Parshas Va'eira 5767

Commentary by Rabbi Ephraim Nisenbaum

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G-d instructed Moshe to inform the Children of Israel that he was ready to redeem them from bondage. Four different expressions of redemption are used in the passage, “I will take you out...I will save you...I will redeem you...and I will take you to me for a nation.” These four expressions represent four different stages of the redemption.

Because Pharaoh refused to heed Moshe and let the Jewish people go, ten plagues were brought upon the Egyptians. These accomplished two goals. First, they served as punishment for the Egyptians’ mistreatment of the nation. But they also served as an opportunity for the Jewish people to recognize G-d’s mastery over the world, and His constant involvement in nature.

Moshe warned Pharaoh that if he would not let the people go, all the water throughout Egypt would be turned into blood. The Nile River was actually considered to be one of the gods in Egypt, because of its importance in assisting agricultural growth. By first afflicting the Egyptian god, it proved G-d’s superiority over their idols. That which was considered a source of life had now become a source of death for the Egyptians. This was also the significance of the fourth plague, pestilence, which killed the Egyptian cattle, another god of the Egyptians.

In the second plague, frogs invaded every area of the Egyptians’ lives, including their ovens, beds, and even bodies. The third plague of lice covered the entire land of Egypt. The fourth plague of wild animals also ran wild throughout the entire Egypt. In the fifth plague all the Egyptian domestic animals died in a plague of pestilence. The sixth plague was an epidemic of boils that affected the Egyptians’ bodies. The final plague discussed in this week’s portion was a miraculous mixture of hail and fire that consumed most of the vegetation in Egypt.

Each of these plagues lasted for one week. Most of them were preceded by a warning to Pharaoh that if he would not let the people go, the plague would affect his country. Time and again, Pharaoh refused to be impressed by the miracles that Moshe and Ahron performed. He tried to counter their miracles by having his magicians do the same. After a while, though, he realized that his magicians could not duplicate G-d’s miracles. Yet, even when he saw that, he hardened his heart and would not let the people go. After Pharaoh had hardened his heart during the first five plagues, G-d Himself hardened Pharaoh’s heart in order that he receive his due punishment with the latter five plagues. As punishment for his excessive cruelty, the gift of free will was taken from him.

... (Pharaoh) turned and entered his house; he did not take this to heart... (Exod. 7:23)

Although many of the victories in the Arab-Israeli conflict were nothing short of miraculous, many people were still unimpressed.

People often claim that if they could experience a miracle of Biblical proportions, that would allow them to believe in G-d. Pharaoh’s disbelief despite the miraculous plagues disproves this claim.

The Chazon Ish points out an important principle regarding miracles. The greatest miracles will not change the mind of a person who does not believe, and that is not their purpose. The nonbeliever will always justify his disbelief by latching onto the most farfetched theories and ideas. Rather the purpose of miracles is to strengthen the faith of those who already believe.

Did You Know...

It is prohibited to eat the blood of any animal. For this reason, after slaughtering an animal, the meat must first be soaked in warm water. Afterwards it is salted on all sides with coarse salt, and the salt must remain for an hour. The meat is then rinsed thoroughly, and it may then be eaten.

Salting helps only if less than three days has elapsed since the slaughtering. After three days the blood congeals, and salting will no longer remove the blood. However, broiling the meat over a fire can still remove the blood.

The liver, which has a large accumulation of blood, must also be broiled on all sides, as there is too much blood to be removed merely by salting it. It should be somewhat salted, though, before broiling.