Shabbat
Portion Bo - the Animals?
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- קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
- פורסם בשישי, 22 ינואר 2021 13:29
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Portion Bo - the Animals?
Most commentators on this portion focus on Moses and his(verbal) wrestling with Pharoah-
(Recall Jacob wrestling with the angel?)
I am wrestling with how this portion gets us out of Egypt THEN-
And NOW!
Egypt in Hebrew means "restrictions"
And there are - all over -Lots of restrictions now because of coronavirus...
At the end of this week's portion we are induced to re-play "going out of Egypt " FOR OUR CHILDREN
Actually - Moses' argument in the BEGINNING of this portion is ALSO about
taking the CHILDREN out of Egypt to worship the L-rd.
Hey - he also argues for taking out the ANIMALS of the ISRAELITES! (sheep goats and cows...)
Let's focus on how the portion starts with ANIMALS and ends with ANIMALS
and starts with CHILDREN and ends with CHILDREN!
Everyone knows how Pharoah messed up BIGTIME - but nobody answers WHY!
In a nutshell (because it's also Shabbat soon) - the Almighty is signalling to Egypt:
You started this thing by ENSLAVING THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL (Jacob's family)
and by drowning the little ones - and worse - to the ones you could catch.
THE FROGS AND LICE AND WILD BEASTS were sent as a warning - but you didn't listen
EGYPT: listen NOW - MY children will FOREVER tell the story of your WANTON EGO (and EVIL)
and the creatures? - every dog and donkey will be remembered with a MITZVA;
for the parts even they played - as well as every sheep goat and cow
(not just the lions and the elephants)
And Egypt - you will be immortalized by CRUMBLING PYRAMIDS AND CRUMBLING MUMMIES!
While the children of Israel will usually be touted by the world at the Nobel Prize Awards
(Even Bob Dylan was awarded ...)
Shabat shalom -Health and Joy
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz