-reliant conqueror of evil. Rather, he is the instrument through which God’s might is illustrated and, perhaps more than anything, he is a reminder to the people Israel of God’s presence and power. That is certainly the role Moses plays at the end of Parshat Beshallach.

Having crossed the Sea of Reeds, the Israelites find themselves under attack by the Amalekites. Moses stations himself on top of a hill overlooking the battle while Joshua leads the Israelites against their attackers. So long as Moses’ hands are elevated, the Israelites are victorious. But when his hands drop, the tied of the battle turns. When this is discovered Aaron and Hur assist Moses in keeping his hands elevated and the Israelites ultimately defeat the Amalekites.

The Rabbis of the Mishnah ask, “Did the hands of Moses wage war or crush the enemy?” Answering their own question they teach that Moses did not fight in the battle. All he did was raise his hands. But the sight of his arms pointing toward the heavens reminded the Israelites of God’s presence and gave them the courage and confidence they needed to succeed. Moses becomes a hero by reminding others to trust in God.

While Moses is an unexpected hero of faith, the second hero of Parshat Beshallach, Serach Bat Asher, is even more surprising. Reading through the Torah portion she is invisible, and I don’t mean in the Super hero way. She is completely unmentioned in Parshat Beshallach. In fact, Serach Bat Asher is mentioned only twice in the entire Torah, once in Genesis 46:17 and again in Numbers 26:46. Both times her name appears as part of a long genealogy -- the parts of the Bible that we normally skip over.

But there is something unique and noteworthy about Serach Bat Asher. She is the only person mentioned in genealogies from both the time of the patriarchs and the period, several hundred years later, when the Israelites are wandering in wilderness. While in truth there were probably just two women of the same name, the Rabbi’s imagine a very long living woman who knew both Joseph and Moses. And that is how Serach Bat Asher becomes one of the heroes of Parshat Beshallach.

Our Torah portion begins with a description of how the Israelites went up armed from the land of Egypt and that Moses, in fulfillment of an ancient promise, brought with him the bones of Joseph. The Torah’s description of events is simple and concise, but the Rabbis imagine things being much more complicated.

The sages of the Talmud and Midrash teach that the Israelite’s redemption from Egypt and the crossing of the Sea of Reeds could not take place until Moses located Joseph’s bones. But with so many generations having passed, no one knew where to find the remains. Moses searched for three days and three nights but was unsuccessful. Obviously showing the strain of his efforts, Moses meets an old woman in the street who asks why he looks so exhausted. The woman is Serach bat Asher. When Moses explains the goal of his search, this depository of her people’s past calmly leads him to Nile and shows him where Joseph’s bones can be found.

Serach Bat Asher, a little known and often forgotten woman enables the Israelites to overcome their last barrier to redemption. She becomes a hero by offering the gift of memory, the gift of continuity from one generation to another.

Today, as in ancient times we live in a world that needs heroes. Though thrice daily we pray for peace, the world as a whole and Jews in particular, are still in need of champions like those who fill the pages of comic books, military histories, and this week’s Haftarah; individuals who use physical power to defeat enemies and protect the innocent. But so too the world and Judaism are also in need of heroes like Moses, who used faith to help other reach their potential, and Serach Bat Asher, who used the power of memory to help one generation keep its promise to those that came before, and in so doing allowed them to have their own future.

Aaron and Gregory, I don’t know what the future has in store for you. Perhaps your life will be filled with action and adventure like that of a comic book character. Perhaps it will be spent in quieter pursuits. Either way, I know that both of you, just like everyone of us, will have the opportunity to be a hero. Whether it is your strength, your leadership, your faith, your kindness or a yet unknown attribute, something inside of you gives you both the potential the obligation to be a hero. May you, and may all of us have the courage to be, as God intended, true Super Heroes.