Rabbi's Parsha insight - Va'Era
01/07/2016 01:44:41 PM
Jan7
Seven of the ten plagues occur in this week's Parsha. However, there is something different about the first three: Blood, Frogs, and Lice. G-d told Moshe, "Say to Aaron, take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt...and they will become blood." Say to Aaron stretch out your hand with your staff...and bring up the frogs." "Say to Aaron stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the ground and it will become lice." The rest of the plagues were initiated by Moshe.
Question
Why didn't Moshe bring forth the first three plagues?
Answer
The first two plagues, blood and Frogs, were associated with the Nile. Since the Nile protected Moshe when he was laced there as a baby, it would be wrong for Moshe to elicit plagues from it. Similarly, the plague of lice came from the earth of Egypt which aided Moshe when he slayed the Egyptian and buried him in the ground. Therefore, Aaron initiated these three plagues.
The Torah teaches to show gratitude, even to inanimate objects like water and earth. Surely then we must show gratitude to our fellow human beings for any and all favors they perform for us.
Halacha
The repetition of the Amidah was originally instituted when there were no Siddurim, and the Chazan's repetition fulfilled the obligation of the congregants who could not recite it by heart.
Now that everyone can recite the Amidah themselves, the purpose of the repetition is to respond Kedushah, Modim, and Amen on Berachot. There must be silence during the repetition to know the meaning of the Berachah that you respond Amen to. Amen is a declaration that you believe and accept as true the content of the Beracha.
Mashiach Matters
The Messianic era will be a time of universal awareness, perception, and knowledge of G-d. The Prophet Isaiah states, "The earth shall be full of knowledge of G-d, as the waters cover the sea."
Fri, April 26 2024 18 Nisan 5784
