Author: AHWebMaint

This week’s Torah Parsha (YITRO) consists of two episodes, which appear to be a study in contrast. In the first (Chapter 18, YITRO), Moses’ father-in-law, a high level Midianite provides Moses lessons in management and governance. In the second, the prime mover is God, Himself, who, in an unprecedented and unrepeated epiphany, appears before an […]

The splitting of the ‘Sea of Reeds’ is one of the seminal events in Jewish history. This week’s Torah Parsha (BESHALACH) begins with a description of how the Israelites finally left Egypt, and the yoke of the Pharaoh. What had been considered impossible had occurred! The mightiest army in the ancient world – -the Egyptians, […]

This week’s Torah Parsha (BO) continues with the story of Exodus. God had already inflicted seven devastating plagues on Egypt, subsequent to the Pharaoh’s perpetual denial to free the enslaved Israelites. In Parsha (BO), it becomes apparent that from the very first time that God approached Moses (behind the burning bush); He had a grandiose […]

By Joy Scott, Am Haskalah Congregant Last week’s Torah Parsha (SHEMOT) ended with Moses and Aaron both discouraged, as the Pharaoh of Egypt denied their request to free the enslaved Israelites. This week’s Parsha (VA’EIRA) describes with precise detail, the first seven of the ten plagues, which would eventually decimate all of Egypt. A major […]

The opening chapters of Exodus plunge us into a midst of epic events. Moses passes from Prince of Egypt; to Midianite shepherd; to leader of the Israelites, through a history-changing encounter with God, at the ‘Burning Bush’. The narrative begins with a new King of Egypt, “who did not know of Joseph” (1). However, the […]