Bo – Peninim on the Torah

“And it shall be when your son shall ask you at some future time, ‘What is this?’” (13:14)

In the Haggadah, this question is attributed to the ben tam, simple son. How does the author of the Haggadah know this? Indeed, who says this question is the result of a curious, sincere and innocent mind; perhaps he is asking this mockingly, in an attempt to ridicule the mitzvos. Interestingly, regarding the simple son, the Torah says, “And it shall be when your son shall ask you at some future time,” while regarding the ben rasha, wicked son, the Torah says, “And it shall be when your children say to you, What is this service to you?” (12:26). It…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bo, 5761

“Pharaoh rose up at midnight.” (12:30)

After Moshe notified Pharaoh of the impending death of the firstborn Egyptians, the Torah states that “Pharaoh rose up at midnight.” From where did he rise? Rashi responds, “From his bed.” Anyone who had been following the narrative knows that Pharaoh’s time was up. Everything that Moshe had said would occur had been realized. Nine devastating plagues had come and gone. What more did Pharaoh need to make him face the reality that Egypt was doomed? He was being told about the tenth and most devastating plague – makas bechoros, death of the firstborn. What did he do the night…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bo, 5761

You shall say, “It is a Pesach feast-offering to Hashem, Who skipped over the houses of Bnei Yisrael in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but He saved our households.” (12:27)

Imagine, person A testifies that person B attempted to kill him. Person B is found guilty and placed in jail. Afterwards, person A makes a festive feast thanking the Almighty that he was not also incarcerated. Anyone privy to this case would certainly raise his eyebrows and wonder if person A is sane. Is that not, however, what the pasuk relates to us? The Egyptians sinned against the Jews. Hashem found them guilty and punished them severely. The Jews were offering their gratitude to Hashem for not also killing them! Why? It is the Egyptian who was the aggressor,…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bo, 5761

“There was a thick darkness throughout the land of Egypt for a three-day period.” (10:22)

Rashi asks a question regarding makas choshech, the plague of darkness, which he does not ask concerning any of the other plagues: Why did Hashem specifically bring about the plague of darkness? He answers that there were Jews in Egypt who refused to leave. They would rather choose to live with the slavery, suffering and persecution that Egypt had to offer than risk possible death in the wilderness. During these three days of darkness these Jews died and were buried by their brethren. Resigned to remaining in the position in which they were before the plague began because of the…

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“And it shall be when your son shall ask you at some future time, ‘What is this?’” (13:14)

“Pharaoh rose up at midnight.” (12:30)

You shall say, “It is a Pesach feast-offering to Hashem, Who skipped over the houses of Bnei Yisrael in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but He saved our households.” (12:27)

“There was a thick darkness throughout the land of Egypt for a three-day period.” (10:22)

YEARS

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