Monday, Tevet 20, 5785 / January 20, 2025
B"H
Monday, Tevet 20, 5785 / January 20, 2025
In this week’s Parsha, Va’eira, the second in the Book of Exodus (S’hmot), the Torah tells about seven of the ten plagues which G-d brought upon the Egyptians. In next week’s Parsha we will read about the last three plagues.
G-d doesn’t punish without warning first. G-d sent Moshe and Aaron to warn Pharaoh to let the Jewish people go or else he and his people will endure great punishment. After Pharaoh refused to let them go free and in fact made their work more unbearable, G-d brought the ten plagues upon the Egyptians.
Q. How long was it from the first plague until the Exodus?
A. Less than one year. The warning time for each plague was three weeks and the plague itself lasted one week.
Q. G-d tells Moshe, “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, in order that I should increase My miracles and wonders in the Land of Egypt.” If G-d hardened Pharaoh’s heart, then why did He punish him?
A. G-d hardened his heart only from the sixth plague on. During the first five plagues Pharaoh hardened his own heart and refused to let go. This is evident from the fact that for the first five plagues the Torah says, “He [Pharaoh] hardened his heart.” Or it says, “His heart became hardened.” Only from the sixth plague on does the Torah say, “G-d strengthened Pharaoh’s heart.”
Q. If G-d strengthened his heart after the sixth plague, then why did he deserve to be punished?
A. The ability to repent and escape punishment for one’s sins is a gift which G-d gave us. It is not an entitlement. It is only due to G-d’s kindness that He gives us a chance to undo our wrongs and avoid punishment.
Jews were in Egypt for 210 years. Pharaoh enslaved them for most of that time. They were tortured; they were made to work day and night doing the most exhausting work under inhumane conditions. In addition, Pharaoh had their children thrown into the river. Pharaoh should never have been given a chance to repent. He should have been punished right away. However, G-d did give him that chance by sending Moshe and Aaron to warn him to let the Jewish people go.
After Pharaoh refused G-d’s warnings five times, G-d took away this privilege called repentance. G-d hardened Pharaoh’s heart so that he will get his punishments which he so well deserved.
Q. How old was Moshe when he came before Pharaoh and became leader of the Jewish people?
A. In this Parsha we read that he was 80 years old. Never too old to start a new career...
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
OUR HEARTS ARE WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY - MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW
Thursday, Iyar 19, 5783 (Hakhel Year) 35th Sefirah / May 11, 2023
B"H
Thursday, Iyar 19, 5783 (Hakhel Year) 35th Sefirah / May 11, 2023
This Shabbat we read the last two Parshiot in the Book of Vayikra (Leviticus) – Parshat B’Har& Parshat B’Chukotei.
Parshat B’chukotei begins with G-d telling the Jewish people, "If in My statutes you will walk, and My commandments you will keep, then I will give you rain in the right time, the Land will yield its produce and the trees of the field will produce fruit... you shall eat your bread with satiety and dwell in safety in your land. And I will give peace to the land and you shall not be afraid... You will chase away your enemies and they will fall by their own swords… I will place My dwelling in your midst… I will walk among you. I will be your G-d and you will be My people!”
G-d promises the Jewish people that if they observe the commandments, they will merit His many blessings. Later in the Parsha the Torah details the many sufferings which the Jewish people will experience if, G-d forbid, they do not obey the commandments.
The blessings take up 10 verses and the punishments over 25 verses. In reality, the blessings outnumber the punishments as they are general blessings which include many individual blessings.
The purpose of mentioning the punishments is to impress upon us the importance of obeying the mitzvot, thus avoiding the punishments, as G-d truly wants to bless us always.
G-d says, "And I will walk among you." This is indeed a special blessing to recognize that G-d walks among us at all times – in good times as well as in difficult times.
The following tale explains it beautifully and is worthwhile giving some thought when we go through difficult periods in life, which we all go through one time or another.
A person, who through his lifetime experienced difficult periods, returned his soul to its maker, when the time came. In heaven he was shown a replay of his entire life. He was shown all the steps he took throughout his life; where he went and what he did. To his amazement he saw four footsteps, instead of only two. “But I have only two feet? Why do I always see four footsteps?” he asked the angel.
“Two are yours. The other two are G-d’s. He walked with you wherever you went!” replied the angel.
“But why, as I watch the difficult times in my life and the difficult steps I went through, I see only two footsteps? Where was G-d then?”
The angel looked at him and smiled, “You’re mistaken. The two footsteps you see during your difficult journeys through life are not yours! They are G-d’s footsteps! During those times G-d carried you!”
A powerful message indeed worth remembering!
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
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