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Parsha
14: Va'era (continued)
“I appeared,” Exod. 6:2-9:35
e. The Fifth Plague: Cattle Disease (9:1-7) [WHICH GODS?]
[Egypt • 23 March 1463 BCE]
1 Then ADONAI said to Moshe, “Go to Pharaoh and tell him, ‘This is what ADONAI the God of the Hebrews, says: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 2 But if you refuse to let them go and continue to hold them, 3 then ADONAI ’s hand will bring a severe plague upon your livestock in the field — on your horses, your donkeys, your camels, your herds, and your flocks. 4 But ADONAI will make a distinction between the livestock of Isra'el and the livestock of Egypt, so that no animal belonging to the Isra'elites will die.”’” 5 ADONAI appointed a set time, saying, “Tomorrow ADONAI will do this in the land.”
[Egypt • 24 March 1463 BCE]
6 ADONAI did just that on the next day. All the livestock of the Egyptians died, not one animal of the Isra'elites died.
[Egypt • 25 March 1463 BCE]
7 Pharaoh sent officials who saw that none of the livestock of the Isra'elites had died. But Pharaoh’s heart was stubborn, and he didn’t let the people go.
f. The Sixth Plague: Boils (9:8-12) [WHICH GODS?]
[Egypt • 26 March 1463 BCE]
8 Then ADONAI said to Moshe and Aharon, “Take handfuls of ashes from the furnace; let Moshe toss it into the air in Pharaoh’s presence. 9 It will become fine dust over all the land of Egypt, and festering boils will break out on man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt.”
10 So they took ashes from the furnace and stood before Pharaoh; Moshe tossed it up into the air, and festering boils broke out on man and beast. 11 The magicians couldn’t stand in Moshe’s presence because of the the boils had broken out on the them and on all the Egyptians. 12 But ADONAI hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he wouldn’t listen to them, just as ADONAI had told Moshe.
g. The Seventh Plague: Hail (9:13-35) [WHICH GODS?]
[Egypt • 27 March 1463 BCE]
13 Then ADONAI said to Moshe, “Get up early in the morning, stand before Pharaoh, and tell him, ‘This is what ADONAI the God of the Hebrews, says: “Let my people go so they may serve Me. 14 Otherwise I will send all My plagues against you, your officials, and your people, so that you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth. 15 For by now I could have stretched out My hand and struck you and your people with a plague to wipe you off the earth. 16 But I have raised you up[16] for this very purpose, that I might demonstrate My power to you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout all the earth.
(vii) 17 “Since you are still exalting yourself against my people and won’t let them go, 18 watch! This time tomorrow I will cause it to rain down the worst hail that has ever fallen upon Egypt since the day it was founded until now. 19 So now give the order now that all of your livestock and everything that you have in the field be brought into shelter. Every man and animal that is left in the field and not brought inside will die when the hail comes down upon them.”’”
[Egypt • 28 March 1463 BCE]
20 Those among Pharaoh’s officials who feared ADONAI’s word made their servants and their livestock flee into shelter, 21 but those whoever disregarded ADONAI’s word left their servants and livestock in the field.
22 Then ADONAI said to Moshe, “Stretch out your hand toward the heavens, so that hail may fall on all the land of Egypt — on man and beast, and on every plant of the field throughout the land of Egypt.”
23 Moshe stretched out his staff toward the heavens, and ADONAI sent thunder and hail; and lightning struck the earth. ADONAI rained hail on the land of Egypt. 24 So there was very severe hail mixed with lightning, more severe than had ever been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. 25 Throughout all the land of Egypt the hail struck down everything that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail beat down every plant of the field and broke down every tree. 26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the Isra'elites lived, there was no hail.
[Egypt • 29 March 1463 BCE]
27 Then Pharaoh summoned Moshe and Aharon and said to them, “I have sinned this time. ADONAI is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. 28 Pray to ADONAI; for there has been enough of God’s thunder and hail. I will let you go; you don’t need to stay any longer.”
29 Moshe answered him, “As soon as I have left the city I will spread out my hands to ADONAI. The thunder will cease, and there will not be any more hail, so that you may know that the earth is ADONAI’s. 30 But as for you and your officials, I know that you don’t yet fear ADONAI our God.”
