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
B"H
Monday, Shevat 1, 5782 / January 3, 2022
Today (Monday), is Rosh Chodesh - the first day of the new Hebrew month, Shevat. Shevat is the eleventh month in the Hebrew calendar.
Q. When did G-d give the mitzvah of Rosh Chodesh?
A.The commandments were given at Mount Sinai, which took place 50 days after the Exodus. However, the mitzvah of Rosh Chodesh was given to the Jewish people two weeks before the Exodus, while they were still in Egypt. It was the first mitzvah given to us.
In this week’s Parsha, Bo, the Torah tells us that on the first day (Rosh Chodesh) Nissan, G-d told Moshe and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying: “This month (Nissan) shall be to you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the months of the year."
Rosh Chodeshis celebrated on the day when the moon starts its cycle of rebirth. At the end of each Hebrew month the moon is not visible. From Rosh Chodesh on it starts becoming visible and fuller each night, until about the fifteenth day of the Hebrew month when the full moon is visible.
Q. Why was Rosh Chodesh the first mitzvah given to us while still in Egypt?
A. It was important to give Jews this mitzvah before the Exodus. It teaches us that we are likened to the moon which has cycles of ups and downs. So too, the Jewish people go through various cycles. There were good years when we were in the Land of Israel with the Holy Temple. Then there were years of Exile, and years of persecution. However, during the worst of times, we knew that there are better days coming, just like the moon which has an up cycle and always comes back to shine bright again.
In the Torah the months are not identified by name, only by numbers. The month of Shevat is the eleventh month in the Hebrew calendar year.
Q. How is it possible that the month of Shevat, which is five months from Rosh Hashana – the Jewish New year, should be the eleventh month?
A. The answer to this question is in this week’s Parsha, Bo. As mentioned above, two weeks before the Exodus, G-d gave the Jewish people the mitzvah of Rosh Chodesh – designating the first day of each month as a special day. In honor of the Exodus, G-d assigned the month of Nissan, the month of our redemption, which is the seventh month after Rosh Hashana, as the head and first of the months of the year.
Thus, in the Jewish calendar, Rosh Hashana is celebrated in the seventh month, while seven months later is Nissan, which is considered the first month.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL CHODESH-MONTH
B"H
Wednesday, Shevat 3, 5782 / January 5, 2022
This week’s Parsha is Bo. After two weeks of Torah readings about the enslavement of the Jewish people in Egypt, we will read this Shabbat about the last two plagues which G-d brought upon the Egyptians and the long awaited Exodus from Egypt.
Living in Egypt for 210 years and being enslaved for 116 of them, the Jewish people were finally not only allowed to go free, but were literally chased out of Egypt, when the plague of the killing of the first-born hit the Egyptians at midnight. Pharaoh ran looking for Moshe and Aaron and urged them to leave as fast as possible.
As mentioned many times, the stories in the Torah are not merely historical events, they are lessons and instructions for all generations.
This is especially true with the story of the Exodus. It is so important that it is recalled every day after the morning prayers, in keeping with the Torah's instruction, "You shall remember the day you came out of the Land of Egypt all the days of your life."
What is freedom?An ancient story is told of a wealthy man who, in addition to many fields and orchards, had many servants and slaves. He was mean, cruel and had a violent temper. If a slave didn't fulfill his wishes to the fullest, he would be beaten mercilessly.
Once, when he was beating one of his slaves, a wise man happened to walk by. He stopped and said, "It is neither proper nor ethical for one slave to be hitting another slave!"
"What do you mean one slave hitting another?" declared the rich man angrily. "I am the owner and he is my slave!"
"You are mistaken!” said the wise man. “In my opinion, you are more slave than he is! He, unfortunately, has no choice that he is a slave, but you, who cannot control your anger, are indeed enslaved to your evil temper and temptations. Your anger is your master and ruler and you are enslaved to it!"
Our sages say, "True freedom is achieved only through the study of Torah." Without knowing the difference between right and wrong, good and bad, one cannot be considered a free person, in the true sense of freedom. If one doesn’t pursue doing goodness and kindness and is only interested in their own welfare, they are really enslaved and not free.
Remembering the Exodus daily reminds us that G-d gives us the ability to be liberated from our own constraints and selfish tendencies. We achieve this liberation through knowing our purpose and mission in life, so that we will desire to perform good deeds and rise to real spiritual heights.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Thursday, Shevat 4, 5782 / January 6, 2022
The last three plagues which G-d brought upon the Egyptians, before the Exodus, Locust, darkness and the death of the first-born, are recorded in this week’s Parsha, Bo.
Q.How long did each of the plagues last?
A.Each of the first eight plagues lasted a week. Moshe would warn Pharaoh for a period of three weeks that G-d was going to bring that particular plague if Pharaoh didn’t let the people go. The plague would then last for one week.
But the plague of darkness lasted six days. Here is the Torah account as related in this week’s Parsha: “Moshe stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the Land of Egypt three days. They didn’t see one another, neither was one able to rise from their place for three days. However, all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.”
The plague of darkness lasted six days. The Torah speaks of three days and three days because the second three days was a much thicker and greater darkness that they couldn’t even get up or move from their places. One who was standing couldn’t sit down and the one sitting couldn’t stand up.
The last plague in which G-d stroke every Egyptian first-born, lasted from midnight until the next day when Pharaoh and his servants sent the people out. Thus, the ten plagues endured close to a year.
Q.What purpose did the plague of darkness serve, as it didn’t physically harm the Egyptians?
A.G-d promised Abraham, over four hundred years earlier, that after their enslavement his descendants will leave with great wealth. Now, as the Jewish people were about to be freed, G-d wanted to fulfill His commitment to Abraham.
During the last three days of the plague of darkness, when the Egyptians couldn’t move, the people could go through the homes of the their Egyptian oppressors and see all the valuables they had. This way they were able to fulfill G-d’s promise that they will leave with great wealth. Before leaving they asked their masters for gold and silver. When they refused, claiming they didn’t have any, they were able to show them where these items were.
Q.As mentioned, every plague lasted seven days, why did the plague of darkness last only six days?
A.A week after the Exodus, the Jewish people came to the sea. G-d told them to go forward into the sea. G-d provided a pillar of fire to illuminate their way. But for the Egyptians, who were chasing after them, G-d brought forth a pillar of darkness, so they wouldn’t see where to go.
This is why G-d originally brought only six days of darkness. G-d saved the last day of darkness for the time it would be needed against the Egyptians at the sea. Everything has a reason.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
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