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Va'eira

October 29, 2023

Not to be confused with Vayeira.

Va'eira, Va'era, or Vaera (וָאֵרָא‎—Hebrew for "and I appeared," the first word that God speaks in the parashah, in Exodus 6:3) is the fourteenth weekly Torah portion (פָּרָשָׁה‎, parashah) in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the second in the Book of Exodus. It constitutes Exodus 6:2–9:35. The parashah tells of the first seven Plagues of Egypt.

The Seventh Plague (1823 painting by John Martin)

Jews read it the fourteenth Sabbath (Shabbat) after Simchat Torah, generally in January, or rarely, in late December.[1]

It is composed of 6,701 Hebrew letters, 1,748 Hebrew words, 121 verses, and 222 lines in a Torah Scroll, and is considered part of the Hebrew Bible.[2]

Readings Edit

In traditional Sabbath Torah reading, the "portion" (parashah) is divided into seven readings, or עליות‎, aliyot. In the Masoretic Text of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), Parashat Va'eira has nine "open portion" (פתוחה‎, petuchah) divisions (roughly equivalent to paragraphs, often abbreviated with the Hebrew letter פ‎ (peh)). Parashat Va'eira has seven further subdivisions, called "closed portion" (סתומה‎, setumah) divisions (abbreviated with the Hebrew letter ס‎ (samekh)) within the open portion divisions. The first and second open portion divisions divide the first reading. The third open portion covers the balance of the first and part of the second readings. The fourth open portion covers the balance of the second reading. The fifth open portion divides the fourth reading. The sixth open portion covers the balance of the fourth, all of the fifth, and part of the sixth readings. The seventh open portion separates part of the sixth reading. The eighth open portion covers the balance of the sixth and part of the seventh readings. And the ninth open portion covers the balance of the seventh reading. Closed portion divisions separate the first and second readings, separate the second and third readings, and divide the fourth, fifth, and sixth readings.[3]

 
Moses (watercolor circa 1896–1902 by James Tissot)

First reading—Exodus 6:2–13 Edit

In the first reading, God spoke to Moses, identified God's Self as the God of the Patriarchs, and acknowledged hearing the moaning of the Israelites.[4] God instructed Moses to tell the Israelites that God would free them, make them God's people, and bring them to the Promised Land.[5] But the Israelites would not listen because of their distress and hard labor.[6] The first open portion ends here.[7]

In the continuation of the reading, God told Moses to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go, but Moses complained that Pharaoh would not heed him, a man of impeded speech.[8] The second open portion ends here.[9]

In the continuation of the reading, God commanded Moses and Aaron to bring the Israelites out of Egypt. The first reading and a closed portion end here.[10]

Second reading—Exodus 6:14–28 Edit

The second reading interjects a partial genealogy of Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, including Moses and his family.[11]

The second reading and a closed portion end with the genealogy.[12]

 
Aaron Cast His Rod Before Pharaoh and It Became a Serpent (woodcut by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld from the 1860 Die Bibel in Bildern)

Third reading—Exodus 6:29–7:7 Edit

In the third reading, God instructed Moses to tell Pharaoh all that God would tell Moses, but Moses protested that he had a speech impediment.[13] The third open portion ends here.[12]

In the continuation of the reading, God placed Aaron in the role of Moses' prophet, to speak to Pharaoh.[14] God intended to harden Pharaoh's heart, so that God might show signs and marvels, so that the Egyptians would know that the Lord was God.[15] Moses and Aaron did as God commanded.[16] Moses was 80 years old, and Aaron 83 years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh.[17] The third reading and the fourth open portion end here.[18]

 
Water Is Changed into Blood (watercolor circa 1896–1902 by James Tissot)

Fourth reading—Exodus 7:8–8:6 Edit

In the fourth reading, God told how Aaron could cast down his rod and it would turn into a snake, and Aaron did so before Pharaoh.[19] Pharaoh caused his magicians to do the same, but Aaron's rod swallowed their rods.[20] Pharaoh's heart stiffened.[21] A closed portion ends here.[22]

In the continuation of the reading, God began visiting ten plagues on Egypt. God told Moses to go to Pharaoh at his morning bath, demand of him to let the Israelites go to worship in the wilderness, and have Aaron strike the Nile with his rod and turn it into blood.[23] A closed portion ends here.[24]

In the continuation of the reading, God told Moses to tell Aaron to stretch his rod over the waters of Egypt and turn them into blood.[25] Moses and Aaron did so, killing the marine life and rendering the water unusable.[26] But when the Egyptian magicians did the same, Pharaoh's heart stiffened.[27] Seven days passed.[28] The fifth open portion ends here.[29]

As the reading continues, God told Moses to have Aaron hold his arm with the rod over the river and bring up frogs, and they did so.[30] The magicians did the same.[31] Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron to plead with God to remove the frogs and said he would let the Israelites go[32] Moses asked Pharaoh when Moses should ask God, Pharaoh replied the next day, and Moses said that he would do so the next day, so that Pharaoh would know that there is none like God.[33] The fourth reading ends here.[34]

 
Aaron Struck the Ground with His Staff (1984 illustration by Jim Padgett, courtesy of Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing)

Fifth reading—Exodus 8:7–18 Edit

In the fifth reading, the frogs departed, but Pharaoh became stubborn and did not let the Israelites leave.[35] A closed portion ends here.[36]

In the continuation of the reading, God told Moses to have Aaron strike the dust with his rod, to turn it to lice throughout the land, and they did so.[37] The magicians tried to do the same, but they could not.[38] The magicians told Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God!" But Pharaoh's heart stiffened.[39] A closed portion ends here.[40]

In the continuation of the reading, God told Moses to rise early and stand before Pharaoh as he came to the water and tell him that God said, "Let My people go," or else God would send swarms of flies on Egypt, but not on Goshen.[41] The fifth reading ends here.[42]

 
The Plague of Flies (watercolor circa 1896–1902 by James Tissot)

Sixth reading—Exodus 8:19–9:16 Edit

In the sixth reading, God loosed swarms of insects and wild animals against the Egyptians, but not Goshen, where the Israelites dwelt.[43] Pharaoh told Moses and Aaron to go sacrifice to God within Egypt, but Moses insisted on going three days into the wilderness.[44] Pharaoh agreed, in exchange for Moses' prayer to lift the plague.[45] But when God removed the insects and wild animals, Pharaoh became stubborn again.[46] The sixth open portion ends here with the end of chapter 8.[47]

As the reading continues with chapter 9, God struck the Egyptian's livestock with a pestilence, sparing the Israelites' livestock.[48] But Pharaoh remained stubborn.[49] The seventh open portion ends here.[50]

In the continuation of the reading, God told Moses to take handfuls of soot from the kiln and throw it toward the sky, so that it would become fine dust, causing boils on man and beast throughout Egypt, and he did so.[51] But God stiffened Pharaoh's heart.[52] A closed portion ends here.[53]

In the continuation of the reading, God told Moses to rise early and tell Pharaoh that God said, "Let My people go," or this time God would send all God's plagues upon Pharaoh and his people to demonstrate God's power.[54] The sixth reading ends here,[55]

 
Moses Before Pharaoh (1984 illustration by Jim Padgett, courtesy of Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing)

Seventh reading—Exodus 9:17–35 Edit

In the seventh reading, God instructed Moses to threaten hail such as Egypt had never seen, and to instruct the Egyptians to bring their cattle in from the field so that they would not die.[56] Those who feared God's word brought their slaves and livestock indoors, and those who did not fear God's word left them in the field.[57] The eighth open portion ends here.[58]

In the continuation of the reading, God told Moses to stretch out his hand, and God sent thunder and hail, which struck down all exposed in Egypt, but did not strike Goshen.[59] Pharaoh confessed his wrong, agreed to let the Israelites go, and asked Moses and Aaron to pray to end the hail.[60] Moses told Pharaoh that he would do so, and the hail would end so that Pharaoh would know that the earth is God's, but Moses knew that Pharaoh and his servants would not yet fear God.[61] The hail had destroyed the flax and the barley, but not the wheat and the spelt, which ripened later.[62]

In the maftir (מפטיר‎) reading that concludes the parashah,[63] Moses spread forth his hands to God, and the thunders and hail ceased, but when Pharaoh saw, he hardened his heart and did not let the Israelites go.[64] The seventh reading, the ninth open portion, and the parashah end here with the end of chapter 9.[65]

Readings according to the triennial cycle Edit

Jews who read the Torah according to the triennial cycle of Torah reading read the parashah according to the following schedule:[66]

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
2023, 2026, 2029 . . . 2024, 2027, 2030 . . . 2025, 2028, 2031 . . .
Reading 6:2–7:7 7:8–8:15 8:16–9:35
1 6:2–5 7:8–13 8:16–23
2 6:6–9 7:14–18 8:24–28
3 6:10–13 7:19–25 9:1–7
4 6:14–19 7:26–29 9:8–16
5 6:20–25 8:1–6 9:17–21
6 6:26–28 8:7–11 9:22–26
7 6:29–7:7 8:12–15 9:27–35
Maftir 7:5–7 8:12–15 9:33–35

In ancient parallels Edit

The parashah has parallels in these ancient sources:

Exodus chapter 8 Edit

Reading the Egyptian magicians' words in Exodus 8:15, "This is the finger of God!" Gunther Plaut reported that in Egyptian literature, a plague is called "the hand of God," while among Babylonians, the expression was the name of a sickness.[67]

In inner-biblical interpretation Edit

The parashah has parallels or is discussed in these Biblical sources:[68]

 
Egyptian Bondage (1984 illustration by Jim Padgett, courtesy of Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing)

Exodus chapter 6 Edit

In Exodus 2:24 and 6:5–6, God remembered God's covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. Similarly, God remembered Noah to deliver him from the flood in Genesis 8:1; God promised to remember God's covenant not to destroy the Earth again by flood in Genesis 9:15–16; God remembered Abraham to deliver Lot from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19:29; God remembered Rachel to deliver her from childlessness in Genesis 30:22; Moses called on God to remember God's covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to deliver the Israelites from God's wrath after the incident of the Golden Calf in Exodus 32:13 and Deuteronomy 9:27; God promises to "remember" God's covenant with Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham to deliver the Israelites and the Land of Israel in Leviticus 26:42–45; the Israelites were to blow upon their trumpets to be remembered and delivered from their enemies in Numbers 10:9; Samson called on God to deliver him from the Philistines in Judges 16:28; Hannah prayed for God to remember her and deliver her from childlessness in 1 Samuel 1:11 and God remembered Hannah's prayer to deliver her from childlessness in 1 Samuel 1:19; Hezekiah called on God to remember Hezekiah's faithfulness to deliver him from sickness in 2 Kings 20:3 and Isaiah 38:3; Jeremiah called on God to remember God's covenant with the Israelites to not condemn them in Jeremiah 14:21; Jeremiah called on God to remember him and think of him, and avenge him of his persecutors in Jeremiah 15:15; God promises to remember God's covenant with the Israelites and establish an everlasting covenant in Ezekiel 16:60; God remembers the cry of the humble in Zion to avenge them in Psalm 9:13; David called upon God to remember God's compassion and mercy in Psalm 25:6; Asaph called on God to remember God's congregation to deliver them from their enemies in Psalm 74:2; God remembered that the Israelites were only human in Psalm 78:39; Ethan the Ezrahite called on God to remember how short Ethan's life was in Psalm 89:48; God remembers that humans are but dust in Psalm 103:14; God remembers God's covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in Psalm 105:8–10; God remembers God's word to Abraham to deliver the Israelites to the Land of Israel in Psalm 105:42–44; the Psalmist calls on God to remember him to favor God's people, to think of him at God's salvation, that he might behold the prosperity of God's people in Psalm 106:4–5; God remembered God's covenant and repented according to God's mercy to deliver the Israelites in the wake of their rebellion and iniquity in Psalm 106:4–5; the Psalmist calls on God to remember God's word to God's servant to give him hope in Psalm 119:49; God remembered us in our low estate to deliver us from our adversaries in Psalm 136:23–24; Job called on God to remember him to deliver him from God's wrath in Job 14:13; Nehemiah prayed to God to remember God's promise to Moses to deliver the Israelites from exile in Nehemiah 1:8; and Nehemiah prayed to God to remember him to deliver him for good in Nehemiah 13:14–31.

Nahum Sarna noted that the first two verbs in Exodus 6:7, “I will take you to Me for a people, and I will be to you a God,” are both used in connection with matrimony—"to take" (לקח‎, l-k-ch) in Genesis 4:19; 6:2; 11:29, and more than 70 other Biblical occurrences, and "to be (someone's)" (היה ל‎, h-y-h le-) in Leviticus 21:3; Numbers 30:7; Deuteronomy 24:4; Judges 14:20; 15:2; 2 Samuel 12:10; Jeremiah 3:1; Ezekiel 16:8; and Hosea 3:3.[69] Jeffrey Tigay and Bruce Wells noted that the Hebrew Bible also uses similar language for adoption, for example in 2 Samuel 7:14 (“I will be to him”), and thus one can say that God adopted the Israelites.[70]

Exodus chapter 7 Edit

As Exodus 7:7 notes that Moses was 80 years old when he spoke to Pharaoh, it would be 40 years later when Moses delivered his speech to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 31:2 and when he died, as reported in Deuteronomy 34:7, at age 120.

Exodus chapters 7–12 Edit

The description of the 10 plagues exhibits patterns and progressions, as follows:

Cycle Number Plague Verses Was There

Warning?

Time Warned Introduction Actor Rod? Israelites

Shielded?

Did Pharaoh

Concede?

Who Hardened

Pharaoh's Heart?

First 1 blood Exodus 7:14–25 yes in the morning לֵךְ אֶל-פַּרְעֹה

Go to Pharaoh

Aaron yes no no passive voice
2 frogs Exodus 7:26–8:11

(8:1–15 in the KJV)

yes unknown בֹּא אֶל-פַּרְעֹה‎

Go in to Pharaoh

Aaron yes no yes passive voice
3 gnats or lice Exodus 8:12–15

(8:16–19 in the KJV)

no none none Aaron yes no no passive voice
Second 4 flies or

wild beasts

Exodus 8:16–28

(8:20–32 in the KJV)

yes early in the morning וְהִתְיַצֵּב לִפְנֵי פַרְעֹה‎

stand before Pharaoh

God no yes yes Pharaoh
5 livestock Exodus 9:1–7 yes unknown בֹּא אֶל-פַּרְעֹה‎

Go in to Pharaoh

God no yes no Pharaoh
6 boils Exodus 9:8–12 no none none Moses no no no God
Third 7 hail Exodus 9:13–35 yes early in the morning וְהִתְיַצֵּב לִפְנֵי פַרְעֹה‎

stand before Pharaoh

Moses no yes yes passive voice
8 locusts Exodus 10:1–20 yes unknown בֹּא אֶל-פַּרְעֹה‎

Go in to Pharaoh

Moses yes no yes God
9 darkness Exodus 10:21–29 no none none Moses yes yes yes God
10 firstborn Exodus 11:1–10;

12:29–32;

yes unknown none God no yes yes God

Psalms 78:44–51 and 105:23–38 each recount differing arrangements of seven plagues. Psalm 78:44–51 recalls plagues of (1) blood, (2) flies, (3) frogs, (4) locusts, (5) hail, (6) livestock, and (7) firstborn, but not plagues of lice, boils, or darkness. Psalm 105:23–38 recalls plagues of (1) darkness, (2) blood, (3) frogs, (4) flies and lice, (5) hail, (6) locusts, and (7) firstborn, but not plagues of livestock or boils.

In early nonrabbinic interpretation Edit

The parashah has parallels or is discussed in these early nonrabbinic sources:[71]

Exodus chapter 6 Edit

Philo read the words of Exodus 6:3, "I did not make Myself known to them by My name," to teach that no proper name can properly be assigned to God. Philo noted that God told Moses in Exodus 3:14, "I Am that I Am," which Philo equated with, "It is my nature to be, not to be described by name." But in order that human beings not be wholly without anything to call God, God allowed us to use the Name "Lord." God addressed this Name to mortal humans who have need of the Divine Name so that, if they cannot attain to the best thing, they may at least know the best possible Name. Philo noted that in Exodus 6:3, God speaks of the proper name of God never having been revealed to anyone. Philo suggested that God's statement in Exodus 6:3 meant that God had not revealed to them God's proper Name, but only that which could commonly be used. For Philo argued that God is so completely indescribable, that even those powers that minister to God do not announce God's proper Name to us. And thus after Jacob's wrestling match at the Jabok, Jacob asked the invisible master for a name, but Jacob's opponent did not tell him a proper name, saying that it was sufficient for Jacob to be taught ordinary explanations. But as for names that are the true symbols of things, we are taught not to seek them for the immortal.[72]

In classical rabbinic interpretation Edit

The parashah is discussed in these rabbinic sources from the era of the Mishnah and the Talmud:[73]

 
God Answered Moses (1984 illustration by Jim Padgett, courtesy of Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing)

Exodus chapter 6 Edit

A Midrash noted that God had already informed Moses that Pharaoh would not allow the Israelites to go, as in Exodus 3:19, God told Moses, "I know that the King of Egypt will not allow you to go," and in Exodus 4:19, God told Moses, "I will harden his heart." But Moses did not keep this in mind, but came instead to doubt the wisdom of God's decree, and began to argue with God, saying in Exodus 5:22: "Lord, why have You dealt ill with this people?" For this reason, the Attribute of Justice sought to attack Moses, as Exodus 6:2 says: "And God spoke to Moses" (employing the name of God (אֱלֹהִים‎, Elohim) indicative of God's Justice). But when God reflected that Moses only asked this because of Israel's suffering, God retracted and dealt with Moses according to the Attribute of Mercy, as Exodus 6:2 says: "And He said to him: ‘I am the Lord'" (employing the name of God (יְהוָה‎, the Tetragrammaton) indicative of God's Mercy). The Midrash viewed the question of Moses in Exodus 5:22 as an application of Ecclesiastes 2:12: "And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness and folly; for what can the man do who comes after the King? even that which has been already done." The Midrash taught that Ecclesiastes 2:12 refers to both Solomon and Moses. The Midrash taught that Ecclesiastes 2:12 refers to Solomon, for God gave some commandments for kings, as it says in Deuteronomy 17:16–17: "Only he shall not multiply horses to himself . . . Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away; neither silver and gold." Solomon read in Deuteronomy 17:17 that the reason of God's decree was "that his heart turn not away." The Midrash taught that Solomon thus thought to himself that he would multiply his wives but still not allow his heart to turn away. And the Midrash taught that Ecclesiastes 2:12 refers to Moses because Moses began to argue with God in Exodus 5:22, "Lord, why have you dealt ill with this people?" Because of this, the Midrash taught that at that point the wisdom and knowledge of Moses was only (in the words of Ecclesiastes 2:12) "madness and folly." The Midrash asked what right Moses had to question God's ways and in the words of Ecclesiastes 2:12, "that which had been already done" that God had revealed to him.[74]

 
The Egyptians made the Israelites work as slaves. (1984 illustration by Jim Padgett, courtesy of Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing)

Reading the words, "And I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob," in Exodus 6:3, a Midrash taught that God thus told Moses that God longed for those who were gone and could not be replaced—the three Patriarchs. The Midrash said that God told Moses that many times, God had revealed God's Self to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty (אֵל שַׁדָּי‎, El Shadai),[75] and God had not made known to them that God's name is the Lord (יְהוָה‎, the Tetragrammaton). But still they did not criticize God's ways. To Abraham, God said in Genesis 13:17, "Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it, for to you will I give it," yet when Abraham wanted to bury Sarah, he found no plot of ground until he had purchased one; still, he did not murmur at God's ways. God said to Isaac in Genesis 26:3, "Sojourn in this land . . . for to you, and to your seed, I will give all these lands." Yet when Isaac sought water to drink, he found none; instead (as Genesis 26:20 reports), "The herdsmen of Gerar strove with Isaac's herdsmen, saying: ‘The water is ours.'" Still Isaac did not murmur at God's ways. God said to Jacob in Genesis 28:13, "The land on which you lie, to you will I give it, and to your seed." Yet when he sought a place to pitch his tent, he found none until he purchased one for a hundred kesitah (as reported in Genesis 33:19). And still Jacob did not complain at God's ways. The Patriarchs did not ask God, as Moses did in Exodus 3:13, what God's name was. In contrast, at the commencement of God's commission of Moses, Moses inquired of God's name. And in Exodus 5:23, Moses told God, "For since I came to Pharaoh . . . he has dealt ill with this people; neither have You delivered Your people." On this account, the Midrash taught, God said in Exodus 6:4, "And I have also established my covenant with them," the Patriarchs, to give them the land, and they never complained of God's ways. And God said in Exodus 6:5, "I have heard the groaning of the children of Israel," because they did not complain against God. Although the Israelites of that generation did not conduct themselves righteously, yet God heard their cry on account of the covenant that God had made with the Patriarchs. Hence, it says in Exodus 6:6, "And I have remembered My covenant. Therefore, say to the children of Israel." The Midrash taught that the word "therefore" (lachein) in Exodus 6:6 implies an oath, as it does in 1 Samuel 3:14, where God says, "And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli." Thus, the Midrash taught that God swore to Moses that God would redeem the Israelites, so that Moses would have no reason to fear that the Attribute of Justice would retard their redemption.[76]

 
The Israelites' Cruel Bondage in Egypt (illustration from the 1728 Figures de la Bible)

Rabbi Simai found evidence for the resurrection of the dead in the words, "And I also have established my covenant with them (the Patriarchs) to give them the land of Canaan," in Exodus 6:4. Rabbi Simai noted that Exodus 6:4 does not say "to give you" but "to give them," implying that God would give the land to the Patriarchs personally, and thus that God would resurrect them so as to fulfill the promise.[77]

 
The Egyptians Afflicted the Israelites with Burdens (woodcut by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld from the 1860 Die Bibel in Bildern)

A Baraita deduced from Exodus 6:6 that the Israelites' bondage in Egypt ended on Rosh Hashanah. The Baraita noted that Exodus 6:6 uses the word "burden" to describe the end of the Israelites' bondage in Egypt, and Psalm 81:7 uses the word "burden" to describe the end of Joseph's imprisonment, and the Baraita deduced that the two events must therefore have occurred at the same time of year. The Baraita further deduced from the words, "Blow the horn on the new moon, on the covering day for our festival . . . He appointed it for Joseph for a testimony when he went forth," in Psalm 81:4–6 that Joseph went forth from the prison on Rosh Hashanah.[78]

Rabbi Nehemiah cited the use of the words "will bring you out" in Exodus 6:6 to demonstrate that using the word hamotzi in the blessing over bread would mean that God "will bring forth" bread from the land—not that God "has brought forth" bread from the land. Rabbi Nehemiah thus read Exodus 6:6–7 to mean: "I am the Lord, the One Who will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians." The Gemara reported that the Rabbis of a Baraita, however, read Exodus 6:6–7 to mean: "When I shall bring you out, I will do for you something that will show you that I am the One Who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians."[79]

The Jerusalem Talmud cited the four promises of salvation in Exodus 6:6–7, (1) "I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians," (2) "I will deliver you from their bondage," (3) "I will redeem you with an outstretched arm," and (4) "I will take you to Me for a people," as one reason why Jews drink four cups of wine at the Passover seder.[80] And thus the Mishnah taught that "On the eve of Passover, . . . even the poorest man in Israel must not eat until he reclines; and they (the overseers of charity) should give him not less than four cups of wine."[81]

A Baraita taught that Rabbi Simai deduced from the similarity of the phrases "And I will take you to me for a people" and "And I will bring you in to the land" in Exodus 6:7 that the Israelites' Exodus from Egypt occurred under circumstances like their entry into the Land of Israel. Rabbi Simai thus deduced that just as only two out of 600,000 (Caleb and Joshua) entered the Promised Land, so only two out of every 600,000 Israelites in Egypt participated in the Exodus, and the rest died in Egypt. Rava taught that it will also be so when the Messiah comes that only a small portion of Jews will find redemption, for Hosea 2:17 says, "And she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the days when she came up out of the land of Egypt," implying that circumstances upon the coming of the Messiah will be similar to those upon the Israelites' entry into the Land of Israel.[82]

The Gemara asked why the Tannaim felt that the allocation of the Land of Israel "according to the names of the tribes of their fathers" in Numbers 26:55 meant that the allocation was with reference to those who left Egypt; perhaps, the Gemara supposed, it might have meant the 12 tribes and that the Land was to be divided into 12 equal portions? The Gemara noted that in Exodus 6:8, God told Moses to tell the Israelites who were about to leave Egypt, "And I will give it you for a heritage; I am the Lord," and that meant that the Land was the inheritance from the fathers of those who left Egypt.[83]

 
Moses told the people what God had said. (1984 illustration by Jim Padgett, courtesy of Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing)

A Midrash interpreted the words of Exodus 6:9, "they hearkened not to Moses for shortness of spirit," to indicated that it was difficult for the Israelites to abandon idol worship.[84]

Rabbi Ishmael cited Exodus 6:12 as one of ten a fortiori (kal va-chomer) arguments recorded in the Hebrew Bible: (1) In Genesis 44:8, Joseph's brothers told Joseph, "Behold, the money that we found in our sacks' mouths we brought back to you," and they thus reasoned, "how then should we steal?" (2) In Exodus 6:12, Moses told God, "Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened to me," and reasoned that surely even more, "How then shall Pharaoh hear me?" (3) In Deuteronomy 31:27, Moses said to the Israelites, "Behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, you have been rebellious against the Lord," and reasoned that it would follow, "And how much more after my death?" (4) In Numbers 12:14, "the Lord said to Moses: ‘If her (Miriam's) father had but spit in her face,'" surely it would stand to reason, "‘Should she not hide in shame seven days?'" (5) In Jeremiah 12:5, the prophet asked, "If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you," is it not logical to conclude, "Then how can you contend with horses?" (6) In 1 Samuel 23:3, David's men said to him, "Behold, we are afraid here in Judah," and thus surely it stands to reason, "How much more then if we go to Keilah?" (7) Also in Jeremiah 12:5, the prophet asked, "And if in a land of Peace where you are secure" you are overcome, is it not logical to ask, "How will you do in the thickets of the Jordan?" (8) Proverbs 11:31 reasoned, "Behold, the righteous shall be requited in the earth," and does it not follow, "How much more the wicked and the sinner?" (9) In Esther 9:12, "The king said to Esther the queen: ‘The Jews have slain and destroyed 500 men in Shushan the castle,'" and it thus stands to reason, "‘What then have they done in the rest of the king's provinces?'" (10) In Ezekiel 15:5, God came to the prophet saying, "Behold, when it was whole, it was usable for no work," and thus surely it is logical to argue, "How much less, when the fire has devoured it, and it is singed?"[85]

Rav Zeira counted five kinds of orlah (things uncircumcised) in the world: (1) uncircumcised ears (as in Jeremiah 6:10), (2) uncircumcised lips (as in Exodus 6:12), (3) uncircumcised hearts (as in Deuteronomy 10:16 and Jeremiah 9:26), (4) uncircumcised flesh (as in Genesis 17:14), and (5) uncircumcised trees (as in Leviticus 19:23). Rav Zeira taught that all the nations are uncircumcised in each of the first four ways, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart, in that their hearts do not allow them to do God's will. And Rav Zeira taught that in the future, God will take away from Israel the uncircumcision of their hearts, and they will not harden their stubborn hearts anymore before their Creator, as Ezekiel 36:26 says, "And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh," and Genesis 17:11 says, "And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin."[86]

 
The Lord told Moses to go before Pharaoh again. (1984 illustration by Jim Padgett, courtesy of Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing)

Reading Exodus 6:13, 7:8, and 9:8, a Midrash taught that in 18 verses, Scripture places Moses and Aaron (the instruments of Israel's deliverance) on an equal footing (reporting that God spoke to both of them alike),[87] and thus there are 18 benedictions in the Amidah.[88]

Reading the words of Exodus 6:13, "And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron and gave them a command concerning the children of Israel," Rabbi Samuel bar Rabbi Isaac asked about what matter God commanded the Israelites. Rabbi Samuel bar Rabbi Isaac taught that God gave them the commandment about the freeing of slaves in Exodus 21:2–11.[89]

 
Moses and Aaron went before Pharaoh. (1984 illustration by Jim Padgett, courtesy of Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing)

A Midrash interpreted the words of Exodus 6:13, "And He gave them a charge concerning the children of Israel," to convey that God warned Moses and Aaron that the Israelites were obstinate, bad-tempered, and troublesome, and that in assuming leadership over the Israelites, Moses and Aaron must expect that the Israelites would curse and even stone them.[90]

A Midrash interpreted God's instructions to Moses and Aaron in Exodus 6:13, "and to Pharaoh, King of Egypt," to convey that God told Moses and Aaron that although God really ought to punish Pharaoh, God wanted Moses and Aaron to show Pharaoh the respect due to his regal position. And Moses did so, as Exodus 11:8 reports that Moses told Pharaoh that God said, "And all these your servants shall come down to Me." Moses did not say that Pharaoh would come down, only that Pharaoh's servants would do so. But Moses could well have said that Pharaoh himself would come down, for Exodus 12:30 reports, "Pharaoh arose at midnight." But Moses did not mention Pharaoh specifically so as to pay him respect.[90]

A Midrash taught that Korah took issue with Moses in Numbers 16:1 because Moses had (as Numbers 3:30 reports) appointed Elizaphan the son of Uzziel as prince of the Kohathites, and Korah was (as Exodus 6:21 reports) son of Uzziel's older brother Izhar, and thus had a claim to leadership prior to Elizaphan.[91]

Rava taught that he who wishes to take a wife should first inquire about the character of her brothers. For Exodus 6:23 reports, "And Aaron took Elisheva, the daughter of Amminadab, the sister of Nahshon." As Exodus 6:23 states "the daughter of Amminadab," it is obvious that she was the sister of Nahshon. So Exodus 6:23 expressly states "the sister of Nahshon" to imply that he who takes a wife should inquire about the character of her brothers, because most children resemble the brothers of their mother.[92]

The Gemara asked whether the words in Exodus 6:25, "And Eleazar Aaron's son took him one of the daughters of Putiel to wife" did not convey that Eleazar's son Phinehas descended from Jethro, who fattened (piteim) calves for idol worship. The Gemara then provided an alternative explanation: Exodus 6:25 could mean that Phinehas descended from Joseph, who conquered (pitpeit) his passions (resisting Potiphar's wife, as reported in Genesis 39).[93] But the Gemara asked, did not the tribes sneer at Phinehas and question how a youth (Phinehas) whose mother's father crammed calves for idol-worship could kill the head of a tribe in Israel (Zimri, Prince of Simeon, as reported in Numbers 25). The Gemara explained that the real explanation was that Phinehas descended from both Joseph and Jethro. If Phinehas's mother's father descended from Joseph, then Phinehas's mother's mother descended from Jethro. And if Phinehas's mother's father descended from Jethro, then Phinehas's mother's mother descended from Joseph. The Gemara explained that Exodus 6:25 implies this dual explanation of "Putiel" when it says, "of the daughters of Putiel," because the plural "daughters" implies two lines of ancestry (from both Joseph and Jethro).[94]

 
Moses Speaks to Pharaoh (watercolor circa 1896–1902 by James Tissot)

Rabbi Simeon noted that in nearly every instance, the Torah mentioned Moses before Aaron, but Exodus 6:26 mentioned Aaron before Moses, teaching that the two were deemed equivalent.[95] The Gemara taught that the use of the pronoun "he (hu)" in an introduction, as in the words "These are (hu) that Aaron and Moses" in Exodus 6:26|HE,}} signifies that they were the same in their righteousness from the beginning to the end. Similar uses appear in Chronicles 1:27 to teach Abraham's enduring righteousness, in 1 Samuel 17:14 to teach David's enduring humility, in Genesis 36:43 to teach Esau's enduring wickedness, in Numbers 26:9 to teach Dathan and Abiram's enduring wickedness, in 2 Chronicles 28:22 to teach Ahaz's enduring wickedness, and in Esther 1:1 to teach Ahasuerus's enduring wickedness.[96]

 
Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh (painting by Benjamin West)

Exodus chapter 7 Edit

The Tosefta cited Exodus 7:1, where the lesser Aaron spoke for the greater Moses, for the proposition that in synagogue reading, a minor may translate for an adult, but it is not honorable for an adult to translate for a minor.[97]

Rabbi Phinehas, the priest, son of Rabbi Hama, interpreted God's hardening of Pharaoh's heart (for example in Exodus 7:3) in light of Job 36:13, "But they who are godless in heart lay up anger; they cry not for help when He binds them." Rabbi Phinehas taught that if the godless, for whose repentance God waits, do not do so, then later, even when they do think of it, God distracts their hearts from penitence. Rabbi Phinehas interpreted the words of Job 36:13, "And they who are godless in heart," to teach that those who begin by being godless in heart end up bringing upon themselves God's anger. And Rabbi Phinehas interpreted the words of Job 36:13, "They cry not for help when He binds them," to teach that though the godless wish later to return to God and to pray to God, they are no longer able, because God binds them and bars their way. Thus, after several plagues, Pharaoh wished to pray to God, but God told Moses in Exodus 8:16: "Before he goes out [to pray to God], stand before Pharaoh."[98]

The Pirke De-Rabbi Eliezer told that Moses quoted God's words in Exodus 7:4 back to God after the sin of the Golden Calf. The Pirke De-Rabbi Eliezer told that after the incident of the Golden Calf, God told Moses that the Israelites had forgotten God's might and had made an idol. Moses replied to God that while the Israelites had not yet sinned, God had called them "My people," as in Exodus 7:4, God had said, "And I will bring forth My hosts, My people." But Moses noted that once the Israelites had sinned, God told Moses (in Exodus 32:7), "Go, get down, for your people have corrupted themselves." Moses told God that the Israelites were indeed God's people, and God's inheritance, as Deuteronomy 9:29 reports Moses saying, "Yet they are Your people and Your inheritance."[99]

A Midrash read Exodus 7:11, “Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers,” to teach that Scripture calls nonbelievers “wise men” when they do something that requires skill.[100]

Rabbi Aivu bar Nagri said in the name of Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba that the words "with their enchantments" in Exodus 7:11 refer to sorcery without exogenous assistance, while the words "with their sorcery" in Exodus 7:22 refer to magic through the agency of demons.[101]

 
Aaron's Rod Changed to a Serpent (illustration from the 1890 Holman Bible)

Reading the words, "Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods," in Exodus 7:12, Rabbi Eleazar observed that it was a double miracle (as Aaron's serpent first became a rod again, and as a rod it swallowed up their serpents).[102] When Pharaoh saw this, he was amazed and expressed his fear of what would happen if Moses now told the rod to swallow up Pharaoh and his throne. Rabbi Jose bar Hanina taught that a great miracle happened to that rod, for although it swallowed up all the rods that had been cast down, sufficient to make ten heaps, still the rod did not all become any thicker, and all who saw it recognized it as Aaron's rod. On this account, Aaron's rod became a symbol for all the miracles and wonders that were to be performed for Israel throughout the generations.[103]

 
The Rods of Moses and the Magicians Turned into Serpents (illustration from the 1728 Figures de la Bible)

A Midrash noted that Exodus 7:13 reports that "Pharaoh's heart was hardened" without God's action, and that this was so for the first five plagues. As the first five plagues did not move Pharaoh to release the Israelites, God decreed that from then on, even if Pharaoh had agreed to release the Israelites, God would not accept it. Thus, starting with the sixth plague and thereafter (as Exodus 10:27 reports), the text says, "the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart."[104]

It was taught in a Baraita that Rabbi Judah the Prince (or others say Rabbi Meir) used to say that Providence repays a person measure for measure.[105] Thus, a Midrash taught that God sent the plagues against Pharaoh measure for measure. God changed the Egyptians' water into blood because the Egyptians prevented the Israelites from using the ritual bath (mikveh) so as to prevent the Israelite women from having marital relations with their husbands. God brought frogs because the Egyptians had ordered the Israelites to bring them reptiles and creeping creatures (which were an abomination to the Israelites). God sent lice because the Egyptians had made the Israelites clean the dirty streets and marketplaces. God sent swarms of wild animals because the Egyptians had demanded that the Israelites catch bears, lions, and leopards so as to separate the Israelite men from their wives. God brought the pestilence upon the Egyptians' cattle because they had forced the Israelites to serve as shepherds so as to keep the Israelite men away from their wives. God sent boils because the Egyptians had demanded that the Israelites warm things for them. God sent hail to destroy the Egyptians' crops because the Egyptians had sent the Israelites into the fields to plow and sow. God brought the locusts to destroy the Egyptians' grain because the Egyptians had forced the Israelites to plant wheat and barley for them. God brought darkness because among the Israelites were transgressors who had Egyptian patrons and lived in affluence and honor in Egypt and did not want to leave Egypt, and so God brought darkness so that God could kill these transgressors without the Egyptians' seeing.[106]

 
The Rod of Aaron Devours the Other Rods (watercolor circa 1896–1902 by James Tissot)

Abitol the barber, citing Rav, said that the Pharaoh whom Moses addressed was a puny fellow, a cubit tall, with a beard as long as he was tall, embodying the words in Daniel 4:14 that "the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and . . . sets up over it the lowest of men." And Abitol the barber, citing Rav, deduced from the words "Pharaoh . . . goes out to the water" in Exodus 7:15 that this Pharaoh was a magus who went to the water to perform sorcery.[107]

Alternatively, a Midrash, reading the words "Pharaoh . . . goes out to the water" in Exodus 7:15, taught that only in the morning did Pharaoh go out to the water, because Pharaoh used to boast that he was a god and did not need to relieve himself. Therefore, Pharaoh used to go early in the morning to the water (when no one else was there to witness that he relieved himself like other humans). God, therefore, told Moses to catch him just at this critical moment.[108]

 
All the water turned into blood! (1984 illustration by Jim Padgett, courtesy of Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing)

A Midrash cited Exodus 7:20 as one proof for the proposition that God does all things together: God puts to death and brings to life at the same time; God wounds and heals at the same time. And thus the Midrash noted, in Exodus 7:20, "all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood," and later, the blood became water again.[109]

Rabbi Abin the Levite, the son of Rabbi Judah the Prince, taught that the Israelites became wealthy from the plague of blood. If an Egyptian and an Israelite were in a house where there was a barrel full of water, and the Egyptian went to fill a pitcher from the barrel, the Egyptian would find that it contained blood, while the Israelite would drink water from the same barrel. When the Egyptian asked the Israelite to give the Egyptian some water with the Israelite's own hand, it still became blood. Even if the Egyptian said to the Israelite that they should both drink from one vessel, the Israelite would drink water, but the Egyptian would drink blood. It was only when the Egyptian bought water from the Israelite for money that the Egyptian was able to drink water. And this is how the Israelites became rich.[110]

The Gemara deduced from the use of the word for fish, dagah, in the phrase "And the fish that were in the river died" in Exodus 7:21 that the word dagah applies to fish both large and small.[111]

 
The Plague of Frogs (illustration from the 1891 Bible encyclopedia of Archimandrite Nikiphor)

A Midrash taught that the frogs were the most grievous of the ten plagues. The Midrash taught that the frogs destroyed the Egyptians' bodies, as Psalm 78:45 says "frogs . . . destroyed them," and the frogs emasculated the Egyptians, as Exodus 7:28 says that the frogs would "come into . . . [the Egyptians'] bedchamber, and upon [their] bed." The Midrash taught that the frogs told the Egyptians that the coinage of their gods was abolished, and the Egyptians' own coinage—their ability to procreate—was also rendered invalid. The Midrash reasoned that as the word "destroyed" in Genesis 38:9 applied to checking procreation in the passage about Onan's seed, as "he destroyed it on the ground," so the Midrash reasoned that Psalm 78:45 means to convey that the Egyptians' procreation was checked as well when it says, "frogs . . . destroyed them." And the Midrash deduced that the frogs spoke because Exodus 8:8 says, "concerning the frogs," and the words for "concerning," al debar, may also be read, "because of the words of."[112]

 
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah) (painting by Simeon Solomon)

Thaddeus of Rome taught that Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah (also known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) delivered themselves to the Fiery Furnace to sanctify the Divine Name in Daniel 3:8–30 because they deduced from Exodus 7:28 that the frogs of the plague, which had not been commanded to sanctify the Divine Name, nonetheless jumped into hot ovens at God's behest. So Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah reasoned that people, whom Leviticus 22:32 does command to sanctify the Divine Name, should be willing to bear hot ovens for that reason. Thaddeus of Rome deduced that the ovens into which the frogs jumped were hot from the proximity of the words "ovens" and "kneading troughs" in Exodus 7:28, reasoning that kneading troughs are found near ovens when ovens are hot.[113]

The Tosefta deduced from Exodus 1:8 that Pharaoh began to sin first before the people, and thus as indicated by Exodus 7:29 and 8:4, God struck him first and then the people.[114]

 
The Plague of Frogs (1670 engraving by Gerard Jollain)

Exodus chapter 8 Edit

Rabbi Eleazar taught that when Exodus 8:2 (8:6 in the KJV) reports that "the frog came up, and covered the land of Egypt," it was initially just one frog, which bred prolifically and filled the land. The Tannaim disputed the matter. Rabbi Akiva said that one frog filled the whole of Egypt by breeding. But Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah chastised Akiva for dabbling in aggadah, and taught that one frog croaked for others, and they joined the first frog.[101]

A Midrash interpreted the words of Proverbs 29:23, "A man's pride shall bring him low; but he that is of a lowly spirit shall attain to honor," to apply to Pharaoh and Moses, respectively. The Midrash taught that the words, "A man's pride shall bring him low," apply to Pharaoh, who in Exodus 5:2 haughtily asked, "Who is the Lord that I should hearken to His voice?" and so, as Psalm 136:15 reports, God "overthrew Pharaoh and his host." And the Midrash taught that the words, "but he that is of a lowly spirit shall attain to honor," apply to Moses, who in Exodus 8:5 (8:9 in the KJV), humbly asked Pharaoh, "Have this glory over me; at what time shall I entreat for you . . . that the frogs be destroyed," and was rewarded in Exodus 9:29 with the opportunity to say, "As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread forth my hands to the Lord [and] the thunders shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail."[115]

 
The plague of gnats (1984 illustration by Jim Padgett, courtesy of Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing)

Rabbi Eleazar deduced from the magicians' recognition of "the finger of God" in Exodus 8:15 (8:19 in the KJV) that a demonic spirit cannot produce a creature less than a barleycorn in size. Rav Papa said that a spirit cannot even produce something the size of a camel, but a spirit can collect the elements of a larger object and thus produce the illusion of creating it, but a spirit cannot do even that with a smaller object.[101]

Rabbi Jose the Galilean reasoned that as the phrase "the finger of God" in Exodus 8:15 (8:19 in the KJV) referred to 10 plagues, "the great hand" (translated "the great work") in Exodus 14:31 (in connection with the miracle of the Reed Sea) must refer to 50 plagues upon the Egyptians, and thus to a variety of cruel and strange deaths.[116]

Rabbi Phinehas ben Hama reasoned that as the phrase "the finger of God" in Exodus 8:15 (8:19 in the KJV) referred to 10 plagues, "the hand of God" in Job 19:21 (in connection with Job's poverty) must refer to 50 plagues.[117]

Reading “the finger of God” in Exodus 8:15 (8:19 in the KJV), Rabbi Ishmael said that each of the five fingers of God's right hand appertain to the mystery of Redemption. Rabbi Ishmael said that God showed the little finger of the hand to Noah, pointing out how to make the Ark, as in Genesis 6:15, God says, "And this is how you shall make it." With the second finger, next to the little one, God smote the Egyptians with the ten plagues, as Exodus 8:15 (8:19 in the KJV) says, “The magicians said to Pharaoh, ‘This is the finger of God.’” With the middle finger, God wrote the Tablets of the Law, as Exodus 31:18 says, “And He gave to Moses, when He had made an end of communing with him . . . tables of stone, written with the finger of God.” With the index finger, God showed Moses what the children of Israel should give for the redemption of their souls, as Exodus 30:13 says, “This they shall give . . . half a shekel for an offering to the Lord.” With the thumb and all the hand, God will in the future smite God's enemies (who Rabbi Ishmael identified as the children of Esau and Ishmael), as Micah 5:9 says, “Let your hand be lifted up above your adversaries, and let all your enemies be cut off.”[118]

 
Pharaoh told Moses to have the people offer their sacrifices in Egypt. (1984 illustration by Jim Padgett, courtesy of Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing)

A Midrash interpreted the words of Exodus 8:22 (8:26 in the KJV), "Lo, if we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not stone us?" to teach that the Egyptians saw the lamb as a god. Thus, when God told Moses to slay the paschal lamb (as reflected in Exodus 12:21), Moses asked God how he could possibly do so, when the lamb was as Egyptian god. God replied that the Israelites would not depart from Egypt until they slaughtered the Egyptian gods before the Egyptians' eyes, so that God might teach them that their gods were really nothing at all. And thus God did so, for on the same night that God slew the Egyptian firstborn, the Israelites slaughtered their paschal lambs and ate them. When the Egyptians saw their firstborn slain and their gods slaughtered, they could do nothing, as Numbers 33:4 reports, "While the Egyptians were burying them whom the Lord had smitten among them, even all their firstborn; upon their gods also the Lord executed judgment."[119]

 
The Plague of Hail (illustration from the 1890 Holman Bible)

Exodus chapter 9 Edit

The Pirke De-Rabbi Eliezer taught that for every plague that God brought upon the Egyptians, the magicians also produced the plague, until God brought upon them the boils, and then the magicians were not able to stand to do likewise, as Exodus 9:11 says, "And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils."[118]

A Midrash taught that when God perceived that Pharaoh did not relent after the first five plagues, God decided that even if Pharaoh now wished to repent, God would harden Pharaoh's heart to exact the whole punishment from him. Thus Exodus 9:12 reports that "the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh." And the Midrash explained that the reference in Exodus 9:12, "as the Lord had spoken to Moses," referred to God's prediction in Exodus 7:3 that "I will harden Pharaoh's heart."[120]

 
Pharaoh Changed His Mind (1984 illustration by Jim Padgett, courtesy of Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing)

In Exodus 9:12, Pharaoh's heart is hardened. A Midrash catalogued the wide range of additional capabilities of the heart reported in the Hebrew Bible.[121] The heart speaks,[122] sees,[122] hears,[123] walks,[124] falls,[125] stands,[126] rejoices,[127] cries,[128] is comforted,[129] is troubled,[130] grows faint,[131] grieves,[132] fears,[133] can be broken,[134] becomes proud,[135] rebels,[136] invents,[137] cavils,[138] overflows,[139] devises,[140] desires,[141] goes astray,[142] lusts,[143] is refreshed,[144] can be stolen,[145] is humbled,[146] is enticed,[147] errs,[148] trembles,[149] is awakened,[150] loves,[151] hates,[152] envies,[153] is searched,[154] is rent,[155] meditates,[156] is like a fire,[157] is like a stone,[158] turns in repentance,[159] becomes hot,[160] dies,[161] melts,[162] takes in words,[163] is susceptible to fear,[164] gives thanks,[165] covets,[166] becomes hard,[167] makes merry,[168] acts deceitfully,[169] speaks from out of itself,[170] loves bribes,[171] writes words,[172] plans,[173] receives commandments,[174] acts with pride,[175] makes arrangements,[176] and aggrandizes itself.[177]

 
The hail killed all the people out in the open. (1984 illustration by Jim Padgett, courtesy of Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing)

Exodus 9:13–34 sets forth the plague of hail. The Gemara told of the miracle of the hailstones (avnei elgavish) of which Ezekiel 13:11, 13:13, and 38:22 speak. A Midrash taught that they were stones (avanim) which remained suspended for the sake of a man (al gav ish) and came down for the sake of a man. The hailstones remained suspended for the sake of a man—this was Moses, of whom Numbers 12:3 says, "Now the man Moses was very meek," and Exodus 9:33 says, "And the thunder and hail ceased, and the rain poured not upon the earth." The hailstones came down for the sake of a man—this was Joshua, of whom Numbers 27:18 says, "Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom there is spirit," and Joshua 10:11 says, "And it came to pass as they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth-Horon, that the Lord cast down great stones."[178]

Rabbi Nechunia, son of Hakkanah, taught that God killed Pharaoh, and then because of Pharaoh's repentance, delivered him from among the dead. Rabbi Nechunia deduced that Pharaoh had died from Exodus 9:15, in which God told Moses to tell Pharaoh, "For now I had put forth my hand, and smitten you."[179]

Reading Exodus 9:20, “Those among Pharaoh’s courtiers who feared the Lord’s word brought their slaves and livestock indoors to safety,” the Midrash HaGadol taught that one can surely draw the inference that if those who fear God on a particular occasion are saved from punishment, how much more will those who fear God all their life be saved.[180]

The Pharisees noted that while in Exodus 5:2, Pharaoh asked who God was, once God had smitten him, in Exodus 9:27 Pharaoh acknowledged that God was righteous. Citing this juxtaposition, the Pharisees complained against heretics who placed the name of earthly rulers above the name of God.[181]

The Mishnah echoed Exodus 9:31–32 by listing wheat, barley, and spelt as typical grains.[182]

Interpreting Exodus 9:34, "And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders had ceased, he sinned yet more," a Midrash taught that so it always is with the wicked: As long as they are in trouble, they humble themselves. But as soon as trouble passes, they return to their perversity.[183]

In medieval Jewish interpretation Edit

The parashah is discussed in these medieval Jewish sources:[184]

Exodus chapter 6 Edit

 
Rashi

Rashi taught that the phrase "I am the Lord" in Exodus 6:2 meant that God is faithful to recompense all those who followed God - faithful to punish when the phrase appears together with a punishment, and faithful to reward when the phrase appears together with a commandment.[185]

Abraham ibn Ezra read God's statement "and I appeared" in Exodus 6:3 to indicate that the Patriarchs received their prophesies in visions of the night.[186]

Saadia Gaon taught that the word "only" was omitted from the statement "I did not make Myself known to them by My name YHVH" in Exodus 6:3, so that one should read Exodus 6:3 to say, "I did not make Myself known to them only by My name YHVH," for God also used the Name "El Shaddai."[187]

 
Nachmanides

Ibn Ezra quotes Jeshua ben Judah as saying that Abraham and Jacob literally did not know the Name יְהוָה‎, YHVH, but Moses filled it in when writing down the Torah. However, he disagrees with this, asking how Moses could dare to write a name that God had not uttered.[188]

Rashi noted that Exodus 6:3 does not say, "but My Name YHVH I did not inform them," but, "I did not become known." According to Rashi, the name YHVH indicates God's attribute of faithfulness, but as the Divine promises to the patriarchs were not fulfilled in their lifetimes, the meaning of name YHVH was not made tangible to them (even as the name itself was used in speech).[189]

Nahmanides read God to say in Exodus 6:3 that God appeared to the Patriarchs in God's form of El Shaddai, in which God performs hidden miracles that appear to the observer as part of the natural order. But God did not appear to them in God's form of YHVH, with which God performs open miracles that subvert the natural order.[190]

Exodus chapter 7 Edit

Reading God's statement in Exodus 7:3, "I will harden Pharaoh's heart," Ibn Ezra asked: If God hardened Pharaoh's heart, what was his transgression and what was his sin? Ibn Ezra answered that God granted people wisdom and implanted in their hearts the intelligence to receive power from on high to add to their good or diminish the evil destined to befall them.[191]

 
Maimonides

Reading God's statement in Exodus 7:3 that "I will harden Pharaoh's heart," the report of Exodus 9:12 that "the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh," and similar statements in Exodus 4:21; 10:1, 20, 27; 11:10; and 14:4, 8, and 17, Maimonides concluded that it is possible for a person to commit such a great sin, or so many sins, that God decrees that the punishment for these willing and knowing acts is the removal of the privilege of repentance (teshuvah). The offender would thus be prevented from doing repentance and would not have the power to return from the offense, and the offender would die and be lost because of the offense. Maimonides read this to be what God said in Isaiah 6:10, "Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and their eyes weak, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and their hearts will understand, do repentance and be healed." Similarly, 2 Chronicles 36:16 reports, "They ridiculed the messengers of God, disdained His words and insulted His prophets until the anger of God rose upon the people, without possibility of healing." Maimonides interpreted these verses to teach that they sinned willingly and to such an egregious extent that they deserved to have repentance withheld from them. And thus because Pharaoh sinned on his own at the beginning, harming the Jews who lived in his land, as Exodus 1:10 reports him scheming, "Let us deal craftily with them," God issued the judgment that repentance would be withheld from Pharaoh until he received his punishment, and therefore God said in Exodus 14:4, "I will harden the heart of Pharaoh." Maimonides explained that God sent Moses to tell Pharaoh to send out the Jews and do repentance, when God had already told Moses that Pharaoh would refuse, because God sought to inform humanity that when God withholds repentance from a sinner, the sinner will not be able to repent. Maimonides made clear that God did not decree that Pharaoh harm the Jewish people; rather, Pharaoh sinned willifully on his own, and he thus deserved to have the privilege of repentance withheld from him.[192]

 
Zohar

The Zohar taught that the “mixed multitude” (רַב עֵרֶב‎, erev rav) mentioned in Exodus 12:38 consisted entirely of Egyptian sorcerers and magicians, who sought to oppose God's works, as Exodus 7:11 reports, “And the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.” When they beheld the signs and the wonders that Moses performed, they came to Moses to be converted. God advised Moses not to accept them, but Moses argued that now that they had seen God's power, they desired to accept the Israelites’ Faith, and if they saw God's power every day, they would learn that there is no God like God. So Moses accepted them. Exodus 12:38 called them a “mixed multitude” because they consisted of all the grades of Egyptian magicians, at their head being Jannes and Jambres. During the day, these wizards practiced their enchantments, and after sunset, they made observations of the heavens until the middle of the ninth hour, which was called the “great evening” (רַב עֵרֶב‎, erev rav, which means both “great multitude” and “great evening”). The lesser magicians then made observation after that until midnight. The Egyptians, who had great faith in the chief wizards, thus called them the “great evening” (רַב עֵרֶב‎, erev rav).[193]

Exodus chapter 8 Edit

Rashi read the words of Pharaoh's magicians in Exodus 8:15, “This is the finger of God,” to indicate that they perceived that this plague was not the result of sorcery but the Omnipresent.[194]

Rashbam, however, read Exodus 8:15, “This is the finger of God,” to indicate that the magicians assessed that the plague was a natural disaster not caused by Moses and Aaron, for if the lice had resulted from the sorcery of Moses and Aaron, then the magicians would have been able to replicate it.[195] Ibn Ezra and Hezekiah ben Manoah (Hizkuni) similarly read the magicians’ remark to indicate that the magicians thought that a natural disaster had caused the plague, because the magicians said, “This is the finger of God,” and not, “This is the finger of the Lord.”[196]

Nachmanides, however, disagreed with Ibn Ezra's reading, arguing that a matter of chance is not called “the finger of God,” only a punishment from God is called that, as in 1 Samuel 12:15, “the hand of the Lord.” Further, Nachmanides noted that in the next plagues, Pharaoh no longer called on the magicians to do the same thing, indicating that the magicians had already conceded that the plagues were God's doing.[197]

Exodus chapter 9 Edit

Saadia Gaon read the words, “He that feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh,” in Exodus 9:20 to indicate that those servants of Pharaoh feared God's strength and power.[198]

In modern interpretation Edit

The parashah is discussed in these modern sources:

Exodus chapter 6 Edit

Neḥama Leibowitz identified the following chiastic structure in God's speech to Moses in Exodus 6:2–8:[199]

2And God spoke to Moses, and said to him:

A: "I am the Lord;
B: 3And I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name YHWH I made Me not known to them.
C: 4And I have also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their sojournings, wherein they sojourned.
D: 5And moreover I have heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered My covenant.
E: 6Therefore say to the children of Israel: I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm, and with great judgments;
D1: 7And I will take you to Me for a people, and I will be to you a God; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
C1: 8And I will bring you in to the land, concerning which I lifted up My hand to give it
B1: to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for a heritage:
A1: I am the Lord."

Robert Alter wrote that the designation אֵל שַׁדָּי‎, El Shaddai, in Exodus 6:3, also used five times in the Patriarchal Tales, is an archaic, evidently Canaanite combination of divine names. אֵל‎, El, was the high god of the Canaanite pantheon (although the Hebrew word is also a common noun meaning “god”), and some scholars link שַׁדָּי‎, Shaddai, with a term for “mountain,” and others associate it with fertility.[200]

 
Plaut

Gunther Plaut noted the difficulty that Exodus 6:3–4 says that it is יְהוָה‎, YHVH, who guarantees the covenant made with the ancestors, although they did not know God by this Name, but this contradicts the frequent occurrence of the name YHVH, in Genesis, implying that the forefathers knew the Name. Plaut reports that Biblical scholars have attempted to solve this contradiction in various ways, many positing that Exodus 6 belongs to the Priestly source, which held that the Patriarchs knew God only as Elohim or El Shaddai, and that God first disclosed the Name YHVH, to Moses. According to this theory, the passages in Genesis that use the Name YHVH, and the passages in Exodus 3 that refer to YHVH, are assigned to the J tradition. Adherents of this theory argue that in Exodus 6:3, the P school connected YHVH, with Moses to establish the legitimacy of the priestly hierarchy.[201] Acknowledging that this explanation does not address the text as it is now, Plaut presented the alternative explanation (which Plaut attributed to the Israeli scholar Yehezkel Kaufmann) that Moses and the people had since patriarchal time known the Name YHVH, as God's name, but this knowledge had hardly been more than a “customary appellation.” In Exodus 6, however, after his first trials and failures, Moses confronted God again, and this time God revealed the Name more fully, which is to say that Moses saw God more clearly than before, in a new light.[202] Turning to the etymology of the Name, Plaut reported that the most widely accepted explanation connects the Name with the word hayah, "to be", a causative form of which could be Yahveh, “one who causes to be.” Another form could be Yahuah, “he who indeed will (show himself to) be,” or “he who proves himself.” Plaut reported a different theory holds that the name was read Yahuh, a version of Yehu, a form that occurs several times independently in the Bible as יהרא‎ and frequently as a prefix or suffix to proper names. According to Martin Buber, Yahu was a kind of “primitive sound,” an exclamation denoting awe, recognition, and affirmation: “Oh is the one!” or “Yah is the one!” or “Yah is!” or “Yah exists!” Finally, Plaut related yet another approach, seeing YHVH, as having developed from a cultic name connected with El, perhaps El du Yahwi—“El who creates”—and that in time the Name Yahwi split off from El, ousting the Name El from preeminence.[203]

Sarna and Tigay noted that Exodus 6:7, “I will take you to Me for a people, and I will be to you a God,” prefigures the covenant that God would establish at Sinai.[204]

Alter noted that the idea in Exodus 6:7, “that I am the Lord your God Who takes you out from under the burdens of Egypt,” is emphasized repeatedly in the Torah and later books of the Bible. Alter called “the cornerstone of Israelite faith” that God had proven God's divinity and attachment to Israel by liberating the Israelites from Egyptian slavery. Alter reported that some modern scholars, arguing from the absence of Egyptian evidence on any Hebrew slave population or any mention of an exodus, have raised doubts about whether the Hebrews were ever in Egypt. Alter concluded that the story is surely a schematization and simplification of complex historical processes. Alter viewed it quite likely that a sizeable segment of the Hebrew people remained in the high country of eastern Canaan and never went down to Egypt. Yet Alter also found it hard to imagine that the Israelites would have invented a story of national origins involving the humiliation of slavery without some kernel of historical memory.[205]

 
Spinoza

Exodus chapter 7 Edit

Baruch Spinoza deduced from Exodus 7:1 that in Scripture, the word "prophet" (נָבִיא‎, navi) means "interpreter of God." Spinoza read God's words to Moses in Exodus 7:1, "See, I have made you a god to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet," to imply that in interpreting the words of Moses to Pharaoh, Aaron would act as a prophet.[206]

Greta Hort argued that the plagues concentrated within a period of about 12 months, based on the report of Exodus 7:7 that Moses was 80 years old when he first spoke with pharaoh and the report of Deuteronomy 34:7 that Moses was 120 years old when he died, after spending 40 years in the wilderness.[207]

Sarna noted that Aaron, not Moses, turned his rod into a snake in Exodus 7:10. Sarna explained that Moses thus tacitly asserted his equal status with Pharaoh. Moses came to negotiate with Pharaoh as the representative of the people of Israel. Just as Pharaoh had his magicians, Moses had his assistant, Aaron. Sarna noted that in the narratives of the Ten Plagues, Aaron acted only as long as the Egyptian magicians appeared present. After their ingenuity failed them and they faded from the story, Moses acted personally to bring about the remaining plagues.[208]

Everett Fox noted that “glory” (כְּבוֹד‎, kevod) and “stubbornness” (כָּבֵד לֵב‎, kaved lev) are leading words throughout the book of Exodus that give it a sense of unity.[209] Similarly, William Propp identified the root kvd—connoting heaviness, glory, wealth, and firmness—as a recurring theme in Exodus: Moses suffered from a heavy mouth in Exodus 4:10 and heavy arms in Exodus 17:12; Pharaoh had firmness of heart in Exodus 7:14; 8:11, 28; 9:7, 34; and 10:1; Pharaoh made Israel's labor heavy in Exodus 5:9; God in response sent heavy plagues in Exodus 8:20; 9:3, 18, 24; and 10:14, so that God might be glorified over Pharaoh in Exodus 14:4, 17, and 18; and the book culminates with the descent of God's fiery Glory, described as a “heavy cloud,” first upon Sinai and later upon the Tabernacle in Exodus 19:16; 24:16–17; 29:43; 33:18, 22; and 40:34–38.[210]

Plaut reported that scholars generally agree that the term “Hebrew” (עִברִי‎, Ivri), as in Exodus 7:16 and 9:1 and 13, came from the name of a group called Habiru or Apiru, people who had lost their status in the community from which they came, and who were not necessarily related except by common fate.[211] Plaut wrote that the Habiru were a class of people who lived in the Fertile Crescent during the 19th to 14th centuries B.C.E. who may originally have come from Arabia, became prominent in Mesopotamia, and later spread to Egypt. The Habiru followed distinct occupations, particularly mercenaries and administrators. Although at first they were nomads or seminomads, they later settled, but were usually considered foreigners and maintaining their group identity. The term Habiru referred not so much to an ethnic or linguistic group as to a social or political group. Plaut reported that the words Habiru and “Hebrew” (עִברִי‎, Ivri) appear to share a common linguistic root. Plaut concluded that Israelites in Egypt likely occupied positions similar to, or because of familial ties were identified with, the Habiru. When non-Israelites repeatedly applied the term to the Israelites, the Israelites themselves began to use the name Habiru, which they pronounced Ivri. Plaut considered it possible that for some time the term Ivri was used only when the Israelites spoke of themselves to outsiders and when outsiders referred to them. Thus Genesis 14:13 calls Abram Ivri vis-a-vis an outsider, and Jonah says, "I am an Ivri,” when asked his identity by non-Israelite sailors in Jonah 1:9, but otherwise Israelites referred to themselves by their tribes (for example, Judah or Ephraim) or by their common ancestor, Israel.[212]

Plaut reported that most moderns take the view that the plague stories are unacceptable as fact and must be deemed legendary and unhistorical.[213] Plaut argued that it was a mistake to consider the stories literally rather than as “essentially interpretive and legendary”—asserting that the release of the Israelites from slavery was unprecedented and could only be explained by crediting God.[214] Plaut suggested that there was “possibly or even likely” a historical kernel that the biblical tradition transposed into the moral religious realm. Thus Plaut noted that some claim that the bloodiness of the Nile was caused by special deposits that the river picked up from the mountains (hence the name "Red Nile” for one branch); that frogs accompanied a large-scale inundation; and that lice, gnats, and insects regularly infested the area.[215] Plaut concluded that the plague stories teach: “Israel's redemption was the ultimate marvel, and it was caused by God. To bring it about, nature itself was harnessed, the drama of the plagues was unfolded, and the ground was laid for an experience that forever after was etched into the hearts of the people and their descendants.”[216]

John J. Collins reported that some scholars have suggested that the plague stories contain a reminiscence of a mid-fourteenth century BCE epidemic referred to as “the Asiatic illness.”[217]

Collins argued that the plague stories show that Exodus is not only the story of the liberation of Israel, but also of the defeat and humiliation of the Egyptians, and thus involved “less than edifying” nationalistic, ethnic vengeance.[218]

Sarna suggested that the biblical narrator might have construed the affliction of the Nile's waters and the plague of frogs as a kind of retribution for the pharaoh's decrees ordering the killing of male Israelites at birth and their drowning in the Nile.[219]

 
Luzzatto

Exodus chapter 8 Edit

Reading the words of Pharaoh's magicians in Exodus 8:15, “This is the finger of God,” Samuel David Luzzatto (Shadal) wrote that although Pharaoh must have in his heart realized that the magicians were correct (and Moses was correct), Pharaoh carried on “business as usual,” as is the habit of atheists.[220]

Alter noted that the narrative preceding Exodus 8:15 repeatedly spoke of God's “hand” or “arm,” but Pharaoh's magicians appear to concede a lesser trace of divine action in mentioning God's “finger.”[221]

Exodus chapter 9 Edit

Reading the report of Exodus 9:6 that “all the livestock of Egypt died,” but noting that Exodus 9:10 reports that boils subsequently struck the animals, Plaut concluded that Exodus 9:6 must be taken as hyperbole.[222]

Jacob ben Asher (the Baal Ha-Turim) read the words, “He that feared,” in Exodus 9:20 to indicate that the Egyptians were fearful because of the sins they had committed.[223]

Moritz Markus Kalisch reported an interpretation that Exodus 9:20 indicated a test by Moses of how far the fear of God had spread among the Egyptians.[224]

Benno Jacob read Exodus 9:20 to indicate that some of Pharaoh's servants had become frightened of God's warning through Moses.[225]

Reading Exodus 9:20, "Whoever feared the Lord’s word," Alter wrote that whereas elsewhere, this idiom indicates piety (as in "God-fearing"), here it has been stripped down to its literal meaning of whoever was struck with terror by God's grim threat.[226]

In critical analysis Edit

 
Diagram of the Documentary Hypothesis

Some scholars who follow the Documentary Hypothesis find evidence of three or even four separate sources in the parashah. Walter Brueggemann reported that older source analysis saw Exodus 6:2–30 as an insertion by the Priestly source, addressed to a community in exile (or just out of exile), appealing to very old tradition to create a sense of structured, stable reality to give coherence, order, and legitimacy to communal life.[227] Richard Elliott Friedman, however, saw four sources in Exodus 6 alone. Friedman saw the opening verse of Exodus 6:1 to have been composed by the Elohist (sometimes abbreviated E) who wrote in the north, in the land of the Tribe of Ephraim, possibly as early as the second half of the 9th century BCE.[228] Friedman agreed with Brueggemann in attributing Exodus 6:2–10 and 30 to the Priestly source who wrote in the 6th or 5th century BCE.[229] But Friedman attributed Exodus 6:12–13 and 26–28 to a later Redactor (sometimes abbreviated R).[230] And Friedman attributed the genealogy of Exodus 6:14–25 to the Book of Records or some other separate source document, from which Friedman postulates that the Redactor chose to use only the first section covering genealogies from Reuben to Levi, stopping at Aaron.[231]

In the balance of the parashah, Friedman attributed Exodus 7:14–18, 20b–21, and 23–29; 8:3b–11a and 16–28; and 9:1–7 and 13–34; to the Elohist; Exodus 7:1–13, 19–20a, and 22; 8:1–3a and 12–15; and 9:8–12 to the Priestly source; and Exodus 8:11b and 9:35 to the Redactor.[232] For a color-coded display of verses according to this hypothesis, see the display of Exodus according to the Documentary Hypothesis at Wikiversity.

Commandments Edit

According to Maimonides and Sefer ha-Chinuch, there are no commandments in the parashah.[233]

 
14th century German illuminated Haggadah for Passover

In the liturgy Edit

Reading the Passover Haggadah, in the magid section of the Seder, many Jews remove drops of wine from their cups for each of the ten plagues in Exodus 7:14–12:29.[234]

Next, the Haggadah recounts the reasoning of Rabbi Jose the Galilean that as the phrase "the finger of God" in Exodus 8:15 referred to 10 plagues, "the great hand" (translated "the great work") in Exodus 14:31 must refer to 50 plagues upon the Egyptians.[235]

And the haggadah in the magid section quotes Exodus 9:3 to elucidate the term "a mighty hand" in Deuteronomy 26:8, interpreting the "mighty hand" to mean the plague of pestilence on the Egyptian livestock.[236]

 
Ezekiel (1510 fresco by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel)

Haftarah Edit

Generally Edit

The haftarah for the parashah is Ezekiel 28:25–29:21.

Connection to the Parashah Edit

Both the parashah and the haftarah describe God's instructions to a prophet to confront the Pharaoh of Egypt and bring on Israel's redemption. Both the parashah and the haftarah address God's judgments (shefatim) against Pharaoh and Egypt.[237] A monster (tannin) plays a role in both the parashah and the haftarah: In the parashah, God turns Moses' rod into a monster;[238] the haftarah describes Pharaoh as a monster.[239] In both the parashah and the haftarah, God attacks the river[240] and kills fish.[241] In both the parashah and the haftarah, God's actions would cause the Egyptians to know (ve-yade'u) God.[242] And in both the parashah and the haftarah, God proclaims, "I am the Lord."[243]

On Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Edit

When the parashah coincides with Shabbat Rosh Chodesh (as it did in 2013 and 2017), the haftarah is Isaiah 66:1–24.

Notes Edit

  1. ^ Fred Reiss, The Standard Guide to the Jewish and Civil Calendars: A Parallel Jewish and Civil Calendar from 1899 to 2050 with Parashiyyot and Haftarot and Candle-Lighting Times for Selected Cities (West Orange, New Jersey): Behrman House, 1986); "Parashat Vaera," Hebcal.
  2. ^ "Torah Stats for Shemoth". Aklah, Inc. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  3. ^ See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, The Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus (Brooklyn: Mesorah Publications, 2008), pages 31–57.
  4. ^ Exodus 6:2–4.
  5. ^ Exodus 6:6–8.
  6. ^ Exodus 6:9.
  7. ^ See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 33.
  8. ^ Exodus 6:10–12.
  9. ^ See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 34.
  10. ^ See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, pages 34–35.
  11. ^ Exodus 6:14–25.
  12. ^ a b See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 37.
  13. ^ Exodus 6:29–30.
  14. ^ Exodus 7:1–2.
  15. ^ Exodus 7:3–5.
  16. ^ Exodus 7:6.
  17. ^ Exodus 7:7.
  18. ^ See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 39.
  19. ^ Exodus 7:9–10.
  20. ^ Exodus 7:11–12.
  21. ^ Exodus 7:13.
  22. ^ See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 40.
  23. ^ Exodus 7:14–18.
  24. ^ See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 41.
  25. ^ Exodus 7:19.
  26. ^ Exodus 7:20–21.
  27. ^ Exodus 7:22–23.
  28. ^ Exodus 7:25.
  29. ^ See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 43.
  30. ^ Exodus 7:26–8:2.
  31. ^ Exodus 8:3.
  32. ^ Exodus 8:4.
  33. ^ Exodus 8:5–6.
  34. ^ See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 45.
  35. ^ Exodus 8:7–11.
  36. ^ See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 46.
  37. ^ Exodus 8:12–13.
  38. ^ Exodus 8:14.
  39. ^ Exodus 8:15.
  40. ^ See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 47.
  41. ^ Exodus 8:16–18.
  42. ^ See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 48.
  43. ^ Exodus 8:19–20.
  44. ^ Exodus 8:21–23.
  45. ^ Exodus 8:24.
  46. ^ Exodus 8:27–28.
  47. ^ See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 50.
  48. ^ Exodus 9:1–6.
  49. ^ Exodus 9:7.
  50. ^ See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 51.
  51. ^ Exodus 9:8–10.
  52. ^ Exodus 9:12.
  53. ^ See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 52.
  54. ^ Exodus 9:13–16.
  55. ^ See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 53.
  56. ^ Exodus 9:17–19.
  57. ^ Exodus 9:20–21.
  58. ^ See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 54.
  59. ^ Exodus 9:22–26.
  60. ^ Exodus 9:27–28.
  61. ^ Exodus 9:29–30.
  62. ^ Exodus 9:31–32.
  63. ^ See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, pages 56–57.
  64. ^ Exodus 9:33–35.
  65. ^ See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 57.
  66. ^ See, e.g., Richard Eisenberg, "A Complete Triennial Cycle for Reading the Torah," Proceedings of the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of the Conservative Movement: 1986–1990 (New York: The Rabbinical Assembly, 2001), pages 383–418.
  67. ^ W. Gunther Plaut, The Torah: A Modern Commentary: Revised Edition, revised edition edited by David E.S. Stern (New York: Union for Reform Judaism, 2006), page 388.
  68. ^ For more on inner-Biblical interpretation, see, e.g., Benjamin D. Sommer, "Inner-biblical Interpretation," in Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler, editors, The Jewish Study Bible: 2nd Edition (New York: Oxford University Press, 2014), pages 1835–41.
  69. ^ Nahum M. Sarna, The JPS Torah Commentary: Exodus: The Traditional Hebrew Text with the New JPS Translation (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1991), page 32.
  70. ^ Jeffrey H. Tigay, “Exodus,” in Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler, editors, Jewish Study Bible: 2nd Edition, page 108; Bruce Wells, "Exodus," in John H. Walton, editor, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2009), volume 1, page 185.
  71. ^ For more on early nonrabbinic interpretation, see, e.g., Esther Eshel, "Early Nonrabbinic Interpretation," in Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler, editors, Jewish Study Bible: 2nd Edition, pages 1841–59.
  72. ^ Philo, On the Change of Names, chapter 2, paragraphs 11–13.
  73. ^ For more on classical rabbinic interpretation, see, e.g., Yaakov Elman, "Classical Rabbinic Interpretation," in Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler, editors, Jewish Study Bible: 2nd Edition, pages 1859–78.
  74. ^ Exodus Rabbah 6:1.
  75. ^ See Genesis 17:1 and 48:3.
  76. ^ Exodus Rabbah 6:4; see also Mekhilta of Rabbi Simeon, Tractate Sanya, chapter 2, paragraph 3:1 (Rabbi Akiva said that "therefore" implies an oath).
  77. ^ Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 90b.
  78. ^ Babylonian Talmud Rosh Hashanah 11b.
  79. ^ Babylonian Talmud Berakhot 38a.
  80. ^ Jerusalem Talmud Pesachim 82b; see also Exodus Rabbah 6:4; Genesis Rabbah 88:5.
  81. ^ Mishnah Pesachim 10:1; Babylonian Talmud Pesachim 99b.
  82. ^ Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 111a.
  83. ^ Babylonian Talmud Bava Batra 117b.
  84. ^ Exodus Rabbah 6:5.
  85. ^ Genesis Rabbah 92:7.
  86. ^ Pirke De-Rabbi Eliezer, chapter 29; see also Genesis Rabbah 46:5 (Rabbi Akiva counted four kinds of orlah). And Tractate Orlah in the Mishnah, Tosefta, and Jerusalem Talmud deals with the uncircumcision of trees based on Leviticus 19:23–25. Mishnah Orlah 1:1–3:9; Tosefta Orlah 1:1–8; Jerusalem Talmud Orlah 1a–42a.
  87. ^ See Exodus 6:13, 7:8, 9:8, 12:1, 12:43, 12:50; 11:1, 13:1, 14:33, 15:1; Numbers 2:1, 4:1, 4:17 14:26, 16:20, 19:1, 20:12, 20:23.
  88. ^ Numbers Rabbah 2:1.
  89. ^ Jerusalem Talmud Rosh Hashanah 20b.
  90. ^ a b Exodus Rabbah 7:3.
  91. ^ Midrash Tanhuma Korah 1.
  92. ^ Babylonian Talmud Bava Batra 110a.
  93. ^ See Babylonian Talmud Sotah 43a; see also Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 82b.
  94. ^ Babylonian Talmud Bava Batra 109b–10a; see also Exodus Rabbah 7:5.
  95. ^ Tosefta Keritot 4:15; see also Mekhilta of Rabbi Ishmael Pisha 6:1:2 (attributing to Rabbi Judah the Prince); Song of Songs Rabbah 4:13 (attributing to the Rabbis).
  96. ^ Babylonian Talmud Megillah 11a.
  97. ^ Tosefta Megillah 3:21.
  98. ^ Exodus Rabbah 11:1.
  99. ^ Pirke De-Rabbi Eliezer, chapter 45.
  100. ^ Tobiah ben Eliezer. Lekach Tov. 11th century, in Menahem M. Kasher. Torah Sheleimah, 7, 43. Jerusalem, 1927, in Encyclopedia of Biblical Interpretation. Translated by Harry Freedman, volume 7, page 217. New York: American Biblical Encyclopedia Society.
  101. ^ a b c Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 67b.
  102. ^ Babylonian Talmud Shabbat 97a; Exodus Rabbah 9:7.
  103. ^ Exodus Rabbah 9:7.
  104. ^ Midrash Tanhuma Va'eira 3; see also Exodus Rabbah 11:6 (discussed below).
  105. ^ Babylonian Talmud Sotah 8b (Rabbi Judah the Prince); Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 100a (Rabbi Meir).
  106. ^ Midrash Tanhuma Va'eira 14.
  107. ^ Babylonian Talmud Moed Katan 18a.
  108. ^ Exodus Rabbah 9:8.
  109. ^ Exodus Rabbah 28:4.
  110. ^ Exodus Rabbah 9:10.
  111. ^ Babylonian Talmud Nedarim 51b.
  112. ^ Exodus Rabbah 15:27.
  113. ^ Babylonian Talmud Pesachim 53b.
  114. ^ Tosefta Sotah 4:12.
  115. ^ Numbers Rabbah 13:3.
  116. ^ Mekhilta of Rabbi Ishmael, Beshallah 7; Mekhilta of Rabbi Simeon 26:6; see also Exodus Rabbah 5:14, 23:9.
  117. ^ Babylonian Talmud Bava Batra 116a; see also Exodus Rabbah 23:9.
  118. ^ a b Pirke De-Rabbi Eliezer, chapter 48.
  119. ^ Exodus Rabbah 16:3.
  120. ^ Exodus Rabbah 11:6.
  121. ^ Ecclesiastes Rabbah 1:36.
  122. ^ a b Ecclesiastes 1:16.
  123. ^ 1 Kings 3:9.
  124. ^ 2 Kings 5:26.
  125. ^ 1 Samuel 17:32.
  126. ^ Ezekiel 22:14.
  127. ^ Psalm 16:9.
  128. ^ Lamentations 2:18.
  129. ^ Isaiah 40:2.
  130. ^ Deuteronomy 15:10.
  131. ^ Deuteronomy 20:3.
  132. ^ Genesis 6:6.
  133. ^ Deuteronomy 28:67.
  134. ^ Psalm 51:19.
  135. ^ Deuteronomy 8:14.
  136. ^ Jeremiah 5:23.
  137. ^ 1 Kings 12:33.
  138. ^ Deuteronomy 29:18.
  139. ^ Psalm 45:2.
  140. ^ Proverbs 19:21.
  141. ^ Psalm 21:3.
  142. ^ Proverbs 7:25.
  143. ^ Numbers 15:39.
  144. ^ Genesis 18:5.
  145. ^ Genesis 31:20.
  146. ^ Leviticus 26:41.
  147. ^ Genesis 34:3.
  148. ^ Isaiah 21:4.
  149. ^ 1 Samuel 4:13.
  150. ^ Song of Songs 5:2.
  151. ^ Deuteronomy 6:5.
  152. ^ Leviticus 19:17.
  153. ^ Proverbs 23:17.
  154. ^ Jeremiah 17:10.
  155. ^ Joel 2:13.
  156. ^ Psalm 49:4.
  157. ^ Jeremiah 20:9.
  158. ^ Ezekiel 36:26.
  159. ^ 2 Kings 23:25.
  160. ^ Deuteronomy 19:6.
  161. ^ 1 Samuel 25:37.
  162. ^ Joshua 7:5.
  163. ^ Deuteronomy 6:6.
  164. ^ Jeremiah 32:40.
  165. ^ Psalm 111:1.
  166. ^ Proverbs 6:25.
  167. ^ Proverbs 28:14.
  168. ^ Judges 16:25.
  169. ^ Proverbs 12:20.
  170. ^ 1 Samuel 1:13.
  171. ^ Jeremiah 22:17.
  172. ^ Proverbs 3:3.
  173. ^ Proverbs 6:18.
  174. ^ Proverbs 10:8.
  175. ^ Obadiah 1:3.
  176. ^ Proverbs 16:1.
  177. ^ 2 Chronicles 25:19.
  178. ^ Babylonian Talmud Berakhot 54b.
  179. ^ Pirke De-Rabbi Eliezer, chapter 43.
  180. ^ Midrash HaGadol. Yemen, 13th century, in Menahem M. Kasher. Torah Sheleimah. Jerusalem, 1927, in Encyclopedia of Biblical Interpretation. Translated by Harry Freedman. New York: American Biblical Encyclopedia Society.
  181. ^ Mishnah Yadayim 4:8.
  182. ^ Mishnah Shavuot 5:3.
  183. ^ Exodus Rabbah 12:7.
  184. ^ For more on medieval Jewish interpretation, see, e.g., Barry D. Walfish. "Medieval Jewish Interpretation," in Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler, editors, Jewish Study Bible: 2nd Edition, pages 1891–915.
  185. ^ Rashi, Exodus 6:2 (Troyes, France, late 11th century); in, e.g., Rashi, The Torah: With Rashi's Commentary Translated, Annotated, and Elucidated, translated and annotated by Yisrael Isser Zvi Herczeg (Brooklyn: Mesorah Publications, 1994), volume 2, page 54.
  186. ^ Ibn Ezra Second Commentary, Exodus 6:3 (France, 1153); in, e.g., Ibn Ezra's Commentary on the Pentateuch: Exodus (Shemot), translated and annotated by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver (New York: Menorah Publishing Company, 1996), volume 2, page 129.
  187. ^ Abraham ibn Ezra, Commentary on the Torah; in, e.g., Ibn Ezra's Commentary on the Pentateuch: Exodus (Shemot), translated and annotated by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver, volume 2, page 132.
  188. ^ Ibn Ezra Second Commentary, Exodus 6:3; in, e.g., Ibn Ezra's Commentary on the Pentateuch: Exodus (Shemot), translated and annotated by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver, volume 2, page 133.
  189. ^ Rashi, Exodus 6:3; in, e.g., Rashi, The Torah: With Rashi's Commentary Translated, Annotated, and Elucidated, translated and annotated by Yisrael Isser Zvi Herczeg, volume 2, pages 54–55.
  190. ^ Ramban, Exodus 6:2 (Jerusalem, circa 1270); in, e.g., Ramban (Nachmanides): Commentary on the Torah, translated by Charles B. Chavel (New York: Shilo Publishing House, 1973), volume 2, pages 65–66.
  191. ^ Abraham ibn Ezra, Commentary on the Torah; in, e.g., Ibn Ezra's Commentary on the Pentateuch: Exodus (Shemot), translated and annotated by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver, volume 2, page 145.
  192. ^ Maimonides, Mishneh Torah: Hilchot Teshuvah (The Laws of Repentance), chapter 3, halachah 3 (Egypt, circa 1170–1180); in, e.g., Mishneh Torah: Hilchot Teshuvah: The Laws of Repentance, translated by Eliyahu Touger (New York: Moznaim Publishing, 1990), pages 140–48; see also Maimonides, The Eight Chapters on Ethics, chapter 8 (Egypt, late 12th century); in, e.g., The Eight Chapters of Maimonides on Ethics (Shemonah Perakim): A Psychological and Ethical Treatise, edited, annotated, and translated, with an introduction by Joseph I. Gorfinkle (New York: Columbia University Press, 1912; reprinted by Forgotten Books, 2012), pages 95–96.
  193. ^ Zohar, part 2, page 191a (Spain, late 13th century); in, e.g., The Zohar, translated by Harry Sperling, Maurice Simon, and Paul P. Levertoff (London: Soncino Press, 1934).
  194. ^ Rashi, Commentary on 8:15, in, e.g., Rashi. The Torah: With Rashi's Commentary Translated, Annotated, and Elucidated. Translated and annotated by Yisrael Isser Zvi Herczeg, volume 2, page 77.
  195. ^ Rashbam. Commentary on the Torah. Troyes, early 12th century, in, e.g., Rashbam’s Commentary on Exodus: An Annotated Translation. Edited and translated by Martin I. Lockshin, page 79. Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1997.
  196. ^ Abraham ibn Ezra. Commentary on the Torah, in, e.g., Ibn Ezra's Commentary on the Pentateuch: Exodus (Shemot), translated and annotated by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver, volume 2, page 132; Hezekiah ben Manoah, Hizkuni (France, circa 1240); in, e.g., Chizkiyahu ben Manoach, Chizkuni: Torah Commentary, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk (Jerusalem: Ktav Publishers, 2013), volume 2, page 392.
  197. ^ Nachmanides, Commentary on the Torah (Jerusalem, circa 1270); in, e.g., Ramban (Nachmanides): Commentary on the Torah, translated by Charles B. Chavel, volume 2, pages 86–87.
  198. ^ Saadia Gaon. Emunoth ve-Deoth (Beliefs and Opinions), Introductory treatise, chapter 6 (Baghdad, Babylonia, 933); in, e.g., The Book of Beliefs and Opinions, translated by Samuel Rosenblatt (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1948), page 29.
  199. ^ Nehama Leibowitz, New Studies in Shemot (Exodus), (Jerusalem: Haomanim Press, 1993), pages 115–18, reprinted as New Studies in the Weekly Parasha (Lambda Publishers, 2010); see also Walter Brueggemann, "The Book of Exodus," in Leander E. Keck, editor, The New Interpreter's Bible (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994), volume 1, pages 734–35 (noting a similar chiastic structure).
  200. ^ Robert Alter. The Five Books of Moses: A Translation with Commentary, page 339. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 2004.
  201. ^ W. Gunther Plaut. The Torah: A Modern Commentary: Revised Edition. Revised edition edited by David E.S. Stern, page 393.
  202. ^ See W. Gunther Plaut. The Torah: A Modern Commentary: Revised Edition. Revised edition edited by David E.S. Stern, page 394.
  203. ^ See W. Gunther Plaut. The Torah: A Modern Commentary: Revised Edition. Revised edition edited by David E.S. Stern, page 395.
  204. ^ Nahum M. Sarna, The JPS Torah Commentary: Exodus: The Traditional Hebrew Text with the New JPS Translation, page 32; Jeffrey H. Tigay, “Exodus,” in Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler, editors, Jewish Study Bible: 2nd Edition, page 108.
  205. ^ Robert Alter. The Five Books of Moses: A Translation with Commentary, pages 340–41.
  206. ^ Baruch Spinoza, Theologico-Political Treatise, chapter 1 (Amsterdam, 1670), in, e.g., Baruch Spinoza, Theological-Political Treatise, translated by Samuel Shirley, page 9 (Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 2nd edition, 2001).
  207. ^ Greta Hort, “The Plagues of Egypt,” Zeitschrift für die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft, volume 69, issues 1–4 (1957): pages 84–103; volume 70, issue 1 (1958): pages 48–59; Nahum M. Sarna, Exploring Exodus: The Origins of Biblical Israel (New York: Schocken Books, 1996), page 70.
  208. ^ Nahum M. Sarna, Exploring Exodus: The Origins of Biblical Israel, page 67.
  209. ^ Everett Fox, The Five Books of Moses (Dallas: Word Publishing, 1995), page 245.
  210. ^ William H.C. Propp, Exodus 1–18: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary (New York: Anchor Bible, 1998), volume 2, page 36.
  211. ^ W. Gunther Plaut. The Torah: A Modern Commentary: Revised Edition, revised edition edited by David E.S. Stern, page 347.
  212. ^ W. Gunther Plaut, The Torah: A Modern Commentary: Revised Edition, revised edition edited by David E.S. Stern, pages 106–07.
  213. ^ W. Gunther Plaut, The Torah: A Modern Commentary: Revised Edition, revised edition edited by David E.S. Stern, page 396 (citing Mordecai M. Kaplan, Judaism as a Civilisation (Macmillan, 1934), page 98; David Hume, “Of Miracles,” in An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding (London, 1748); Baruch Spinoza, Theologico-Political Treatise (Amsterdam, 1670), 6; in, e.g., Baruch Spinoza, Theological-Political Treatise, translated by Samuel Shirley (Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 2nd edition, 2001)).
  214. ^ W. Gunther Plaut, The Torah: A Modern Commentary: Revised Edition, revised edition edited by David E.S. Stern, page 396.
  215. ^ W. Gunther Plaut, The Torah: A Modern Commentary: Revised Edition, revised edition edited by David E.S. Stern, pages 396–97.
  216. ^ W. Gunther Plaut, The Torah: A Modern Commentary: Revised Edition, revised edition edited by David E.S. Stern, page 397.
  217. ^ John J. Collins, Introduction to the Hebrew Bible: Third Edition (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2018), page 109.
  218. ^ John J. Collins, Introduction to the Hebrew Bible: Third Edition, page 116.
  219. ^ Nahum M. Sarna, Exploring Exodus: The Origins of Biblical Israel, page 79.
  220. ^ Samuel David Luzzatto (Shadal). Commentary on the Torah. Padua, 1871, in, e.g., Samuel David Luzzatto. Torah Commentary. Translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk, volume 2, page 582. New York: Lambda Publishers, 2012.
  221. ^ Robert Alter. The Five Books of Moses: A Translation with Commentary, page 354.
  222. ^ W. Gunther Plaut. The Torah: A Modern Commentary: Revised Edition. Revised edition edited by David E.S. Stern, page 390.
  223. ^ Jacob ben Asher (Baal Ha-Turim). Rimze Ba'al ha-Turim. Early 14th century, in, e.g., Baal Haturim Chumash: Shemos/Exodus. Translated by Eliyahu Touger; edited and annotated by Avie Gold, volume 2, pages 601–02. Brooklyn: Mesorah Publications, 2000.
  224. ^ Moritz Markus Kalisch. A Historical and Critical Commentary on the Old Testament with a New Translation: Exodus, pages 117–18. London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, 1855, in, e.g., RareBooksClub.com, 2012.
  225. ^ Benno Jacob. The Second Book of the Bible: Exodus. London, 1940. Translated by Walter Jacob, page 275. Hoboken, New Jersey: KTAV Publishing House, 1992.
  226. ^ Robert Alter. The Five Books of Moses: A Translation with Commentary, pages 362.
  227. ^ Walter Brueggemann. “The Book of Exodus.” In The New Interpreter's Bible. Edited by Leander E. Keck, volume 1, page 733.
  228. ^ See Richard Elliott Friedman. The Bible with Sources Revealed, pages 4, 128. New York: HarperSanFrancisco, 2003.
  229. ^ See Richard Elliott Friedman. The Bible with Sources Revealed, pages 4–5, 128–29.
  230. ^ See Richard Elliott Friedman. The Bible with Sources Revealed, pages 5, 128–29.
  231. ^ See Richard Elliott Friedman. The Bible with Sources Revealed, page 129.
  232. ^ See Richard Elliott Friedman. The Bible with Sources Revealed, pages 130–35.
  233. ^ Maimonides. Mishneh Torah. Cairo, Egypt, 1170–1180, in Maimonides. The Commandments: Sefer Ha-Mitzvoth of Maimonides. Translated by Charles B. Chavel, 2 volumes. London: Soncino Press, 1967. Sefer HaHinnuch: The Book of [Mitzvah] Education. Translated by Charles Wengrov, volume 1, page 93. Jerusalem: Feldheim Publishers, 1991.
  234. ^ Menachem Davis, editor, The Interlinear Haggadah: The Passover Haggadah, with an Interlinear Translation, Instructions and Comments (Brooklyn: Mesorah Publications, 2005), page 51; Joseph Tabory, JPS Commentary on the Haggadah: Historical Introduction, Translation, and Commentary (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 2008), pages 94–95.
  235. ^ Menachem Davis, editor, The Interlinear Haggadah: The Passover Haggadah, with an Interlinear Translation, Instructions and Comments, pages 51–52; Joseph Tabory, JPS Commentary on the Haggadah: Historical Introduction, Translation, and Commentary, page 95.
  236. ^ Menachem Davis, editor, The Interlinear Haggadah: The Passover Haggadah, with an Interlinear Translation, Instructions and Comments, page 49; Joseph Tabory, JPS Commentary on the Haggadah: Historical Introduction, Translation, and Commentary, page 94.
  237. ^ Exodus 7:4; Ezekiel 28:26.
  238. ^ Exodus 7:15
  239. ^ Ezekiel 29:3.
  240. ^ Exodus 7:17–19; Ezekiel 29:10
  241. ^ Exodus 7:20–21; Ezekiel 29:4–5.
  242. ^ Exodus 7:5; Ezekiel 28:26; 6, 16, 21.
  243. ^ Exodus 6:2; Ezekiel 29:21.

Further reading Edit

The parashah has parallels or is discussed in these sources:

Biblical Edit

  • Genesis 17:1 (El Shaddai); 28:3 (El Shaddai); 35:11 (El Shaddai); 43:14 (El Shaddai); 48:3 (El Shaddai); 49:25 (Shaddai).
  • Exodus 4:21; 10:1, 20, 27; 11:10; 14:4, 8 (hardening Pharaoh's heart).
  • Numbers 14:30 (God lifted up God's hand).
  • Deuteronomy 2:30; 15:7 (hardening of heart).
  • Joshua 11:20 (hardening of heart).
  • Jeremiah 7:23 (I will be your God and you will be my people); 11:4 (you will be my people, and I will be your God); 30:22 (you will be my people, and I will be your God); 31:33 (I will be their God, and they will be my people).
  • Ezekiel 20:5 (God lifted up God's hand); 36:28 (you will be my people, and I will be your God).
  • Psalms 68:5 (name is the Lord); 78:44–51 (plagues); 105:23–38 (plagues).
  • Nehemiah 9:15 (God lifted up God's hand).

Early nonrabbinic Edit

  • Ezekiel the Tragedian. Exagōgē. 2nd century BCE. Translated by R.G. Robertson. In The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha: Volume 2: Expansions of the "Old Testament" and Legends, Wisdom and Philosophical Literature, Prayers, Psalms, and Odes, Fragments of Lost Judeo-Hellenistic works. Edited by James H. Charlesworth, page 814. New York: Anchor Bible, 1985.
  • Philo. 13:40; 14:43; 60:172; 3:9; 12:51; 19:69; 12:38–39; 22:76; 26:101; 9:29; 20:94; 15:83–85; 3:18; 23:124; 2:13; 3:20–21; 22:125; 37:207; 2:28:189; 39:259; 42:277. Alexandria, Egypt, early 1st century CE. In, e.g., The Works of Philo: Complete and Unabridged, New Updated Edition. Translated by Charles Duke Yonge, pages 29, 55, 69, 95, 100, 103, 116, 139, 215, 237, 242, 261, 322, 332, 342–43, 352, 359, 401, 407–08. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1993.
  • Romans 9:14–18. 1st century. (hardening Pharaoh's heart).
  • 2 Timothy 3:8–9. Rome, 67 CE. (magicians opposing Moses).
  • Revelation 16:12–16 (frogs); 17:17 (changing hearts to God's purpose). Late 1st century CE.
  • Josephus. The Wars of the Jews, 5:9:4. Circa 75 CE. In, e.g., The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged, New Updated Edition. Translated by William Whiston, page 716. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1987.
  • Josephus. Antiquities of the Jews 2:13:3 2007-02-11 at the Wayback Machine–2:14:4 2012-08-09 at the Wayback Machine. Circa 93–94. In, e.g., The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged, New Updated Edition. Translated by William Whiston, pages 72–74. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1987.
 
Qur'an
  • Qur'an 7:103–126, 130–135; 10:75–83; 11:96–97; 17:101–102; 20:42–73; 23:45–48; 26:10–51; 28:36–39; 29:39; 40:23-27, 37; 43:46–54; 51:38–39; 73:15–16; 79:15–24. Arabia, 7th century.

Classical rabbinic Edit

  • Mishnah: Orlah 1:1–3:9; Pesachim 10:1; Shevuot 5:3; Yadayim 4:8. Land of Israel, circa 200 CE. In, e.g., The Mishnah: A New Translation. Translated by Jacob Neusner, pages 158–66, 249, 630, 1131. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1988.
  • Jerusalem Talmud: Pesachim 42b; Rosh Hashanah 20b; Megillah 13b; Chagigah 4a, 11a; Yevamot 63a; Sotah 10a, 28b; Sanhedrin 26b; Makkot 9a. Tiberias, Land of Israel, circa 400 CE. In, e.g., Talmud Yerushalmi. Edited by Chaim Malinowitz, Yisroel Simcha Schorr, and Mordechai Marcus, volumes 18, 24, 26–27, 30, 36, 44, 49. Brooklyn: Mesorah Publications, 2011–2019. And in, e.g., The Jerusalem Talmud: A Translation and Commentary. Edited by Jacob Neusner and translated by Jacob Neusner, Tzvee Zahavy, B. Barry Levy, and Edward Goldman. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 2009.
  • Genesis Rabbah 1:15; 5:7; 18:5; 19:7; 37:3; 46:1, 5; 82:3; 88:5; 92:7; 96, 97. Land of Israel, 5th century. In, e.g., Midrash Rabbah: Genesis. Translated by Harry Freedman and Maurice Simon, volume 1, pages 14, 37–38, 144, 153, 296, 389, 392; volume 2, pages 754, 816, 853, 898, 929. London: Soncino Press, 1939.
  • Mekhilta of Rabbi Ishmael Beshallah 7. Land of Israel, late 4th century. In, e.g., Mekhilta de-Rabbi Ishmael. Translated by Jacob Z. Lauterbach, volume 1, page 166. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1933, reissued 2004.
 
Talmud
  • Mekhilta of Rabbi Simeon 2:1–2, 5; 3:1; 15:4–5; 16:1, 4; 19:4; 21:4; 22:6; 26:3, 6; 35:1; 47:2. Land of Israel, 5th century. In, e.g., Mekhilta de-Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai. Translated by W. David Nelson, pages 5–7, 9–11, 50–51, 54, 56, 78–79, 89, 93, 114, 117, 150, 209. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 2006.
  • Babylonian Talmud: Berakhot 38a, 54b; Shabbat 97a; Eruvin 83b; Pesachim 53b, 99b; Rosh Hashanah 11b; Megillah 11a; Moed Katan 6a, 18a; Chagigah 13b; Nedarim 51b; Sotah 11b, 43a; Bava Kamma 80b; Bava Batra 91a, 109b–10a, 116a, 117b; Sanhedrin 12a, 58b, 67b, 82b, 90b, 111a; Shevuot 35b; Menachot 68b, 84a; Chullin 134a; Bekhorot 41a. Babylonia, 6th century. In, e.g., Talmud Bavli. Edited by Yisroel Simcha Schorr, Chaim Malinowitz, and Mordechai Marcus, 72 volumes. Brooklyn: Mesorah Pubs., 2006.

Medieval Edit

  • Saadia Gaon. Emunoth ve-Deoth (Beliefs and Opinions). Baghdad, Babylonia, 933. In, e.g., The Book of Beliefs and Opinions. Translated by Samuel Rosenblatt, pages 29, 116–17, 152, 154, 199, 411. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1948.
  • Exodus Rabbah 5:14, 6:1–12:7, 23:9, 25:27, 28:4. 10th century. In, e.g., Midrash Rabbah: Exodus. Translated by Simon M. Lehrman, volume 3. London: Soncino Press, 1939.
  • Rashi. Commentary. Exodus 6–9. Troyes, France, late 11th century. In, e.g., Rashi. The Torah: With Rashi's Commentary Translated, Annotated, and Elucidated. Translated and annotated by Yisrael Isser Zvi Herczeg, volume 2, pages 53–90. Brooklyn: Mesorah Publications, 1994.
 
Judah Halevi
  • Rashbam. Commentary on the Torah. Troyes, early 12th century. In, e.g., Rashbam's Commentary on Exodus: An Annotated Translation. Edited and translated by Martin I. Lockshin, pages 59–92. Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1997.
  • Judah Halevi. Kuzari. 1:25; 2:2. Toledo, Spain, 1130–1140. In, e.g., Jehuda Halevi. Kuzari: An Argument for the Faith of Israel. Introduction by Henry Slonimsky, pages 46, 86. New York: Schocken, 1964.
  • Abraham ibn Ezra. Commentary on the Torah. France, 1153. In, e.g., Ibn Ezra's Commentary on the Pentateuch: Exodus (Shemot). Translated and annotated by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver, volume 2, pages 129–82. New York: Menorah Publishing Company, 1996.
  • Maimonides. Mishneh Torah: Hilchot Teshuvah (The Laws of Repentance), chapter 3, halachah 3. Egypt. Circa 1170–1180. In, e.g., Mishneh Torah: Hilchot Teshuvah: The Laws of Repentance. Translated by Eliyahu Touger, pages 140–48. New York: Moznaim Publishing, 1990.
 
Maimonides
  • Maimonides. Mishneh Torah: Hilchot Chometz U'Matzah (The Laws of Chametz and Matzah), chapter 7, halachah 7. Egypt, circa 1170–1180. In, e.g., Mishneh Torah: Hilchot Chametz U'Matzah: The Laws of Chametz and Matzah: The Rambam's Text of the Haggadah. Translated by Eliyahu Touger. New York: Moznaim Publishing, 1988.
  • Maimonides. The Eight Chapters on Ethics, chapter 8. Egypt. Late 12th century. In, e.g., The Eight Chapters of Maimonides on Ethics (Shemonah Perakim): A Psychological and Ethical Treatise. Edited, annotated, and translated, with an introduction by Joseph I. Gorfinkle, pages 95–96. New York: Columbia University Press, 1912. Reprinted by Forgotten Books, 2012.
  • Maimonides. The Guide for the Perplexed, part 1, chapters 24, 45– 46; part 2, chapter 35; part 3, chapters 29, 46, 54. Cairo, Egypt, 1190. In, e.g., Moses Maimonides. The Guide for the Perplexed. Translated by Michael Friedländer, pages 33, 58, 61, 224, 318, 359, 397. New York: Dover Publications, 1956.
  • Jacob Anatoli. "Sermon on Wa-'Era: A Homily on Education." First half of 13th century. In Marc Saperstein. Jewish Preaching, 1200–1800: An Anthology, pages 113–23. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1989.
  • Hezekiah ben Manoah. Hizkuni. France, circa 1240. In, e.g., Chizkiyahu ben Manoach. Chizkuni: Torah Commentary. Translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk, volume 2, pages 382–99. Jerusalem: Ktav Publishers, 2013.
  • Nachmanides. Commentary on the Torah. Jerusalem, circa 1270. In, e.g., Ramban (Nachmanides): Commentary on the Torah. Translated by Charles B. Chavel, volume 2, pages 63–99. New York: Shilo Publishing House, 1973.
  • Zohar . Spain, late 13th century. In, e.g., The Zohar. Translated by Harry Sperling and Maurice Simon. 5 volumes. London: Soncino Press, 1934.
  • Bahya ben Asher. Commentary on the Torah. Spain, early 14th century. In, e.g., Midrash Rabbeinu Bachya: Torah Commentary by Rabbi Bachya ben Asher. Translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk, volume 3, pages 815–54. Jerusalem: Lambda Publishers, 2003.
  • Jacob ben Asher (Baal Ha-Turim). Commentary on the Torah. Early 14th century. In, e.g., Baal Haturim Chumash: Shemos/Exodus. Translated by Eliyahu Touger; edited and annotated by Avie Gold, volume 2, pages 569–607. Brooklyn: Mesorah Publications, 2000.
  • Isaac ben Moses Arama. Akedat Yizhak (The Binding of Isaac). Late 15th century. In, e.g., Yitzchak Arama. Akeydat Yitzchak: Commentary of Rabbi Yitzchak Arama on the Torah. Translated and condensed by Eliyahu Munk, volume 1, pages 331–45. New York, Lambda Publishers, 2001.

Modern Edit

  • Isaac Abravanel. Commentary on the Torah. Italy, between 1492 and 1509. In, e.g., Abarbanel: Selected Commentaries on the Torah: Volume 2: Shemos/Exodus. Translated and annotated by Israel Lazar, pages 85–133. Brooklyn: CreateSpace, 2015.
  • Abraham Saba. Ẓeror ha-Mor (Bundle of Myrrh). Fez, Morocco, circa 1500. In, e.g., Tzror Hamor: Torah Commentary by Rabbi Avraham Sabba. Translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk, volume 3, pages 895–920. Jerusalem, Lambda Publishers, 2008.
  • Obadiah ben Jacob Sforno. Commentary on the Torah. Venice, 1567. In, e.g., Sforno: Commentary on the Torah. Translation and explanatory notes by Raphael Pelcovitz, pages 308–27. Brooklyn: Mesorah Publications, 1997.
  • Moshe Alshich. Commentary on the Torah. Safed, circa 1593. In, e.g., Moshe Alshich. Midrash of Rabbi Moshe Alshich on the Torah. Translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk, volume 2, pages 375–400. New York, Lambda Publishers, 2000.
  • Shlomo Ephraim Luntschitz. Kli Yakar. Lublin, 1602. In, e.g., Kli Yakar: Shemos. Translated by Elihu Levine, volume 1, pages 80–130. Southfield, Michigan: Targum Press/Feldheim Publishers, 2002.
 
Hobbes
  • Avraham Yehoshua Heschel. Commentaries on the Torah. Cracow, Poland, mid 17th century. Compiled as Chanukat HaTorah. Edited by Chanoch Henoch Erzohn. Piotrkow, Poland, 1900. In Avraham Yehoshua Heschel. Chanukas HaTorah: Mystical Insights of Rav Avraham Yehoshua Heschel on Chumash. Translated by Avraham Peretz Friedman, pages 125–31. Southfield, Michigan: Targum Press/Feldheim Publishers, 2004.
  • Thomas Hobbes. Leviathan, 3:36, 37. England, 1651. Reprint edited by C. B. Macpherson, pages 456, 474. Harmondsworth, England: Penguin Classics, 1982.
  • Chaim ibn Attar. Ohr ha-Chaim. Venice, 1742. In Chayim ben Attar. Or Hachayim: Commentary on the Torah. Translated by Eliyahu Munk, volume 2, pages 499–533. Brooklyn: Lambda Publishers, 1999.
  • Nachman of Breslov. Teachings. Bratslav, Ukraine, before 1811. In Rebbe Nachman's Torah: Breslov Insights into the Weekly Torah Reading: Exodus-Leviticus. Compiled by Chaim Kramer; edited by Y. Hall, pages 56–63. Jerusalem: Breslov Research Institute, 2011.
 
Hirsch
  • Samson Raphael Hirsch. The Pentateuch: Exodus. Translated by Isaac Levy, volume 2, pages 63–106. Gateshead: Judaica Press, 2nd edition 1999. Originally published as Der Pentateuch uebersetzt und erklaert. Frankfurt, 1867–1878.
  • Samuel David Luzzatto (Shadal). Commentary on the Torah. Padua, 1871. In, e.g., Samuel David Luzzatto. Torah Commentary. Translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk, volume 2, pages 561–93. New York: Lambda Publishers, 2012.
 
Malbim
  • Malbim. The Torah and the Commandments. Warsaw, 1874–80. In, e.g., Malbim: Rabbenu Meir Leibush ben Yechiel Michel. Commentary on the Torah. Translated by Zvi Faier, volume 4, pages 158–252. Israel: M.P. Press/Hillel Press, 1984. OCLC 187452464 (1982).
  • Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter. Sefat Emet. Góra Kalwaria (Ger), Poland, before 1906. Excerpted in The Language of Truth: The Torah Commentary of Sefat Emet. Translated and interpreted by Arthur Green, pages 87–91. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1998. Reprinted 2012.
 
Cohen
  • Hermann Cohen. Religion of Reason: Out of the Sources of Judaism. Translated with an introduction by Simon Kaplan; introductory essays by Leo Strauss, page 39. New York: Ungar, 1972. Reprinted Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1995. Originally published as Religion der Vernunft aus den Quellen des Judentums. Leipzig: Gustav Fock, 1919.
  • Alexander Alan Steinbach. Sabbath Queen: Fifty-four Bible Talks to the Young Based on Each Portion of the Pentateuch, pages 42–45. New York: Behrman's Jewish Book House, 1936.
  • Benno Jacob. The Second Book of the Bible: Exodus. London, 1940. Translated by Walter Jacob, pages 142–280. Hoboken, New Jersey: KTAV Publishing House, 1992.
  • Thomas Mann. Joseph and His Brothers. Translated by John E. Woods, page 788. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2005. Originally published as Joseph und seine Brüder. Stockholm: Bermann-Fischer Verlag, 1943.
 
Cassuto
  • Umberto Cassuto. A Commentary on the Book of Exodus. Jerusalem, 1951. Translated by Israel Abrahams, pages 76–122. Jerusalem: The Magnes Press, The Hebrew University, 1967.
  • Elie Munk. The Call of the Torah: An Anthology of Interpretation and Commentary on the Five Books of Moses. Translated by E.S. Mazer, volume 2, pages 74–111. Brooklyn: Mesorah Publications, 1995. Originally published as La Voix de la Thora. Paris: Fondation Samuel et Odette Levy, 1981.
  • Walther Zimmerli. "I Am Yahweh." In I Am Yahweh. Translated by Douglas W. Stott; edited and introduction by Walter Brueggemann, pages 1–28. Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1982. Originally published in Geschichte und Altes Testament, pages 179–209. J.C.B. Mohr, 1953.
  • Roland de Vaux. "The Revelation of the Divine Name YHVH." In Proclamation and Presence: Old Testament Essays in Honour of Gwynne Henton Davies. Edited by John I. Durham and J. Roy Porter, pages 48–75. London: SCM Press, 1970.
  • Ziony Zevit. “The Priestly Redaction and Interpretation of the Plague Narrative in Exodus.” The Jewish Quarterly Review, new series, volume 66, number 4 (April 1976): pages 193–211.
  • Marvin H. Pope. “Mid Rock and Scrub, A Ugaritic Parallel to Exodus 7:19.” In Biblical and Near Eastern Studies: Essays in Honor of William Sanford La Sor. Edited by Gary A. Tuttle, pages 146–50. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1978.
  • Robert R. Wilson, "The Hardening of Pharaoh's Heart." Catholic Biblical Quarterly, volume 41 (number 1) (1979): pages 18–36.
  • Ziony Zevit. "Three Ways to Look at the Ten Plagues: Were They Natural Disasters, A Demonstration of the Impotence of the Egyptian Gods or an Undoing of Creation?" Bible Review, volume 6 (number 3) (June 1980).
  • John E. Currid. "Why Did God Harden Pharaoh's Heart?" Bible Review, volume 9 (number 6) (November/December 1983).
  • Judith R. Baskin. Pharaoh's Counsellors: Job, Jethro, and Balaam in Rabbinic and Patristic Tradition. Brown Judaic Studies, 1983.
  • Pinchas H. Peli. Torah Today: A Renewed Encounter with Scripture, pages 59–62. Washington, D.C.: B'nai B'rith Books, 1987.
  • Mark S. Smith. The Early History of God: Yahweh and the Other Deities in Ancient Israel, pages 4, 8, 66. New York: HarperSanFrancisco, 1990.
  • Ziony Zevit. “Three Ways to Look at the Ten Plagues:Were they natural disasters, a demonstration of the impotence of the Egyptian gods or an undoing of Creation? Bible Review, volume 6, number 3 (1990).
  • Harvey J. Fields. A Torah Commentary for Our Times: Volume II: Exodus and Leviticus, pages 17–24. New York: UAHC Press, 1991.
  • Nahum M. Sarna. The JPS Torah Commentary: Exodus: The Traditional Hebrew Text with the New JPS Translation, pages 30–48, 269. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1991.
  • Nehama Leibowitz. New Studies in Shemot (Exodus), pages 114–77. Jerusalem: Haomanim Press, 1993. Reprinted as New Studies in the Weekly Parasha. Lambda Publishers, 2010.
  • Aaron Wildavsky. Assimilation versus Separation: Joseph the Administrator and the Politics of Religion in Biblical Israel, page 14. New Brunswick, N.J.: Transaction Publishers, 1993.
  • Walter Brueggemann. “The Book of Exodus.” In The New Interpreter's Bible. Edited by Leander E. Keck, volume 1, pages 731–60. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994.
  • Judith S. Antonelli. "Elisheva." In In the Image of God: A Feminist Commentary on the Torah, pages 146–53. Northvale, New Jersey: Jason Aronson, 1995.
  • Ellen Frankel. The Five Books of Miriam: A Woman’s Commentary on the Torah, pages 102–04. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1996.
  • Marc Gellman. "The Pharaoh and the Frog." In God's Mailbox: More Stories About Stories in the Bible, pages 36–43. New York: Morrow Junior Books, 1996.
  • W. Gunther Plaut. The Haftarah Commentary, pages 131–39. New York: UAHC Press, 1996.
  • Sorel Goldberg Loeb and Barbara Binder Kadden. Teaching Torah: A Treasury of Insights and Activities, pages 94–99. Denver: A.R.E. Publishing, 1997.
  • William H.C. Propp. Exodus 1–18, volume 2, pages 261–354. New York: Anchor Bible, 1998.
  • Susan Freeman. Teaching Jewish Virtues: Sacred Sources and Arts Activities, pages 332–46. Springfield, New Jersey: A.R.E. Publishing, 1999. (Exodus 9:30).
  • Exodus to Deuteronomy: A Feminist Companion to the Bible (Second Series). Edited by Athalya Brenner, pages 22, 30–31, 47, 59, 85, 95–96, 98, 100–01, 107, 164, 169. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 2000.
  • Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg. The Particulars of Rapture: Reflections on Exodus, pages 81–131. New York: Doubleday, 2001.
  • Lainie Blum Cogan and Judy Weiss. Teaching Haftarah: Background, Insights, and Strategies, pages 451–57. Denver: A.R.E. Publishing, 2002.
  • Michael Fishbane. The JPS Bible Commentary: Haftarot, pages 87–93. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 2002.
  • Bernhard Lang. "Why God Has So Many Names." Bible Review, volume 19 (number 4) (August 2003): pages 48–54, 63.
 
Obama
  • Robert Alter. The Five Books of Moses: A Translation with Commentary, pages 339–64. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 2004.
  • Barack Obama. Dreams from My Father, page 294. New York: Three Rivers Press, 1995, 2004. (Moses and Pharaoh).
  • Jeffrey H. Tigay. "What's in a Name? Early Evidence of Devotion Exclusively to Yahweh." Bible Review, volume 20 (number 1) (February 2004): pages 34–43, 47–51.
  • Jeffrey H. Tigay. "Exodus." In The Jewish Study Bible. Edited by Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler, pages 115–22. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004.
 
Halter (photo©ErlingMandelmann.ch)
  • Marek Halter. Zipporah, Wife of Moses, pages 245–49. New York: Crown, 2005.
  • Professors on the Parashah: Studies on the Weekly Torah Reading Edited by Leib Moscovitz, pages 94–99. Jerusalem: Urim Publications, 2005.
  • Lawrence Kushner. Kabbalah: A Love Story, page 78. New York: Morgan Road Books, 2006.
  • W. Gunther Plaut. The Torah: A Modern Commentary: Revised Edition. Revised edition edited by David E.S. Stern, pages 379–404. New York: Union for Reform Judaism, 2006.
  • Suzanne A. Brody. "The highest form." In Dancing in the White Spaces: The Yearly Torah Cycle and More Poems, page 76. Shelbyville, Kentucky: Wasteland Press, 2007.
 
kugel
  • James L. Kugel. How To Read the Bible: A Guide to Scripture, Then and Now, pages 40, 54, 205, 216–32, 376, 421, 425. New York: Free Press, 2007.
  • Kenton L. Sparks. “‘Enūma Elish’ and Priestly Mimesis: Elite Emulation in Nascent Judaism.” Journal of Biblical Literature, volume 126 (2007): 635–37. (“Priestly Mimesis in the Exodus Story”).
  • Shmuel Goldin. Unlocking the Torah Text: An In-Depth Journey into the Weekly Parsha: Shmot, pages 37–65. Jerusalem: Gefen Publishing House, 2008.
  • The Torah: A Women's Commentary. Edited by Tamara Cohn Eskenazi and Andrea L. Weiss, pages 311–54. New York: URJ Press, 2008.
  • Thomas B. Dozeman. Commentary on Exodus, pages 159–238. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2009.
  • Reuven Hammer. Entering Torah: Prefaces to the Weekly Torah Portion, pages 83–88. New York: Gefen Publishing House, 2009.
  • Rebecca G.S. Idestrom. “Echoes of the Book of Exodus in Ezekiel.” Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, volume 33 (number 4) (June 2009): pages 489–510. (Motifs from Exodus found in Ezekiel, including the call narrative, divine encounters, captivity, signs, plagues, judgment, redemption, tabernacle/temple, are considered.).
  • Jhos Singer. “Uncircumcized Lips: Parashat Vaeira (Exodus 6:2–9:35).” In Torah Queeries: Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible. Edited by Gregg Drinkwater, Joshua Lesser, and David Shneer; foreword by Judith Plaskow, pages 80–84. New York: New York University Press, 2009.
  • Bruce Wells. "Exodus." In Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary. Edited by John H. Walton, volume 1, pages 181–98. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2009.
 
Sacks
 
Herzfeld
  • Shmuel Herzfeld. "Building a Noble Community." In Fifty-Four Pick Up: Fifteen-Minute Inspirational Torah Lessons, pages 80–85. Jerusalem: Gefen Publishing House, 2012.
  • Torah MiEtzion: New Readings in Tanach: Shemot. Edited by Ezra Bick and Yaakov Beasley, pages 61–107. Jerusalem: Maggid Books, 2012.
  • Ari Kahn. “Lessons in Leadership.” The Jerusalem Report, volume 25 (number 21) (January 26, 2015): page 47.
  • Jonathan Sacks. Lessons in Leadership: A Weekly Reading of the Jewish Bible, pages 67–71. New Milford, Connecticut: Maggid Books, 2015.
  • David Fohrman. The Exodus You Almost Passed Over. Aleph Beta Press, 2016.
  • Jean-Pierre Isbouts. Archaeology of the Bible: The Greatest Discoveries From Genesis to the Roman Era, pages 105–07. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic, 2016.
  • Jonathan Sacks. Essays on Ethics: A Weekly Reading of the Jewish Bible, pages 85–89. New Milford, Connecticut: Maggid Books, 2016.
  • Shai Held. The Heart of Torah, Volume 1: Essays on the Weekly Torah Portion: Genesis and Exodus, pages 134–43. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 2017.
  • Steven Levy and Sarah Levy. The JPS Rashi Discussion Torah Commentary, pages 44–46. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 2017.
 
Kass
  • Bill Dauster. "Pharaoh’s Administration Offers a Cautionary Tale for Today." Washington Jewish Week. January 11, 2018, page 19.
  • Biblical Archaeology Society Staff. “Exodus in the Bible and the Egyptian Plagues: Can we make sense of the Biblical plagues?” Bible History Daily, March 31, 2020.
  • Andrew Tobolowsky. "The Problem of Reubenite Primacy: New Paradigms, New Answers." Journal of Biblical Literature, volume 139, number 1 (2020): pages 27–45.
  • Leon R. Kass. Founding God's Nation: Reading Exodus, pages 106–59. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2021.

External links Edit

 

Texts Edit

  • Masoretic text and 1917 JPS translation
  • Hear the parashah read in Hebrew

Commentaries Edit

  • Academy for Jewish Religion, California
  • Academy for Jewish Religion, New York
  • Aish.com
  • American Jewish University—Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies
  • Chabad.org
  • Jewish Theological Seminary
  • MyJewishLearning.com
  • Orthodox Union
  • Pardes from Jerusalem
  • Reconstructing Judaism
  • Sephardic Institute
  • Tanach Study Center
  • TheTorah.com
  • Union for Reform Judaism
  • United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
  • Yeshiva University

October 29, 2023
eira, confused, with, vayeira, vaera, hebrew, appeared, first, word, that, speaks, parashah, exodus, fourteenth, weekly, torah, portion, parashah, annual, jewish, cycle, torah, reading, second, book, exodus, constitutes, exodus, parashah, tells, first, seven, . Not to be confused with Vayeira Va eira Va era or Vaera ו א ר א Hebrew for and I appeared the first word that God speaks in the parashah in Exodus 6 3 is the fourteenth weekly Torah portion פ ר ש ה parashah in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the second in the Book of Exodus It constitutes Exodus 6 2 9 35 The parashah tells of the first seven Plagues of Egypt The Seventh Plague 1823 painting by John Martin Jews read it the fourteenth Sabbath Shabbat after Simchat Torah generally in January or rarely in late December 1 It is composed of 6 701 Hebrew letters 1 748 Hebrew words 121 verses and 222 lines in a Torah Scroll and is considered part of the Hebrew Bible 2 Contents 1 Readings 1 1 First reading Exodus 6 2 13 1 2 Second reading Exodus 6 14 28 1 3 Third reading Exodus 6 29 7 7 1 4 Fourth reading Exodus 7 8 8 6 1 5 Fifth reading Exodus 8 7 18 1 6 Sixth reading Exodus 8 19 9 16 1 7 Seventh reading Exodus 9 17 35 1 8 Readings according to the triennial cycle 2 In ancient parallels 2 1 Exodus chapter 8 3 In inner biblical interpretation 3 1 Exodus chapter 6 3 2 Exodus chapter 7 3 3 Exodus chapters 7 12 4 In early nonrabbinic interpretation 4 1 Exodus chapter 6 5 In classical rabbinic interpretation 5 1 Exodus chapter 6 5 2 Exodus chapter 7 5 3 Exodus chapter 8 5 4 Exodus chapter 9 6 In medieval Jewish interpretation 6 1 Exodus chapter 6 6 2 Exodus chapter 7 6 3 Exodus chapter 8 6 4 Exodus chapter 9 7 In modern interpretation 7 1 Exodus chapter 6 7 2 Exodus chapter 7 7 3 Exodus chapter 8 7 4 Exodus chapter 9 8 In critical analysis 9 Commandments 10 In the liturgy 11 Haftarah 11 1 Generally 11 1 1 Connection to the Parashah 11 2 On Shabbat Rosh Chodesh 12 Notes 13 Further reading 13 1 Biblical 13 2 Early nonrabbinic 13 3 Classical rabbinic 13 4 Medieval 13 5 Modern 14 External links 14 1 Texts 14 2 CommentariesReadings EditIn traditional Sabbath Torah reading the portion parashah is divided into seven readings or עליות aliyot In the Masoretic Text of the Hebrew Bible Tanakh Parashat Va eira has nine open portion פתוחה petuchah divisions roughly equivalent to paragraphs often abbreviated with the Hebrew letter פ peh Parashat Va eira has seven further subdivisions called closed portion סתומה setumah divisions abbreviated with the Hebrew letter ס samekh within the open portion divisions The first and second open portion divisions divide the first reading The third open portion covers the balance of the first and part of the second readings The fourth open portion covers the balance of the second reading The fifth open portion divides the fourth reading The sixth open portion covers the balance of the fourth all of the fifth and part of the sixth readings The seventh open portion separates part of the sixth reading The eighth open portion covers the balance of the sixth and part of the seventh readings And the ninth open portion covers the balance of the seventh reading Closed portion divisions separate the first and second readings separate the second and third readings and divide the fourth fifth and sixth readings 3 nbsp Moses watercolor circa 1896 1902 by James Tissot First reading Exodus 6 2 13 Edit In the first reading God spoke to Moses identified God s Self as the God of the Patriarchs and acknowledged hearing the moaning of the Israelites 4 God instructed Moses to tell the Israelites that God would free them make them God s people and bring them to the Promised Land 5 But the Israelites would not listen because of their distress and hard labor 6 The first open portion ends here 7 In the continuation of the reading God told Moses to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go but Moses complained that Pharaoh would not heed him a man of impeded speech 8 The second open portion ends here 9 In the continuation of the reading God commanded Moses and Aaron to bring the Israelites out of Egypt The first reading and a closed portion end here 10 Second reading Exodus 6 14 28 Edit The second reading interjects a partial genealogy of Reuben Simeon and Levi including Moses and his family 11 LeviGershonKohathMerariJochebedAmramIzharHebronUzzielMiriamAaronMosesThe second reading and a closed portion end with the genealogy 12 nbsp Aaron Cast His Rod Before Pharaoh and It Became a Serpent woodcut by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld from the 1860 Die Bibel in Bildern Third reading Exodus 6 29 7 7 Edit In the third reading God instructed Moses to tell Pharaoh all that God would tell Moses but Moses protested that he had a speech impediment 13 The third open portion ends here 12 In the continuation of the reading God placed Aaron in the role of Moses prophet to speak to Pharaoh 14 God intended to harden Pharaoh s heart so that God might show signs and marvels so that the Egyptians would know that the Lord was God 15 Moses and Aaron did as God commanded 16 Moses was 80 years old and Aaron 83 years old when they spoke to Pharaoh 17 The third reading and the fourth open portion end here 18 nbsp Water Is Changed into Blood watercolor circa 1896 1902 by James Tissot Fourth reading Exodus 7 8 8 6 Edit In the fourth reading God told how Aaron could cast down his rod and it would turn into a snake and Aaron did so before Pharaoh 19 Pharaoh caused his magicians to do the same but Aaron s rod swallowed their rods 20 Pharaoh s heart stiffened 21 A closed portion ends here 22 In the continuation of the reading God began visiting ten plagues on Egypt God told Moses to go to Pharaoh at his morning bath demand of him to let the Israelites go to worship in the wilderness and have Aaron strike the Nile with his rod and turn it into blood 23 A closed portion ends here 24 In the continuation of the reading God told Moses to tell Aaron to stretch his rod over the waters of Egypt and turn them into blood 25 Moses and Aaron did so killing the marine life and rendering the water unusable 26 But when the Egyptian magicians did the same Pharaoh s heart stiffened 27 Seven days passed 28 The fifth open portion ends here 29 As the reading continues God told Moses to have Aaron hold his arm with the rod over the river and bring up frogs and they did so 30 The magicians did the same 31 Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron to plead with God to remove the frogs and said he would let the Israelites go 32 Moses asked Pharaoh when Moses should ask God Pharaoh replied the next day and Moses said that he would do so the next day so that Pharaoh would know that there is none like God 33 The fourth reading ends here 34 nbsp Aaron Struck the Ground with His Staff 1984 illustration by Jim Padgett courtesy of Distant Shores Media Sweet Publishing Fifth reading Exodus 8 7 18 Edit In the fifth reading the frogs departed but Pharaoh became stubborn and did not let the Israelites leave 35 A closed portion ends here 36 In the continuation of the reading God told Moses to have Aaron strike the dust with his rod to turn it to lice throughout the land and they did so 37 The magicians tried to do the same but they could not 38 The magicians told Pharaoh This is the finger of God But Pharaoh s heart stiffened 39 A closed portion ends here 40 In the continuation of the reading God told Moses to rise early and stand before Pharaoh as he came to the water and tell him that God said Let My people go or else God would send swarms of flies on Egypt but not on Goshen 41 The fifth reading ends here 42 nbsp The Plague of Flies watercolor circa 1896 1902 by James Tissot Sixth reading Exodus 8 19 9 16 Edit In the sixth reading God loosed swarms of insects and wild animals against the Egyptians but not Goshen where the Israelites dwelt 43 Pharaoh told Moses and Aaron to go sacrifice to God within Egypt but Moses insisted on going three days into the wilderness 44 Pharaoh agreed in exchange for Moses prayer to lift the plague 45 But when God removed the insects and wild animals Pharaoh became stubborn again 46 The sixth open portion ends here with the end of chapter 8 47 As the reading continues with chapter 9 God struck the Egyptian s livestock with a pestilence sparing the Israelites livestock 48 But Pharaoh remained stubborn 49 The seventh open portion ends here 50 In the continuation of the reading God told Moses to take handfuls of soot from the kiln and throw it toward the sky so that it would become fine dust causing boils on man and beast throughout Egypt and he did so 51 But God stiffened Pharaoh s heart 52 A closed portion ends here 53 In the continuation of the reading God told Moses to rise early and tell Pharaoh that God said Let My people go or this time God would send all God s plagues upon Pharaoh and his people to demonstrate God s power 54 The sixth reading ends here 55 nbsp Moses Before Pharaoh 1984 illustration by Jim Padgett courtesy of Distant Shores Media Sweet Publishing Seventh reading Exodus 9 17 35 Edit In the seventh reading God instructed Moses to threaten hail such as Egypt had never seen and to instruct the Egyptians to bring their cattle in from the field so that they would not die 56 Those who feared God s word brought their slaves and livestock indoors and those who did not fear God s word left them in the field 57 The eighth open portion ends here 58 In the continuation of the reading God told Moses to stretch out his hand and God sent thunder and hail which struck down all exposed in Egypt but did not strike Goshen 59 Pharaoh confessed his wrong agreed to let the Israelites go and asked Moses and Aaron to pray to end the hail 60 Moses told Pharaoh that he would do so and the hail would end so that Pharaoh would know that the earth is God s but Moses knew that Pharaoh and his servants would not yet fear God 61 The hail had destroyed the flax and the barley but not the wheat and the spelt which ripened later 62 In the maftir מפטיר reading that concludes the parashah 63 Moses spread forth his hands to God and the thunders and hail ceased but when Pharaoh saw he hardened his heart and did not let the Israelites go 64 The seventh reading the ninth open portion and the parashah end here with the end of chapter 9 65 Readings according to the triennial cycle Edit Jews who read the Torah according to the triennial cycle of Torah reading read the parashah according to the following schedule 66 Year 1 Year 2 Year 32023 2026 2029 2024 2027 2030 2025 2028 2031 Reading 6 2 7 7 7 8 8 15 8 16 9 351 6 2 5 7 8 13 8 16 232 6 6 9 7 14 18 8 24 283 6 10 13 7 19 25 9 1 74 6 14 19 7 26 29 9 8 165 6 20 25 8 1 6 9 17 216 6 26 28 8 7 11 9 22 267 6 29 7 7 8 12 15 9 27 35Maftir 7 5 7 8 12 15 9 33 35In ancient parallels EditThe parashah has parallels in these ancient sources Exodus chapter 8 Edit Reading the Egyptian magicians words in Exodus 8 15 This is the finger of God Gunther Plaut reported that in Egyptian literature a plague is called the hand of God while among Babylonians the expression was the name of a sickness 67 In inner biblical interpretation EditThe parashah has parallels or is discussed in these Biblical sources 68 nbsp Egyptian Bondage 1984 illustration by Jim Padgett courtesy of Distant Shores Media Sweet Publishing Exodus chapter 6 Edit In Exodus 2 24 and 6 5 6 God remembered God s covenant with Abraham Isaac and Jacob to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage Similarly God remembered Noah to deliver him from the flood in Genesis 8 1 God promised to remember God s covenant not to destroy the Earth again by flood in Genesis 9 15 16 God remembered Abraham to deliver Lot from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19 29 God remembered Rachel to deliver her from childlessness in Genesis 30 22 Moses called on God to remember God s covenant with Abraham Isaac and Jacob to deliver the Israelites from God s wrath after the incident of the Golden Calf in Exodus 32 13 and Deuteronomy 9 27 God promises to remember God s covenant with Jacob Isaac and Abraham to deliver the Israelites and the Land of Israel in Leviticus 26 42 45 the Israelites were to blow upon their trumpets to be remembered and delivered from their enemies in Numbers 10 9 Samson called on God to deliver him from the Philistines in Judges 16 28 Hannah prayed for God to remember her and deliver her from childlessness in 1 Samuel 1 11 and God remembered Hannah s prayer to deliver her from childlessness in 1 Samuel 1 19 Hezekiah called on God to remember Hezekiah s faithfulness to deliver him from sickness in 2 Kings 20 3 and Isaiah 38 3 Jeremiah called on God to remember God s covenant with the Israelites to not condemn them in Jeremiah 14 21 Jeremiah called on God to remember him and think of him and avenge him of his persecutors in Jeremiah 15 15 God promises to remember God s covenant with the Israelites and establish an everlasting covenant in Ezekiel 16 60 God remembers the cry of the humble in Zion to avenge them in Psalm 9 13 David called upon God to remember God s compassion and mercy in Psalm 25 6 Asaph called on God to remember God s congregation to deliver them from their enemies in Psalm 74 2 God remembered that the Israelites were only human in Psalm 78 39 Ethan the Ezrahite called on God to remember how short Ethan s life was in Psalm 89 48 God remembers that humans are but dust in Psalm 103 14 God remembers God s covenant with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in Psalm 105 8 10 God remembers God s word to Abraham to deliver the Israelites to the Land of Israel in Psalm 105 42 44 the Psalmist calls on God to remember him to favor God s people to think of him at God s salvation that he might behold the prosperity of God s people in Psalm 106 4 5 God remembered God s covenant and repented according to God s mercy to deliver the Israelites in the wake of their rebellion and iniquity in Psalm 106 4 5 the Psalmist calls on God to remember God s word to God s servant to give him hope in Psalm 119 49 God remembered us in our low estate to deliver us from our adversaries in Psalm 136 23 24 Job called on God to remember him to deliver him from God s wrath in Job 14 13 Nehemiah prayed to God to remember God s promise to Moses to deliver the Israelites from exile in Nehemiah 1 8 and Nehemiah prayed to God to remember him to deliver him for good in Nehemiah 13 14 31 Nahum Sarna noted that the first two verbs in Exodus 6 7 I will take you to Me for a people and I will be to you a God are both used in connection with matrimony to take לקח l k ch in Genesis 4 19 6 2 11 29 and more than 70 other Biblical occurrences and to be someone s היה ל h y h le in Leviticus 21 3 Numbers 30 7 Deuteronomy 24 4 Judges 14 20 15 2 2 Samuel 12 10 Jeremiah 3 1 Ezekiel 16 8 and Hosea 3 3 69 Jeffrey Tigay and Bruce Wells noted that the Hebrew Bible also uses similar language for adoption for example in 2 Samuel 7 14 I will be to him and thus one can say that God adopted the Israelites 70 Exodus chapter 7 Edit As Exodus 7 7 notes that Moses was 80 years old when he spoke to Pharaoh it would be 40 years later when Moses delivered his speech to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 31 2 and when he died as reported in Deuteronomy 34 7 at age 120 Exodus chapters 7 12 Edit The description of the 10 plagues exhibits patterns and progressions as follows Cycle Number Plague Verses Was There Warning Time Warned Introduction Actor Rod Israelites Shielded Did Pharaoh Concede Who Hardened Pharaoh s Heart First 1 blood Exodus 7 14 25 yes in the morning ל ך א ל פ ר ע ה Go to Pharaoh Aaron yes no no passive voice2 frogs Exodus 7 26 8 11 8 1 15 in the KJV yes unknown ב א א ל פ ר ע ה Go in to Pharaoh Aaron yes no yes passive voice3 gnats or lice Exodus 8 12 15 8 16 19 in the KJV no none none Aaron yes no no passive voiceSecond 4 flies or wild beasts Exodus 8 16 28 8 20 32 in the KJV yes early in the morning ו ה ת י צ ב ל פ נ י פ ר ע ה stand before Pharaoh God no yes yes Pharaoh5 livestock Exodus 9 1 7 yes unknown ב א א ל פ ר ע ה Go in to Pharaoh God no yes no Pharaoh6 boils Exodus 9 8 12 no none none Moses no no no GodThird 7 hail Exodus 9 13 35 yes early in the morning ו ה ת י צ ב ל פ נ י פ ר ע ה stand before Pharaoh Moses no yes yes passive voice8 locusts Exodus 10 1 20 yes unknown ב א א ל פ ר ע ה Go in to Pharaoh Moses yes no yes God9 darkness Exodus 10 21 29 no none none Moses yes yes yes God10 firstborn Exodus 11 1 10 12 29 32 yes unknown none God no yes yes GodPsalms 78 44 51 and 105 23 38 each recount differing arrangements of seven plagues Psalm 78 44 51 recalls plagues of 1 blood 2 flies 3 frogs 4 locusts 5 hail 6 livestock and 7 firstborn but not plagues of lice boils or darkness Psalm 105 23 38 recalls plagues of 1 darkness 2 blood 3 frogs 4 flies and lice 5 hail 6 locusts and 7 firstborn but not plagues of livestock or boils In early nonrabbinic interpretation EditThe parashah has parallels or is discussed in these early nonrabbinic sources 71 Exodus chapter 6 Edit Philo read the words of Exodus 6 3 I did not make Myself known to them by My name to teach that no proper name can properly be assigned to God Philo noted that God told Moses in Exodus 3 14 I Am that I Am which Philo equated with It is my nature to be not to be described by name But in order that human beings not be wholly without anything to call God God allowed us to use the Name Lord God addressed this Name to mortal humans who have need of the Divine Name so that if they cannot attain to the best thing they may at least know the best possible Name Philo noted that in Exodus 6 3 God speaks of the proper name of God never having been revealed to anyone Philo suggested that God s statement in Exodus 6 3 meant that God had not revealed to them God s proper Name but only that which could commonly be used For Philo argued that God is so completely indescribable that even those powers that minister to God do not announce God s proper Name to us And thus after Jacob s wrestling match at the Jabok Jacob asked the invisible master for a name but Jacob s opponent did not tell him a proper name saying that it was sufficient for Jacob to be taught ordinary explanations But as for names that are the true symbols of things we are taught not to seek them for the immortal 72 In classical rabbinic interpretation EditThe parashah is discussed in these rabbinic sources from the era of the Mishnah and the Talmud 73 nbsp God Answered Moses 1984 illustration by Jim Padgett courtesy of Distant Shores Media Sweet Publishing Exodus chapter 6 Edit A Midrash noted that God had already informed Moses that Pharaoh would not allow the Israelites to go as in Exodus 3 19 God told Moses I know that the King of Egypt will not allow you to go and in Exodus 4 19 God told Moses I will harden his heart But Moses did not keep this in mind but came instead to doubt the wisdom of God s decree and began to argue with God saying in Exodus 5 22 Lord why have You dealt ill with this people For this reason the Attribute of Justice sought to attack Moses as Exodus 6 2 says And God spoke to Moses employing the name of God א ל ה ים Elohim indicative of God s Justice But when God reflected that Moses only asked this because of Israel s suffering God retracted and dealt with Moses according to the Attribute of Mercy as Exodus 6 2 says And He said to him I am the Lord employing the name of God י הו ה the Tetragrammaton indicative of God s Mercy The Midrash viewed the question of Moses in Exodus 5 22 as an application of Ecclesiastes 2 12 And I turned myself to behold wisdom and madness and folly for what can the man do who comes after the King even that which has been already done The Midrash taught that Ecclesiastes 2 12 refers to both Solomon and Moses The Midrash taught that Ecclesiastes 2 12 refers to Solomon for God gave some commandments for kings as it says in Deuteronomy 17 16 17 Only he shall not multiply horses to himself Neither shall he multiply wives to himself that his heart turn not away neither silver and gold Solomon read in Deuteronomy 17 17 that the reason of God s decree was that his heart turn not away The Midrash taught that Solomon thus thought to himself that he would multiply his wives but still not allow his heart to turn away And the Midrash taught that Ecclesiastes 2 12 refers to Moses because Moses began to argue with God in Exodus 5 22 Lord why have you dealt ill with this people Because of this the Midrash taught that at that point the wisdom and knowledge of Moses was only in the words of Ecclesiastes 2 12 madness and folly The Midrash asked what right Moses had to question God s ways and in the words of Ecclesiastes 2 12 that which had been already done that God had revealed to him 74 nbsp The Egyptians made the Israelites work as slaves 1984 illustration by Jim Padgett courtesy of Distant Shores Media Sweet Publishing Reading the words And I appeared to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob in Exodus 6 3 a Midrash taught that God thus told Moses that God longed for those who were gone and could not be replaced the three Patriarchs The Midrash said that God told Moses that many times God had revealed God s Self to Abraham Isaac and Jacob as God Almighty א ל ש ד י El Shadai 75 and God had not made known to them that God s name is the Lord י הו ה the Tetragrammaton But still they did not criticize God s ways To Abraham God said in Genesis 13 17 Arise walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it for to you will I give it yet when Abraham wanted to bury Sarah he found no plot of ground until he had purchased one still he did not murmur at God s ways God said to Isaac in Genesis 26 3 Sojourn in this land for to you and to your seed I will give all these lands Yet when Isaac sought water to drink he found none instead as Genesis 26 20 reports The herdsmen of Gerar strove with Isaac s herdsmen saying The water is ours Still Isaac did not murmur at God s ways God said to Jacob in Genesis 28 13 The land on which you lie to you will I give it and to your seed Yet when he sought a place to pitch his tent he found none until he purchased one for a hundred kesitah as reported in Genesis 33 19 And still Jacob did not complain at God s ways The Patriarchs did not ask God as Moses did in Exodus 3 13 what God s name was In contrast at the commencement of God s commission of Moses Moses inquired of God s name And in Exodus 5 23 Moses told God For since I came to Pharaoh he has dealt ill with this people neither have You delivered Your people On this account the Midrash taught God said in Exodus 6 4 And I have also established my covenant with them the Patriarchs to give them the land and they never complained of God s ways And God said in Exodus 6 5 I have heard the groaning of the children of Israel because they did not complain against God Although the Israelites of that generation did not conduct themselves righteously yet God heard their cry on account of the covenant that God had made with the Patriarchs Hence it says in Exodus 6 6 And I have remembered My covenant Therefore say to the children of Israel The Midrash taught that the word therefore lachein in Exodus 6 6 implies an oath as it does in 1 Samuel 3 14 where God says And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli Thus the Midrash taught that God swore to Moses that God would redeem the Israelites so that Moses would have no reason to fear that the Attribute of Justice would retard their redemption 76 nbsp The Israelites Cruel Bondage in Egypt illustration from the 1728 Figures de la Bible Rabbi Simai found evidence for the resurrection of the dead in the words And I also have established my covenant with them the Patriarchs to give them the land of Canaan in Exodus 6 4 Rabbi Simai noted that Exodus 6 4 does not say to give you but to give them implying that God would give the land to the Patriarchs personally and thus that God would resurrect them so as to fulfill the promise 77 nbsp The Egyptians Afflicted the Israelites with Burdens woodcut by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld from the 1860 Die Bibel in Bildern A Baraita deduced from Exodus 6 6 that the Israelites bondage in Egypt ended on Rosh Hashanah The Baraita noted that Exodus 6 6 uses the word burden to describe the end of the Israelites bondage in Egypt and Psalm 81 7 uses the word burden to describe the end of Joseph s imprisonment and the Baraita deduced that the two events must therefore have occurred at the same time of year The Baraita further deduced from the words Blow the horn on the new moon on the covering day for our festival He appointed it for Joseph for a testimony when he went forth in Psalm 81 4 6 that Joseph went forth from the prison on Rosh Hashanah 78 Rabbi Nehemiah cited the use of the words will bring you out in Exodus 6 6 to demonstrate that using the word hamotzi in the blessing over bread would mean that God will bring forth bread from the land not that God has brought forth bread from the land Rabbi Nehemiah thus read Exodus 6 6 7 to mean I am the Lord the One Who will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians The Gemara reported that the Rabbis of a Baraita however read Exodus 6 6 7 to mean When I shall bring you out I will do for you something that will show you that I am the One Who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians 79 The Jerusalem Talmud cited the four promises of salvation in Exodus 6 6 7 1 I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians 2 I will deliver you from their bondage 3 I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and 4 I will take you to Me for a people as one reason why Jews drink four cups of wine at the Passover seder 80 And thus the Mishnah taught that On the eve of Passover even the poorest man in Israel must not eat until he reclines and they the overseers of charity should give him not less than four cups of wine 81 A Baraita taught that Rabbi Simai deduced from the similarity of the phrases And I will take you to me for a people and And I will bring you in to the land in Exodus 6 7 that the Israelites Exodus from Egypt occurred under circumstances like their entry into the Land of Israel Rabbi Simai thus deduced that just as only two out of 600 000 Caleb and Joshua entered the Promised Land so only two out of every 600 000 Israelites in Egypt participated in the Exodus and the rest died in Egypt Rava taught that it will also be so when the Messiah comes that only a small portion of Jews will find redemption for Hosea 2 17 says And she shall sing there as in the days of her youth and as in the days when she came up out of the land of Egypt implying that circumstances upon the coming of the Messiah will be similar to those upon the Israelites entry into the Land of Israel 82 The Gemara asked why the Tannaim felt that the allocation of the Land of Israel according to the names of the tribes of their fathers in Numbers 26 55 meant that the allocation was with reference to those who left Egypt perhaps the Gemara supposed it might have meant the 12 tribes and that the Land was to be divided into 12 equal portions The Gemara noted that in Exodus 6 8 God told Moses to tell the Israelites who were about to leave Egypt And I will give it you for a heritage I am the Lord and that meant that the Land was the inheritance from the fathers of those who left Egypt 83 nbsp Moses told the people what God had said 1984 illustration by Jim Padgett courtesy of Distant Shores Media Sweet Publishing A Midrash interpreted the words of Exodus 6 9 they hearkened not to Moses for shortness of spirit to indicated that it was difficult for the Israelites to abandon idol worship 84 Rabbi Ishmael cited Exodus 6 12 as one of ten a fortiori kal va chomer arguments recorded in the Hebrew Bible 1 In Genesis 44 8 Joseph s brothers told Joseph Behold the money that we found in our sacks mouths we brought back to you and they thus reasoned how then should we steal 2 In Exodus 6 12 Moses told God Behold the children of Israel have not hearkened to me and reasoned that surely even more How then shall Pharaoh hear me 3 In Deuteronomy 31 27 Moses said to the Israelites Behold while I am yet alive with you this day you have been rebellious against the Lord and reasoned that it would follow And how much more after my death 4 In Numbers 12 14 the Lord said to Moses If her Miriam s father had but spit in her face surely it would stand to reason Should she not hide in shame seven days 5 In Jeremiah 12 5 the prophet asked If you have run with the footmen and they have wearied you is it not logical to conclude Then how can you contend with horses 6 In 1 Samuel 23 3 David s men said to him