B"H

Monday, Shevat 3, 5777 / January 30, 2017

In this week’s Parsha, Bo, we read about the Exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt. 

Before bringing upon the Egyptians the final plague, G-d told Moshe, "I request that you speak to the people [of Israel] and tell them to borrow from their [Egyptian]neighbors silver and gold ornaments and clothes." The Torah continues, "And the children of Israel did as Moshe told them and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver and jewels of gold.  And G-d gave the people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians and they lent them" (Exodus 12:35-36).  

Q. The expression the Torah uses is "V'yishalu" - "they shall borrow."  Why did G-d want them to take it as a loan? The Egyptians would have given it to them as a gift for, as the plague of the first-born was raging throughout Egypt, they were anxious that the Israelites leave as fast as possible.

A.By telling them to "borrow" the gold and silver, G-d wanted to teach them that one must consider wealth as a loan. Therefore, it must be used properly and a percentage given to charity. For, if it is not used as G-d intended, He may at any time take it back, for it is with us only on loan!     

A Jew became rich and his lifestyle changed. Previously, he gave charity, cared for others and helped them as much as he could. Now that he became wealthy, he had become hard-hearted and miserly. He was too busy with his business that he had no time for the poor anymore. The poor people complained to the rabbi. The rabbi decided to visit him.

The rich man showed off his beautiful home and boasted about his great wealth.  The rabbi called him over to the window.  Pointing outside, he asked the wealthy man, "What do you see?"  

"I see poor people passing to and fro trying to earn a living. I see poor people begging for help," he replied. Walking over to a large mirror the rabbi told the rich man to look in. "Now what do you see?"

"I see myself, of course," he replied.

"I don't understand," said the rabbi.  "Both, the window and the mirror, are made of glass. Yet, at the window you see the poor people outside but when you look at the mirror you see only yourself. Why?"

"The reason is simple!" said the rich man. "The mirror has a silver coating on the back which prevents you from seeing through.  However, the window has no silver coating, so you can see through."

"Exactly!" the rabbi nodded.  "It seems that when the silver gets in the way all you see is yourself!  Maybe you'd be better off without the silver!” The rich man now got the message. He promised to improve his ways and he began giving charity as before.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

B"H

Friday, Tevet 29, 5777 / January 27, 2017

This Shabbat, Parshat Va’eira, is Rosh Chodesh Shevat – the first day of the Hebrew month Shevat. (From Rosh Chodesh Shevat until Pesach is exactly 10 weeks).

As mentioned previously, in this Parsha we find seven of the ten plagues with which G-d punished the Egyptians for enslaving the Jewish people.

The first three plagues, blood, frogs, lice, G-d commanded Aaron to do. Aaron raised his staff over the waters of Egypt and brought upon them the plague of blood and frogs. Aaron was commanded to hit the earth and bring the plague of lice. The rest of the plagues were brought on by Moshe.

The first two plagues, the Egyptian magicians were able to duplicate, but they couldn’t create the lice. They said, “This is the finger of G-d.”

Q.Why was Moshe excluded from participating in the first three plagues?

A.One must not pay back bad for good. Because the waters of the Nile saved Moshe as a baby, when his mother placed him in a basket by the river, he was not to punish the river with transforming its waters into blood or with the plague of frogs which came from the river.

As to the plague of lice, because when Moshe killed the Egyptian, he hid him in the sand. Moshe’s life was saved by this, thus he was not to bring on the plague of lice which came as a result of hitting the earth. It teaches how important it is to be thankful when we are the recipient of someone’s kindness.

Q.Why, only by the plague of lice did Pharaoh’s magicians admit that it was,“the finger of G-d”?

A.Pharaoh and his magicians claimed that G-d’s power is limited to water. Just like He brought the Great Flood to punish the world at the time of Noah, so too, He turned the waters of the Nile into blood and brought the frogs from the water. They claimed that G-d could not bring upon Egypt a punishment which originates from the earth. Only by the plague of lice, which originated from Aaron’s hitting the sand, did they admit that G-d’s power is everywhere.

Q.If G-d’s purpose in bringing the plagues was in order that they let the Jewish people go, why did He enable e bring plaguges the magicians to duplicate them, thus weakening Moshe’s and Aaron’s mission?

A.G-d told Moshe at the very beginning of his mission, “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. Pharaoh will not listen to you and I will lay My hand upon Egypt…” It was G-d’s plan that Pharaoh not be impressed and refuse to let the people go, so he would receive all the punishments he deserved for enslaving them all these years.

SHABBAT SHALOM & A WONDERFUL CHODESH-MONTH

Montrealcandle lighting time: 4:36 / Shabbat ends: 5:43

B"H

Thursday, Tevet 28, 5777 / January 26, 2017

In this week's Parsha, Va'eira, we read about seven of the ten plagues which G-d brought upon the Egyptians. G-d punishments are measure for measure. Here is how the seven plagues in this Parsha, measure up, measure for measure, for Pharaoh's enslavement of the Jewish people.

1.“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, "Every male born shall be thrown into the river." Yaakov's blessing to his grandchildren was, "You shall multiply like fish". Pharaoh's decree violated Yaakov's blessing that the children of Israel multiply like the fish and thus the fish in the Nile died.

2. “Frogs”- "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 thatI shall listen to His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the L-rd and I will not let Israel go." Sending the frogs into the hot ovens to fulfill G-d's command, proved that all of creation must listen to His commands.

3. “Lice”– As a result of their enslavement, the Jews suffered from lice, because of their constant sweat. Therefore, the Egyptians were now punished measure-for-measure, to suffer a similar fate.

4. “Wild beasts”- Yaakov, in his blessings to his children before his passing, compares their qualities to various animals. Thus, G-d punished the Egyptians, for enslaving the descendants of Yaakov, measure-for-measure through a variety of animals.

5. “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.”Pestilence was a punishment, measure-for-measure, for enslaving the Jews and taking them away from attending to their flock.

6. “Boils” - Pharaoh's excuse for enslaving the Jews was because, "The children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly and multiplied and the land was filled with them."  Pharaoh said to his people, "The children of Israel are too many... come let us deal with them, lest they multiply."  Pharaoh enslaved them in order to restrict their "multiplying and being fruitful". The plague of Boils, which covered their bodies, was a punishment to the Egyptians, measure for measure, so they couldn't have marital relations, preventing them from having children.

7. “Hail”- The Torah describes this plague, "And the L-rd sent thunder and hail and there was fire flashing amidst the hail." Pharaoh begged Moshe to remove the plague, “Enough of these mighty thundering and hail." The unbearable noise of the mighty thundering and hail was a punishment, measure-for-measure, for Pharaoh's claiming, "Who is the L-rd that I shall listen to His voice." 

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY