Weekly reading:
Parashah Va'era Ex 6:2-9:35
Haftorah: Ezek 28:25-29:21
Suggested haBerith haChadashah Reading Rom 9:14-33
Exo 6:2-30 And Elohim spoke to Mosheh and said to him, “I am יהוה.
3 “And I appeared to Aḇraham, to Yitsḥaq, and to Yaʽaqoḇ, as Ěl Shaddai. And by My Name, יהוה, was I not known to them?
4 “And I also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Kenaʽan, the land of their sojournings, in which they have sojourned.
5 “And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Yisra’ĕl whom the Mitsrites are enslaving, and I have remembered My covenant.
6 “Say, therefore, to the children of Yisra’ĕl, ‘I am יהוה, and I shall bring you out from under the burdens of the Mitsrites, and shall deliver you from their enslaving, and shall redeem you with an outstretched arm, and with great judgments,
7 and shall take you as My people, and I shall be your Elohim. And you shall know that I am יהוה your Elohim who is bringing you out from under the burdens of the Mitsrites.
8 ‘And I shall bring you into the land which I swore to give to Aḇraham, to Yitsḥaq, and to Yaʽaqoḇ, to give it to you as an inheritance. I am יהוה.’ ”
9 And Mosheh spoke thus to the children of Yisra’ĕl, but they did not listen to Mosheh, because of shortness of spirit, and from hard slavery.
10 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,
11 “Go in, speak to Pharaoh sovereign of Mitsrayim, to let the children of Yisra’ĕl go out of his land.”
12 And Mosheh spoke before יהוה, saying, “The children of Yisra’ĕl have not listened to me, and why would Pharaoh listen to me, for I am of uncircumcised lips?”
13 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh and to Aharon, and gave them a command for the children of Yisra’ĕl and for Pharaoh, sovereign of Mitsrayim, to bring the children of Yisra’ĕl out of the land of Mitsrayim.
Second
14 These are the heads of their fathers’ houses: The sons of Re’uḇĕn, the first-born of Yisra’ĕl: Ḥanoḵ and Pallu, Ḥetsron and Karmi. These are the clans of Re’uḇĕn.
15 And the sons of Shimʽon: Yemu’ĕl, and Yamin, and Ohaḏ, and Yaḵin, and Tsoḥar, and Sha’ul the son of a Kenaʽanite woman. These are the clans of Shimʽon.
16 These are the names of the sons of Lĕwi according to their generations: Gĕreshon, and Qehath, and Merari. And the years of the life of Lĕwi were one hundred and thirty-seven.
17 The sons of Gĕreshon: Liḇni and Shimʽi according to their clans.
18 And the sons of Qehath: Amram, and Yitshar, and Ḥeḇron, and Uzzi’ĕl. And the years of the life of Qehath were one hundred and thirty-three.
19 And the sons of Merari: Maḥli and Mushi. These are the clans of Lĕwi according to their generations.
20 And Amram took for himself Yoḵeḇeḏ, his father’s sister, as wife. And she bore him Aharon and Mosheh. And the years of the life of Amram were one hundred and thirty-seven.
21 And the sons of Yitshar: Qoraḥ, and Nepheḡ, and Ziḵri.
22 And the sons of Uzzi’ĕl: Misha’ĕl, and Eltsaphan, and Sithri.
23 Aharon took to himself Elisheḇa, daughter of Amminaḏaḇ, sister of Naḥshon, as wife. And she bore him Naḏaḇ, and Aḇihu, Elʽazar, and Ithamar.
24 And the sons of Qoraḥ: Assir, Elqanah, and Aḇiyasaph. These are the clans of the Qorḥites.
25 And Elʽazar, Aharon’s son, took for himself one of the daughters of Puti’ĕl as wife. And she bore him Pineḥas. These are the heads of the fathers of the Lĕwites according to their clans.
26 This is Aharon, and Mosheh, to whom יהוה said, “Bring out the children of Yisra’ĕl from the land of Mitsrayim according to their divisions.”
27 They were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh sovereign of Mitsrayim, to bring out the children of Yisra’ĕl from Mitsrayim. This is Mosheh, and Aharon.
28 And it came to be, on the day when יהוה spoke to Mosheh in the land of Mitsrayim,
Thirth
29 that יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, “I am יהוה. Speak to Pharaoh sovereign of Mitsrayim all that I say to you.”
