Vaeira – Page 9 – Peninim on the Torah

“Moreover, I have heard the groan of Bnei Yisrael whom Egypt enslaves.” (6:5)

A businessman once came to the Chasam Sofer to pour out his heart. Apparently, he was doing poorly in business and needed the blessing of a great man of the Chasam Sofer’s stature. The Chasam Sofer looked at the man and said, “V’gam ani shomati,” “Moreover, (also) I have heard that your brother is destitute with no source of income, and you have refused to help him.” The man looked back at the Chasam Sofer and replied, “But Rebbe, I just finished saying that I am not doing well myself. I have enough to worry about myself.” The Chasam Sofer…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vaeira, 5764

“I am Hashem. Speak to Pharaoh…everything that I speak to you.” (6:29)

Hashem instructed Moshe Rabbeinu to go to Pharaoh and demand that the Jewish People be released from bondage. If Pharaoh would not listen, Hashem would punish him and his nation severely. In order to understand Moshe Rabbeinu’s position fully vis-à-vis Pharaoh, we should consider their dialogue and the ensuing plagues in context. Imagine a family that was compelled to flee their country in response to a tyrannical king. Overnight, they escaped by train with whatever belongings they could gather. In the ensuing excitement and tumult, a small bassinet containing their infant fell off the train. Miraculously, a wealthy man…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vaeira, 5764

The sorcerers said to Pharaoh, “It is the finger of G-d.” (8:15)

Pharaoh’s magicians were finally stymied. They could not replicate this latest plague. It must be the “finger of G-d.” To paraphrase Targum Yonasan, “This does not emanate from the powers of Moshe and Aharon.” In other words, until this juncture, the magicians were able to duplicate the “miraculous” acts that “seemed” to be the result of Moshe’s and Aharon’s mystical powers. Consequently, they refused to believe that Hashem had sent them, that He was the source of these miracles. Now that they saw that this plague was beyond their magical ability, they conceded that there must be a Divine element…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vaeira, 5764

“Moshe said, “It is not proper to do so …behold if we were to slaughter the deity of Egypt in their sight, will they not stone us?” (8:22)

Pharaoh told Moshe to offer their sacrifices in Egypt. Why should they leave for the wilderness? Moshe responded that this was untenable. The Egyptians worshipped sheep, the very animal that the Jews sacrificed to Hashem. How could the Jews slaughter the Egyptian god in front of their eyes and not expect a violent reaction? This is enigmatic. If Pharaoh had issued a decree permitting the Jews to slaughter sheep in Egypt, then no one would dare to harm them. The king’s edict was law. Horav Yaakov Moshe Charlap z.l., explains that Moshe did not want to cause the Egyptians to…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vaeira, 5763

“Moreover, I have heard the groan of Bnei Yisrael whom Egypt enslaves.” (6:5)

A businessman once came to the Chasam Sofer to pour out his heart. Apparently, he was doing poorly in business and needed the blessing of a great man of the Chasam Sofer’s stature. The Chasam Sofer looked at the man and said, “V’gam ani shomati,” “Moreover, (also) I have heard that your brother is destitute with no source of income, and you have refused to help him.” The man looked back at the Chasam Sofer and replied, “But Rebbe, I just finished saying that I am not doing well myself. I have enough to worry about myself.” The Chasam Sofer…

Home -> 5763 -> Vaeira

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vaeira, 5763

“I am Hashem. Speak to Pharaoh…everything that I speak to you.” (6:29)

Hashem instructed Moshe Rabbeinu to go to Pharaoh and demand that the Jewish People be released from bondage. If Pharaoh would not listen, Hashem would punish him and his nation severely. In order to understand Moshe Rabbeinu’s position fully vis-à-vis Pharaoh, we should consider their dialogue and the ensuing plagues in context. Imagine a family that was compelled to flee their country in response to a tyrannical king. Overnight, they escaped by train with whatever belongings they could gather. In the ensuing excitement and tumult, a small bassinet containing their infant fell off the train. Miraculously, a wealthy man…

Home -> 5763 -> Vaeira

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vaeira, 5763

The sorcerers said to Pharaoh, “It is the finger of G-d.” (8:15)

Pharaoh’s magicians were finally stymied. They could not replicate this latest plague. It must be the “finger of G-d.” To paraphrase Targum Yonasan, “This does not emanate from the powers of Moshe and Aharon.” In other words, until this juncture, the magicians were able to duplicate the “miraculous” acts that “seemed” to be the result of Moshe’s and Aharon’s mystical powers. Consequently, they refused to believe that Hashem had sent them, that He was the source of these miracles. Now that they saw that this plague was beyond their magical ability, they conceded that there must be a Divine element…

Home -> 5763 -> Vaeira

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vaeira, 5763

“Moshe said, “It is not proper to do so …behold if we were to slaughter the deity of Egypt in their sight, will they not stone us?” (8:22)

Pharaoh told Moshe to offer their sacrifices in Egypt. Why should they leave for the wilderness? Moshe responded that this was untenable. The Egyptians worshipped sheep, the very animal that the Jews sacrificed to Hashem. How could the Jews slaughter the Egyptian god in front of their eyes and not expect a violent reaction? This is enigmatic. If Pharaoh had issued a decree permitting the Jews to slaughter sheep in Egypt, then no one would dare to harm them. The king’s edict was law. Horav Yaakov Moshe Charlap z.l., explains that Moshe did not want to cause the Egyptians to…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vaeira, 5762

“G-d spoke to Moshe…So Moshe spoke accordingly to Bnei Yisrael; but they did not heed Moshe, because of shortness of breath and hard work…Hashem spoke to Moshe and Aharon and commanded them regarding Bnei Yisrael.” (6:2,9,13)

Rashi explains that Hashem commanded Moshe Rabbeinu and Aharon to lead the people gently, to sustain them. We wonder how the events described in the text follow one another. First, Hashem gave an introduction regarding the Bris, Covenant, that He established with the Avos, Patriarchs, promising Eretz Yisrael to their descendants. Moshe related this news to Klal Yisrael, who did not listen to him because of the suffering they had endured under Pharaoh. Why, then, did Hashem command Moshe and Aharon to lead the People gently? What was to be gained from leading them gently, if Pharaoh continued to torture them?…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vaeira, 5762

“And they too – the magicians of Egypt – did so with their incantations.” (7:11)

Why did Hashem choose miracles and wonders that Pharaoh thought he could replicate? It started with the staff transforming into a serpent; next the river turned into blood; and then the earth issued forth frogs. In each case, Pharaoh’s magicians were able to create a similar ruse – sufficient reason for Pharaoh to think that he had little to fear. Why not give him a sign that he would remember, so that he would have no recourse but to listen to Moshe? This goes on throughout Hashem’s “dialogue” with Pharaoh. Even when Klal Yisrael left Egypt, Hashem left one idol, Baal…

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“Moreover, I have heard the groan of Bnei Yisrael whom Egypt enslaves.” (6:5)

“I am Hashem. Speak to Pharaoh…everything that I speak to you.” (6:29)

The sorcerers said to Pharaoh, “It is the finger of G-d.” (8:15)

“Moshe said, “It is not proper to do so …behold if we were to slaughter the deity of Egypt in their sight, will they not stone us?” (8:22)

“Moreover, I have heard the groan of Bnei Yisrael whom Egypt enslaves.” (6:5)

“I am Hashem. Speak to Pharaoh…everything that I speak to you.” (6:29)

The sorcerers said to Pharaoh, “It is the finger of G-d.” (8:15)

“Moshe said, “It is not proper to do so …behold if we were to slaughter the deity of Egypt in their sight, will they not stone us?” (8:22)

“G-d spoke to Moshe…So Moshe spoke accordingly to Bnei Yisrael; but they did not heed Moshe, because of shortness of breath and hard work…Hashem spoke to Moshe and Aharon and commanded them regarding Bnei Yisrael.” (6:2,9,13)

“And they too – the magicians of Egypt – did so with their incantations.” (7:11)

YEARS

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