Friday, February 3, 2017

Parsha Bo Part 1, stories and ideas


Parsha Bo Part 1


Moshe is told to come to Pharaoh. We ended last week’s Parsha that Pharaoh’s heart had been hardened.


Rabbi Barak Kochavi Shlita brought down an interesting point and story from (if I recall Meseches Sanhedrin) about Rebbe Meir Baal HaNes and his teacher Acher (outcast) who had turned from observance. They met on Shabbos and Acher was riding a horse. Rebbe Meir walked along side of him to learn something. When they got to the Shabbos Boundary outside the town, Acher told him to return. Rebbe Meir told him to return. Acher said that he heard a Bas Kol say that everybody can repent except Acher. Rebbe Meir replied that even still he should return. This also was true of Pharaoh for even though the first five plagues he could have repented and the next five were brought about from hardening his heart; still, if he ceased and let the Bnei Yisrael go on his own he could have repented.

[The Talmud tells that when Acher died, after he was buried, a flame went out of his grave. It was Erev Shabbos so Rebbe Meir put his garment over the grave and the flame stopped. Motzei Shabbos, Rebbe Meir came and the flame stopped. – If you think this part of the story sounds fantastic when Meir Leibush ben Yechiel Michel Wisser (March 7, 1809 – September 18, 1879), better known as The Malbim died and that night his body glowed with a heavenly glow that the Chevras Keddisha was afraid to touch the body.]

10:1 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Come in unto Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might show these My signs in the midst of them;

Come to ME, I will be there for you. True I am talking to you here, but MY Glory fills the universe.

2 and that thou may tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what I have wrought upon Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them; that ye may know that I am the LORD.' 3 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him: 'Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews: How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before Me? let My people go, that they may serve Me. 4 Else, if thou refuse to let My people go, behold, to-morrow will I bring locusts into thy border;

Moshe did not have scouts and aircraft nor wind reports to know that locusts were on their way. It does seem that this warning to Pharaoh was really a good warning for Teshuva. HASHEM is telling the god-king Pharaoh to humble himself before locusts would come and destroy the rest of his crops. Yet he refused and ended up losing his first born son. (And next week, his whole chariot force)

5 and they shall cover the face of the earth, that one shall not be able to see the earth; and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remains unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which grows for you out of the field;

You are about to lose the rest of the crops of Mitzrayim as with the hail you lost half of our crops now your kingdom will lose the rest and this destruction will be greater than you and your people can ever imagine.

6 and thy houses shall be filled, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; as neither thy fathers nor thy fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day.' And he turned, and went out from Pharaoh.

Even the individual houses shall be plagued by locusts such that food on the table or uncovered properly will be eaten. (A few years ago, Egypt and Saudi Arabia were hit by locusts which also entered southern Israel but were sprayed. I watched news clips that the only thing they ate were locusts fried or roasted.)

7 And Pharaoh's servants said unto him: 'How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God, know thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?'

Don’t you yet know: Heb. הִטֶרֶם תֵּדַע, do you not know yet that Egypt is lost? - [Rashi and Rashbam from targumim]


They were close to god-king Pharaoh, but this G-D of the Hebrews appears more powerful to them and they want a compromise.

8 And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh; and he said unto them: 'Go, serve the LORD your God; but who are they that shall go?'

The first part sounds promising and would have saved the crops of Egypt. There would have been no darkness and Pharaoh and many Egyptians would not have lost a child. However, as soon as the word “but” comes it that is the end of the whole deal.

9 And Moses said: 'We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds we will go; for we must hold a feast unto the LORD.' 10 And he said unto them: 'So be the LORD with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones; see ye that evil is before your face.

Not so: as you have said [that you want] to take the young children with you, but let the men go and worship the Lord. — [from Jonathan] For that is what you request: ([meaning] that worship) you have requested until now, [telling me,] “Let us offer and sacrifice to our God” (Exod. 5:8), and young children do not usually offer up sacrifices. — [from Exod. Rabbah 13:5] And he chased them out: This is elliptical, for it does not specify who the chaser was.


