B"H

Friday, Tevet 27, 5782 / December 31, 2021

This Shabbat we read Parshat Va’eira, in which seven of the plagues are found. Three weeks before each plague Moshe warned Pharaoh that G-d was bringing that particular plague if Pharaoh doesn’t send out the children of Israel. Each plague lasted one week.

Q.  Where was Moshe’s wife, Tziporah, and his two sons during all this time?

A.  Moshe married Tziporah in Midyan and had two sons there. When G-d told him to go to Egypt and command Pharaoh to let the Jewish people out, he took his wife and children with him to Egypt.

Aaron, who didn’t see Moshe for many years, met him on the way. Aaron asked, “Who are these?” Moshe told him that they were his wife and children. “Where are you taking them?” protested Aaron. “We are in great pain over those who are already here, why bring more people to Egypt?” Moshe then sent his wife and children back to her father, Yitro.  Only after the Exodus did Yitro bring them to join Moshe.

Q.What is the lesson to us from the fact that Moshe could’t perform the first three plagues. They had to be brought on by his brother, Aaron?

A.Moshe couldn’t perform the first three plagues of Blood and Frogs because they affected the waters of the Nile River. The water saved his life as a baby when his mother placed him in a basket by the Nile. Also, the plague of Lice was brought about by hitting the earth which saved him when he killed the Egyptian whom he buried in the sand. The lesson to us is that one should recognize the good which others do for us, to be grateful and repay with kindness.

Hillel the Elder was the saintly first-century leader of Jews in Israel.  Once Hillel heard that some of his students did not express their gratitude for favors done to them. He told them the following parable:

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 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 see you?”

The deer did not properly appreciate the kindness which was extended to him by the leaves.  The deer continued eating the leaves for he was hungry and all that mattered 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.”

Hillel concluded, “As the deer lay trapped he exclaimed, ‘Oh, how I deserve my fate.  For I have repaid bad for good. This concept is called, “Hakarat Hatov” - expressing appreciation to those who helped us.

SHABBAT  SHALOM

Montreal candle lighting time: 4:02 / Shabbat ends: 5:12