( Exodus 10:1-13:16)

(Haftara:  Jeremiah 46:13-28)

1.  [10:3]  “…this is what the Lord, God of the Hebrews said…”   The first pasuk in this parsha, tells us that part of God’s plan was to make Himself known to the Egyptians and to the rest if the world.  If so, shouldn’t Moshe and Aharon have called God “the God of the whole world”? Why is He called the “God of the Hebrews”?

2. [10:12, 13]  “And God said to Moshe, ‘Stretch out your hand’…”  “…And Moshe raised his staff on the land of Egypt…”  God told Moshe to extend his hand, but Moshe raised his staff. Why didn’t Moshe just stretch his hand and  why does the staff  have such an important role in the plagues and afterwards?

3. [10:19] “And God brought a very strong west wind which removed the locusts…”  The plagues are obvious miracles. Why does God sometimes use natural means to bring them or remove them? They should also be removed through miracles.

4. [12:11] “…and you shall eat it in haste..”  “Haste” or “energy” is a value in a Torah way of life. But being quiet and at ease is also a value [Jeremiah 46:27].  Does being hasty and energetic contradict the notion of being relaxed and at ease?

5. [Jeremiah 46:26]…and afterwards, it will be inhabited as in the old days…”  Other nations will be destroyed, but Egypt will be restored. In spite of all the suffering that Egypt brought on the Israelites, Egypt will be restored. What merit does Egypt have to be dealt with more positively than the other nations?

Commentary

The general idea of striving for equality, which is the basis of kindness and the pure love of people…is shown in the great vision of transforming everything to full and absolute holiness, in a gradual increase of love, peace, justice, truth and compassion.

–R. Avraham Y. H. Kuk, 1865-1935, Lithuania and Israel.

This study page is dedicated to the memory of Gad Eliahu ben David and Kochava–Eli Zucker

And to the memory of Sarah Beila Kummer bat Yitzchak and Chana, Chaim Yosef Yechiel ben Eliyahu Kummer and Eliyahu and Margaret Kummer