11 Not so; go now ye that are men, and serve the LORD; for that is what ye desire.' And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence. 12 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Stretch out thy hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left.' … 5 For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left; and there remained not any green thing, either tree or herb of the field, through all the land of Egypt.

This is from an eye-witness account the narrative here. People knew it and repeated it verbally throughout the life of Moshe but here it was written.

16 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said: 'I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you. 17 Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and entreat the LORD your God, that He may take away from me this death only.'

He had a chance to repent on the spot and again he succeeded in losing his chance.
… 21 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Stretch out thy hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.'

The Medrash states that the darkness came from Gehennom. One modern scientific theory is that the darkness and perhaps hail came from the explosion of super volcano Stromboli north of Egypt. The explosion we know was so great that giant boulders were found in Cyprus from the volcano.

22 And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days;

And there was thick darkness… for three days, etc.: Thick darkness in which they did not see each other for those three days, and another three days of darkness twice as dark as this, so that no one rose from his place. If he was sitting, he was unable to stand, and if he was standing, he was unable to sit. Now why did He bring darkness upon them [the Egyptians]? Because there were among the Israelites in that generation wicked people who did not want to leave [Egypt]. They died during the three days of darkness, so that the Egyptians would not see their downfall and say, “They too are being smitten like us.” Also, the Israelites searched [the Egyptians’ dwellings during the darkness] and saw their [own] belongings. When they were leaving [Egypt] and asked [for some of their things], and they [the Egyptians] said, “We have nothing,” he [the Israelite] would say to him, “I saw it in your house, and it is in such and such a place.” -[from Jonathan; Tanchuma, Bo 3; Tanchuma, Va’era 14; Tanchuma Buber, Bo 3] Three days: Heb. שְׁלשֶׁתיָמִים, a triad of days [a group of three consecutive days], terzeyne in Old French, and similarly, שִׁבְעַתיָמִים everywhere means a seteyne of days [a group of seven consecutive days].

23 they saw not one another; neither rose any from his place for three days; but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

The Medrash counts this as six days the first three are no one saw one another and the next no one rose from his place. Pshat rings of three days that Pharaoh orders his servants to call Moshe.

Physically if this was smoke and ash from Stromboli just at that time it would make sense that Goshen, which was north close to the Red Sea would neither get the locusts nor the darkness. There are others who state it was a total eclipse of the sun but since the Egyptians were astronomers and astrologers already in the time of Avraham, the could have predicted the occurrence.

24 And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said: 'Go ye, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed; let your little ones also go with you.'

Jews like my father and grandfather left Austria without anything. Others because of their money stayed behind and there are Jews in many countries like Iraq and Iran that stayed behind because of money and one Jew in Afghanistan is still left.

25 And Moses said: 'Thou must also give into our hand sacrifices and burnt-offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God. 26 Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not a hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God; and we know not with what we must serve the LORD, until we come thither.' 27 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go.

Moshe spoke honestly because he had not been instructed how to serve. Pharaoh had his heart hardened but it did not take much as he did not want to give up his slave labor.

28 And Pharaoh said unto him: 'Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in the day thou see my face thou shalt die.' 29 And Moses said: 'Thou hast spoken well; I will see thy face again no more.'

I will see your face no more; however, I shall lead a free people out of Mitzrayim.

11:1 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Yet one plague more will I bring upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence; when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether.

The end of slavery and being in Egypt is near at hand.

2 Speak now in the ears of the people, and let them ask every man of his neighbor, and every woman of her neighbor, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold.'

I have promised Avraham that you will go up with great wealth and so shall it be.

3 And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. More over the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people.

One did not have newspapers but there was word of mouth and information flowed down from close to the top to the people.

4 And Moses said: 'Thus says the LORD: About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt;

At midnight like the timing of an atomic clock. But Moshe will says ‘around midnight’ for the astrologers and astronomers did not have precise timing.

5 and all the first-born in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sits upon his throne, even unto the first-born of the maid-servant that is behind the mill; and all the first-born of cattle. 6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there hath been none like it, nor shall be like it any more.

In Mitzrayim this will happen only once.

