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Parashat Bo

Exodus 10:1-13:16

In Parashat Bo we learn about the final three plagues with the culmination being the death of the firstborn. This is the final act of God that released the Children of Israel from the grip of Egyptian slavery. But right before this final plague is poured out, the Children of Israel are given instructions for the Passover Lamb and all that went with it. They were to take a male lamb without blemish on the tenth day of the month and keep it until the fourteenth day when they would slaughter it. They would then smear some of its blood upon the doorframes of their houses so that the firstborn of the Israelites would not face the same fate as that of the Egyptians.

Parashat Va'era (Exodus 6:2-9:35)

When it was time for the LORD to deliver the Children of Israel from Egypt, God poured out His judgments on Egypt to demonstrate His power and allow time for the Egyptians to repent. But before any of this took place, the LORD made multiple promises to the Children of Israel for what He was about to do:

Say therefore to the people of Israel, “I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.” (Exodus 6:6–7)

In this passage, Hashem reveals four specific things He will do for the Children of Israel:

• Release them from harsh labor (physical release)

Parsashat Shemot (Exodus 1:1-6:1)

This week’s Torah portion not only begins the book of Shemot (Exodus) but also the calling of Moses to his all-important task of delivering the Children of Israel from the hand of Pharaoh. We would think that since Moses was raised in Pharaoh’s royal house he would realize that he was the most qualified person to confront the King of Egypt and lead a group of slaves to their freedom. But when God confronted him at the burning bush, Moses replied with a lack of confidence, saying, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11). In other words, “What qualifies me to lead these people out from under Pharaoh’s hand?” Moses didn’t feel that he had the ability to accomplish what God had called him to do.

Shemot (Exodus 1:1-6:1)

This week’s Torah portion not only begins the book of Shemot, Exodus, but also the calling of Moses to his all-important task of delivering the Children of Israel from the hand of Pharaoh. We would think that since Moses was raised in Pharaoh’s royal house he would realize that he was the most qualified person to confront the King of Egypt and lead a group of slaves to their freedom. But when God confronted him at the burning bush, Moses replied with anything less than confidence, saying, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11). In other words, “What qualifies me to lead these people out from under Pharaoh’s hand?” Moses didn’t feel that he had the ability to accomplish what God had called him to do.

Parashat Vayechi (Genesis 47:28-50:26)

When Jacob was one hundred and forty-seven years old, he realized his life on this earth was coming to an end. He called Joseph to him and made him swear that, when Jacob departed from this life, Joseph would not bury his body in Egypt but take it back to Canaan and bury it there. Later, when Joseph understood the severity of his father’s illness, he brought his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, to his father so that he would bless them. Jacob tells Joseph:

And now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are. And the children that you fathered after them shall be yours. They shall be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance. (Genesis 48:5–6)

Parashat Vayigash (Genesis 44:18-47:27)

In this week’s Torah portion, we learn about the reunion of Joseph and his family. How appropriate for the name of the portion to be called Vayigash, which means, “and he came near.” After a long period of being apart from his family, Joseph was able to come near his family. Not only did Joseph reveal himself to his brothers after the long wait for his plan to succeed, but he was also reunited with his father who had given up hope of Joseph’s survival years beforehand.

After revealing himself to his brothers, he instructed them to go back and get their father and all of their possessions and move down to Egypt where he would provide for them. Once they got back home to their father, however, Jacob did not initially believe the news about Joseph:

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