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Home -> 5778 -> Beshalach

וישאו בני ישראל את עיניהם והנה מצרים נסע אחריהם

Roberto Szerer
In Beshalach, 5778

Bnei Yisrael raised their eyes and behold! – Egypt was journeying after them. (14:10)

Klal Yisrael saw the united Egyptian Army coming after them. The word nosea, traveling, is written in the singular, rather than in the plural form, nosim. Rashi explains that the Egyptians came after the Jews b’lev echad k’ish echad, “with one heart, like one person.” In a similar exposition in Parshas Yisro, Rashi comments concerning Klal Yisrael’s coming to Har Sinai. Vayichan sham Yisrael, “and Yisrael camped there” (Shemos 9:2). Vayichan is singular, as opposed to vayachanu, which would be the proper plural conjugation form. Rashi expounds, k’ish echad b’lev echad, as one person with one heart. Notably, concerning Klal…

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Home -> 5778 -> Beshalach

וחמשים עלו בני ישראל מארץ מצרים

Roberto Szerer
In Beshalach, 5778

And Bnei Yisrael went out from the land of Egypt, (well) armed. (13:19)

What benefit did the Jewish slaves – now turned free men – have from the weapons which they brought with them from Egypt? The commentators interpret chamushim as armed. This then provides proof positive that when Bnei Yisrael battled Amalek they had weapons to use against the enemy. Having weapons and knowing how to use them are quite different matters. Perhaps by the time Amalek attacked them, they had already trained somewhat in weaponry and battle. What would men who knew nothing but slavery for 210 years do with weapons? Why did they take something with them that they did…

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Home -> 5778 -> Beshalach

ויהי בשלח פרעה את העם

Roberto Szerer
In Beshalach, 5778

It happened when Pharaoh sent out the people. (13:17)

Finally, after 210 years of brutal slavery, the Jewish People were free! The Exodus is among the most seminal experiences of our collective Jewish history. Every year we devote an entire festival to commemorating our freedom, our liberation from servitude. Zeicher l’yetzias Mitzrayim, “In remembrance of the exodus from Egypt” is a critical part of many tefillos, prayers. It has been over three thousand years since that auspicious moment of mass exodus from a tyrannical monarchy bent on destroying our people – and we still commemorate that moment. We must, however, sit back for a moment and ask ourselves: Have…

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Home -> 5778 -> Vaeira

קע בשופר גדול לחרותנו

Roberto Szerer
In Vaeira, 5778

Teka b’shofar gadol l’cheiruseinu. Sound the great shofar for our freedom.

In referencing the return of the exiles to our Holy Land, we underscore that our homeland has maintained its overwhelming loyalty to us. When we were gone from the Land and it was overrun with our conquerors, the Land did not produce for our enemies. Eretz Yisrael is in mourning over the loss of its children. It is only when we will return, with the advent of the Final Redemption, that the blessings which relate to Eretz Yisrael’s fertility and sustenance-giving nature will be fulfilled. Thus, we petition Hashem thrice daily that He return His children to His Land. This…

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Home -> 5778 -> Vaeira

ואלעזר בן אהרן לקח לו מבנות פוטיאל לו לאשה ותלד לו את פנחס

Roberto Szerer
In Vaeira, 5778

Elazar, a son of Aharon, took for himself from the daughters of Putiel as a wife, and she bore to him Pinchas. (6:25)

Rashi comments that the name Putiel refers to two ancestors of the wife of Elazar: Yisro and Yosef. Putiel was a name given to Yisro, because he fattened calves for idol worship. (Putiel is a contraction of Putim, fatten, and l’Kail, to G-d, for idol-worship – not Hashem.) Yosef HaTzaddik is also called Putiel (Putiel being derived from pitpet b’yitzro), because he disparaged or toyed with his yetzer hora.). This was not Yisro’s only other name. He had seven names. Why is it that with regard to Elazar’s wife, mother of Pinchas, the name of Yisro which is used is…

