YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Shmot
- Va'era
Classic question: For whom were these plagues/miracles done? Was it to bring Egypt to its knees, as punishment for the inhuman way they mistreated us during 117 years of slavery? Was it to show Paro who really is boss? Was it to strengthen & energize Bnei Yisrael after so many years of being downtrodden? All quite plausible & possible. But perhaps there is yet another idea behind these "wonders & signs."
The 7th plague – Hail – destroys the crops of Egypt. But the wheat & spelt are saved, as the pasuk says, "Ki Afilot Hayna." Rashi explains that these two species bloom later, & because they were soft & not yet standing, they survived the hail. But Rashi also brings a Medrash on the unusual word, "Afilot" & relates it to "Pele-miracle," saying that this aspect of the plague was indeed a "wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles!" (Apologies to Mottel Kamzoil).
Rav Moshe Feinstein is puzzled. Was the fact that the wheat & spelt were spared deserving of such extreme hyperbole, a "miracle of miracles?!" But Rav Moshe maintains that this was Hashem holding back His attribute of Justice,
refraining by Divine decision from exercising the full force of the Plague, and that is a momentous thing indeed. Perhaps He did this to offer Paro an "out" – i.e. Paro could say the plague was not 100% effective, and so remain
obstinate – perhaps it allowed the Egyptians to continue their oppression, so as to be brought completely down later on ("When the wicked grow as grass, it is so that they may be totally cut down in due time," says David HaMelech in Tehilim 92).
But I see another profound lesson at work here. We Jews live in a world where we are constantly under threat. Half the world directly attacks, assaults or condemns us, while the other half - with some notable exceptions, such as the USA - sits by & is deathly silent in the face of these obscenities. We ask: "Why doesn’t Hashem punish them? Why are they free to carry out their Barbaric, Despicable, Sickening (BDS) actions? Why does G-d hold Himself back from dispensing Justice?"
Well, perhaps Hashem hopes the world will do Teshuva. Perhaps He waits for the opportune moment to strike the evil-doers. Or perhaps He wants us to realize just how blessed we are, that our People – small in number but giant in stature – can withstand any & all forces arrayed against us, & still continue to thrive & flourish. Virtually the entire planet can harbor ill will towards us, & yet we go on & on, unstoppable. That may just be the greatest of all miracles, a true
"wonder of wonders" if ever there was one. The question is: Do we recognize the miracle in which we live?!
The Rediscovery of Tekhelet: A Century of Research Tekhelet and Life's Temptaions
The Rediscovery of Tekhelet: A Century of Research
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
The Land of Israel LGBT'S IN ISRAEL
The question was asked, how can one make Aliyah with the LGBT parades?
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
Ein Aya Muscle & Meaning: The Dual Nature of Gevurah (Physical Strength)
Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
Chukat "HOW ENTEBBE STOLE THE BICENTENNIAL
The Difference Between Historic & Eternal"
As we approach America's 250th birthday, it's worth remembering her 200th Bicentennial birthday, on Jul. 4th 1976, when Israel "stole the show" by shocking the world & miraculously saving 101 hostages in a foreign continent. As Pres. As Pres. Trump decides which countries get priority in his new Middle-East, it's worth reminding him of the difference between historic events and eternally historic ones. This obviously connects with this week's parsha, as well!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 6 - The Parable of the King of India
The advantages of testimony over circumstantial evidence or philosophical speculation.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 5- "Proofs of G-d"
This may be the most important class of the entire book, where we finally get to the Jewish proof of the existence of G-d and truth of the Torah. We should follow His own direction where He tells us how to get to Him: through the Nation of Israel: Jewish history, Jewish prophets (and today, prophecies fulfilled), and national reward & punishment towards Am Yisrael.
Ein Aya One Humanity, One Creator, One Jerusalem
Rav Kook innovatively and beautifully explains this aggadeta where our sages say that after Jerusalem was destroyed her cinnamon fragrance is only found locked in a particular kingdom's treasury.
