This week’s reading is Parashat Bo (Shemot / Exodus 10:1-13:16) details the last plagues that God brought upon Mitzrayim (Egypt) and Pharaoh drives the Children of Yisrael out. The Lord tells Moshe א וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָֹה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה בֹּא אֶל-פַּרְעֹה כִּי-אֲנִי הִכְבַּדְתִּי אֶת-לִבּוֹ וְאֶת-לֵב עֲבָדָיו לְמַעַן שִׁתִי אֹתֹתַי אֵלֶּה בְּקִרְבּוֹ: 10:1 Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may perform these signs of Mine among them, (NASB) the Lord hardened Pharaoh and his servants Heart for the purpose of performing the signs before them. As a result of Pharaoh not letting the people go the Lord brings the plague of locust upon Egypt (10:3-19). Again Pharaoh refused to let the people go, then the Lord told Moshe to stretch his hand out to heaven (וַיֵּט מֹשֶׁה אֶת-יָדוֹ עַל-הַשָּׁמָיִם) and darkness would come upon the land (10:22-23). Following this plague Pharaoh called to Moshe and tells him that he and his people may go (כד וַיִּקְרָא פַרְעֹה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמֶר לְכוּ עִבְדוּ אֶת-יְהֹוָה רַק צֹאנְכֶם וּבְקַרְכֶם יֻצָּג גַּם-טַפְּכֶם יֵלֵךְ עִמָּכֶם:). Then the Lord told Moshe one more plague will be brought upon Egypt, that the first born of every family, of man and beast will die (10:24-11:10). At this point (Shemot 12) God tells Moshe this shall be the beginning of months, the first month of the year. On the tenth of this month they are to take a lamb and keep him, then kill him and taking the blood spreading its blood upon the door posts of their house, and roast the lamb by fire and eat it until morning having their cloths on and sandals on your feet and staff in hand because this is the Lord’s Pesach (Passover) (12:1-11). The unique thing about this Pesach is that the lamb is to be kept for 4 days before it is slaughtered. The blood will be a sign so that the Lord will pass over the house and the first born will not die (יג וְהָיָה הַדָּם לָכֶם לְאֹת עַל הַבָּתִּים אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם שָׁם וְרָאִיתִי אֶת-הַדָּם וּפָסַחְתִּי עֲלֵכֶם וְלֹא-יִהְיֶה בָכֶם נֶגֶף לְמַשְׁחִית בְּהַכֹּתִי בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם:) (12:13). The Lord declares that this shall be an everlasting statute that must be observed (הַזֶּה לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם חֻקַּת עוֹלָם) (12:17). Beginning on the fourteenth day the feast of unleavened bread begins which is also known as Pesach (Passover) (12:18-12:25). The Lord then strikes dead the first born of Egypt and as a result the Egyptians sent the people out in haste out of fear that they would all die if they remained any longer (12:33). The Lord then declares that this will be remembered as a feast to the Lord, that the Torah of the Lord will be in your mouth and remember that the Lord brought you out of Mitzrayim by a mighty hand (13:1-16, ט וְהָיָה לְךָ לְאוֹת עַל-יָדְךָ וּלְזִכָּרוֹן בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ לְמַעַן תִּהְיֶה תּוֹרַת יְהוָֹה בְּפִיךָ כִּי בְּיָד חֲזָקָה הוֹצִאֲךָ יְהוָֹה מִמִּצְרָיִם:). Today God delivers us by His mighty hand from sin, enabling us to live our lives for Him, and saving our souls giving us life everlasting. Read More here.
