Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Daily Aliya for Bo, Shlishi (3rd Aliya)

Aliya Summary: Pharaoh summoned Moshe again, offering to release the Israelites if they leave behind their cattle. Moshe refused the condition. Pharaoh sent Moshe away, warning him to never appear in his presence again, "for on the day that you see my face, you shall die!" Moshe agreed, but not before he delivered a final message that G‑d relayed to him at that moment. G‑d told Moshe that he would visit one more plague upon Egypt, after which Pharaoh will actually drive the Israelites from his land. Parenthetically, at that time G‑d also instructed Moshe to ask the Israelites to borrow from their Egyptian neighbors jewels, silver and gold. The Israelites complied, and the Egyptians readily lent out their valuables.

Moshe's words to Paroh are: "We will also take our animals with us, for from them we will take to serve G-d." The plain understanding of the passuk is that Moshe was referring to sacrifices. The Malbim has another beautiful interpretation of Moshe's statement to Paroh. "From the animals we will take lessons in how to serve G-d - from the cat we will learn modesty, from the doves fidelity, from the ants industry and honesty, etc." Had we not received the Torah, which teaches us proper conduct, we would learn these lessons from our animals (and even with the Torah to teach us, we can see practical examples of its lessons in nature.)

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