31 The flax and the barley were destroyed, since the barley had ripened and the flax was blooming. 32 But the wheat and the spelt were not destroyed, since they had not yet sprouted.
(Maftir) 33 Moshe left Pharaoh, went out of the city, and spread out his hands to ADONAI; and the thunder and hail ceased, and the rain no longer poured down on the land. 34 When Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned all the more, and hardened his heart, he and his officials. 35 So Pharaoh’ heart was hardened, and he didn’t let the Isra'elites go, just as ADONAI had said through Moshe.
[CONTINUE READING AT CHAPTER 10
The Blessing After TorahClick this to hear the blessing canted by Cantor Kenneth B. Cohen of Temple Sholom, Greenwich, CT |
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Ba-rookh ah-tah Adonai,
eh-lo-hay-noo meh-lech hah-ohlahm, ah-sher nah-tahn la-noo toe-raht eh-met, v’cha-yaye oh-lahm nah-tah b’toe-chay-noo. Ba-rookh ah-tah Adonai, no-tain ha-to-rah. Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who has given us a Torah of truth, and has planted eternal life in our midst. Blessed are You, O Lord, Giver of the Torah. |
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Now that you’ve read Va'era,
watch Rabbi Greg Hershberg’s teaching
Haftarah
The Blessing of the Haftarah
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Ba-rookh, ah-tah Adonai, eh-lo-hay-noo, Ba-rookh ah-tah, Adonai, Blessed are you, O Lord our God, Blessed are You, O Lord, |
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Haftarah Va'era is Ezekiel 28:25–29:21
Listen to it read from the
Complete Jewish Bible
28: 25 “‘Adonai ADONAI says: “When I have gathered the house of Isra'el from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and am shown as holy among them in the sight of the nations, then they will dwell in their own land which I gave to my servant Ya'akovJacob. 26 They will dwell in it securely. Yes, they will build houses, plant vineyards, and will dwell securely when I have executed judgments on all those around them who have treated them with contempt. Then they will know that I am ADONAI their God.”’”
29: 1 In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month, The word of ADONAI[GN] came to me, 2 “Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and against all Egypt. 3 Speak and say, ‘Adonai[GN] ADONAI says:
- “Hinneh,[GN] I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt,
- the great monster that lies in the middle of his rivers,
- that has said, ‘My river is my own,
- and I have made it for myself.’
- 4 I will put hooks in your jaws,
- and I will make the fish of your rivers stick to your scales.
- I will bring you up out of the middle of your rivers,
- with all the fish of your rivers which stick to your scales.
- 5 I’ll cast you out into the wilderness,
- you and all the fish of your rivers.
- You’ll fall on the open field.
- You won’t be brought together or gathered.
- I have given you for food to the animals of the earth
- and to the birds of the sky.
6 “‘“All the inhabitants of Egypt will know that I am ADONAI, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Isra'el. 7 When they took hold of you by your hand, you broke and tore all their shoulders. When they leaned on you, you broke and paralyzed all of their thighs.”
8 “‘Therefore Adonai ADONAI says: “Hinneh, I will bring a sword on you, and will cut off man and animal from you. 9 The land of Egypt will be a desolation and a waste. Then they will know that I am ADONAI.
“‘“Because he has said, ‘The river is mine, and I have made it,’ 10 therefore, hinneh, I am against you and against your rivers. I will make the land of Egypt an utter waste and desolation, from the [MAP] to S’venah [MAP] even to the border of Ethiopia. [MAP] 11 No foot of man will pass through it, nor will any animal foot pass through it. It won’t be inhabited for forty years. 12 I will make the land of Egypt a desolation in the middle of the countries that are desolate. Her cities among the cities that are laid waste will be a desolation forty years. I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries.”
13 “‘For Adonai ADONAI says: “At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the peoples where they were scattered. 14 I will return the exiles of Egypt, and will cause them to return into the land of Pathros, [MAP] into the land of their birth. There they will be a lowly kingdom. 15 It will be the lowest of the kingdoms. It won’t lift itself up above the nations any more. I will diminish them so that they will no longer rule over the nations. 16 It will no longer be the confidence of the house of Isra'el, bringing iniquity to memory, when they turn to look after them. Then they will know that I am Adonai ADONAI.”’”