30 And Mosheh said before יהוה, “See, I am of uncircumcised lips, and why would Pharaoh listen to me?”
Exo 7:1-25 So יהוה said to Mosheh, “See, I have made you an elohim1 to Pharaoh, and Aharon your brother is your prophet. Footnote: 1Or mighty one – see footnote at 4:16.
2 “You shall speak all that I command you, and Aharon your brother shall speak to Pharaoh, to let the children of Yisra’ĕl go out of his land.
3 “But I am going to harden the heart of Pharaoh, and shall increase My signs and My wonders in the land of Mitsrayim.
4 “And Pharaoh is not going to listen to you, and I shall lay My hand on Mitsrayim, and bring My divisions and My people, the children of Yisra’ĕl, out of the land of Mitsrayim by great judgments.
5 “And the Mitsrites shall know that I am יהוה, when I stretch out My hand on Mitsrayim. And I shall bring the children of Yisra’ĕl out from among them.”
6 And Mosheh and Aharon did as יהוה commanded them, so they did.
7 Now Mosheh was eighty years old and Aharon eighty-three years old when they spoke to Pharaoh.
Fourth
8 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh and to Aharon, saying,
9 “When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘Show a miracle for yourselves,’ then you shall say to Aharon, ‘Take your rod and throw it before Pharaoh, and let it become a serpent.’ ”
10 So Mosheh and Aharon went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, as יהוה commanded. And Aharon threw his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent.
11 But Pharaoh also called the wise men and the practisers of witchcraft. And they, the magicians of Mitsrayim, also did so with their magic.
12 And they, each one, threw down his rod, and they became serpents. But the rod of Aharon swallowed up their rods.
13 And Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, as יהוה had said.
14 And יהוה said to Mosheh, “The heart of Pharaoh is hard, he refuses to let the people go.
15 “Go to Pharaoh in the morning, as he goes out to the water, and you shall stand by the river’s bank to meet him. And take in your hand the rod which was turned into a serpent.
16 “And you shall say to him, ‘יהוה the Elohim of the Heḇrews has sent me to you, saying, “Let My people go, so that they serve Me in the wilderness,” but see, until now you have not listened!
17 ‘Thus said יהוה, “By this you know that I am יהוה. See, I am striking the waters which are in the river with the rod that is in my hand, and they shall be turned to blood,
18 and the fish in the river shall die. And the river shall stink, and the Mitsrites shall find it impossible to drink the water of the river.” ’ ”
19 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, “Say to Aharon, ‘Take your rod and stretch out your hand over the waters of Mitsrayim, over their streams, over their rivers, over their ponds, and over all their pools of water, that they become blood. And there shall be blood in all the land of Mitsrayim, both in wooden and in stone containers.’ ”
20 And Mosheh and Aharon did so, as יהוה commanded. And he lifted up the rod and struck the waters that were in the river, in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants. And all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.
21 And the fish that were in the river died, and the river stank, and the Mitsrites were unable to drink the water of the river. And the blood was in all the land of Mitsrayim.
22 And the magicians of Mitsrayim did the same with their magic. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not listen to them, as יהוה had said.
23 And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and his heart was not moved by this either.
24 And all the Mitsrites dug all around the river for water to drink, for they were unable to drink the water of the river.
25 And seven days were completed after יהוה had struck the river.
Exo 8:1-32 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus said יהוה, “Let My people go, so that they serve Me.
2 “But if you refuse to let them go, see, I am smiting all your border with frogs.
3 “And the river shall swarm with frogs, which shall go up and shall come into your house, and into your bedroom, and on your bed, and into the houses of your servants, and on your people, and into your ovens, and into your kneading bowls,
4 and the frogs shall come up on you and on your people and on all your servants.” ’ ”
5 And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Say to Aharon, ‘Stretch out your hand with your rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up on the land of Mitsrayim.’ ”
6 So Aharon stretched out his hand over the waters of Mitsrayim, and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Mitsrayim.
Fifth
7 And the magicians did so with their magic, and brought up frogs on the land of Mitsrayim.
8 Pharaoh then called for Mosheh and Aharon, and said, “Pray to יהוה to take away the frogs from me and from my people, and I shall let the people go to slaughter to יהוה.”
9 And Mosheh said to Pharaoh, “Explain yourself to me: When am I to pray for you, and for your servants, and for your people, to destroy the frogs from you and your houses, and remain only in the river?”
10 So he said, “Tomorrow.” And he said, “Let it be according to your word, so that you know that there is no one like יהוה our Elohim.
11 “And the frogs shall turn aside from you, and from your houses, and from your servants, and from your people – they shall remain in the river only.”
12 And Mosheh and Aharon went out from Pharaoh. And Mosheh cried out to יהוה concerning the frogs which He had brought against Pharaoh.
13 And יהוה did according to the word of Mosheh. And the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courtyards, and out of the fields.
14 And they gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank.
15 And when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not listen to them, as יהוה had said.
16 And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Say to Aharon, ‘Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the land, so that it becomes gnats in all the land of Mitsrayim.’ ”
17 And they did so, and Aharon stretched out his hand with his rod and struck the dust of the earth, and it became gnats on man and beast. All the dust of the land became gnats in all the land of Mitsrayim.
18 And the magicians did similarly with their magic to bring forth gnats, but they were unable. And there were gnats on man and beast.
Sixth
19 The magicians then said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of Elohim!” But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not listen to them, as יהוה had said.
20 And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Rise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh as he comes out to the water, and say to him, ‘Thus said יהוה, “Let My people go, so that they serve Me.
21 “Or else, if you do not let My people go, see, I am sending swarms of flies on you and your servants, and on your people and into your houses. And the houses of the Mitsrites shall be filled with swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they stand.
22 “And in that day I shall separate the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, so that you know that I am יהוה in the midst of the land.
23 “And I shall put a distinction between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall be.” ’ ”
24 And יהוה did so, and thick swarms of flies came into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses, and into all the land of Mitsrayim, and the land was ruined because of the swarms of flies.
25 Pharaoh then called for Mosheh and Aharon, and said, “Go, slaughter to your Elohim in the land.”
26 And Mosheh said, “It is not right to do so, for we would be slaughtering the abomination of the Mitsrites to יהוה our Elohim. See, if we slaughter the abomination of the Mitsrites before their eyes, would they not stone us?
27 “Let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, then we shall slaughter to יהוה our Elohim, as He commands us.”
28 And Pharaoh said, “I am letting you go, then you shall slaughter to יהוה your Elohim in the wilderness. Only, do not go very far away! Pray for me.”
29 And Mosheh said, “See, when I leave you I shall pray to יהוה, and tomorrow the swarms of flies shall depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. But do not let Pharaoh again deceive, not to let the people go to slaughter to יהוה.”
30 And Mosheh went out from Pharaoh and prayed to יהוה.
31 And יהוה did according to the word of Mosheh and removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. Not one remained.
32 But Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time too, and did not let the people go.
Exo 9:1-35 And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Go in to Pharaoh and speak to him, ‘Thus said יהוה Elohim of the Heḇrews, “Let My people go, so that they serve Me.
2 “For if you refuse to let them go, and still hold them,
3 see, the hand of יהוה is on your livestock in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the cattle, and on the sheep – a very grievous pestilence.
4 “And יהוה shall separate between the livestock of Yisra’ĕl and the livestock of Mitsrayim, and let no matter die of all that belongs to the children of Yisra’ĕl.” ’ ”
5 And יהוה set an appointed time, saying, “Tomorrow יהוה is going to do this word in the land.”
6 And יהוה did this word on the next day, and all the livestock of Mitsrayim died, but of the livestock of the children of Yisra’ĕl, not one died.
7 Then Pharaoh sent, and see, not even one of the livestock of the Yisra’ĕlites was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.
8 And יהוה said to Mosheh and Aharon, “Fill your hands with ashes from a furnace and let Mosheh scatter it toward the heavens before the eyes of Pharaoh.
9 “And it shall become fine dust in all the land of Mitsrayim, and it shall cause boils that break out in sores on man and beast in all the land of Mitsrayim.”
10 So they took ashes from the furnace and stood before Pharaoh, and Mosheh scattered them toward the heavens. And they caused boils, breaking out in sores on man and beast.
11 And the magicians were unable to stand before Mosheh because of the boils, for the boils were on the magicians and on all the Mitsrites.
12 But יהוה hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them, as יהוה had said to Mosheh.
13 And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Rise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘Thus said יהוה Elohim of the Heḇrews, “Let My people go, so that they serve Me,
14 for at this time I am sending all My plagues unto your heart, and on your servants and on your people, so that you know that there is no one like Me in all the earth.
15 “Now if I had stretched out My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, then you would have been cut off from the earth.
16 “And for this reason I have raised you up, in order to show you My power, and in order to declare My Name in all the earth.
Seventh
17 “You still exalt yourself against My people in that you do not let them go!
18 “See, tomorrow about this time I am causing very heavy hail to rain down, such as has not been in Mitsrayim, from the day of its founding until now.
19 “And now send, bring your livestock to safety, and all that you have in the field, for the hail shall come down on every man and every beast which is found in the field and is not brought home, and they shall die.” ’ ”
20 Those among the servants of Pharaoh who feared the word of יהוה made their servants and livestock flee to the houses.
21 But those who did not set their heart on the word of יהוה left their servants and livestock in the field.
22 Then יהוה said to Mosheh, “Stretch out your hand toward the heavens, and let there be hail in all the land of Mitsrayim – on man, and on beast, and on every plant of the field, throughout the land of Mitsrayim.”
23 Then Mosheh stretched out his rod toward the heavens. And יהוה sent thunder and hail, and fire came down to the earth. And יהוה rained hail on the land of Mitsrayim.
24 Thus there came to be hail, and fire flashing continually in the midst of the hail, very heavy, such as had not been in all the land of Mitsrayim since it became a nation.
25 And the hail smote in all the land of Mitsrayim all that was in the field, both man and beast. And the hail smote every plant of the field and broke every tree of the field.
26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Yisra’ĕl were, there was no hail.
27 Pharaoh then sent and called for Mosheh and for Aharon, and said to them, “I have sinned this time. יהוה is righteous, and my people and I are wrong.
28 “Pray to יהוה, for there has been enough of the thunder and hail of Elohim. And I am letting you go, so that you stay no longer.”
29 And Mosheh said to him, “As soon as I go out of the city, let me spread out my hands to יהוה, let the thunder cease and the hail be no more, so that you know that the earth belongs to יהוה.
30 “But as for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet fear before יהוה Elohim.”
31 And the flax and the barley were smitten, for the barley was in the head and the flax was in bud.
32 But the wheat and the spelt were not smitten, for they were late crops.
Maftier
33 And Mosheh went out of the city from Pharaoh and spread out his hands to יהוה, and the thunder and the hail ceased, and the rain was not poured on the earth.
34 And Pharaoh saw that the rain, and the hail, and the thunder had ceased, yet he sinned again and he hardened his heart, he and his servants.
35 And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the children of Yisra’ĕl go, as יהוה had said through Mosheh.
Haftorah: Ezek 28:25-29:21
Eze 28:25-26 ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “When I have gathered the house of Yisra’ĕl from the peoples among whom they are scattered, I shall be set-apart in them before the eyes of the gentiles. And they shall dwell in their own land which I gave to My servant Yaʽaqoḇ.
26 “And they shall dwell safely, and build houses, and plant vineyards, and dwell safely, when I execute judgments on all those around them who despise them. And they shall know that I am יהוה their Elohim.” ’ ”
Eze 29:1-21 In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth of the month, the word of יהוה came to me, saying,
2 “Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh the sovereign of Mitsrayim, and prophesy against him, and against Mitsrayim, all of it.
3 “Speak, and you shall say, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “See, I am against you, O Pharaoh sovereign of Mitsrayim, O great monster who lies in the midst of his rivers, who has said, ‘My River is my own, and I, I have made it for myself.’
4 “And I shall put hooks in your jaws, and I shall make the fish of your rivers cling to your scales. And I shall bring you up out of the midst of your rivers, and all the fish in your rivers cling to your scales.
5 “And I shall leave you in the wilderness, you and all the fish of your rivers. On the face of the field you shall fall, and you shall not be picked up or gathered. I shall give you as food to the beasts of the field and to the birds of the heavens.
6 “And all the inhabitants of Mitsrayim shall know that I am יהוה, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Yisra’ĕl.
