B"H

Thursday, Shevat 6, 5777 / February 2, 2017

The first mitzvah which G-d commanded the Jewish people, even before leaving Egypt, is found in this week’s Parsha, Bo. It is the mitzvah of Rosh Chodesh. 

G-d told Moshe about this important mitzvah on Rosh Chodesh Nissan, two weeks before the Exodus. The month of Nissan was also to be the first month and head of all months of the year. 

At the same time, G-d commanded that on the tenth of the month, they should take one sheep per family and keep it for four days and then bring it as a Pesach (Passover) sacrifice. The sacrifice had to be eaten together with matzah and maror. Some of the blood of the sacrifice were to be placed on the doorposts of the Jewish homes, so that when G-d will afflict the Egyptians with the plague of the first-born, He will see the blood on the Jewish homes and pass over them.

At the stroke of midnight, the first-born began dying. A great cry broke out throughout Egypt.  Pharaoh himself went to look for Moshe and Aaron. He insisted that they take the Jewish people out of Egypt immediately. Moshe refused, as G-d told them not to leave their homes all night until morning. They left Egypt in the day time.

Six hundred thousand men from the age of twenty and up, plus women and children left Egypt on that day - the fifteenth of Nissan. It was on a Thursday that the people left Egypt. G-d proclaimed the 15th day of Nissan as the holiday of Passover to celebrate each year the miracle of the Exodus.

Q.  What is the significance of G-d’s commandment that the month of Nissan is to be the “head” of all months of the year?

A.  “Nissan” comes from the word “Nes” – “miracle.”  The month of Nissan, when the Jewish nation was liberated, being the head of all the months teaches us that, just as the Exodus was a miracle, so too, the very existence of the Jewish people, throughout the generations, is a constant miracle.

Q.What was the purpose of holding the sheep four days before bringing it for a sacrifice?

A.The Egyptians worshipped their animals. Sheep was an idol in Egypt.  Over the years in Egypt, many Jews became idol worshippers just like the Egyptians. G-d wanted, in addition to taking the Jews out of Egypt, to take Egypt out of the Jews, to also root out their adaptation to Egyptian lifestyle, worship and culture. 

For this reason G-d told them to take the sheep (the Egyptian idol), keep it for the four days and then slaughter it.  During these four days, when the Egyptians asked them why they kept the sheep in their homes, they told them that they plan to bring it for a sacrifice to G-d. This way, they proclaimed their detachment from the Egyptian idols.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

B"H

Wednesday, Shevat 5, 5777 / February 1, 2017

The last three plagues, Locust, darkness and the first born, are recorded in this week’s Parsha, Bo.

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. But 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.

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 were able to 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

In memory of Jeno Zoldan Z”L, Forever remembered and loved by his family.

May the Neshamah have an aliyah.

Andre, Esther, Zachary, Benjamin, Jonah.

B"H

Tuesday, Shevat 4, 5777 / January 31, 2017

In this week’s Parsha, Bo, we read about the final three plagues; locust, darkness and the death of the first born. The highlight of the Parsha is the Edodus of the Jewish people from Egypt.

Q.How many people came out of Egypt at the Exodus?

A.The Parsha tells us that around 600,000 men left Egypt. However, in addition there were women and children. Although we don’t have an exact figure for the total amount of people, we can assume that a few million people came out of Egypt at the Exodus.

Q.How many years were the Jewish people in the Egyptian Exile?

A.In this Parsha the Torah says, “The Israelites dwelt in Egypt 430 years.”  But this number needs explaining. In other places the Torah says, 400 years. We also know that Jews were physically in Egypt only 210 years. Thus, there are three different periods associated with the exile: 210 years; 400 years; 430 years. It all depends from what point the count begins.

1) The number 430 in this Parsha is when we begin the count from the time G-d made the covenant with Abraham in which He tells him that his descendants will be strangers in a foreign land. This covenant was made when Abraham was 70 years old. Thus, from then to the Exodus was 430 years.

2) The number 400 is when we count from the time Isaac was born, as G-d said to Abraham, “Your descendants will be strangers.” Abraham had his son, Isaac, at the age of 100. Thusit was 400 years from the time that Isaac was born to the time of the Exodus.

3) The number 210 is the actual time they physically spent in Egypt. Yaakov and his entire family moved to Egypt 210 years before the Exodus.   

Q.  Did only the children of Israel leave Egypt at the Exodus?

A.The Torah tells us that, “A mixture of many people came out with them.” There is no figure how many came out of Egypt together with them.

Fifty years ago, during the Communist’s rule of Russia, there were many demonstration against the Soviet Union to let Soviet Jewry out of Russia. The Russian Premier asked his cultural affairs minister, “How many Jews are there in Russia?”  “About six million,” he replied.

“If we open the Iron Curtain, and let Jews out, how many Jews do you think will leave?”

“At least 40 million..” he replied.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY