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Friday, January 31, 2020
Friday, January 24, 2020
D'var for Vaera
Sorry I skipped last week, I had midterms and was really busy.
Anyway, in this week’s parsha, Vaera, God tells Moses to go before Pharaoh and tell him to let the Israelite slaves go free. Moses is unsure of himself at first, arguing that nobody will listen to him, as he has a speech impediment. God tells Moses that his brother will accompany him and speak for him. They go before Pharaoh and ask him to let the Israelites go free, but Pharaoh will not allow this. Moses and Aaron performed miracles before Pharaoh to show him God’s power, but Pharaoh's magicians were able to recreate the same thing, and Pharaoh’s heart remained hardened.
God instructed Moses to go to Pharaoh again, and say that if he does not let the Israelites free so that they can worship God in the wilderness, God will turn the water of the Nile River into blood. Pharoah refuses, so Moses holds his staff above the Nile and God turns its water into blood. But Pharaoh’s magicians are able to do the same, and Pharoah’s opinion is unchanged.
Seven days later, Moses goes before Pharaoh again, and pleads again to let the Israelites leave Egypt, this time with the threat that God will send a plague of frogs. Pharaoh says no, and the frogs appeared everywhere. But Pharaoh's magicians were able to conjure up frogs as well.
Eventually, Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and told them that if they removed the frogs, then he would let the Israelites go and worship God in the wilderness. So, God struck down all of the frogs, but after God did so, Pharaoh's heart was hardened again, and he would not let the Israelites go. This process repeats for the plagues of lice, cattle disease, wild beasts (or insects, depending on the translation,) boils, and fiery hail. However, the magicians are eventually unable to recreate the plagues. Regardless, Pharaoh does not let the people go.
Thursday, January 9, 2020
D'var for Vayigash
So it turns out I misread my calendar and wrote about this week’s parsha, Vayechi, last week. So this week, I will do last week’s portion, Vayigash.
In Vayigash, Joseph’s brothers return to Egypt and beg Joseph for food during the famine. This time, at Joseph’s request, they have brought Benjamin, the youngest son of the family and their father, Jacob’s new favorite. Judah, the oldest, had to convince his father to allow this by promising that no harm would come to Benjamin. For if Benjamin did not return, Jacob would die of sadness, as his former favorite (meaning Joseph) was presumed dead. Judah explains all this to Joseph, who cries. Joseph then reveals himself as their brother, and asks if their father was still alive. But, they are frightened of him, now that he is in a position of power, and can punish them for what they did to him. Joseph assured them that it was thanks to God that he is in this position, and all was meant for good, so he could save everyone from the famine. He tells them to go back to Jacob and to bring their households to Egypt, which they do. Jacob’s family settles in the land of Goshen in Egypt, where they multiplied.
In Vayigash, Joseph’s brothers return to Egypt and beg Joseph for food during the famine. This time, at Joseph’s request, they have brought Benjamin, the youngest son of the family and their father, Jacob’s new favorite. Judah, the oldest, had to convince his father to allow this by promising that no harm would come to Benjamin. For if Benjamin did not return, Jacob would die of sadness, as his former favorite (meaning Joseph) was presumed dead. Judah explains all this to Joseph, who cries. Joseph then reveals himself as their brother, and asks if their father was still alive. But, they are frightened of him, now that he is in a position of power, and can punish them for what they did to him. Joseph assured them that it was thanks to God that he is in this position, and all was meant for good, so he could save everyone from the famine. He tells them to go back to Jacob and to bring their households to Egypt, which they do. Jacob’s family settles in the land of Goshen in Egypt, where they multiplied.
Friday, January 3, 2020
D'var for Vayechi
I kind of took off the last couple weeks while on break. I skipped out on almost the entire Joseph story. Oh well… Anyway, here’s this week’s d’var:
In this week’s parsha, Vayechi, Jacob is on his deathbed. Joseph brings his sons, Ephraim and Menasheh, to see him, and Jacob blesses them. Then, Jacob gathers his sons around him and tells each of them of their future, some good, some bad. Jacob dies at 147 years old, after asking to be buried at the cave of Machpelah with his ancestors. Now that Jacob had died, Joseph’s brothers were worried that Joseph would punish them for the evil they had done to him. Joseph was sad when he heard this, and explained to them that even though they had evil intentions, God meant it for good, so that everyone could be saved. Joseph dies at 110 years old, and is buried in Egypt. This is the last parshah the end of the book of Genesis. Chazak, chazak, v’nitchazek!
In this week’s parsha, Vayechi, Jacob is on his deathbed. Joseph brings his sons, Ephraim and Menasheh, to see him, and Jacob blesses them. Then, Jacob gathers his sons around him and tells each of them of their future, some good, some bad. Jacob dies at 147 years old, after asking to be buried at the cave of Machpelah with his ancestors. Now that Jacob had died, Joseph’s brothers were worried that Joseph would punish them for the evil they had done to him. Joseph was sad when he heard this, and explained to them that even though they had evil intentions, God meant it for good, so that everyone could be saved. Joseph dies at 110 years old, and is buried in Egypt. This is the last parshah the end of the book of Genesis. Chazak, chazak, v’nitchazek!
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