7 But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog whet his tongue, against man or beast; that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. 8 And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down unto me, saying: Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee; and after that I will go out.' And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger.

Moshe gets in the last word unto Pharaoh and leaves in anger and this was Pharaoh’s warning which he lost his son for not heeding.

9 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Pharaoh will not hearken unto you; that My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.'

These miracles will be ingrained in the Bnei Yisrael. [Nowadays, those who eat Tumay aka Pork, sea creatures and various animals become spiritually stupid and are blinded to the innate nature within their DIVINE SOUL.

10 And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go out of his land.

Six foot long pork tape worm pulled from man’s mouth: http://edition.cnn.com/2017/01/27/health/6-foot-tapeworm-india-study/index.html


Some of us don’t see the aging process creeping up on us. My younger Rosh Yeshiva was about 40 when I was learning in the Yeshiva. His wife was perhaps around 30 or so. He had a young son who was about four or five and I would read to him “The Little Tug Boat” when I read that he just became a grandfather, or perhaps a grandfather again, I said to myself that I must have aged and mellowed a bit since my Yeshiva years.

Tell me whom your friends are and I’ll …

It is not only whom you are but whom they are. It is funny, I have a friend who is the son of a friend of my mother. I have known him well over 60 years and we have never put politics in the way of our friendship. He is a very close friend of the Senate Minority Leader. I have been watching “friends” on Facebook though. Since the election of President Trump I have lost more than a half-dozen of them. Perkei Avos teaches us that love dependent on something, when that something is removed (aka Democrats in power and me feeling down and out) or like Amnon and Tamar in the Holy Scriptures it is not lasting. But if it is not dependent on anything like Yehonatan and David then it lasts.



Right on Time by Rabbi Yerachmiel Tilles (one thousandth story)