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Home -> 5778 -> Vaeira

ואלה שמות בני לוי לתלדתם גרשון וקהת ומררי

Roberto Szerer
In Vaeira, 5778

These were the sons of Levi in order of their birth: Gershon, Kehas and Merari. (6:16)

Shevet Levi was the one tribe that was excluded from the Egyptian bondage. They studied Torah all day, while their brethren slaved for Pharaoh. One should not think for a moment that they had it “easy,” since they did not work. Pharaoh was no fool. He knew that, as long as a segment of the Jewish People maintained its bond with the Torah, the nation would survive. In order to break Levi’s bond with the Torah, Pharaoh decreed that only those who worked were entitled to food: no work; no food. He thought that he could starve the Leviim into breaking…

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Home -> 5778 -> Vaeira

וידבר ד' אל משה ואל אהרן ויצום אל בני ישראל ואל פרעה מלך מצרים להוציא את בני ישראל מארץ מצרים

Roberto Szerer
In Vaeira, 5778

Hashem spoke to Moshe and Aharon and commanded them regarding Bnei Yisrael and regarding Pharaoh, king of Egypt, to take Bnei Yisrael out of Egypt. (6:13)

Easier said than done. Hashem commanded Moshe and Aharon to take the Jews out of Egyptian bondage. Two problems surfaced: Pharaoh has to agree, and the Jews have to want to — and believe that they actually can — leave. Moshe Rabbeinu had earlier voiced his concerns, but Hashem told him not to worry. The Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh explains how this played out. Hashem told Moshe, “I have appointed you to be their ruler.” That is wonderful. Who says that the nation that had been enslaved body and soul, for 210 years, was prepared to accept Moshe’s leadership? How did…

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Home -> Shemos -> 5778

ברך עלינו... את השנה הזאת... ושבענו מטוביך

Roberto Szerer
In 5778, Shemos

– Bareich aleinu ues ha’shanah ha’zos. V’sabeinu mituvecha. Bless upon… this year… and satisfy us from Your bounty.

Two lessons may be derived from this brachah: the positioning of it in the sequence of Bircas Shemoneh Esrai; and its content. First, as the ninth brachah, it follows immediately after Bircas Refaeinu, the blessing for healing. We derive from here that good health – physical and emotional – takes precedence over a living. In other words, one should not place his concern about the means he employs for earning a living over his health. If earning a living takes its toll on his health, it is not a “living.” Indeed, it is the opposite. Second, the brachah addresses the…

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Home -> Shemos -> 5778

ויגדל משה ויצא אל אחיו וירא בסבלתם

Roberto Szerer
In 5778, Shemos

Moshe grew up and went out to his brethren and observed their burdens. (2:11)

Moshe Rabbeinu grew up. What was his act of “growing up”? How did he manifest his maturity? He went out to his brethren and observed their burdens. In other words, Moshe’s act of maturation was his identification with his people. How did he identify with them? He did not just wear a “yellow star” as an armband; he intended to see their suffering and grieve with them. It is easy to identify with the Jewish People when they are riding high. What about when they are bent over, suffering from back-breaking labor, ridiculed for being different, disdained and debased as…

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Home -> Shemos -> 5778

ויצו פרעה לכל עמו לאמר כל הבן הילוד היארה תשליכהו וכל הבת תחיון

Roberto Szerer
In 5778, Shemos

Pharaoh commanded his entire people, saying, “Every son that will be born – into the river you shall throw him! And every daughter shall you keep alive.” (1:22)

While Pharaoh had originally issued an edict for the Jewish midwives to kill the male Jewish babies and allow the females to live, he now wanted all of the boys – even Egyptians – drowned. This decree was the result of Pharaoh’s astrologers pinpointing the day that the Jewish savior would be born. They also foretold that his downfall would come through water. Thus, Pharaoh had all of the male children born on that day put to death through water. How small-minded they all were in thinking they could foil Hashem’s plan. Moshe Rabbeinu was raised in Pharaoh’s palace by none…

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