17 It came to pass in the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, in the first day of the month, The word of ADONAI came to me, 18 “Son of man, N’vukhadretzarNebuchadnezzar king of BavelBabylon caused his army to serve a great service against Tyre. [MAP] Every head was made bald, and every shoulder was worn; yet he had no wages, nor did his army, from Tyre, for the service that he had served against it. 19 Therefore Adonai ADONAI says: ‘Hinneh, I will give the land of Egypt to N’vukhadretzar king of Bavel. He will carry off her multitude, take her plunder, and take her prey. That will be the wages for his army. 20 I have given him the land of Egypt as his payment for which he served, because they worked for Me,’ says Adonai ADONAI.
21 “In that day I will cause a horn to sprout for the house of Isra'el, and I will open your mouth among them. Then they will know that I am ADONAI.”
Ketuvei HaShalichim (Apostolic Writings)
The Blessing of the Ketuvei HaShalichimClick this to hear the blessing canted by Jeremiah Greenberg of Messianic Liturgical Resources. Page numbers refer to his Messianic Shabbat Siddur. |
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Bah-rookh ah-tah Adonai, Eh-lo-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-ohlahm, ah-shehr nah-tahn la-noo mah-she-ahch Yeshua, v’ha-deebrote shell Ha-breet Ha-kha-da-shah, ba-rookh ah-ta Adonai, notain Hah-breet Hah-kha-da-shah. Blessed are You, O Lord our God, |
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Basar
(Gospel)
The reading from the Gospels is Luke 11:14-22
11: 14He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. It happened, when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds marveled.
15But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons.” 16Others, testing him, sought from him a sign from heaven.
17But knowing their thoughts He said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. A house divided against itself falls. 18If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19But if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore will they be your judges. 20But if I by the finger of God cast out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come to you.
21“When the strong, fully armed man, guards his own home, his goods are safe. 22But when someone stronger attacks him and overcomes him, he takes from him his whole armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils.
Kepherim (Letters, optional)
The optional reading from the Kepherim is:
Romans 9:14–17 and
2 Corinthians 6:14–7:1
Romans
9: 14What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? May it never be! 15For he said to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” [Exod 33:19] 16So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who has mercy. 17For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I caused you to be raised up, that I might show in you my power, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” [Exodus 9:16]
2 Corinthians
6: 14 Don’t be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship does righteousness have with iniquity have? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? 15 What agreement does Messiah have with Belial? Or what portion does a believer have with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement does a temple of God have with idols? For you are a temple of the living God. Even as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk in them. I will be their God and they will be my people.” [Leviticus 26:12; Jeremiah 32:38; Ezekiel 37:27] 17 Therefore
- “‘Come out from among them,
- and be separate,’ says the Lord.
- ‘Touch no unclean thing.
- I will receive you. [Isaiah 52:11; Ezekiel 20:34,41]
- 18 I will be to you a Father.
- You will be to me sons and daughters,’
says ADONAI-Tzva’ot.” [2 Samuel 7:14; Isaiah 43:6]
7: 1 Having therefore these promises, beloved, let’s cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
The Blessing After the Ketuvei HaShalichimClick this to hear the blessing canted by Jeremiah Greenberg of Messianic Liturgical Resources. Page numbers refer to his Messianic Shabbat Siddur. |
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Ba-rookh ah-tah, Adonai Eh-lo-hay-noo, Blessed are You, O Lord our God, |
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The Blessing of the MessiahClick this to hear the blessing canted by Jeremiah Greenberg of Messianic Liturgical Resources. Page numbers refer to his Messianic Shabbat Siddur. |
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Ba-rookh ah-tah Adonai Eh-lo-hay-noo,
meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm, ah-sher na-tahn la-noo ha-deh-rech l'y'shoo-ah b'ma-she-ahch Yeshua. Ah-mein. Blessed are You, O Lord our God,
King of the Universe, |
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16. ADONAI installs and deposes kings; Daniel 2:21. [BACK]
Other commentaries on Exodus 9
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
Pulpit Commentary
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
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ANXIOUSLY WATCHING FOR MASHIACH’S RETURN,
SPEEDILY AND IN OUR DAY. MARANA, TA!