Approximately three decades ago, Rabbi Avraham-Yitzchak Kohn, the Rebbe of the Toldos Aharon Chasidim of Jerusalem (headquartered in the Meah Shaarim neighborhood), went for a few weeks in the summer to Switzerland for a vacation in one of its Alpine towns. While in Switzerland, it occurred to the Rebbe that since he was already temporarily 'exiled' from the holy land, it should visit some of the holy burial sites located in that part of the world.
The rebbe beckoned to his chief attendant who was standing nearby and discussed his desire to make a trip to Poland for that purpose. The 18th century Chasidic leader, Rebbe Elimelech in Lizhinsk, was buried there, and Cracow had several historic synagogues, such as that of the great 16th century authority in Jewish law, 'the Ramah' (Rabbi Moshe Isserles).
The attendant hurried to set a plan into motion. Consulting with several wealthy chasidim, he managed to reserve and pay for comfortable seating on the Swiss railway for the rebbe and the small group that would accompany him.
A major problem, however, remained: the rebbe and his entourage totaled eight men-two short of the quorum required for daily prayers.
The chasidic businessmen got busy on their phones, and were able to arrange that at every stop where the rebbe and party would debark from the train, two local Jews would join them to complete their minyan for prayer.
Everything went smoothly in Lizhinsk, and also in Sanz where the famed Divrei Chayim had lived and was buried. A special feeling of spiritual elevation enveloped the members of the group at each place. In particular, a glow of deep tranquility was recognizable on the face of the rebbe from Jerusalem.
The group arrived in Cracow on the morning of Rosh Chodesh Elul, the first day of the concluding month of the Jewish year. [The month of Elul marks the final thirty days of preparation for Rosh Hashana and the inauguration of the new year.] As in the other cities, one of the rebbe's travelling companions set out to wait at the pre-arranged meeting place for the two Jews who would complete the minyan. He found the spot easily, but the two locals were nowhere in sight. Finally, the companion returned to the rebbe with the disheartening report that the two men had never shown up.
The rebbe thought for a moment. "Let us all go together to the ancient shul of the Ramah," he suggested. "Perhaps some Jews will be there that will combine with us for the [special, lengthy Rosh Chodesh morning] prayer."
So they did, but when they arrived their hopes were quickly dashed. The synagogue was empty and not a soul was in sight. Despairing of any other possibility, they donned tallit and tefilin, in order to begin the prayers without the full quorum. It was getting late.
The rebbe was specially pained by the situation. It had been decades since he had failed to say a single Shacharit, Musaf, Mincha or Maariv prayer with a minyan, and now, on the holy Rosh Chodesh Elul of all days, and in the holy shul of the Ramah of all places, it should be his lot to have to pray without the required minyan?
Then he noticed that his travelling companions were staring up the street, as though they could not believe their eyes. There, in the midst of the non-Jewish residences, walked two young men whose appearance stamped them clearly as yeshiva students! For a moment they thought it was a hallucination, or perhaps it was a dream and in a moment they would awake. What could yeshiva boys possibly be doing here?
Yet there they were, and walking in their direction, straight towards the old synagogue. And they were each carrying a tefillin bag! It looked just as if they expected to find a minyan for the Rosh Chodesh morning prayer. A member of the rebbe's group even heard one of the boys remark to the other, "Boruch HaShem-Thank G-d, it looks like we will be able to pray in a minyan today too."
The chasidim were convinced that the two were angels who had dropped from heaven to enable the rebbe to pray with a minyan. Still they refrained from questioning them in order not to delay the prayer any longer.
The young men quickly put on their tefilin and the now-complete minyan began to pray. The rebbe set the tone for an extraordinary Rosh Chodesh prayer. All present felt they never would forget this morning at the synagogue in Cracow.
Upon conclusion of the prayer service, the rebbe called over the two students, Chabad chasidim by their manner of dress. He greeted them, blessed them and then asked that they tell him what had brought them to Crakow.
The students explained that they were there for the summer as emissaries of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, and the center they had opened to attract the local Jews was located nearby. As to what they were doing on this particular street at this particular time, they both smiled broadly before one explained.
"Two months ago, shortly after we arrived, we received a telegram from the Rebbe's personal secretary, Rabbi Hodakov.* In it he wrote that the Rebbe expects that on Rosh Chodesh Elul we will pray in the morning at the synagogue of the Ramah. And so, here we are!"
The admiration of the Toldos Aharon rebbe knew no bounds. "Long have I known that the Lubavitcher Rebbe is exceptionally far-sighted," he murmured emotionally. "But I never guessed the extent of his concern for every single Jew.
"This is simply unbelievable!" he continued. "The Rebbe knew even before we knew that we would be in this location, and that we would be lacking two for a minyan. Such vision! Yet as busy as he is, he found the time to explain to his secretary how to take care of our problem. This is a true leader of the Jewish people."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source: Translated-supplemented by Yerachmiel Tilles from the Hebrew rendition in HaGeulah #98X ?.
Biographical notes:
Rabbi Avrohom-Yitzchok Kohn (5674 [in Tsfat!]- 27 Kislev 5757/1914 - Chanukah 1996) was the second Toldos Aharon Rebbe and son-in-law of Rabbi Aharon "Areleh" Roth, founder of the dynasty. He is the author of Divrei Emunah. Four of his many sons are rebbes today.
[It is recorded that he instructed his followers to study several of the printed works of Rabbi Aharon HaLevi Horowitz of Strashelye (1766-1828), who was a leading disciple of the first Rebbe of Chabad, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi (1745-1812), and, I've been told by a few of his Chasidim, other teachings of Rabbi Shneur Zalman as well.]
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe: [11 Nissan 5662 - 3 Tammuz 5754 (April 1902 - June 1994 C.E.)], became the seventh Rebbe of the Chabad dynasty after his father-in-law's passing on 10 Shvat 5710 (1950 C.E.). He is widely acknowledged as the greatest Jewish leader of the second half of the 20th century. Although a dominant scholar in both the revealed and hidden aspects of Torah and fluent in many languages and scientific subjects, the Rebbe is best known for his extraordinary love and concern for every Jew on the planet. His emissaries around the globe dedicated to strengthening Judaism number in the thousands. Hundreds of volumes of his teachings have been printed, as well as dozens of English renditions.
Editor's note: Rabbis Groner, Klein and Krinsky were more public aides and therefore better known. In fact, however, they were employees of Rabbi Chaim-Mordechai-Isaac Hodakov, the head of the Secretariat, not the Rebbe himself.
Connection: Seasonal - Yud Shvat (this year-Feb. 6th): Passing of the 6th Lubavitcher Rebbe in 5710 (1950); inauguration of the 7th Rebbe in 5711 (1951).


