Parshas Bo 5765

The last three plagues that were visited upon the Egyptians were locusts, darkness, and the Plague of the Firstborn. The locust devoured all remaining vegetation from the earlier hail. The darkness was actually divided in two parts.

The first three days were pitch black, and nothing whatsoever could be seen. The latter three days of the plague the darkness was so thick that the Egyptians were frozen in their positions. The darkness did not affect the Jews, though. They were able to see where the Egyptians had hidden all of their treasures; yet nothing was taken. Although the Jews may have had legitimate claims against the Egyptians, they took nothing. Before leaving Egypt the people were ordered to ask the Egyptians to give them their valuables; miraculously, they complied willingly.

In the final plague, every Egyptian firstborn died exactly at midnight. As the plague began to take its toll, Pharaoh feared for his own life, for he too was a firstborn. He ran through the streets looking for Moshe, pleading that he leave Egypt with the nation.

Shortly before the last plague, the nation was given the mitzvah of the Jewish calendar. The month of Nissan was to be the "beginning of the months". Because this month marked the birth of the Jewish nation, it would also mark the beginning of the months of the year. Although Rosh Hashana marks the anniversary of Creation, and thus the beginning of the year, Nissan, the month of the Exodus, is called the first month.

The people were also given the mitzvah of the Pesach offering. They were instructed to take a lamb--the Egyptian deity--and slaughter it before the eyes of the Egyptians. This took a tremendous amount of courage and trust in G-d. The blood of the sacrifice was smeared on the doorposts of every Jewish home to protect them from the plague. Although G-d, of course, needed no reminders of who was Jewish and who was not, the blood served as witness to the courage of the Jews and in this merit they were saved.

The Pesach offering had to be eaten with certain stipulations. The people had to arrange groups to eat the offering before it could be slaughtered. Once the animal was slaughtered nobody else was allowed to join in the eating. The sacrifice also had to be eaten roasted and not cooked. None of the bones were allowed to be broken during the course of the eating.

The portion ends with some of the other mitzvos which were meant as reminders of the Exodus. The firstborn son has a special sanctity about him, and must be redeemed by the Kohain. The firstborn sheep and cow also had a special sanctity and had to be given to the Kohain. Tefillin are worn on a man's arm and head to recall G-d's taking out the Jewish people with an "outstretched arm."

You should guard the matzos... (Exod. 12:17)

There is a mitzvah to be especially careful to bake the matzos for Pesach properly. Many great rabbis were meticulous in this area--but they kept things in perspective. Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld was once supervising a matzah bakery when a colleague suggested he reprimand one of the bakers who was slacking off. The Rav responded, "Just because I want special matzos doesn't justify getting angry at someone."

Rav Moshe Feinstein baked matzos at a certain bakery for many years. One year a new bakery opened, where additional stringencies were adhered to. A friend tried to convince Reb Moshe to try the new, better bakery, but Reb Moshe refused, concerned that his changing might affect the first bakery's livelihood.

Did You Know...

Although Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) is only a minor holiday and work is permitted, it is proper to have a festive meal, or at least some special food. Some have the custom not to take a haircut or cut their nails on Rosh Chodesh. It is also customary for women not to engage in certain activities on Rosh Chodesh, such as laundry, sewing, and ironing. Other activities such as cooking are permitted. This was meant as a reward for the women who did not take part in the sin of the Golden Calf. If a woman works as a seamstress and there is concern she might lose her job, she may sew on Rosh Chodesh.