Behold we are afraid here in Judah and thus surely it stands to reason How much more then if we go to Keilah 7 Also in Jeremiah 12 5 the prophet asked And if in a land of Peace where you are secure you are overcome is it not logical to ask How will you do in the thickets of the Jordan 8 Proverbs 11 31 reasoned Behold the righteous shall be requited in the earth and does it not follow How much more the wicked and the sinner 9 In Esther 9 12 The king said to Esther the queen The Jews have slain and destroyed 500 men in Shushan the castle and it thus stands to reason What then have they done in the rest of the king s provinces 10 In Ezekiel 15 5 God came to the prophet saying Behold when it was whole it was usable for no work and thus surely it is logical to argue How much less when the fire has devoured it and it is singed 85 Rav Zeira counted five kinds of orlah things uncircumcised in the world 1 uncircumcised ears as in Jeremiah 6 10 2 uncircumcised lips as in Exodus 6 12 3 uncircumcised hearts as in Deuteronomy 10 16 and Jeremiah 9 26 4 uncircumcised flesh as in Genesis 17 14 and 5 uncircumcised trees as in Leviticus 19 23 Rav Zeira taught that all the nations are uncircumcised in each of the first four ways and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart in that their hearts do not allow them to do God s will And Rav Zeira taught that in the future God will take away from Israel the uncircumcision of their hearts and they will not harden their stubborn hearts anymore before their Creator as Ezekiel 36 26 says And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh and Genesis 17 11 says And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin 86 nbsp The Lord told Moses to go before Pharaoh again 1984 illustration by Jim Padgett courtesy of Distant Shores Media Sweet Publishing Reading Exodus 6 13 7 8 and 9 8 a Midrash taught that in 18 verses Scripture places Moses and Aaron the instruments of Israel s deliverance on an equal footing reporting that God spoke to both of them alike 87 and thus there are 18 benedictions in the Amidah 88 Reading the words of Exodus 6 13 And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron and gave them a command concerning the children of Israel Rabbi Samuel bar Rabbi Isaac asked about what matter God commanded the Israelites Rabbi Samuel bar Rabbi Isaac taught that God gave them the commandment about the freeing of slaves in Exodus 21 2 11 89 nbsp Moses and Aaron went before Pharaoh 1984 illustration by Jim Padgett courtesy of Distant Shores Media Sweet Publishing A Midrash interpreted the words of Exodus 6 13 And He gave them a charge concerning the children of Israel to convey that God warned Moses and Aaron that the Israelites were obstinate bad tempered and troublesome and that in assuming leadership over the Israelites Moses and Aaron must expect that the Israelites would curse and even stone them 90 A Midrash interpreted God s instructions to Moses and Aaron in Exodus 6 13 and to Pharaoh King of Egypt to convey that God told Moses and Aaron that although God really ought to punish Pharaoh God wanted Moses and Aaron to show Pharaoh the respect due to his regal position And Moses did so as Exodus 11 8 reports that Moses told Pharaoh that God said And all these your servants shall come down to Me Moses did not say that Pharaoh would come down only that Pharaoh s servants would do so But Moses could well have said that Pharaoh himself would come down for Exodus 12 30 reports Pharaoh arose at midnight But Moses did not mention Pharaoh specifically so as to pay him respect 90 LeviKohathAmramIzharHebronUzzielMiriamAaronMosesKorahNephegZichriMishaelElzaphanSithriA Midrash taught that Korah took issue with Moses in Numbers 16 1 because Moses had as Numbers 3 30 reports appointed Elizaphan the son of Uzziel as prince of the Kohathites and Korah was as Exodus 6 21 reports son of Uzziel s older brother Izhar and thus had a claim to leadership prior to Elizaphan 91 Rava taught that he who wishes to take a wife should first inquire about the character of her brothers For Exodus 6 23 reports And Aaron took Elisheva the daughter of Amminadab the sister of Nahshon As Exodus 6 23 states the daughter of Amminadab it is obvious that she was the sister of Nahshon So Exodus 6 23 expressly states the sister of Nahshon to imply that he who takes a wife should inquire about the character of her brothers because most children resemble the brothers of their mother 92 The Gemara asked whether the words in Exodus 6 25 And Eleazar Aaron s son took him one of the daughters of Putiel to wife did not convey that Eleazar s son Phinehas descended from Jethro who fattened piteim calves for idol worship The Gemara then provided an alternative explanation Exodus 6 25 could mean that Phinehas descended from Joseph who conquered pitpeit his passions resisting Potiphar s wife as reported in Genesis 39 93 But the Gemara asked did not the tribes sneer at Phinehas and question how a youth Phinehas whose mother s father crammed calves for idol worship could kill the head of a tribe in Israel Zimri Prince of Simeon as reported in Numbers 25 The Gemara explained that the real explanation was that Phinehas descended from both Joseph and Jethro If Phinehas s mother s father descended from Joseph then Phinehas s mother s mother descended from Jethro And if Phinehas s mother s father descended from Jethro then Phinehas s mother s mother descended from Joseph The Gemara explained that Exodus 6 25 implies this dual explanation of Putiel when it says of the daughters of Putiel because the plural daughters implies two lines of ancestry from both Joseph and Jethro 94 nbsp Moses Speaks to Pharaoh watercolor circa 1896 1902 by James Tissot Rabbi Simeon noted that in nearly every instance the Torah mentioned Moses before Aaron but Exodus 6 26 mentioned Aaron before Moses teaching that the two were deemed equivalent 95 The Gemara taught that the use of the pronoun he hu in an introduction as in the words These are hu that Aaron and Moses in Exodus 6 26 HE signifies that they were the same in their righteousness from the beginning to the end Similar uses appear in Chronicles 1 27 to teach Abraham s enduring righteousness in 1 Samuel 17 14 to teach David s enduring humility in Genesis 36 43 to teach Esau s enduring wickedness in Numbers 26 9 to teach Dathan and Abiram s enduring wickedness in 2 Chronicles 28 22 to teach Ahaz s enduring wickedness and in Esther 1 1 to teach Ahasuerus s enduring wickedness 96 nbsp Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh painting by Benjamin West Exodus chapter 7 Edit The Tosefta cited Exodus 7 1 where the lesser Aaron spoke for the greater Moses for the proposition that in synagogue reading a minor may translate for an adult but it is not honorable for an adult to translate for a minor 97 Rabbi Phinehas the priest son of Rabbi Hama interpreted God s hardening of Pharaoh s heart for example in Exodus 7 3 in light of Job 36 13 But they who are godless in heart lay up anger they cry not for help when He binds them Rabbi Phinehas taught that if the godless for whose repentance God waits do not do so then later even when they do think of it God distracts their hearts from penitence Rabbi Phinehas interpreted the words of Job 36 13 And they who are godless in heart to teach that those who begin by being godless in heart end up bringing upon themselves God s anger And Rabbi Phinehas interpreted the words of Job 36 13 They cry not for help when He binds them to teach that though the godless wish later to return to God and to pray to God they are no longer able because God binds them and bars their way Thus after several plagues Pharaoh wished to pray to God but God told Moses in Exodus 8 16 Before he goes out to pray to God stand before Pharaoh 98 The Pirke De Rabbi Eliezer told that Moses quoted God s words in Exodus 7 4 back to God after the sin of the Golden Calf The Pirke De Rabbi Eliezer told that after the incident of the Golden Calf God told Moses that the Israelites had forgotten God s might and had made an idol Moses replied to God that while the Israelites had not yet sinned God had called them My people as in Exodus 7 4 God had said And I will bring forth My hosts My people But Moses noted that once the Israelites had sinned God told Moses in Exodus 32 7 Go get down for your people have corrupted themselves Moses told God that the Israelites were indeed God s people and God s inheritance as Deuteronomy 9 29 reports Moses saying Yet they are Your people and Your inheritance 99 A Midrash read Exodus 7 11 Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers to teach that Scripture calls nonbelievers wise men when they do something that requires skill 100 Rabbi Aivu bar Nagri said in the name of Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba that the words with their enchantments in Exodus 7 11 refer to sorcery without exogenous assistance while the words with their sorcery in Exodus 7 22 refer to magic through the agency of demons 101 nbsp Aaron s Rod Changed to a Serpent illustration from the 1890 Holman Bible Reading the words Aaron s rod swallowed up their rods in Exodus 7 12 Rabbi Eleazar observed that it was a double miracle as Aaron s serpent first became a rod again and as a rod it swallowed up their serpents 102 When Pharaoh saw this he was amazed and expressed his fear of what would happen if Moses now told the rod to swallow up Pharaoh and his throne Rabbi Jose bar Hanina taught that a great miracle happened to that rod for although it swallowed up all the rods that had been cast down sufficient to make ten heaps still the rod did not all become any thicker and all who saw it recognized it as Aaron s rod On this account Aaron s rod became a symbol for all the miracles and wonders that were to be performed for Israel throughout the generations 103 nbsp The Rods of Moses and the Magicians Turned into Serpents illustration from the 1728 Figures de la Bible A Midrash noted that Exodus 7 13 reports that Pharaoh s heart was hardened without God s action and that this was so for the first five plagues As the first five plagues did not move Pharaoh to release the Israelites God decreed that from then on even if Pharaoh had agreed to release the Israelites God would not accept it Thus starting with the sixth plague and thereafter as Exodus 10 27 reports the text says the Lord hardened Pharaoh s heart 104 It was taught in a Baraita that Rabbi Judah the Prince or others say Rabbi Meir used to say that Providence repays a person measure for measure 105 Thus a Midrash taught that God sent the plagues against Pharaoh measure for measure God changed the Egyptians water into blood because the Egyptians prevented the Israelites from using the ritual bath mikveh so as to prevent the Israelite women from having marital relations with their husbands God brought frogs because the Egyptians had ordered the Israelites to bring them reptiles and creeping creatures which were an abomination to the Israelites God sent lice because the Egyptians had made the Israelites clean the dirty streets and marketplaces God sent swarms of wild animals because the Egyptians had demanded that the Israelites catch bears lions and leopards so as to separate the Israelite men from their wives God brought the pestilence upon the Egyptians cattle because they had forced the Israelites to serve as shepherds so as to keep the Israelite men away from their wives God sent boils because the Egyptians had demanded that the Israelites warm things for them God sent hail to destroy the Egyptians crops because the Egyptians had sent the Israelites into the fields to plow and sow God brought the locusts to destroy the Egyptians grain because the Egyptians had forced the Israelites to plant wheat and barley for them God brought darkness because among the Israelites were transgressors who had Egyptian patrons and lived in affluence and honor in Egypt and did not want to leave Egypt and so God brought darkness so that God could kill these transgressors without the Egyptians seeing 106 nbsp The Rod of Aaron Devours the Other Rods watercolor circa 1896 1902 by James Tissot Abitol the barber citing Rav said that the Pharaoh whom Moses addressed was a puny fellow a cubit tall with a beard as long as he was tall embodying the words in Daniel 4 14 that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men and sets up over it the lowest of men And Abitol the barber citing Rav deduced from the words Pharaoh goes out to the water in Exodus 7 15 that this Pharaoh was a magus who went to the water to perform sorcery 107 Alternatively a Midrash reading the words Pharaoh goes out to the water in Exodus 7 15 taught that only in the morning did Pharaoh go out to the water because Pharaoh used to boast that he was a god and did not need to relieve himself Therefore Pharaoh used to go early in the morning to the water when no one else was there to witness that he relieved himself like other humans God therefore told Moses to catch him just at this critical moment 108 nbsp All the water turned into blood 1984 illustration by Jim Padgett courtesy of Distant Shores Media Sweet Publishing A Midrash cited Exodus 7 20 as one proof for the proposition that God does all things together God puts to death and brings to life at the same time God wounds and heals at the same time And thus the Midrash noted in Exodus 7 20 all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood and later the blood became water again 109 Rabbi Abin the Levite the son of Rabbi Judah the Prince taught that the Israelites became wealthy from the plague of blood If an Egyptian and an Israelite were in a house where there was a barrel full of water and the Egyptian went to fill a pitcher from the barrel the Egyptian would find that it contained blood while the Israelite would drink water from the same barrel When the Egyptian asked the Israelite to give the Egyptian some water with the Israelite s own hand it still became blood Even if the Egyptian said to the Israelite that they should both drink from one vessel the Israelite would drink water but the Egyptian would drink blood It was only when the Egyptian bought water from the Israelite for money that the Egyptian was able to drink water And this is how the Israelites became rich 110 The Gemara deduced from the use of the word for fish dagah in the phrase And the fish that were in the river died in Exodus 7 21 that the word dagah applies to fish both large and small 111 nbsp The Plague of Frogs illustration from the 1891 Bible encyclopedia of Archimandrite Nikiphor A Midrash taught that the frogs were the most grievous of the ten plagues The Midrash taught that the frogs destroyed the Egyptians bodies as Psalm 78 45 says frogs destroyed them and the frogs emasculated the Egyptians as Exodus 7 28 says that the frogs would come into the Egyptians bedchamber and upon their bed The Midrash taught that the frogs told the Egyptians that the coinage of their gods was abolished and the Egyptians own coinage their ability to procreate was also rendered invalid The Midrash reasoned that as the word destroyed in Genesis 38 9 applied to checking procreation in the passage about Onan s seed as he destroyed it on the ground so the Midrash reasoned that Psalm 78 45 means to convey that the Egyptians procreation was checked as well when it says frogs destroyed them And the Midrash deduced that the frogs spoke because Exodus 8 8 says concerning the frogs and the words for concerning al debar may also be read because of the words of 112 nbsp Shadrach Meshach and Abednego Hananiah Mishael and Azariah painting by Simeon Solomon Thaddeus of Rome taught that Hananiah Mishael and Azariah also known as Shadrach Meshach and Abednego delivered themselves to the Fiery Furnace to sanctify the Divine Name in Daniel 3 8 30 because they deduced from Exodus 7 28 that the frogs of the plague which had not been commanded to sanctify the Divine Name nonetheless jumped into hot ovens at God s behest So Hananiah Mishael and Azariah reasoned that people whom Leviticus 22 32 does command to sanctify the Divine Name should be willing to bear hot ovens for that reason Thaddeus of Rome deduced that the ovens into which the frogs jumped were hot from the proximity of the words ovens and kneading troughs in Exodus 7 28 reasoning that kneading troughs are found near ovens when ovens are hot 113 The Tosefta deduced from Exodus 1 8 that Pharaoh began to sin first before the people and thus as indicated by Exodus 7 29 and 8 4 God struck him first and then the people 114 nbsp The Plague of Frogs 1670 engraving by Gerard Jollain Exodus chapter 8 Edit Rabbi Eleazar taught that when Exodus 8 2 8 6 in the KJV reports that the frog came up and covered the land of Egypt it was initially just one frog which bred prolifically and filled the land The Tannaim disputed the matter Rabbi Akiva said that one frog filled the whole of Egypt by breeding But Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah chastised Akiva for dabbling in aggadah and taught that one frog croaked for others and they joined the first frog 101 A Midrash interpreted the words of Proverbs 29 23 A man s pride shall bring him low but he that is of a lowly spirit shall attain to honor to apply to Pharaoh and Moses respectively The Midrash taught that the words A man s pride shall bring him low apply to Pharaoh who in Exodus 5 2 haughtily asked Who is the Lord that I should hearken to His voice and so as Psalm 136 15 reports God overthrew Pharaoh and his host And the Midrash taught that the words but he that is of a lowly spirit shall attain to honor apply to Moses who in Exodus 8 5 8 9 in the KJV humbly asked Pharaoh Have this glory over me at what time shall I entreat for you that the frogs be destroyed and was rewarded in Exodus 9 29 with the opportunity to say As soon as I am gone out of the city I will spread forth my hands to the Lord and the thunders shall cease neither shall there be any more hail 115 nbsp The plague of gnats 1984 illustration by Jim Padgett courtesy of Distant Shores Media Sweet Publishing Rabbi Eleazar deduced from the magicians recognition of the finger of God in Exodus 8 15 8 19 in the KJV that a demonic spirit cannot produce a creature less than a barleycorn in size Rav Papa said that a spirit cannot even produce something the size of a camel but a spirit can collect the elements of a larger object and thus produce the illusion of creating it but a spirit cannot do even that with a smaller object 101 Rabbi Jose the Galilean reasoned that as the phrase the finger of God in Exodus 8 15 8 19 in the KJV referred to 10 plagues the great hand translated the great work in Exodus 14 31 in connection with the miracle of the Reed Sea must refer to 50 plagues upon the Egyptians and thus to a variety of cruel and strange deaths 116 Rabbi Phinehas ben Hama reasoned that as the phrase the finger of God in Exodus 8 15 8 19 in the KJV referred to 10 plagues the hand of God in Job 19 21 in connection with Job s poverty must refer to 50 plagues 117 Reading the finger of God in Exodus 8 15 8 19 in the KJV Rabbi Ishmael said that each of the five fingers of God s right hand appertain to the mystery of Redemption Rabbi Ishmael said that God showed the little finger of the hand to Noah pointing out how to make the Ark as in Genesis 6 15 God says And this is how you shall make it With the second finger next to the little one God smote the Egyptians with the ten plagues as Exodus 8 15 8 19 in the KJV says The magicians said to Pharaoh This is the finger of God With the middle finger God wrote the Tablets of the Law as Exodus 31 18 says And He gave to Moses when He had made an end of communing with him tables of stone written with the finger of God With the index finger God showed Moses what the children of Israel should give for the redemption of their souls as Exodus 30 13 says This they shall give half a shekel for an offering to the Lord With the thumb and all the hand God will in the future smite God s enemies who Rabbi Ishmael identified as the children of Esau and Ishmael as Micah 5 9 says Let your hand be lifted up above your adversaries and let all your enemies be cut off 118 nbsp Pharaoh told Moses to have the people offer their sacrifices in Egypt 1984 illustration by Jim Padgett courtesy of Distant Shores Media Sweet Publishing A Midrash interpreted the words of Exodus 8 22 8 26 in the KJV Lo if we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes will they not stone us to teach that the Egyptians saw the lamb as a god Thus when God told Moses to slay the paschal lamb as reflected in Exodus 12 21 Moses asked God how he could possibly do so when the lamb was as Egyptian god God replied that the Israelites would not depart from Egypt until they slaughtered the Egyptian gods before the Egyptians eyes so that God might teach them that their gods were really nothing at all And thus God did so for on the same night that God slew the Egyptian firstborn the Israelites slaughtered their paschal lambs and ate them When the Egyptians saw their firstborn slain and their gods slaughtered they could do nothing as Numbers 33 4 reports While the Egyptians were burying them whom the Lord had smitten among them even all their firstborn upon their gods also the Lord executed judgment 119 nbsp The Plague of Hail illustration from the 1890 Holman Bible Exodus chapter 9 Edit The Pirke De Rabbi Eliezer taught that for every plague that God brought upon the Egyptians the magicians also produced the plague until God brought upon them the boils and then the magicians were not able to stand to do likewise as Exodus 9 11 says And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils 118 A Midrash taught that when God perceived that Pharaoh did not relent after the first five plagues God decided that even if Pharaoh now wished to repent God would harden Pharaoh s heart to exact the whole punishment from him Thus Exodus 9 12 reports that the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh And the Midrash explained that the reference in Exodus 9 12 as the Lord had spoken to Moses referred to God s prediction in Exodus 7 3 that I will harden Pharaoh s heart 120 nbsp Pharaoh Changed His Mind 1984 illustration by Jim Padgett courtesy of Distant Shores Media Sweet Publishing In Exodus 9 12 Pharaoh s heart is hardened A Midrash catalogued the wide range of additional capabilities of the heart reported in the Hebrew Bible 121 The heart speaks 122 sees 122 hears 123 walks 124 falls 125 stands 126 rejoices 127 cries 128 is comforted 129 is troubled 130 grows faint 131 grieves 132 fears 133 can be broken 134 becomes proud 135 rebels 136 invents 137 cavils 138 overflows 139 devises 140 desires 141 goes astray 142 lusts 143 is refreshed 144 can be stolen 145 is humbled 146 is enticed 147 errs 148 trembles 149 is awakened 150 loves 151 hates 152 envies 153 is searched 154 is rent 155 meditates 156 is like a fire 157 is like a stone 158 turns in repentance 159 becomes hot 160 dies 161 melts 162 takes in words 163 is susceptible to fear 164 gives thanks 165 covets 166 becomes hard 167 makes merry 168 acts deceitfully 169 speaks from out of itself 170 loves bribes 171 writes words 172 plans 173 receives commandments 174 acts with pride 175 makes arrangements 176 and aggrandizes itself 177 nbsp The hail killed all the people out in the open 1984 illustration by Jim Padgett courtesy of Distant Shores Media Sweet Publishing Exodus 9 13 34 sets forth the plague of hail The Gemara told of the miracle of the hailstones avnei elgavish of which Ezekiel 13 11 13 13 and 38 22 speak A Midrash taught that they were stones avanim which remained suspended for the sake of a man al gav ish and came down for the sake of a man The hailstones remained suspended for the sake of a man this was Moses of whom Numbers 12 3 says Now the man Moses was very meek and Exodus 9 33 says And the thunder and hail ceased and the rain poured not upon the earth The hailstones came down for the sake of a man this was Joshua of whom Numbers 27 18 says Take Joshua the son of Nun a man in whom there is spirit and Joshua 10 11 says And it came to pass as they fled from before Israel while they were at the descent of Beth Horon that the Lord cast down great stones 178 Rabbi Nechunia son of Hakkanah taught that God killed Pharaoh and then because of Pharaoh s repentance delivered him from among the dead Rabbi Nechunia deduced that Pharaoh had died from Exodus 9 15 in which God told Moses to tell Pharaoh For now I had put forth my hand and smitten you 179 Reading Exodus 9 20 Those among Pharaoh s courtiers who feared the Lord s word brought their slaves and livestock indoors to safety the Midrash HaGadol taught that one can surely draw the inference that if those who fear God on a particular occasion are saved from punishment how much more will those who fear God all their life be saved 180 The Pharisees noted that while in Exodus 5 2 Pharaoh asked who God was once God had smitten him in Exodus 9 27 Pharaoh acknowledged that God was righteous Citing this juxtaposition the Pharisees complained against heretics who placed the name of earthly rulers above the name of God 181 The Mishnah echoed Exodus 9 31 32 by listing wheat barley and spelt as typical grains 182 Interpreting Exodus 9 34 And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders had ceased he sinned yet more a Midrash taught that so it always is with the wicked As long as they are in trouble they humble themselves But as soon as trouble passes they return to their perversity 183 In medieval Jewish interpretation EditThe parashah is discussed in these medieval Jewish sources 184 Exodus chapter 6 Edit nbsp RashiRashi taught that the phrase I am the Lord in Exodus 6 2 meant that God is faithful to recompense all those who followed God faithful to punish when the phrase appears together with a punishment and faithful to reward when the phrase appears together with a commandment 185 Abraham ibn Ezra read God s statement and I appeared in Exodus 6 3 to indicate that the Patriarchs received their prophesies in visions of the night 186 Saadia Gaon taught that the word only was omitted from the statement I did not make Myself known to them by My name YHVH in Exodus 6 3 so that one should read Exodus 6 3 to say I did not make Myself known to them only by My name YHVH for God also used the Name El Shaddai 187 nbsp NachmanidesIbn Ezra quotes Jeshua ben Judah as saying that Abraham and Jacob literally did not know the Name י הו ה YHVH but Moses filled it in when writing down the Torah However he disagrees with this asking how Moses could dare to write a name that God had not uttered 188 Rashi noted that Exodus 6 3 does not say but My Name YHVH I did not inform them but I did not become known According to Rashi the name YHVH indicates God s attribute of faithfulness but as the Divine promises to the patriarchs were not fulfilled in their lifetimes the meaning of name YHVH was not made tangible to them even as the name itself was used in speech 189 Nahmanides read God to say in Exodus 6 3 that God appeared to the Patriarchs in God s form of El Shaddai in which God performs hidden miracles that appear to the observer as part of the natural order But God did not appear to them in God s form of YHVH with which God performs open miracles that subvert the natural order 190 Exodus chapter 7 Edit Reading God s statement in Exodus 7 3 I will harden Pharaoh s heart Ibn Ezra asked If God hardened Pharaoh s heart what was his transgression and what was his sin Ibn Ezra answered that God granted people wisdom and implanted in their hearts the intelligence to receive power from on high to add to their good or diminish the evil destined to befall them 191 nbsp MaimonidesReading God s statement in Exodus 7 3 that I will harden Pharaoh s heart the report of Exodus 9 12 that the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh and similar statements in Exodus 4 21 10 1 20 27 11 10 and 14 4 8 and 17 Maimonides concluded that it is possible for a person to commit such a great sin or so many sins that God decrees that the punishment for these willing and knowing acts is the removal of the privilege of repentance teshuvah The offender would thus be prevented from doing repentance and would not have the power to return from the offense and the offender would die and be lost because of the offense Maimonides read this to be what God said in Isaiah 6 10 Make the heart of this people fat and make their ears heavy and their eyes weak lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and their hearts will understand do repentance and be healed Similarly 2 Chronicles 36 16 reports They ridiculed the messengers of God disdained His words and