This week's Parsha, Parshat Va’era, begins with Hashem reassuring Moshe that the Jewish exodus from Egypt would come soon. The Torah details the various stages of the redemption, which we recall to this day during the Pesach Seder: "Ve’Hotzeiti, Ve’Hitzalti, Ve’Ga'alti, Ve’Lakachti – And I will take you out, and I will save you, and I will redeem you, and I will take you." Before discussing these various stages of the Geulah, the Torah records Hashem’s words of "Ani Hashem– I am G-d." Rabbi Samson Rafael Hirsch, a 19th century German Gadol, asks how these two words relate to the rest of the dialogue? Seemingly, the words used in the subsequent Pasukim beautifully articulate the Geulah process, so what additional message is Hashem relaying to Moshe and B’nei Yisroel through the words “Ani Hashem?”  Rav Hirsch explains that with these words Hashem instituted a new world order. Until this point in history mankind could view the events of the world as nature running its course. The events that had occurred in the life of the Jewish people, like their entrance into Egypt and their ensuing enslavement, could be seen as events that took place without Hashem’s direct involvement; G-d has not been visible up to this point in the B’nei Yisroel’s history. Now, however, when Hashem says, "Ani Hashem,” He asserts that B’nei Yisroel and the other nations of the world will see that whatever happens from here on out cannot be attributed to happenstance or coincidence, but rather these the events emanate directly from Hashem. As we spend these few weeks immersed in the Parshiot discussing our rise from slavery in Egypt, it becomes obvious that Hashem controls every aspect of the story. Hashem’s intervention is one of the major reasons that Yetziat Mitzrayim becomes the monumental event that we refer to in Kiddush every Shabbat and holiday; in this way the exodus has come to define the Jewish people.

Often times, we may hear people say that hindsight is 20/20. This is definitely applicable to the way we reflect on our own lives. An important concept in Judaism is taking Cheshbon, account, of our prior deeds. When looking at these acts, we must think about how the decisions we have made impact us today. When we look at the events of our past, we realize that Hashem guides us on every step on life’s long and winding road. Understanding this lesson should serve to inspire us and give us the strength and encouragement to firmly believe in G-d’s direct involvement in our daily lives as well. Question to Reflect Upon: When Moshe approaches Pharaoh to let the Jews go he says, “The G-d of the Hebrews has called upon us to take a three day journey into the desert in order that we may sacrifice to our G-d” (Shemot 5:3). Now we all know Moshe’s famous plea ‘Let my people go,’ but it seems that the more accurate expression would be ‘Let my people go for three days, and then we will come back!’ Furthermore, before each of the ten plagues Moshe asks permission for the Children of Israel to do nothing more than worship their G-d in the desert (see Shemot 7:16, 7:26, 8:16, 9:1, 9:13 and 10:3). Not once does he mention that the Jews do not plan to return to Egypt?! Is Moshe trying to trick Pharaoh? What is going on here?

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In Memory of Mr. Jack Gindi לע”נ יעקב אליהו בן אליהו הכהן In Memory of Mr. Max Glass לע”נ שמואל מרדכי בן שלמה זאב יוסף

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Likutei Ohr

When it comes to our Davening, we often find ourselves in a routine, a repetition lacking meaning and commitment.  It is true that the actual words of Davening itself do not change, yet our connection to the words we recite can and should change upon our understanding of and concentration upon what we are actually saying.  Twice a day in the Shema we state, “And they are to place upon the Tzitzit of each corner a string of Techeilet.”  Have you ever wondered why your Tzitzit do not have that thread of blue the Torah speaks about?  If you actually have Techeilet on your Tzitzit, are you well versed in the subject and familiar with the meaning it infuses into your Tzitzit and Davening?  Techeilet is just one example of the potential richness of the many words and topics in Tefillah that may appear mundane at first glance yet conceal such tremendous deep meaning.  When we put in more care and effort into understanding the words and concepts we recite, our daily routine will transform into a renewal of commitment and profound understanding.

Tefillah Gems Yonah Hiller ’14

Parshat Va’eraLiving a Divine Life Mr. Joseph Small

The Flame of Our

Ancestors

“The sign of a great man is that the closer you get, the greater he

seems..”

- Chofetz Chaim

Volume II : Issue XIIThe Pamphlet of Light

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In this week’s Parsha, the Torah begins the tale of Yetziat Mitzraim, the exodus from Egypt. Moshe and Aharon repeatedly plead with Pharaoh on behalf of B’nei Yisroel in the name of Hashem. However, Pharaoh dismisses these requests and simply gives the Jews more work. In response to Pharaoh’s stubbornness, Hashem retaliates with ten judicious plagues. With regard to the seventh plague, hail, the Torah writes, “And the wheat and the spelt were not struck, for they ripen later” (Shemot 9:32). Rashi describes these grains as soft and easy to bend. Because these grains usually ripen after the time of the hail, they had not fully developed and were able to easily bend with the wind, and, in this way, the grains were spared.