Reb Boruch of Mezhibuzh’s young grandson, Yechiel, was playing hide and seek with one of his friends. Yechiel found a good hiding place and waited anxiously for his friend to find him. After a long while waiting, he looked around and realized that his
friend had left. Indeed, his friend never even tried looking for him! Crying
profusely, Yechiel ran and told his grandfather what happened. Reb
Boruch also broke into tears. He said, “G-d says the same thing - ‘I hide, but no one tries to find me.’” (Quoted in Sefer Kavanos Halev.. My book soon in print – Rabbi Moshe Steinerman)




Make sure that you only eat at a Rabbinically Certified Restaurant. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/224049


Man goes berserk and kills wife, his children and a neighbor’s child and attacks another. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4914009,00.html


Inyanay Diyoma


Attempted shooting near the first Yeshuv across the soldier roadblock from us: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/223978

Ed-Op by Dr. Martin Sherman can Israel seize the opportunity? http://www.strategic-israel.org/1693/into-the-fray-trump-can-israel-seize-the-moment/

This appears to be an intelligence Ed-Op from Debka. http://debka.com/article/25907/Trump-Putin-deal-on-Syria-bears-on-Israel-security

One Arab dead after attacks on the IDF in Jenin: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/224012

Friday’s shooting near the ‘green-line’ arrested. Why green-line as the trees are planted mostly by Jews and barren by the usurpers of the land of Eretz Yisrael. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4914140,00.html

On the 72nd anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, in Houston TX some students still praise Hitler: https://www.algemeiner.com/2017/01/26/houston-we-have-antisemitism-problem-canary-mission-uncovers-ring-students-university-of-houston-desiring-hurt-harass-jews-online/

F-35 under review: http://www.jpost.com/American-Politics/US-defense-secretary-orders-immediate-review-of-F-35C-program-479930

Newton’s first law of Physics: Every action has an equal and opposite reaction: Terror against Muslims: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4914855,00.html


Attempted shooting to kill children: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/224078

Something stinks more than cigars and newspapers here: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=39931

People serve in government at the pleasure of the president. It please him to say “You’re fired” for violating his order. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/224134

Wild Boars can grow to the half size of a donkey. A few had to be captured in Chashmonayim this year. Now they reached Bat Yam. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4915500,00.html

Refugee halt does not affect US-Saudi, US-Dubai, US-Jordan etc. relations. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4915552,00.html

Israel cementing ties with India and China. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4915518,00.html


Russia puts a halt to further movement of Iranian Troops in Syria. Also the rumors of Assad’s stroke-death circulate more and more but Syria silent. http://debka.com/article/25908/Russia-freezes-Syrian-Iranian-military-movements

Ben Gurion ignored the Supreme Court and that was it to this day. Bibi is as usual gutless. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/224209

These characters will get less jail time than the man who shot the terrorist dead. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4915885,00.html

From Albert: Obama’s pressure. I would rather have next to no one at my funeral than to give a gain of Eretz Yisrael away. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/223797

A very stupid bunch of nincompoops that allow the left after 40 years of the Likud to dominate the courts and legislate from the bench. Thanks to Joel M. https://www.facebook.com/david.haivri/videos/1707511449540940/?autoplay_reason=ugc_default_allowed&video_container_type=1&video_creator_product_type=2&app_id=350685531728&live_video_guests=0

It is not only Londonstan, it is the British against the Yiddish: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/224280


Iran Missile Test, Trump will not let the US be a paper tiger anymore: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4916510,00.html

WHO flu shots ineffective this year! http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4916494,00.html

Israel fails to handle Iranian Drone threat from the north: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4916226,00.html


Be well and good Shabbos all,

Rachamim Pauli