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The Plagues of Beasts, Pestilence and Boils G-d continues speaking to Moshe, saying that “tomorrow” he will bring about a redemption which will distinguish the Israelites from the Egyptians. As He said that He would, G-d then sends a mixture of wild beasts into Egypt and the beasts destroy the land. Pharaoh summons Moshe andContinue reading “Va’Era, 6th Aliyah”

The Plague of Lice Moshe reassures Pharaoh that the frogs will leave the Egyptians homes and only be in the Nile. Moshe then departs from Pharaoh and as he said he would, he prays to G-d for the frogs to be gone on the following day. G-d heeds Moshe’s request and the next day theContinue reading “Va’Era, 5th Aliyah”

The First Two Plagues G-d tells Moshe and Aaron that when they approach Pharaoh and Pharaoh asks them to do some kind of wondrous act, Moshe should tell Aaron to hit his staff on the ground and the staff will become a snake. And so it happens that Moshe and Aaron approach Pharaoh and AaronContinue reading “Va’Era, 4th Aliyah”

G-d Lets Moshe Know What Is Coming After yesterday’s tangential outline of the lineage of Moshe and Aaron, the Chumash now returns to it’s regular narrative, with G-d telling Moshe to speak to Pharaoh on account of G-d’s Greatness and Moshe protesting that his “lips are blocked”. G-d reassures Moshe that Moshe will have dominionContinue reading “Va’Era 3rd Aliyah”

Moshe and Aaron’s Lineage The chumash now takes a short deviation from the story to trace to lineage of Moshe and Aaron to demonstrate how they were befitting to be leaders. Moshe and Aaron were descendants of the tribe of Levi, but the chumash first delineates the families of Reuven and Shimon, the two brothersContinue reading “Va’Era, 2nd Aliyah”

G-d Guides Moshe G-d rebukes Moshe for doubting Him in questioning why G-d sent Moshe to try to get the Israelites out when it seemingly made their plight worse (see yesterday’s post). He tells Moshe that he is “Hashem”(i.e the Ineffable Tetragrammaton), i.e the name which indicates that G-d is faithful to his word. G-dContinue reading “Va’Eira 1st Aliyah”

The Plight of the Jews Worsens The elders whom Moshe and Aaron gathered feared approaching Pharaoh so one by one they slipped away so that when Moshe and Aaron arrived at Pharaoh, there was no one else with them. As a consequence of this, later at the giving of the Torah, the elders were keptContinue reading “Shmos 7th Aliyah”

Moshe’s Mission Begins Moshe had promised his father in law Yitro (here called Yeter*) that he would not leave Midian without his permission. So he requests permission from Yitro to go back to Egypt to check up on his brethren and see if they are still alive. Yitro tells him to go in peace. *SideContinue reading “Shmos, 6th Aliyah”

G-d Gives Moshe a Mission G-d tells Moshe to gather the “elders”, AKA those Israelites who were appointed to counsel and tell them that Hashem, G-d of their forefathers appeared to Moshe and told him that he indeed has made note of what is being done to the Israelites in Egypt, and He will raiseContinue reading “Shmos, 5th Aliyah”

The Burning Bush Moshe shepherds his father in law Yisro’s sheep. As a precautionary measure to prevent the sheep from grazing from other people’s property and thus stealing from them, he brings them far out into the wilderness of Midian. They arrive at a mountain that is on the way to Chorev. This is theContinue reading “Shmos, 4th Aliyah”