Rashi gives a second opinion from the Midrash Tanchuma on this Pasuk that says “ripen” (Aphilot in Hebrew) can also mean Pillay Phillaot, wonders upon wonders. Hashem performed two wonders during the seventh plague: he saved the wheat and spelt from being crushed by the hail and he saved a wicked generation of Egyptians from utter destruction and starvation. Hashem would have certainly been justified in destroying the Egyptians yet he held back this punishment. We find in the Gemara of Ta’anit a statement that correlates with this Pasuk: a person should be as soft as a reed and not as hard as a cedar tree. In Avot D’Reb Noson we find further explanation of this statement. When a strong wind blows through the field, the reeds bend in the direction of the wind. This trait allows them to not become uprooted regardless of the wind’s strength. Meanwhile, a cedar tree that resists the wind’s force will only survive against weaker winds; once a powerful wind comes, the cedar will fall.

The 22nd Mishnah from the third Perek of Pirkei Avot has a similar message: “Rabbi Elazar Ben Azariah used to say that anyone whose wisdom exceeds his good deeds, to what is he likened? – to a tree whose branches are numerous but whose roots are few; then the wind comes and uproots it and turns it upside down […] But one whose good deeds exceed his wisdom, to what is he likened? – to a tree whose branches are few but whose roots are numerous; even if all the winds in the world were to come and blow against it, they could not budge it from its place.”

The metaphoric message that all of these texts wish to convey is quite clear: sometimes being the small and unassuming, like the grains and the embedded tree, can be quite beneficial. As long as we have strong “roots” in our Emunah B’Hashem, we, individually and as a people, will thrive.

Bend But Do Not BreakMitchell Silberberg ’14

The Plagues: A Tale of Heavenly Power Joshua Partovi ’17In this week’s Parsha, Moshe reprimands Pharaoh: “When I leave the city, I will spread my hands to the Lord. The thunder will

cease, and there will be no more hail, in order that you know that the land is the Lord's” (Shemot 9:29). This phrase expresses the dominion of G-d, the limits to human power, and Hashem’s control over the earth and nature. The plague that best describes all these concepts is the plague of hail. G-d’s warning before the hail is quite long. In His warning there is a strong measure of divine compassion: Hashem urges the Egyptians to bring all their servants and cattle in doors in order to spare them from the imminent destruction. The Egyptians who had Yirat Shamayim heeded this commandment and lived.

It was this divine compassion that moved Pharaoh to repent for the first time: “This time I have sinned; The Lord is the Righteous One; and I and my people are the villains” (Shemot 9:27). Moshe then declares that he will leave the city and spread out his hands to the heavens, and then Ha’Kadosh Baruch Hu would stop the plague. The hail displays the supernatural feats that G-d can easily accomplish.

This plague conveys Hashem’s power over the universe. The Makkot were intended to demonstrate to Pharaoh and his people the unlimited power of Hashem. In modern times people have set themselves as rulers of the biophysical world. While in pursuit of mastery over technology and prosperity, many have lost their sense of recognition towards Hashem and his purpose.

Modern day “unnatural plagues” occur with great frequency around the globe. Of the many examples, the abundance of land degradation, pollution, and the depletion of freshwater are some of the most deleterious contemporary Makkot. Many argue that these plagues have been brought by G-d only as a punishment for not recognizing his ultimate power. For these environmental catastrophes, we lack divine warnings because of our diminished sense of spirituality.

Unlike the generations of the exodus, the Jewish nation does not enjoy divine protection from Hashem. The state of Israel is consistently in trouble, and we must do what is in our hands to save our homeland. Deeply entangled in modern industrial society, we are to blame for all the catastrophes happening around the world.

G-d’s display of power during the plague of hail was enough to bring about a temporary change in the heart of Pharaoh, but by that time his sins were too great for his repentance to save him. Let us pray that we will collectively heed the intensifying environmental warning signs and change our foreboding course in time to avoid history repeating itself.

If a person ate a meal at home but got up and walked to another house, or if he got up from his meal went to speak with another man at the entrance of his house, and then he returned to his meal, the following Halachot are to be adhered to.

Once he leaves the place where he was eating, he is required to remake the blessings that one must say before eating (for example, Ha’Motzi for bread). Then, he he may continue his meal and say the Birkat Ha’Mazon blessing afterwards. The Mishneh Berurah comments that this only applies when the person is eating alone. In a scenario where he is eating with others and leaves the table, all opinions agree that he does not have to remake the Brachot upon his return.

Also, even if the man left the house and returned immediately to eat, he still must remake the Brachot. The Mishneh Berurah also adds that he does not just have to leave to another house; even if he moves to another room he must recite the Brachot again unless he had in mind when he said the original Brachot that he would leave the room. Lastly, even if the person merely called you to the entrance of your house to speak a few words, it is still considered an interruption and requires new Brachot to be made.

Halachic IlluminationsFrom Rabbi Nachum Sauer

Compiled By Jesse Hyman