Shalom my good JTF friends,
This week we are reading the portion of Va'eira in which we see Moses going up to Pharoah and demanding that the Jewish people who are enslaved in Egypt be released, in order to go to the desert to worship Hashem for three days. Ultimately this was just a ruse because they had no intention of returning. The reason for the trickery according to some is that because Pharoah used trickery to enslave the Jews so too he would be tricked into letting them free (Measure for Measure). When Pharoah refuses to allow the people to leave the proverbial waste-hits-the-fan when Hashem unleashes a series of plagues which ravage the entire country of Egypt.
Each of the plagues is said to represent Hashems control over nature... While the first three did not really move Pharoah (because his own magicians were able to duplicate the plagues in the test-tube) eventually Pharoah becomes frightened and considers letting the Jews go, but Hashem hardens his heart because it is Divine will to unleash all ten plagues on Egypt in order to demonstrate Hashems ultimate control over heaven and earth...
http://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/3242/jewish/Vaeira-in-a-Nutshell.htm
G‑d reveals Himself to Moses. Employing the “four expressions of redemption,” He promises to take out the Children of Israel from Egypt, deliver them from their enslavement, redeem them, and acquire them as His own chosen people at Mount Sinai; He will then bring them to the land He promised to the Patriarchs as their eternal heritage.
Moses and Aaron repeatedly come before Pharaoh to demand in the name of G‑d, “Let My people go, so that they may serve Me in the wilderness.” Pharaoh repeatedly refuses. Aaron’s staff turns into a snake and swallows the magic sticks of the Egyptian sorcerers. G‑d then sends a series of plagues upon the Egyptians.
The waters of the Nile turn to blood; swarms of frogs overrun the land; lice infest all men and beasts. Hordes of wild animals invade the cities; a pestilence kills the domestic animals; painful boils afflict the Egyptians. For the seventh plague, fire and ice combine to descend from the skies as a devastating hail. Still, “the heart of Pharaoh was hardened and he would not let the children of Israel go, as G‑d had said to Moses.”
Let us start with Rabbi Richmans latest video... (whoops, audio only...)
Topic: Video Study for Parsha Va'eira (Read 4134 times)