Va-Eira: He Appeared
In this Torah portion, G~d summoned Moses to demand that Pharaoh free the Israelites. Moses objected, claiming that his speech impediment would prevent him from being able to articulate this demand. G~d then appointed Aaron, Moses' brother, to be the spokesman. G~d further explained that Pharaoh's heart would harden and the Israelites would not be immediately released.
When Moses and Aaron appeared before Pharaoh, Aaron threw down his rod, which turned into a snake. Pharaoh was not impressed and has his magicians do the same. The next morning, Moses and Aaron went down to the Nile and turned the water into blood. Again, Pharaoh's magicians were able to do the same, so Pharaoh refused to heed Moses' demand to set free the Israelites.
After seven days, G~d told Moses to threaten Pharaoh with a plague of frogs. Aaron stretched out his arms and the land was covered with frogs. Pharaoh's magicians were able to do the same. This time, however, Pharaoh pleaded with Moses to removed the frogs, with the promise that once the frogs were gone, he would release the Israelites. Once the frogs all died, however, Pharaoh changed his mind and refused to let the Israelites leave.
Aaron then was able to summons up a plague of lice. This time, Pharaoh's magicians were not able to replicate this feat. Still Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go. Moses and Aaron summons a plague of locust, which devour the crops. Pharaoh agrees to release the Israelites if the plague of locust ceases. Once again, however, once the plague is gone, Pharaoh changes his mind. The following day, a plague of pestilence strikes and kills all the livestock of the Egyptians, while the livestock of the Israelites remains healthy. Still, Pharaoh refused to free the Israelites.
Aaron and Moses then threw handfuls of soot into the air, which caused a fine dust to cover the land creating boils on the skin of the Egyptians. Pharaoh still refused to release the Israelites. G~d then has Moses and Aaron release hail upon the land. The stubborn Pharaoh would still not free the Israelites.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
Friday, December 17, 2010
Va-Va'Chi / Genesis 47:28 ~ 50:26
Va-Va'Chi: He Lived.
This Torah portion transitions the stories of Genesis to the Exodus from Egypt. Jacob nears the end of his life and expresses his concern to be buried alongside his ancestors. Joseph takes his sons, Ephraim and Manassah who were born in Egypt, to Joseph. Jacob recognizes Jacob’s sons as his own and declares that they will share a portion of his (Jacob’s) allotment. Thus, Jacob lifted his grandsons to the same level of his genealogical list as his sonw.
Jacob then blessed Ephraim and Manassah, blessing Ephraim, the younger with his right hand and Manassah, the elder with his left hand. This seemed wrong to Joseph, and he tried to correct his father, saying that this would make the younger brother of greater importance. Jacob, however, refused to correct the order of precedence of his grandsons. This is a common motif in Genesis, where the younger supplants the elder.
Jacob blessed Ephraim and Manassah by saying: By you shall the people of Israel give their blessing, saying “May G~d make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.” This blessing is still used today by Jewish parents to their children.
Jacob then gathered all his sons together and gave each a personal blessing. In this blessing, Jacob set the future course for each son and foretells of the twelve tribes of Israel. The blessing has political overtones by giving some sons/tribes a brighter future than others. The blessing of Jacob also expresses his disappointment in some of his sons. The blessings of Reuben, Simeon and Levi, for instance, make it clear that they, although the oldest sons, do not have the prominent place in the family because Reuben slept with Jacob’s concubine and because Simeon and Levi lead the the senseless slaying of the people of Shechem. Judah received Jacob’s blessing to lead the family.
After Jacob’s death, Joseph received Pharaoh’s permission to bury Jacob in the Cave of Machpelah in Canaan, where Abraham and Isaac are buried. This is the burial plot that Abraham had purchased earlier following Sarah’s death. Joseph gathered the family together and they left Egypt for Canaan to bury Jacob, where they observed the traditional mourning period of seven days. After sitting Shiva, the family returned, to Egypt, as Joseph had promised Pharaoh.
Following Jacob’s death, the brothers feared that Joseph would take revenge on them for their treatment of him years earlier. He assured them that he had no such designs. He did ask, however, that following his death, he be brought out of the land of Egypt to be buried alongside his ancestor.
Joseph died at age 110 and was buried in a coffin, as was Egyptian tradition.
This Torah portion transitions the stories of Genesis to the Exodus from Egypt. Jacob nears the end of his life and expresses his concern to be buried alongside his ancestors. Joseph takes his sons, Ephraim and Manassah who were born in Egypt, to Joseph. Jacob recognizes Jacob’s sons as his own and declares that they will share a portion of his (Jacob’s) allotment. Thus, Jacob lifted his grandsons to the same level of his genealogical list as his sonw.
Jacob then blessed Ephraim and Manassah, blessing Ephraim, the younger with his right hand and Manassah, the elder with his left hand. This seemed wrong to Joseph, and he tried to correct his father, saying that this would make the younger brother of greater importance. Jacob, however, refused to correct the order of precedence of his grandsons. This is a common motif in Genesis, where the younger supplants the elder.
Jacob blessed Ephraim and Manassah by saying: By you shall the people of Israel give their blessing, saying “May G~d make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.” This blessing is still used today by Jewish parents to their children.
Jacob then gathered all his sons together and gave each a personal blessing. In this blessing, Jacob set the future course for each son and foretells of the twelve tribes of Israel. The blessing has political overtones by giving some sons/tribes a brighter future than others. The blessing of Jacob also expresses his disappointment in some of his sons. The blessings of Reuben, Simeon and Levi, for instance, make it clear that they, although the oldest sons, do not have the prominent place in the family because Reuben slept with Jacob’s concubine and because Simeon and Levi lead the the senseless slaying of the people of Shechem. Judah received Jacob’s blessing to lead the family.
After Jacob’s death, Joseph received Pharaoh’s permission to bury Jacob in the Cave of Machpelah in Canaan, where Abraham and Isaac are buried. This is the burial plot that Abraham had purchased earlier following Sarah’s death. Joseph gathered the family together and they left Egypt for Canaan to bury Jacob, where they observed the traditional mourning period of seven days. After sitting Shiva, the family returned, to Egypt, as Joseph had promised Pharaoh.
Following Jacob’s death, the brothers feared that Joseph would take revenge on them for their treatment of him years earlier. He assured them that he had no such designs. He did ask, however, that following his death, he be brought out of the land of Egypt to be buried alongside his ancestor.
Joseph died at age 110 and was buried in a coffin, as was Egyptian tradition.
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