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Moshe Marcovich
In Vaeira, 5758

Whoever among the servants of Pharaoh feared Hashem, chased his servants and livestock into the houses. (9:20)

The Torah seems to distinguish between different types of Egyptians.  While the majority were obviously evil and supportive of Pharaoh’s diabolical plans to do with the Jews as he pleased, there were those who were “G-d-fearing”; they were “yarei es dvar Hashem,” “feared the word of Hashem.” Is that really true?  Were these Egyptians truly G-d-fearing, or was it a ruse to save themselves and their possessions from ruin?  Whatever happened to those animals that were rescued from death because of their owner’s “fear of the word of Hashem”?  Chazal tell us that the horses that belonged to those “select”…

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Home -> 5758 -> Vaeira

Moshe Marcovich
In Vaeira, 5758

And I shall harden Pharaoh’s heart…And Pharaoh will not listen to you…And I shall take out My legions, My People, the Bnei Yisrael, from the land of Egypt. (7:3,4)

Was it really necessary to harden Pharaoh’s heart?  Hashem could have simply “convinced” Pharaoh to let us go.  That would have been much simpler.  The Baalei Musar explain that even had Pharaoh one day released us from bondage, we would still remain indebted to him.  After all,  he would have  “liberated” us from servitude.  Now that Hashem has redeemed us, we have no debt of gratitude to anyone but Hashem.  Horav Chaim Friedlandler, zl supplements this idea.  Had Pharaoh acquiesced to Moshe’s demand that Bnei Yisrael be released from Egypt, we might be grateful in some manner to Pharaoh.  Hashem…

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Home -> 5758 -> Vaeira

Moshe Marcovich
In Vaeira, 5758

This was Aharon and Moshe to whom Hashem said: “Take the Bnei Yisrael out of Egypt…” They were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh….this was the Moshe and Aharon. (6:26,27)

Chazal note that in many places in the Torah, Aharon’s name precedes that of Moshe.  This implies that they were equally great men.  We must address the concept of equivalent  greatness between Moshe and Aharon.  Moshe was unequivocally greater in nevuah, prophecy, as well as in other areas.  Moshe was the select human being, the paragon of humanity, who was the unparalleled, quintessential leader of Bnei Yisrael.  How could Aharon be viewed as  equally  great?  Horav Moshe Feinstein, zl, posits that while, indeed, Aharon did not distinguish himself as much as Moshe, he did maximize his own potential.  Hashem assesses…

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Home -> 5758 -> Vaeira

Moshe Marcovich
In Vaeira, 5758

I shall take you out from under the burdens of Egypt; I shall rescue you from their service; I shall redeem you…I shall take you to Me for a People. (6:6,7)

Sforno takes a somewhat novel approach to explaining the four expressions of redemption which the Torah employs to describe the various stages of Yetzias Mitzrayim.  The four leshonos shel geulah as interpreted by Sforno are:  “h,tmuvu” “I will bring you out,” when the plagues begin the slavery will end; “h,kmvu”–“I will save you,” when you leave their borders; “h,ktdu”–“I will redeem you,” with the drowning of the Egyptians in the Red Sea.  After the death of your oppressors, you will no longer be slaves; “h,jeku”, “I will take you unto Me as a nation,” at Har Sinai with the giving…

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