Parashat Va’era

Parashat Va’era

Exodus 6:2 - 9:35; Ezekiel 28:25 - 29:21; Rev 16:1-21

You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall tell Pharaoh to let the people of Israel go out of his land. But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment. (Shemot/Exodus 7:2-4).

Here begins the story of the Ten Plagues which God put upon the Egyptians not only to effect the release of the Jewish people from bondage, but to show the world that He is the God of all creation and history. The first nine plagues are divisible into three groups:

1) the water turning to blood, frogs, lice

2) wild beasts, pestilence/epidemic, boils

3) hail, locust, and darkness.

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch explains that these were punishments measure for measure for afflicting the Jewish people with slavery:

1) The first of each group reduced Egyptians in their own land to the insecurity of

     strangers.

2) The second of each group robbed them of pride, possessions and a sense of

     superiority.

3) The third in each group imposed physical suffering.

Torah states:

"And the Almighty spoke to Moshe and Aharon and He commanded them about the Children of Israel." (Ex. 6:13)

Rashi, the French commentator (who lived from 1040-1104) clarifies that the Almighty commanded Moshe and Aharon to lead them gently and with patience. The Shaloh, a later commentator, writes that this is a lesson for any person in a position of leadership.

Whenever you are in a position of authority, be very careful not to get angry at the people you are dealing with. Watch out that you do not scream and shout. The reward for a leader who has this patience is very great. There are two possible attitudes for a person in a position of leadership.

1. The first is personal power

This person seeks leadership for his own ego. The leader demands that people listen to him because of his selfish vanity. Such a leader will become angry when people do not follow his orders and his entire focus is on his own success. The only reason he cares about other people is because that is how he will be successful. The people he deals with are not his goal, but just a means to an end. The end being his own self-aggrandizement and power.

2. Torah’s ideal of leadership is to help as many people as possible.

The focus is to benefit people and to be of service to others.

Gal 5:13-15

13        For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another .

14        For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."  

15        But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

When they are suffering, the leader realizes that they are likely to be moody and complaining. The more difficult they are to deal with, the greater the need for patience and tolerance.

That was the Almighty's command to the first leaders of the Jewish people and it remains the model for all future leaders. Regardless of whether you have authority over a large group or a small group such as a class or your own children, this lesson applies to you. Every difficult encounter is a tool for growing in the trait of patience

Exodus 6:2 - 9:35; Ezekiel 28:25 - 29:21; Rev 16:1-21

You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall tell Pharaoh to let the people of Israel go out of his land. But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment. (Shemot/Exodus 7:2-4).

Here begins the story of the Ten Plagues which God put upon the Egyptians not only to effect the release of the Jewish people from bondage, but to show the world that He is the God of all creation and history. The first nine plagues are divisible into three groups:
1) the water turning to blood, frogs, lice
2) wild beasts, pestilence/epidemic, boils
3) hail, locust, and darkness.

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch explains that these were punishments measure for measure for afflicting the Jewish people with slavery:

1) The first of each group reduced Egyptians in their own land to the insecurity of
     strangers.
2) The second of each group robbed them of pride, possessions and a sense of
     superiority.
3) The third in each group imposed physical suffering.

Torah states:
"And the Almighty spoke to Moshe and Aharon and He commanded them about the Children of Israel." (Ex. 6:13)

Rashi, the French commentator (who lived from 1040-1104) clarifies that the Almighty commanded Moshe and Aharon to lead them gently and with patience. The Shaloh, a later commentator, writes that this is a lesson for any person in a position of leadership.

Whenever you are in a position of authority, be very careful not to get angry at the people you are dealing with. Watch out that you do not scream and shout. The reward for a leader who has this patience is very great. There are two possible attitudes for a person in a position of leadership.

1. The first is personal power
This person seeks leadership for his own ego. The leader demands that people listen to him because of his selfish vanity. Such a leader will become angry when people do not follow his orders and his entire focus is on his own success. The only reason he cares about other people is because that is how he will be successful. The people he deals with are not his goal, but just a means to an end. The end being his own self-aggrandizement and power.

2. Torah’s ideal of leadership is to help as many people as possible.
The focus is to benefit people and to be of service to others.
Gal 5:13-15
13  For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another .
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."  
15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

When they are suffering, the leader realizes that they are likely to be moody and complaining. The more difficult they are to deal with, the greater the need for patience and tolerance.

That was the Almighty's command to the first leaders of the Jewish people and it remains the model for all future leaders. Regardless of whether you have authority over a large group or a small group such as a class or your own children, this lesson applies to you. Every difficult encounter is a tool for growing in the trait of patience.