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Vaera / וארא
Vaera / וארא
In this weeks Parsha,
the name of Moshe’s
parents is
mentioned, whereas
when he was born and
as he was growing,
they were mentioned
anonymously. דרש משה
teaches us from this
that although the
world lit up when
Moshe was born and
he was brilliant and
good, the parents
only found true
pride when he was
already accomplished
as the Jewish
leader. He points
out how important a
lesson this is.
The parsha tells of
the water turning to
blood. The Egyptians
did not have
drinking water.
Chazal say that the
Bnei Yisroel became
rich by selling
water to them. The
Pardes Yosef
suggests that this
could be the source
for the fact that
the word “domim” has
two translations :
“blood” and “money”.
This was the Aaron
and Moshe to whom
HaShem spoke. The
next possuk adds -
They were the ones
who spoke to Paroh,
this was Moshe and
Aaron . Rashi
comments that at
times the Torah
places Moshe before
Aaron and at times
the opposite. In
these two p’ssukim,
why does it say them
in this order? ספרים
answer : Since
HaShem speaks more
to Moshe, the Torah
places Aaron first
to show his
importance. However,
when the Torah
discusses speaking
to Paroh, since
Aaron was the
primary spokesman,
the Torah places
Moshe first to show
that he is equal.
“That is Aaron and
Moshe that HaShem
told them to take
the Bnei Yisroel
from Egypt; they
were the ones who
spoke to Paroh, that
is Moshe and Aaron.”
Rashi comments that
the possuk at first
places Aaron before
Moshe and then Moshe
before Aaron to
indicate they were
equal in status. The
Chasam Sofer
explains. Aaron’s
love for his people
and his ability to
enhance the shalom
was exemplary.
Moshe’s ability to
wield a staff of
miracles was
obviously unmatched.
Since each had his
special “talent”,
they were equal.
Therefore in
reference to the
Bnei Yisroel, it
places Aaron first.
In reference to
Paroah and the
miracles, Moshe
comes first.
“HaShem hardened the
heart of Paroah in
order to bring more
plagues upon the
land.” The mforshim
obviously wonder
about the removal of
free will from
Paroah and each
explains this in a
different way. One
could define it as
an increase in
Paroah’s pain
threshold. HaShem
did not remove his
free will but rather
gave him the stamina
and stubbornness to
tolerate more and
thus could bring
more “makos” upon
the Egyptians. (M’Shulchan
Gevoah)
Moshe screamed to
HaShem to remove the
צפרדעים from פרעה
and HaShem listened
to משה and they died
and were gathered
into piles. צפרדע
afforded Paroh with
a full lesson about
משה and the מכות.
First, Moshe davened
on behalf of Paroh
to show him that the
plague would only
disappear because of
the תפלות of Moshe.
Second, HaShem
removed them exactly
as Moshe had
requested, part were
removed, part
remained in the
rivers. Thirdly,
this plague left an
impression even
afterwards for the
piles created a
terrible stench in
the land. Still,
however, Paroh
refused to listen
and learn.
“There did not die
from the animals of
Bnei Yisroel until
one.” This is the
literal translation.
The implication is
that one did die.
The Maharil Diskin
explains. If the
Jewish people owed
taxes, one out of
every ten animals
and he only had ten,
one died so as not
to enrich Paroah
with that one. The
possuk hints at this
idea. At first it
says “from the
cattle of Bnei
Yisroel not even one
died” and later when
Paroah sent (to
collect) the possuk
says “until one”.
The Medrash
criticizes Moshe’s
statements about the
process of
redemption. It
likens it to the
reasoning of Shlomo
Hamelech when he
insisted the only
reason a king could
not increase wives
is because they
would lead him
astray and therefore
the law did not
apply to him. The
possuk reads “he
should not increase
the number of wives
and they will not
turn his heart.”
Shlomo Hamelech
inserted a “pshat”,
an interpretation of
his own. The possuk
has two possible
meanings. Don’t
increase, but if you
do, then beware they
should not lead you
astray. The lesson
is simple. Although
in the context of
Talmud study this
may be a valid mode
of thought, whenever
one chooses to
change the old or
lighten the burden,
one should not rely
just on a “pshat”.
Moshe Rabeinu left
the city to daven
for the removal of
the plague of hail
ברד. Rashi coments
that in the city it
was impossible to
daven because of the
עבודה זרה. The
question remains,
why not by the other
times that Moshe
davened also? The
חת"ס answered from
ספרים that the ע"ז
was the animal and
usually it was in
the field so he
could daven in the
city. Now, however,
they brought the
cattle into the city
so he had to leave.
The חת"ס himself
suggests: the שלחן
ערוך states it is
better to daven with
ע"ז than to daven in
the street where
people would
interrupt. If so,
here the streets
outside the city
were deserted so he
left the city this
time.
Previous Parshos
Tazria
Metzora
Achrei Mos
Kedoshim
Emor
Behar
Bechukosai
Bamidbar
Shavuos
Naso
Behalosicha
Shilach
Korach
Chukas-Balak
Pinchos
Matos-Masei
Devorim
Voeschonon Ekev
Reah
Shoftim
Ki Seitzei
Ki Savo
Nitzovim
- Vayelech Rosh
HaShana Haazinu-Yom
Kippur Sukkos V'zos
HaBrocha
Breishis
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