Moshe is seventy-nine years old at this point in time (will be 80 on 7th of Adar) and Aaron is eighty-three years old; According to Miriam’s prophecy, Moshe will be eighty years old when he will lead Bnei-Yisrael out of Egypt and into freedom. HaShem reaffirmed to Moshe that He is HaShem who revealed Himself to our forefathers with another name. The name “El-Shadai” (“אל-שדי“) but He did not become known to them with His true name “Adonai” (“אדוני”). HaShem said that He fulfilled all that He promised with this specific name, but with His other name Y.H.V.H. (“י.ה.ו.ה”) He will do much more for Bnei-Yisrael. This is a moment of rebuke to Moshe, since he asked HaShem “why did you make Bnei-Yisrael’s life worst…” adding that ”Bnei-Yisrael did not want to listen to him”. Moshe was worried that Pharaoh would not listen to him as well. Moshe asked this question in order to get closer to HaShem and to “know” Him as we are commanded to do from the verse “דע לפני מי אתה עומד”. Moshe’s belief in HaShem was based on intellect but HaShem wanted him (and Bnei-Yisrael) to believe in Him, both on the intellectual level as well as the emotional level as its is written “וידעתם כי אני אדוני” (kings 1:20).
The Torah writes that HaShem spoke to Moshe first using the name “Elohim” (“אֱלֹהִים”) and then the name “Adoni” “יְהוָה” (Y.H.V.H), Why? Our Sages taught us that HaShem used only one name with our forefathers, because they never questioned His orders. Moshe on the other-hand did question HaShem. He often asked and challenged HaShem’s orders as we’ll see throughout the four books (Moshe’s life). Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov passed all the tests HaShem put before them, from Akeidat Yitzchak, through Lavan, Eisav, Yosef and the exile in Egypt. Moshe cared for Bnei-Yisrael so deeply that he wanted them to truly know HaShem and fulfill all the Mitzvot. He asked HaShem about many things that could affect Bnei-Yisrael in the future. Our Sages explain that when HaShem uses the name Elohim, it reflects the Midah (character) of Chesed (mercy); and when HaShem uses the name “Adoni” it reflects the Midah (character) of Din (judgment).
The Zohar says that Moshe saw and understood all the sins and punishments in the Torah, such as Adam, Eve, Kayin, Avshalom and many others. He knew that Adam was exiled out of Gan Eden, and his stature was reduced both physically and spiritually. Moshe also understood that Adam deserved the punishment since he was warned upfront (Beresheet 2:17) that “of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it; for on the day that you eat from it you shall surely die” (“בְּיוֹם אֲכָלְךָ מִמֶּנּוּ–מוֹת תָּמוּת”). There are various opinions as to what the “tree of the knowledge” was; according to most Sages, it was grapes (wine), but others think it was fig wheat, apple etc. Moshe questioned HaShem because he did not understand why Adam and Chava were punished, since they did not really sin but fail to follow an order. Moshe challenged HaShem asking “why were Bnei-Yisrael being punished even more“ (“למה הרעות לעם הזה”)? Upon this “challenge” HaShem revealed His other names which carry larger amounts of love mercy, and the Shechina (holiness) reserved only for Bnei-Yisrael.
The Gaon Chida (Rabbi Haim David Azulai) said that HaShem was very upset with Moshe’s question; he was punished.The word (“אֱלֹהִים”) Elohim has a secret to Moshe, as the acronym stands for:
“א” (“Alef”) stands for “Amarta” (“אמרת“ – you said)
“ל“ (“Lamed”) – stands for “Lama” (“למה”- why)
“ה “ (“Hei” ) stands for “Har’eota” (“הרעות להם“ – You made them suffer)
“י “ (“Yud”) stands for “Yehoshua” (“יהושע“ – Joshua)
“ם “ (“Mem”) stands for “Machnisam” (“מכניסם“ – Will enter them to the land of Israel)
Moshe understood that when HaShem loves us, He places His “Panim” “פנים” (face) upon us, as it is written in the second Kohanim’s Blessings (Mamidbar 6:25), “HaShem will make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you” (“יָאֵר יְהוָה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ, וִיחֻנֶּךָּ”). Moshe knew that HaShem can “hide His face” (in the future) and he wanted HaShem to always love His children and from day one he ensured HaShem’s love to Bnei-Yisrael. The Zohar teaches us that Moshe was at a much higher level of Kedushah (holiness) than our three forefathers and that he saw HaShem (face to face) at the burning bush, while they only heard HaShem. He was a righteous man who was willing to risk everything for the sake of Bnei-Yisrael. In the last Parasha (verse 2:11-12) Moshe spoke to HaShem using the name “Adonai” and not” El-Shadai” because he was complaining on behalf of Bnei-Yisrael. HaShem explained that He always does what is best for Bnei-Yisrael (“הכל לטובה”, regardless of their sins. HaShem always gives us a way to repent and do Teshuvah, as we pray on Yom Kippur and reaffirming our belief that “Adonai is the Elohim” (“יהוה הוא האלוהים”).
