Parshas Va'eira 5765

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. The third plague of lice afflicted covered the entire land of Egypt. The fourth plague of wild animals also invaded 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.

... the frog rose and covered the land of Egypt... (Exod. 8:2)

The Midrash relates that initially only one frog appeared, but as the Egyptians continued to beat it, it multiplied into swarms of frogs. When Rav Mordchai Gimpel Yaffa was appointed rabbi in Ruzhnai, his Rebbe, Rav Itzele Volozhiner, offered him sound advice. "As the leader, don't spend your time fighting the troublemakers in your community. We see in Egypt when the Egyptians tried to fight the single frog, it only made matters worse for them. Rather, spend your time productively, strengthening the community in their faith and protecting them from the negative influences."

Did You Know...

Kiddush must be recited on a cup that holds at least a revi'is (between 3.3 and 4.4 fluid ozs.) of wine or grape juice. Although only a majority of that amount must be drunk, the cup should be filled to the top, even if it contains more than a revi'is. At the Pesach seder a person must drink the majority of the cup regardless of its size. If other beverages such as liquor, are used, some opinions still require the cup to contain a revi'is, while others hold that a smaller cup, like a shot glass, is sufficient, since that is the normal way liquor is drunk. At Havdalla, after Shabbos, it is customary to fill the cup of wine until it overflows, as a sign of overflowing success.