7 “When they grasped you with the hand, you broke and tore all their shoulders. When they leaned on you, you broke and made all their loins shake.”
8 ‘Therefore thus said the Master יהוה, “See, I am bringing a sword upon you and shall cut off from you man and beast.
9 “And the land of Mitsrayim shall become a desert and a waste. And they shall know that I am יהוה, because he said, ‘The River is mine, and I have made it.’
10 “Therefore see, I am against you and against your rivers, and shall make the land of Mitsrayim an utter waste and a desert, from Miḡdol to Sewĕnĕh, as far as the border of Kush.
11 “No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited for forty years.
12 “And I shall make the land of Mitsrayim a desert in the midst of the lands that are waste. And among the cities that are ruined, her cities shall be a waste forty years. And I shall scatter the Mitsrites among the nations, and I shall disperse them throughout the lands.”
13 ‘For thus said the Master יהוה, “At the end of forty years I shall gather the Mitsrites from the peoples among whom they were scattered.
14 “And I shall turn back the captivity of Mitsrayim and I shall bring them back to the land of Pathros, to the land of their birth, and there they shall be a lowly reign,
15 being the lowliest of reigns, and never again exalt itself above the nations. And I shall make them few so as not to rule over the nations.
16 “And no longer is it to be the refuge of the house of Yisra’ĕl, bringing to remembrance their crookedness when they turned to follow them. And they shall know that I am the Master יהוה.” ’ ”
17 And it came to be in the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first of the month, that the word of יהוה came to me, saying,
18 “Son of man, Neḇuḵaḏretstsar sovereign of Baḇel made his army to serve a great service against Tsor, every head was made bald and every shoulder worn bare. But he and his army received no reward from Tsor, for the service he served against it.
19 “Therefore thus said the Master יהוה, ‘See, I am giving the land of Mitsrayim to Neḇuḵaḏretstsar sovereign of Baḇel. And he shall take away her wealth, take her spoil, and remove her pillage. And it shall be a reward for his army.
20 ‘I have given him the land of Mitsrayim as a reward for his labour, because they worked for Me,’ declares the Master יהוה.
21 ‘In that day I shall make the horn of the house of Yisra’ĕl to spring forth, while I open your mouth to speak in their midst. And they shall know that I am יהוה.’ ”
Suggested haBerith haChadashah Reading Rom 9:14-33
Rom 9:14-33 What, then, shall we say? Is there unrighteousness with Elohim? Let it not be!
15 For He says to Mosheh, “I shall favour whomever I favour, and I shall have compassion on whomever I have compassion.”
16 So, then, it is not of him who is wishing, nor of him who is running, but of Elohim who shows favour.
17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this same purpose I have raised you up, to show My power in you, and that My Name be declared in all the earth.”
18 So, then, He favours whom He wishes, and He hardens whom He wishes.
19 Then you shall say to me, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His counsel?”
20 But who are you, O man, to talk back to Elohim? Shall that which is formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?”
21 Does not the potter have authority over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for value and another not for value?
22 And if Elohim, desiring to show wrath, and to make His power known, with much patience tolerated the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,
23 and that He might make known the riches of His esteem on vessels of compassion, which He had prepared beforehand for esteem,
24 even whom He called, not only us of the Yehuḏim, but also of the gentiles?
25 As He says in Hoshĕa too, “I shall call them My people, who were not My people, and her beloved, who was not beloved.”
26 “And it shall be in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ there they shall be called sons of the living Elohim.”
27 And Yeshayahu cries out on behalf of Yisra’ĕl, “Though the number of the children of Yisra’ĕl be as the sand of the sea, the remnant shall be saved.
28 For He is bringing a matter to an end, and is cutting it short in righteousness, because יהוה shall cut short a matter on the earth.”
29 And as Yeshayahu said before, “If יהוה of hosts had not left us a seed, we would have become like Seḏom, and we would have been made like Amorah.”
30 What shall we say then? That gentiles not following after righteousness, have obtained righteousness, even the righteousness of belief,
31 but Yisra’ĕl following after the Torah of righteousness, has not arrived at the Torah of righteousness.
32 Why? Because it was not of belief, but as by works of Torah. For they stumbled at the Stone of stumbling.
33 As it has been written, “See, I lay in Tsiyon a Stone of stumbling and a Rock that makes for falling, and everyone who is believing on Him shall not be put to shame.”
Va'eira Aliya Summary |
| General Overview: In this week's reading, Va'eira, Pharaoh refuses to allow the Israelites to leave Egypt, even after Aaron exhibits miraculous powers, transforming his staff into a serpent. The first seven plagues strike Egypt: Blood, Frogs, Lice, Wild Beasts, Pestilence, Boils, and Fiery Hail. First Aliyah: This week's portion opens with G‑d's response to Moses (continuation from the end of last week's reading). G‑d told Moses that He revealed Himself to the Patriarchs and established with them a covenant to give them the land of Canaan. And now the time has arrived to fulfill His promises. G‑d told Moses to tell the Israelites that He has heard their cries, and He will now deliver them from Egypt and bring them to the Promised Land. Moses relayed the message, but their unbearable workload prevented them from accepting his words. G‑d then told Moses to instruct Pharaoh to send the Israelites from his land. Moses protested: "If the children of Israel did not listen to me, how then will Pharaoh listen to me? I have a speech impediment?" (G‑d's answer below in the Third Aliyah.) Second Aliyah: The Torah takes a brief interlude and traces the lineage of Moses and Aaron, listing their family trees. Third Aliyah: G‑d tells Moses to go speak to Pharaoh, and Aaron should serve as his spokesman. G‑d informed him that He will harden Pharaoh's heart and he will refuse to release the Israelites. At that point G‑d will "multiply His wonders" in Egypt, until the Egyptians will recognize that G‑d is the L-rd. Fourth Aliyah: Moses and Aaron appeared before Pharaoh. As per G‑d's instructions, Aaron cast his staff on the ground, and it turned into a serpent. When Pharaoh's magicians did the same with their staffs, Aaron's staff swallowed theirs. Pharaoh remained unimpressed—and so the plagues commenced. Plague One: Aaron smote the Nile with his staff. The river and all the waters in Egypt turned into blood, and all the fish perished. Plague Two: Aaron stretched his staff upon the Nile and droves of frogs emerged. They covered the land, entered all the houses, even the ovens and kneading bowls. Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and begged them to pray to G‑d to remove the plague, after which he would release the Israelites. Fifth Aliyah: Moses prayed to G‑d, and the frogs all died. Egypt reeked from the odor of rotting frogs, and Pharaoh reneged on his promise. Plague Three: Aaron smote the earth with his staff, and swarms of lice attacked Egypt, covering man and beast. Even Pharaoh's magicians were amazed by this, and informed Pharaoh that this is the "finger of G‑d." Plague Four: G‑d dispatched Moses to warn Pharaoh that his land will be infested by a mixture of noxious animals. Only the land of Goshen, where the Israelites lived, would be spared. Sixth Aliyah: The mixture of wild beasts descended upon Egypt, destroying the entire land with the exception of Goshen. Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and offered to allow the Israelites freedom to serve G‑d whilst still in Egypt. When Moses rejected this offer, Pharaoh capitulated and offered to release the Israelites if only the plague came to an end. Moses prayed, the plague ended, and Pharaoh reneged on his promise again. Plague Five: all the Egyptians' cattle suddenly died; none of the Israelites' animals were affected. Plague Six: Moses and Aaron took handfuls of furnace soot and threw them heavenward. The soot descended, covered the entire Egypt, infecting all its inhabitants with painful boils. G‑d sent Moses to Pharaoh with a message: Just as G‑d wiped out all the Egyptian cattle, He could have easily slain Pharaoh and all his people too. "But, for this [reason] I have allowed you to survive, in order to show you My strength and to declare My name all over the earth!" Seventh Aliyah: Plague Seven: Moses warned Pharaoh that a catastrophic hail would descend upon the land. Man or beast that would remain in the field would be killed by the hailstones. Moses stretched his rod toward heaven and hail poured down—with fire blazing inside the icy hail. Aside for damage to humans and animal, the hail destroyed all vegetation and trees. Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. "I have sinned this time," he declared. "The Lord is the righteous One, and I and my people are the guilty ones. Entreat the Lord, and let it be enough of God's thunder and hail, and I will let you go..." Moses prayed. The hail stopped. And Pharaoh changed his mind yet again. Copyright: Chabad.org |
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