While speaking of redemption from Egypt, HaShem uses four verbs (even though there were five) to describe the actions taken in the process of the redemption of Bnei-Yisrael from Egypt:
- “וְהוֹצֵאתִי” – I shall take them out from their sufferings
- “וְהִצַּלְתִּי” – I will take save them from their hard work
- “וְגָאַלְתִּי” – I shall redeem them with miracles
- “וְלָקַחְתִּי” – I will take them to be my people
Moshe again used the excuse of having a speech impediment; the question is why? We already know that Moshe mentioned this in the last Parasha in order to tell HaShem that he no longer speaks the language of the Egyptian Pharaoh’s. Moshe said that he had been out of Egypt for almost forty years and forgot the native language. Since it is customary to speak to a head of a nation in the language of that nation, he mentioned that “difficulty” to HaShem. HaShem told Moshe that he is the master of Pharaoh and not the opposite, and His is the Holy language unlike the Egyptian language. HaShem asked Moshe not to be concerned with Pharaoh not understanding you as Aaron will interpret your words. Moshe should have understood such an advantage, since Yosef knew one more language than Pharaoh knew, the Hebrew language. In verse 7:1 HaShem told Moshe that his brother will also be his prophet. The numeric value of the word prophet (“Nevieacha” – “נביאך”) is 83, same as Aaron’s age at the time.
HaShem considered Moshe and Aaron as equals and gave them each a special task. We learn from the verse (6:13) “And HaShem spoke unto Moshe and unto Aaron” (“וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה וְאֶל-אַהֲרֹן”), that He spoke to them equally. The word “El” (HaShem) is placed in both Moshe and Aaron’s names. It is very interesting to see that this equal love for Aaron and Moshe is placed in this verse only and nowhere else in the Torah. The numerical value of the words “Moshe and Aharon” (“משה ואהרון”) is 613, alluding to the תרי”ג Mitzvot”, the 613 Mitzvot we are obligated to keep. There are many words in the Torah that have the numerical value of 613; for example: “I created” (“בראתי “), “I lived” (“גרתי”), “Moshe Rabbenu” (“משה רבינו”), “in his might” (“בגברתו”), “in His Divine” (“באדרתו”), “in the Torah” (“בתורה”), “and the light” (“את האור”), to name a few.
This Parasha contains seven plagues, three of which will be performed by Aaron and not Moshe, since Moshe benefited from their location and was showing gratitude; for example the Nile, where Moshe was placed and was found by Batya, the daughter of Pharaoh. The word Nile (“נלוס” – “Nilos”) has two words in it, Lo (“לו”) and Nes (“נס”), as Moshe had a miracle in the Nile. Everything that Hashem created has a Divine purpose and we must always treat them with respect, just as Moshe did. Throughout The written Torah and the oral Torah we learn of many miracles performed by objects and animals which are all of HaShem Divine creation. Moshe’s staff (“מטה”) was engraved with the initials of the ten plagues to be brought upon Egypt and Pharaoh. We know that HaShem promised Avraham that the people that enslaved his offspring would be judged (Beresheet 15:14). The word “judged” in Hebrew is “Dan” (“דן”); it has the same numerical value of 54 as the numerical value of the word “Mate” (“מטה”). HaShem provided this judgment as a “Midah KeNeged Midah” (“מידה כנגד מידה”), measure for measure, and Moshe will use the staff to punish Egypt and Pharaoh.
HaShem again told Moshe that He will “harden” Pharaoh’s heart in order to first perform miracles for Bnei-Yisrael and to have the Egyptians witness it all. Our Sages say that HaShem chose to make all the miracles in Egypt and not in any other place in the world because the Egyptian magicians were the most powerful magicians in the world, and HaShem’s “magic” is lots more powerful than theirs. Due to these miracles, the Egyptian magicians gave up and accepted HaShem. Pharaoh asked of his magicians, “Have you ever heard of their god?” And the magicians answered, “We have heard of Him; He is the king of olden times”. Moshe and Aaron went back to Pharaoh and delivered HaShem’s message. HaShem ordered Moshe and Aaron that when they appear before Pharaoh to conduct and prove themselves as emissaries of a much higher power and provide miracles greater than those of the Egyptian magicians. The name Aaron will be changed in the future to Aharon.
The word “מרים” Miriam has a divine code alluding to Moshe and redemption:
- The two letter “Mem – מ-ם” in numerical value are 80 alluding Miriam’s prophecy that Moshe will be 80 years old when he’ll take Beni-Yisrael out of Egypt.
- The two letters “Rim – “רי“ in numerical value are 210 referring to the 210 years of slavery in Egypt.
