MHA-FYOS Dean's Blog

This week’s parasha , Parashat Va'Era, is the second of four parashiyot discussing the Jewish People’s enslavement in Egypt and Hashem’s salvation of His nation. Hashem employed a series of miracles in freeing His people, beginning with the signs that Moshe showed Paroh and his magicians and culminating with the Egyptians drowning in the Reed Sea. The Torah refers to these miracles in different ways. Two of these descriptors are used in one section early in our parasha . Hashem tells Moshe, “You will say everything that I command you, and Aharon, your brother will speak to Paroh and he will send the Jewish People from his land. And I will harden Paroh’s heart and I will increase my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. And Paroh will not listen, and I will put My hand in Egypt, and I will bring out My legions, My nation, the Jewish People, from the land of Egypt with great judgments.” (Shemot 6:2-4) In what way were Hashem’s miracles signs and wonders and in what way were they gr...

In the beginning of this week’s parasha , Parashat Va’Era, Hashem shares with Moshe Rabbenu that He has heard the groan of b’nei yisrael as a consequence of their slavery and that Hashem remembered His covenant. The response of b’nei yisrael to the slavery is also recorded in another place in the Torah. In the description of the mitzvat bikkurim – the commandment of the first fruits – the farmer brings his first fruits to Yerushalayim. In presenting the fruits to the kohen , the farmer recites a confession – a viduy . As part of this confession, the farmer briefly recounts the experience of the children of Israel in Egypt. The farmer begins, “An Aramean tried to destroy my forefather. He descended to Egypt and sojourned there, few in number, and there he became a nation – great, strong and numerous. The Egyptians mistreated us and afflicted us and placed hard work on us.” In the next passage, the farmer describes the reaction of b’nei yisrael to the affliction. He says, “Then w...