B"H
Friday, Shevat 2, 5781 / January 15, 2021
In this week's Parsha, Va'eira, we read about seven of the ten plagues which G-d brought upon the Egyptians. The last three plagues are listed in next week’s Parsha, Bo.
The seven plagues mentioned in this Parsha are: Blood, Frogs, Lice, Wild Beasts, Pestilence, Boils & Hail. The other three plagues are; Locust, Darkness, Death of the first born.
The first three plagues, Blood, Frogs and Lice, came about through Aaron. It was Aaron who lifted his staff over the Nile and made the water into blood. Aaron brought forth the frogs from the river and it was Aaron who hit the ground and brought about the plague of lice from the earth. The other seven plagues came through Moshe.
Q. Why wasn’t Moshe the one to bring the first three plagues?
A. The reason is because the first two plagues (blood and frogs) affected the waters of Egypt, which saved Moshe’s life when he was placed in a basket by the river. The plague of lice came as a result of smiting the earth of Egypt, which helped Moshe when he had to bury the Egyptian which he killed. Thus, Moshe couldn’t be the one to smite the river and the earth.
This is an important lesson in showing gratitude to those who do us a favor. Moshe could not bring about any of the punishments which involved hurting that which helped and protected him.
The Talmudic sage, Hillel the Elder gives the following powerful parable to explain how one must be very careful to be grateful and express gratitude for kindness done to them.
A deer chased by hunters ran into a garden and hid amongst its dense bushes. The hunters searched tirelessly for the deer, but couldn’t find it. Finally they gave up.
When the deer saw the hunters leaving the garden, it relaxed. Suddenly, the animal felt hungry and began eating the leaves of the dense bushes which were protecting him. Each leaf which the deer ate called out, “We’re not sad for our fate, but for your foolishness! Don’t you realize that by eating us the hunters will soon find you?”
But the deer did not properly appreciate the kindness extended to him. He continued eating the leaves for he was hungry and all that mattered to him was to satisfy his hunger. The more leaves he ate the more he became exposed. Soon the hunters heard the sound of the deer chewing on the leaves. They turned and saw the foolish deer. Before long the deer was captured.”
As the deer lay trapped by the hunters, he exclaimed, ‘I have repaid bad for good! I deserve my fate, because the leaves which did me a favor, I ate.”
SHABBAT SHALOM
Montrealcandle lighting time: 4:20 / Shabbat ends: 5:27