Inner Dimension Parsha Teaching

 

va'Era

Exodus 6:2--9:35

1st Aliya

6:2--6:13

2nd Aliya

6:14--6:28

3rd Aliya

6:29--7:7

4th Aliya

7:8--8:6

5th Aliya

8:7--8:18

6th Aliya

8:19--9:16

7th Aliya

9:17--9:35

 

Haftarah

Ezekiel 28:25--

29:21

 

Glossary of Names

Aharon----Aaron

 

Avraham----Abraham

 

Miryam----Miriam

 

Mitzrayim----Egypt

 

Moshe---Moses

 

Par'oh-----Pharaoh

 

va'Era--I appeared

 

Ya'akov---Jacob

 

Yirm'yahu--Jeremiah

 

Yisra'el---Israel

 

Yitzchak----Isaac

 

 

 

 

Torah Scroll

va'Era (Exodus) 6:2...

1st Aliya

G-d spoke to Moshe and said to him, "I am HaShem. I appeared to Avraham, to Yitzchak, and to Ya'akov as El Shaddai: but with My Name HaShem I did not make Myself known to them."

The Torah emphasizes great value to the integrity of each Name of G-d. The various Names represent the Supreme Being in His several attributes: Creator, Master of Fate, Lord of hosts, Absolute Being, Hashem of love, Supreme Judge, Source of blessings and holiness, Providence, and Almighty, just to mention a few.

 

 

va'Era (Exodus) 6:14...

2nd Aliya

"These were the heads of their fathers' houses; The sons of Reuven the first born of Yisra'el: Chanoch and Pallu, Herzon and Carmi; these were the families of Reuven.

Despite the enslavement which had brought the Children of Yisra'el to the end of the rode in society, the Yisra'elites remained fully aware of their noble lineage of the Patriarchs. Despite their mental and social anguish, the integrity of the family remained a source of pride.

va'Era (Exodus) 6:29...

3rd Aliya

"HaShem spoke to Moshe, saying, "I am HaShem. Speak to Par'oh, the king of Mitzrayim, everything that i speak to you."

Ramban contends that these verses add a new detail. From HASHEM's earlier words, Moshe had thought that the mission would be shared by both he and Aharon. Moshe would be responsible for the signs and miracles and Aharon would be the spokesman. HaShem speaks directly to Moshe and immediately he replies again, "Behold! I have sealed lips."

 

 


va'Era (Exodus) 7:8...

4th Aliya

"HaShem said to Moshe and Aharon saying: 9"When Par'oh speaks to you, saying, Provide a wonder for yourselves, 'you shall say to Aharon, Take your staff and cast it down before Par'oh--it shall become a snake."

When the time came to prove to the Israelites the authenticity of Moshe's mission, Moshe was told to perform three miracles. But for Par'oh one sign was sufficient and the one that was chosen was the miracle of changing the rod into a snake. We find in Yirm'yahu 46:22, that the hiss of the snake represented the cry of despair which Mitzrayim would utter on the day of its destruction.

 

 


va'Era (Exodus) 8:7...

5th Aliya

The frogs will depart from you and your houses, and from your servants and your people; only in the River shall they remain.

After the plaques of the locust, the Torah notes that not a single locust remained within the entire land of Mitzrayim (10:19), yet here it mentions that the frogs remained in the River. It is taught that the "frog" was a type of reptile that continually infested the waters of the Nile.

 

 

 


va'Era (Exodus) 8:19...

6th Aliya

"I shall make a distinction between My people and your people--tomorrow this sign will come about.""

 

 

Though the Shechinah (Divine Presence) is in the heavens, HASHEM's decrees are obeyed in this world, as evidence by the distinction made between Goshen and the rest of Mitzrayim (Rashi).

 

 

 


va'Era (Exodus) 9:17...

7th Aliya

"You still tread upon My people, not to send them out...."

 

 

It is taught that HaShem had Moshe put a mark on the wall in order for Par'oh to watch the sun rise to the mark prior to the hail storm. The hail represented precipitation in Mitzrayim as it never had seen before.  The people had forgot what rain and hail would bring since the drought was lingering for years.


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