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“He that feared the word of Hashem among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses.” (9:20)

In Moshe’s warning to Pharaoh preceding the plague of hail, he explicitly stated that any man or animal who remained outside during the hailstorm would surely perish. Nevertheless, the Torah clearly states that the only ones who went inside were those few individuals who were G-d fearing. In contrast to this select group, the majority of Egyptians disregarded Hashem’s word and left their slaves and animals outside. We must remember that this warning came after Hashem’s warning already had been confirmed through the six prior plagues. Each of these plagues were effected only after three weeks of warning and each…

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“And the river shall swarm (with) frogs which shall go up and enter your home… and into your ovens.” (7:28)

The second plague which Hashem brought against the Egyptians was frogs, which invaded the entire Egyptian community. No place was free of this menace, not even the heated ovens. The Talmud (Pesachim 53b) relates that Chananya, Mishael and Azaria, who entered the fiery furnace in defiance of Nevuchadnezar, had developed a kal v’achomer (a priori argument) from the frogs. If frogs who have no mitzvah to sanctify Hashem’s Name, nevertheless entered the fiery furnaces in order to glorify His Name, how much more so should we who are enjoined in the mitzvah of Kiddush Hashem be obligated to do so….

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“And Hashem spoke to Moshe and Aharon and commanded them to the Bnei Yisrael”. (6:13)

Chazal (Yerushalmi Rosh Hashana 3:5) explain that the special commandment at this time was the dictate concerning the laws of setting one’s slaves free. It seems peculiar that Hashem deemed it necessary to enjoin them with this specific mitzvah at this particular time. We may explain this in the following manner. At various times every individual experiences a moment of such import that it has the potential to transform one’s entire life. When such an experience takes place, it is necessary that he immediately immortalizes those fleeting moments and integrate them into his outlook on life. This concept does not…

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“And I will take you to Me for a nation.” (6:7)

With these two words “to Me for a nation”, Hashem expresses the destiny of Am Yisrael for the first time. He simultanously defines the unique quality of Judaism. People tend to classify Judaism under the category of religions in general. They are amazed to discover that so much within the dictates of Judaism lies outside the sphere of ordinary religions. “To Me, to be a nation”. This pasuk declares that Judaism has been founded by Hashem as a way of life and it cannot be described as a religion. The Jewish people are to be a nation unto Hashem. While…

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