B"H
Tuesday, Shevat 2, 5776 / January 12, 2016 – HAKHEL YEAR
This week’s Parsha, Bo, is about the final three plagues with which G-d punished the Egyptians; Locust, Darkness and Death of the First Born. In this Parsha we also read about the Exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt, after being there for two hundred and ten years.
Q. We all know whatthe Ten Plagues were. Every year, at the Passover Seder, we mention the Ten Plagues. But, what is the reason G-d punished the Egyptians with theseten plagues?
A.Our sages tell us that G-d’s punishments are measure for measure. The ten plagues were a measure for measurepunishment for the sins of the Egyptians against the Jewish people.
Blood- The waters of the [Nile] river turned to blood and the fish that were in the river died. This was a punishment for Pharaoh's decree that, "every male born shall be thrown into the river."
Frogs- The Torah tells us, "And the river shall swarm with frogs which will go up and come into your house... and into your ovens." This served a lesson to Pharaoh for saying "Who is the L-rd that I shall listen to His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the L-rd and I will not let Israel go.
By sending the frogs into the ovens to fulfill G-d’s command, which is against the nature of frogs, who reside in a wet and cool place, G-d proved to Pharaoh that He is the L-rd and all of creation must listen to His commands.
According to the Midrash, while all other frogs died when the plague ended; the frogs that went into the burning ovens were spared and returned to the river!
Lice- When the Egyptians enslaved the Israelites, they caused them to suffer from lice which resulted from constant sweat due to their harsh labor. Therefore, the Egyptians were now punished measure-for-measure, to suffer a similar fate.
Wild beasts– In Yaakov's blessings to his children, before passing away, he compared his children's special qualities to those of various animals. Thus, G-d punished the Egyptians measure-for-measure, by sending upon them wild animals.
Pestilence- This plague killed the animals in the fields as well as the shepherds attending to them. When Yaakov and his family came to Egypt, Pharaoh asked Yaakov's sons what their occupation is. They replied, "Your servants are shepherds, both we and our ancestors." Killing the Egyptian's flock was a punishment, measure-for-measure, for enslaving them, thus, taking them away from attending to their flock. (to be continued).
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
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In memory of Jeno Zoldan, Yitzchak Isaac Yehuda ben Aharon,z”l. Yartzeit is Shevat 5.
Gone but always remembered by those whom he loved, and those who loved him. Zichron Livracha.
Andre, Esther, Zachary, Benjamin, Jonah.