February 4, 2023; 13 Shevat, 5783
Parsha
This week’s Parsha discusses the exodus from Egypt. Regarding the exodus, the Yalkut Shimoni (Tehillim 819) cites Rabbi Pinchas in the name of Rabbi Hoshiyah: “Hashem took hold of the legs of Yaakov Avinu and placed them on the ocean. He said to him: ‘Witness the miracles that I am performing for your descendants…’”
There are three questions we may ask on this slightly perplexing Midrash...
January 28, 2023; 6 Shevat, 5783
Parsha In the beginning of this week’s Parsha, Hashem tells Moshe to “come to Pharoah” and deliver His message to him.
1) Why does the Possuk use the words “come to Pharoah”? The Possuk should have said “go to Pharoah”?
2) In the next Possuk, Hashem says that He will implement his signs of Divine Providence “within their midst” and so that “you should know that I am Hashem.” Why was it so important to place these signs publicly, in the midst of the Egyptians? ...
January 21, 2023; 28 Teves, 5783
Parsha
In this week’s Parsha, Hashem instructs Moshe to tell Bnei Yisrael, “I will bring you to the land, concerning which I raised My hand to give to Avraham, to Yitzchok, and to Yaakov, and I will give it to you as a heritage; I am Hashem." (Beraishes 6:8)
Moshe relayed this message to Bnei Yisrael, but they did not listen to him because of their “shortness of spirit” (their despair) and the hard servitude that they were enduring. Hashem then instructed Moshe to speak to Pharaoh to let Bnei Yisrael out of Egypt...
