Saturday, January 17, 2009

Va'era D'var Torah (written 2007)

As always, the Hebrew lineage is established. In fact, the Levite lineage which was established last parshah, was established again.

The Tetragrammaton tells Moses to go to Pharoah and ask to let the Hebrew people leave to go out to the desert to worship their G-d, (the one not listed in Pharoah’s book). He tells Moses up front that Pharoah’s heart will be hardened. That’s pretty much how it goes. There are some plagues, Pharoah says he’ll let the Hebrew people go. He changes his mind. There are more plagues. He’ll let them go. He changes his mind. Also, Pharoah’s sorcerers can reproduce the plague but, only partially. It appears this makes him less willing to give in to the plagues and their Creator.

This is the parshah of the ten plagues. It was noted that the first nine can be broken down into three sets of three. In each of the first of three plagues, the warning was given to Pharoah at the Nile. In the second of three plagues, the warning was given at the palace. For the third plagues in each set, no warning was given. The tenth plague stands on it’s own. This was the plague of the first born son.

Another point to be made is that each plague was a response to the various stripped titles the Egyptians gave to the Hebrews.

On a personal note, He does always do what he says. I mean, that should go without saying, but, I’m saying it. The Tetragrammaton keeps his promises whether they are joyful or filled with dismay.

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