The Torah wrote (verse 7:9) “Give to yourselves a miracle” (“תְּנוּ לָכֶם מוֹפֵת”), meaning show a wonder (miracles) for you. Came to teach us that HaShem gives Bnei-Yisrael these miracles as proof that His miracles are much greater than the Egyptian magicians’. Pharaoh and the Egyptian magicians were known throughout the world for their magic and sorcery and HaShem changed all that with Moshe and Aaron. Aaron threw the staff and it became a snake; “Tannin” (“תנין”) in the words of the Torah, which today means a crocodile, but it was a snake, to teach us of the curses that were about to descend upon Pharaoh. When the Torah writes the word “Tannin” (“תנין”) it means all kinds of reptiles and some times dinosaurs. The Midrash tells us that the use of a staff by holy people who suffered under a wicked king like Pharaoh could become as wicked as he was. It is also possible for the opposite to occur, as one staff of wickedness can repent and become a use of goodness (as Moshe did) while being in front of Moshe and Aaron. The snake is the root of all evil as we saw with Adam and Eve event, but Moshe and Aaron changed it to their advantage. The numerical value of the word “נחש” “Nachash” (snake) is 358, same as the numerical value of the word “Mashiach”, eluding to the fact that Mashiach will come from King David (Lot the ancestor of Ruth).The snake is the only animal that can kill and cure from its own venom, meaning that Teshuvah can come out of evil.
Pharaoh ordered his magicians to do the same and their staffs became snakes, but Aaron’s staff (not the snake) devoured the Egyptian staffs and swallowed them all. As its written in verse 7:12 “וַיַּשְׁלִיכוּ אִישׁ מַטֵּהוּ, וַיִּהְיוּ לְתַנִּינִם; וַיִּבְלַע מַטֵּה-אַהֲרֹן, אֶת-מַטֹּתָם”. The Egyptian magicians feared this sight as it was “above nature” (for a staff to eat a snake) but Pharaoh’s heart hardened and he refused to obey HaShem’s orders, just as HaShem promised Moshe. Moshe and Aaron went back to HaShem, and told HaShem that Pharaoh’s heart is “heavy”; “כָּבֵד לֵב פַּרְעֹה”. The word heavy in Hebrew is “Kaved” (“כבד“) which can also mean liver; alluding to that the more you cook it the harder it gets. Also, the liver is the heaviest part in our body relative to its size and mass. HaShem hardened Pharaoh’s heart in order to punish him measure for measure.
We are about to encounter the first seven plagues (out of ten) that brought upon Pharaoh’s nation due to his and their sins against Beni-Yisrael and the Ten Commandments.
The Zohar says that the Egyptian magicians were none others then Bilaam’s children “Yunus and Yumbros“ (“יונוס ויומברוס”) they were the greatest magicians and sorcerers in Egypt, known to make magic in both female and male forms. We learn this from the word “Belahateihem” “בְּלַהֲטֵיהֶם” in verse 7:11, “and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did in like manner with their secret arts” (“וַיַּעֲשׂוּ גַם-הֵם חַרְטֻמֵּי מִצְרַיִם, בְּלַהֲטֵיהֶם”), which is in a female form. In verse 7:22 the same word is used in a male form “וַיַּעֲשׂוּ-כֵן חַרְטֻמֵּי מִצְרַיִם, בְּלָטֵיהֶם”, written here without the letter “Hei” (“הֶ”). The Zohar teaches us that Aaron’s sons, Nadav and Avihu, died as a result of Aharon creating the Golden-Calf with Bilaam’s two sons, Yunus and Yumbros. That was his punishment since he used them and their sorcery, two boys for two, measure for measure.
Pharaoh told the Egyptians that he is god and he ordered them to treat the Nile as one as well. He believed that he is the god of the Nile, due to Yaakov’s blessing upon arrival to Egypt. He blessed Pharaoh with the rising of the water at the Nile, and whenever Pharaoh came to the river, the water rose towards him. After Yaakov’s passings the blessing passed as well. Pretending to be a “god”, he would never do his personal hygienic needs in front of his servants and will always hide them, going very early every morning to the river. HaShem told Moshe to go and “meet” Pharaoh at the Nile banks very early in the morning, surprising him when he was “going to the bathroom”; in other words telling Pharaoh that he is not a “god” and embarrassing him. The Zohar tells us that first the gods of a nation are punished and then the nation itself. Pharaoh and the Egyptians worshipped the Nile, and so HaShem said, “I will smite their god first and then its people”.
The first plague was “Dam” (“דם”); turning the Nile into Blood along with all the other bodies of water in Egypt. Why was the blood chosen to be the first plague? This was the turning point of having Bnei-Yisrael profit from the plagues. We know that HaShem promised Bnei-Yisrael that they will come out of Egypt with massive wealth and fortune. Since they were not affected by this plague, they had clean drinking water, and they sold it to the entire world’s population at a large profit. The Talmud calls money “Damim” (“דמים” – bloods); this plague came to teach us the meaning of not taking money from the tribe as it says, “ואינו נוטל דמים מן השבט”. The Zohar explains that it was a “measure for measure” for Chava’s first sin with the snake. The Gemara compared blood to “wine”, and when Chava gave Adam wine to drink they sinned; The Zohar says that Egypt was a place for both female and male Satan, and they were punished with blood. The monthly menstrual cycle of a woman is also a punishment due to the sin with wine (blood) by Chava, as well as the blood from the man’s Brit-Milah, which also came to atone for that sin. The question is why women keep “paying” for Chava’s sin every month, and men only once, right after birth? This is because Chava initiated the sin and asked Adam to drink twice, while Adam sinned once.