insulted His prophets until the anger of God rose upon the people without possibility of healing Maimonides interpreted these verses to teach that they sinned willingly and to such an egregious extent that they deserved to have repentance withheld from them And thus because Pharaoh sinned on his own at the beginning harming the Jews who lived in his land as Exodus 1 10 reports him scheming Let us deal craftily with them God issued the judgment that repentance would be withheld from Pharaoh until he received his punishment and therefore God said in Exodus 14 4 I will harden the heart of Pharaoh Maimonides explained that God sent Moses to tell Pharaoh to send out the Jews and do repentance when God had already told Moses that Pharaoh would refuse because God sought to inform humanity that when God withholds repentance from a sinner the sinner will not be able to repent Maimonides made clear that God did not decree that Pharaoh harm the Jewish people rather Pharaoh sinned willifully on his own and he thus deserved to have the privilege of repentance withheld from him 192 nbsp ZoharThe Zohar taught that the mixed multitude ר ב ע ר ב erev rav mentioned in Exodus 12 38 consisted entirely of Egyptian sorcerers and magicians who sought to oppose God s works as Exodus 7 11 reports And the magicians of Egypt they also did in like manner with their enchantments When they beheld the signs and the wonders that Moses performed they came to Moses to be converted God advised Moses not to accept them but Moses argued that now that they had seen God s power they desired to accept the Israelites Faith and if they saw God s power every day they would learn that there is no God like God So Moses accepted them Exodus 12 38 called them a mixed multitude because they consisted of all the grades of Egyptian magicians at their head being Jannes and Jambres During the day these wizards practiced their enchantments and after sunset they made observations of the heavens until the middle of the ninth hour which was called the great evening ר ב ע ר ב erev rav which means both great multitude and great evening The lesser magicians then made observation after that until midnight The Egyptians who had great faith in the chief wizards thus called them the great evening ר ב ע ר ב erev rav 193 Exodus chapter 8 Edit Rashi read the words of Pharaoh s magicians in Exodus 8 15 This is the finger of God to indicate that they perceived that this plague was not the result of sorcery but the Omnipresent 194 Rashbam however read Exodus 8 15 This is the finger of God to indicate that the magicians assessed that the plague was a natural disaster not caused by Moses and Aaron for if the lice had resulted from the sorcery of Moses and Aaron then the magicians would have been able to replicate it 195 Ibn Ezra and Hezekiah ben Manoah Hizkuni similarly read the magicians remark to indicate that the magicians thought that a natural disaster had caused the plague because the magicians said This is the finger of God and not This is the finger of the Lord 196 Nachmanides however disagreed with Ibn Ezra s reading arguing that a matter of chance is not called the finger of God only a punishment from God is called that as in 1 Samuel 12 15 the hand of the Lord Further Nachmanides noted that in the next plagues Pharaoh no longer called on the magicians to do the same thing indicating that the magicians had already conceded that the plagues were God s doing 197 Exodus chapter 9 Edit Saadia Gaon read the words He that feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh in Exodus 9 20 to indicate that those servants of Pharaoh feared God s strength and power 198 In modern interpretation EditThe parashah is discussed in these modern sources Exodus chapter 6 Edit Neḥama Leibowitz identified the following chiastic structure in God s speech to Moses in Exodus 6 2 8 199 2And God spoke to Moses and said to him A I am the Lord B 3And I appeared to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty but by My name YHWH I made Me not known to them C 4And I have also established My covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan the land of their sojournings wherein they sojourned D 5And moreover I have heard the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians keep in bondage and I have remembered My covenant E 6Therefore say to the children of Israel I am the Lord and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians and I will deliver you from their bondage and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments dd D1 7And I will take you to Me for a people and I will be to you a God and you shall know that I am the Lord your God who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians dd C1 8And I will bring you in to the land concerning which I lifted up My hand to give it dd B1 to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob and I will give it you for a heritage dd A1 I am the Lord Robert Alter wrote that the designation א ל ש ד י El Shaddai in Exodus 6 3 also used five times in the Patriarchal Tales is an archaic evidently Canaanite combination of divine names א ל El was the high god of the Canaanite pantheon although the Hebrew word is also a common noun meaning god and some scholars link ש ד י Shaddai with a term for mountain and others associate it with fertility 200 nbsp PlautGunther Plaut noted the difficulty that Exodus 6 3 4 says that it is י הו ה YHVH who guarantees the covenant made with the ancestors although they did not know God by this Name but this contradicts the frequent occurrence of the name YHVH in Genesis implying that the forefathers knew the Name Plaut reports that Biblical scholars have attempted to solve this contradiction in various ways many positing that Exodus 6 belongs to the Priestly source which held that the Patriarchs knew God only as Elohim or El Shaddai and that God first disclosed the Name YHVH to Moses According to this theory the passages in Genesis that use the Name YHVH and the passages in Exodus 3 that refer to YHVH are assigned to the J tradition Adherents of this theory argue that in Exodus 6 3 the P school connected YHVH with Moses to establish the legitimacy of the priestly hierarchy 201 Acknowledging that this explanation does not address the text as it is now Plaut presented the alternative explanation which Plaut attributed to the Israeli scholar Yehezkel Kaufmann that Moses and the people had since patriarchal time known the Name YHVH as God s name but this knowledge had hardly been more than a customary appellation In Exodus 6 however after his first trials and failures Moses confronted God again and this time God revealed the Name more fully which is to say that Moses saw God more clearly than before in a new light 202 Turning to the etymology of the Name Plaut reported that the most widely accepted explanation connects the Name with the word hayah to be a causative form of which could be Yahveh one who causes to be Another form could be Yahuah he who indeed will show himself to be or he who proves himself Plaut reported a different theory holds that the name was read Yahuh a version of Yehu a form that occurs several times independently in the Bible as יהרא and frequently as a prefix or suffix to proper names According to Martin Buber Yahu was a kind of primitive sound an exclamation denoting awe recognition and affirmation Oh is the one or Yah is the one or Yah is or Yah exists Finally Plaut related yet another approach seeing YHVH as having developed from a cultic name connected with El perhaps El du Yahwi El who creates and that in time the Name Yahwi split off from El ousting the Name El from preeminence 203 Sarna and Tigay noted that Exodus 6 7 I will take you to Me for a people and I will be to you a God prefigures the covenant that God would establish at Sinai 204 Alter noted that the idea in Exodus 6 7 that I am the Lord your God Who takes you out from under the burdens of Egypt is emphasized repeatedly in the Torah and later books of the Bible Alter called the cornerstone of Israelite faith that God had proven God s divinity and attachment to Israel by liberating the Israelites from Egyptian slavery Alter reported that some modern scholars arguing from the absence of Egyptian evidence on any Hebrew slave population or any mention of an exodus have raised doubts about whether the Hebrews were ever in Egypt Alter concluded that the story is surely a schematization and simplification of complex historical processes Alter viewed it quite likely that a sizeable segment of the Hebrew people remained in the high country of eastern Canaan and never went down to Egypt Yet Alter also found it hard to imagine that the Israelites would have invented a story of national origins involving the humiliation of slavery without some kernel of historical memory 205 nbsp SpinozaExodus chapter 7 Edit Baruch Spinoza deduced from Exodus 7 1 that in Scripture the word prophet נ ב יא navi means interpreter of God Spinoza read God s words to Moses in Exodus 7 1 See I have made you a god to Pharaoh and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet to imply that in interpreting the words of Moses to Pharaoh Aaron would act as a prophet 206 Greta Hort argued that the plagues concentrated within a period of about 12 months based on the report of Exodus 7 7 that Moses was 80 years old when he first spoke with pharaoh and the report of Deuteronomy 34 7 that Moses was 120 years old when he died after spending 40 years in the wilderness 207 Sarna noted that Aaron not Moses turned his rod into a snake in Exodus 7 10 Sarna explained that Moses thus tacitly asserted his equal status with Pharaoh Moses came to negotiate with Pharaoh as the representative of the people of Israel Just as Pharaoh had his magicians Moses had his assistant Aaron Sarna noted that in the narratives of the Ten Plagues Aaron acted only as long as the Egyptian magicians appeared present After their ingenuity failed them and they faded from the story Moses acted personally to bring about the remaining plagues 208 Everett Fox noted that glory כ בו ד kevod and stubbornness כ ב ד ל ב kaved lev are leading words throughout the book of Exodus that give it a sense of unity 209 Similarly William Propp identified the root kvd connoting heaviness glory wealth and firmness as a recurring theme in Exodus Moses suffered from a heavy mouth in Exodus 4 10 and heavy arms in Exodus 17 12 Pharaoh had firmness of heart in Exodus 7 14 8 11 28 9 7 34 and 10 1 Pharaoh made Israel s labor heavy in Exodus 5 9 God in response sent heavy plagues in Exodus 8 20 9 3 18 24 and 10 14 so that God might be glorified over Pharaoh in Exodus 14 4 17 and 18 and the book culminates with the descent of God s fiery Glory described as a heavy cloud first upon Sinai and later upon the Tabernacle in Exodus 19 16 24 16 17 29 43 33 18 22 and 40 34 38 210 Plaut reported that scholars generally agree that the term Hebrew ע בר י Ivri as in Exodus 7 16 and 9 1 and 13 came from the name of a group called Habiru or Apiru people who had lost their status in the community from which they came and who were not necessarily related except by common fate 211 Plaut wrote that the Habiru were a class of people who lived in the Fertile Crescent during the 19th to 14th centuries B C E who may originally have come from Arabia became prominent in Mesopotamia and later spread to Egypt The Habiru followed distinct occupations particularly mercenaries and administrators Although at first they were nomads or seminomads they later settled but were usually considered foreigners and maintaining their group identity The term Habiru referred not so much to an ethnic or linguistic group as to a social or political group Plaut reported that the words Habiru and Hebrew ע בר י Ivri appear to share a common linguistic root Plaut concluded that Israelites in Egypt likely occupied positions similar to or because of familial ties were identified with the Habiru When non Israelites repeatedly applied the term to the Israelites the Israelites themselves began to use the name Habiru which they pronounced Ivri Plaut considered it possible that for some time the term Ivri was used only when the Israelites spoke of themselves to outsiders and when outsiders referred to them Thus Genesis 14 13 calls Abram Ivri vis a vis an outsider and Jonah says I am an Ivri when asked his identity by non Israelite sailors in Jonah 1 9 but otherwise Israelites referred to themselves by their tribes for example Judah or Ephraim or by their common ancestor Israel 212 Plaut reported that most moderns take the view that the plague stories are unacceptable as fact and must be deemed legendary and unhistorical 213 Plaut argued that it was a mistake to consider the stories literally rather than as essentially interpretive and legendary asserting that the release of the Israelites from slavery was unprecedented and could only be explained by crediting God 214 Plaut suggested that there was possibly or even likely a historical kernel that the biblical tradition transposed into the moral religious realm Thus Plaut noted that some claim that the bloodiness of the Nile was caused by special deposits that the river picked up from the mountains hence the name Red Nile for one branch that frogs accompanied a large scale inundation and that lice gnats and insects regularly infested the area 215 Plaut concluded that the plague stories teach Israel s redemption was the ultimate marvel and it was caused by God To bring it about nature itself was harnessed the drama of the plagues was unfolded and the ground was laid for an experience that forever after was etched into the hearts of the people and their descendants 216 John J Collins reported that some scholars have suggested that the plague stories contain a reminiscence of a mid fourteenth century BCE epidemic referred to as the Asiatic illness 217 Collins argued that the plague stories show that Exodus is not only the story of the liberation of Israel but also of the defeat and humiliation of the Egyptians and thus involved less than edifying nationalistic ethnic vengeance 218 Sarna suggested that the biblical narrator might have construed the affliction of the Nile s waters and the plague of frogs as a kind of retribution for the pharaoh s decrees ordering the killing of male Israelites at birth and their drowning in the Nile 219 nbsp LuzzattoExodus chapter 8 Edit Reading the words of Pharaoh s magicians in Exodus 8 15 This is the finger of God Samuel David Luzzatto Shadal wrote that although Pharaoh must have in his heart realized that the magicians were correct and Moses was correct Pharaoh carried on business as usual as is the habit of atheists 220 Alter noted that the narrative preceding Exodus 8 15 repeatedly spoke of God s hand or arm but Pharaoh s magicians appear to concede a lesser trace of divine action in mentioning God s finger 221 Exodus chapter 9 Edit Reading the report of Exodus 9 6 that all the livestock of Egypt died but noting that Exodus 9 10 reports that boils subsequently struck the animals Plaut concluded that Exodus 9 6 must be taken as hyperbole 222 Jacob ben Asher the Baal Ha Turim read the words He that feared in Exodus 9 20 to indicate that the Egyptians were fearful because of the sins they had committed 223 Moritz Markus Kalisch reported an interpretation that Exodus 9 20 indicated a test by Moses of how far the fear of God had spread among the Egyptians 224 Benno Jacob read Exodus 9 20 to indicate that some of Pharaoh s servants had become frightened of God s warning through Moses 225 Reading Exodus 9 20 Whoever feared the Lord s word Alter wrote that whereas elsewhere this idiom indicates piety as in God fearing here it has been stripped down to its literal meaning of whoever was struck with terror by God s grim threat 226 In critical analysis Edit nbsp Diagram of the Documentary HypothesisSome scholars who follow the Documentary Hypothesis find evidence of three or even four separate sources in the parashah Walter Brueggemann reported that older source analysis saw Exodus 6 2 30 as an insertion by the Priestly source addressed to a community in exile or just out of exile appealing to very old tradition to create a sense of structured stable reality to give coherence order and legitimacy to communal life 227 Richard Elliott Friedman however saw four sources in Exodus 6 alone Friedman saw the opening verse of Exodus 6 1 to have been composed by the Elohist sometimes abbreviated E who wrote in the north in the land of the Tribe of Ephraim possibly as early as the second half of the 9th century BCE 228 Friedman agreed with Brueggemann in attributing Exodus 6 2 10 and 30 to the Priestly source who wrote in the 6th or 5th century BCE 229 But Friedman attributed Exodus 6 12 13 and 26 28 to a later Redactor sometimes abbreviated R 230 And Friedman attributed the genealogy of Exodus 6 14 25 to the Book of Records or some other separate source document from which Friedman postulates that the Redactor chose to use only the first section covering genealogies from Reuben to Levi stopping at Aaron 231 In the balance of the parashah Friedman attributed Exodus 7 14 18 20b 21 and 23 29 8 3b 11a and 16 28 and 9 1 7 and 13 34 to the Elohist Exodus 7 1 13 19 20a and 22 8 1 3a and 12 15 and 9 8 12 to the Priestly source and Exodus 8 11b and 9 35 to the Redactor 232 For a color coded display of verses according to this hypothesis see the display of Exodus according to the Documentary Hypothesis at Wikiversity Commandments EditAccording to Maimonides and Sefer ha Chinuch there are no commandments in the parashah 233 nbsp 14th century German illuminated Haggadah for PassoverIn the liturgy EditReading the Passover Haggadah in the magid section of the Seder many Jews remove drops of wine from their cups for each of the ten plagues in Exodus 7 14 12 29 234 Next the Haggadah recounts the reasoning of Rabbi Jose the Galilean that as the phrase the finger of God in Exodus 8 15 referred to 10 plagues the great hand translated the great work in Exodus 14 31 must refer to 50 plagues upon the Egyptians 235 And the haggadah in the magid section quotes Exodus 9 3 to elucidate the term a mighty hand in Deuteronomy 26 8 interpreting the mighty hand to mean the plague of pestilence on the Egyptian livestock 236 nbsp Ezekiel 1510 fresco by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel Haftarah EditGenerally Edit The haftarah for the parashah is Ezekiel 28 25 29 21 Connection to the Parashah Edit Both the parashah and the haftarah describe God s instructions to a prophet to confront the Pharaoh of Egypt and bring on Israel s redemption Both the parashah and the haftarah address God s judgments shefatim against Pharaoh and Egypt 237 A monster tannin plays a role in both the parashah and the haftarah In the parashah God turns Moses rod into a monster 238 the haftarah describes Pharaoh as a monster 239 In both the parashah and the haftarah God attacks the river 240 and kills fish 241 In both the parashah and the haftarah God s actions would cause the Egyptians to know ve yade u God 242 And in both the parashah and the haftarah God proclaims I am the Lord 243 On Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Edit When the parashah coincides with Shabbat Rosh Chodesh as it did in 2013 and 2017 the haftarah is Isaiah 66 1 24 Notes Edit Fred Reiss The Standard Guide to the Jewish and Civil Calendars A Parallel Jewish and Civil Calendar from 1899 to 2050 with Parashiyyot and Haftarot and Candle Lighting Times for Selected Cities West Orange New Jersey Behrman House 1986 Parashat Vaera Hebcal Torah Stats for Shemoth Aklah Inc Retrieved September 3 2023 See e g Menachem Davis editor The Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash Shemos Exodus Brooklyn Mesorah Publications 2008 pages 31 57 Exodus 6 2 4 Exodus 6 6 8 Exodus 6 9 See e g Menachem Davis editor Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash Shemos Exodus page 33 Exodus 6 10 12 See e g Menachem Davis editor Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash Shemos Exodus page 34 See e g Menachem Davis editor Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash Shemos Exodus pages 34 35 Exodus 6 14 25 a b See e g Menachem Davis editor Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash Shemos Exodus page 37 Exodus 6 29 30 Exodus 7 1 2 Exodus 7 3 5 Exodus 7 6 Exodus 7 7 See e g Menachem Davis editor Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash Shemos Exodus page 39 Exodus 7 9 10 Exodus 7 11 12 Exodus 7 13 See e g Menachem Davis editor Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash Shemos Exodus page 40 Exodus 7 14 18 See e g Menachem Davis editor Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash Shemos Exodus page 41 Exodus 7 19 Exodus 7 20 21 Exodus 7 22 23 Exodus 7 25 See e g Menachem Davis editor Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash Shemos Exodus page 43 Exodus 7 26 8 2 Exodus 8 3 Exodus 8 4 Exodus 8 5 6 See e g Menachem Davis editor Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash Shemos Exodus page 45 Exodus 8 7 11 See e g Menachem Davis editor Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash Shemos Exodus page 46 Exodus 8 12 13 Exodus 8 14 Exodus 8 15 See e g Menachem Davis editor Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash Shemos Exodus page 47 Exodus 8 16 18 See e g Menachem Davis editor Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash Shemos Exodus page 48 Exodus 8 19 20 Exodus 8 21 23 Exodus 8 24 Exodus 8 27 28 See e g Menachem Davis editor Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash Shemos Exodus page 50 Exodus 9 1 6 Exodus 9 7 See e g Menachem Davis editor Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash Shemos Exodus page 51 Exodus 9 8 10 Exodus 9 12 See e g Menachem Davis editor Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash Shemos Exodus page 52 Exodus 9 13 16 See e g Menachem Davis editor Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash Shemos Exodus page 53 Exodus 9 17 19 Exodus 9 20 21 See e g Menachem Davis editor Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash Shemos Exodus page 54 Exodus 9 22 26 Exodus 9 27 28 Exodus 9 29 30 Exodus 9 31 32 See e g Menachem Davis editor Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash Shemos Exodus pages 56 57 Exodus 9 33 35 See e g Menachem Davis editor Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash Shemos Exodus page 57 See e g Richard Eisenberg A Complete Triennial Cycle for Reading the Torah Proceedings of the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of the Conservative Movement 1986 1990 New York The Rabbinical Assembly 2001 pages 383 418 W Gunther Plaut The Torah A Modern Commentary Revised Edition revised edition edited by David E S Stern New York Union for Reform Judaism 2006 page 388 For more on inner Biblical interpretation see e g Benjamin D Sommer Inner biblical Interpretation in Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler editors The Jewish Study Bible 2nd Edition New York Oxford University Press 2014 pages 1835 41 Nahum M Sarna The JPS Torah Commentary Exodus The Traditional Hebrew Text with the New JPS Translation Philadelphia Jewish Publication Society 1991 page 32 Jeffrey H Tigay Exodus in Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler editors Jewish Study Bible 2nd Edition page 108 Bruce Wells Exodus in John H Walton editor Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary Grand Rapids Michigan Zondervan 2009 volume 1 page 185 For more on early nonrabbinic interpretation see e g Esther Eshel Early Nonrabbinic Interpretation in Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler editors Jewish Study Bible 2nd Edition pages 1841 59 Philo On the Change of Names chapter 2 paragraphs 11 13 For more on classical rabbinic interpretation see e g Yaakov Elman Classical Rabbinic Interpretation in Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler editors Jewish Study Bible 2nd Edition pages 1859 78 Exodus Rabbah 6 1 See Genesis 17 1 and 48 3 Exodus Rabbah 6 4 see also Mekhilta of Rabbi Simeon Tractate Sanya chapter 2 paragraph 3 1 Rabbi Akiva said that therefore implies an oath Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 90b Babylonian Talmud Rosh Hashanah 11b Babylonian Talmud Berakhot 38a Jerusalem Talmud Pesachim 82b see also Exodus Rabbah 6 4 Genesis Rabbah 88 5 Mishnah Pesachim 10 1 Babylonian Talmud Pesachim 99b Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 111a Babylonian Talmud Bava Batra 117b Exodus Rabbah 6 5 Genesis Rabbah 92 7 Pirke De Rabbi Eliezer chapter 29 see also Genesis Rabbah 46 5 Rabbi Akiva counted four kinds of orlah And Tractate Orlah in the Mishnah Tosefta and Jerusalem Talmud deals with the uncircumcision of trees based on Leviticus 19 23 25 Mishnah Orlah 1 1 3 9 Tosefta Orlah 1 1 8 Jerusalem Talmud Orlah 1a 42a See Exodus 6 13 7 8 9 8 12 1 12 43 12 50 11 1 13 1 14 33 15 1 Numbers 2 1 4 1 4 17 14 26 16 20 19 1 20 12 20 23 Numbers Rabbah 2 1 Jerusalem Talmud Rosh Hashanah 20b a b Exodus Rabbah 7 3 Midrash Tanhuma Korah 1 Babylonian Talmud Bava Batra 110a See Babylonian Talmud Sotah 43a see also Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 82b Babylonian Talmud Bava Batra 109b 10a see also Exodus Rabbah 7 5 Tosefta Keritot 4 15 see also Mekhilta of Rabbi Ishmael Pisha 6 1 2 attributing to Rabbi Judah the Prince Song of Songs Rabbah 4 13 attributing to the Rabbis Babylonian Talmud Megillah 11a Tosefta Megillah 3 21 Exodus Rabbah 11 1 Pirke De Rabbi Eliezer chapter 45 Tobiah ben Eliezer Lekach Tov 11th century in Menahem M Kasher Torah Sheleimah 7 43 Jerusalem 1927 in Encyclopedia of Biblical Interpretation Translated by Harry Freedman volume 7 page 217 New York American Biblical Encyclopedia Society a b c Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 67b Babylonian Talmud Shabbat 97a Exodus Rabbah 9 7 Exodus Rabbah 9 7 Midrash Tanhuma Va eira 3 see also Exodus Rabbah 11 6 discussed below Babylonian Talmud Sotah 8b Rabbi Judah the Prince Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 100a Rabbi Meir Midrash Tanhuma Va eira 14 Babylonian Talmud Moed Katan 18a Exodus Rabbah 9 8 Exodus Rabbah 28 4 Exodus Rabbah 9 10 Babylonian Talmud Nedarim 51b Exodus Rabbah 15 27 Babylonian Talmud Pesachim 53b Tosefta Sotah 4 12 Numbers Rabbah 13 3 Mekhilta of Rabbi Ishmael Beshallah 7 Mekhilta of Rabbi Simeon 26 6 see also Exodus Rabbah 5 14 23 9 Babylonian Talmud Bava Batra 116a see also Exodus Rabbah 23 9 a b Pirke De Rabbi Eliezer chapter 48 Exodus Rabbah 16 3 Exodus Rabbah 11 6 Ecclesiastes Rabbah 1 36 a b Ecclesiastes 1 16 1 Kings 3 9 2 Kings 5 26 1 Samuel 17 32 Ezekiel 22 14 Psalm 16 9 Lamentations 2 18 Isaiah 40 2 Deuteronomy 15 10 Deuteronomy 20 3 Genesis 6 6 Deuteronomy 28 67 Psalm 51 19 Deuteronomy 8 14 Jeremiah 5 23 1 Kings 12 33 Deuteronomy 29 18 Psalm 45 2 Proverbs 19 21 Psalm 21 3 Proverbs 7 25 Numbers 15 39 Genesis 18 5 Genesis 31 20 Leviticus 26 41 Genesis 34 3 Isaiah 21 4 1 Samuel 4 13 Song of Songs 5 2 Deuteronomy 6 5 Leviticus 19 17 Proverbs 23 17 Jeremiah 17 10 Joel 2 13 Psalm 49 4 Jeremiah 20 9 Ezekiel 36 26 2 Kings 23 25 Deuteronomy 19 6 1 Samuel 25 37 Joshua 7 5 Deuteronomy 6 6 Jeremiah 32 40 Psalm 111 1 Proverbs 6 25 Proverbs 28 14 Judges 16 25 Proverbs 12 20 1 Samuel 1 13 Jeremiah 22 17 Proverbs 3 3 Proverbs 6 18 Proverbs 10 8 Obadiah 1 3 Proverbs 16 1 2 Chronicles 25 19 Babylonian Talmud Berakhot 54b Pirke De Rabbi Eliezer chapter 43 Midrash HaGadol Yemen 13th century in Menahem M Kasher Torah Sheleimah Jerusalem 1927 in Encyclopedia of Biblical Interpretation Translated by Harry Freedman New York American Biblical Encyclopedia Society Mishnah Yadayim 4 8 Mishnah Shavuot 5 3 Exodus Rabbah 12 7 For more on medieval Jewish interpretation see e g Barry D Walfish Medieval Jewish Interpretation in Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler editors Jewish Study Bible 2nd Edition pages 1891 915 Rashi Exodus 6 2 Troyes France late 11th century in e g Rashi The Torah With Rashi s Commentary Translated Annotated and Elucidated translated and annotated by Yisrael Isser Zvi Herczeg Brooklyn Mesorah Publications 1994 volume 2 page 54 Ibn Ezra Second Commentary Exodus 6 3 France 1153 in e g Ibn Ezra s Commentary on the Pentateuch Exodus Shemot translated and annotated by H Norman Strickman and Arthur M Silver New York Menorah Publishing Company 1996 volume 2 page 129 Abraham ibn Ezra Commentary on the Torah in e g Ibn Ezra s Commentary on the Pentateuch Exodus Shemot translated and annotated by H Norman Strickman and Arthur M Silver volume 2 page 132 Ibn Ezra Second Commentary Exodus 6 3 in e g Ibn Ezra s Commentary on the Pentateuch Exodus Shemot translated and annotated by H Norman Strickman and Arthur M Silver volume 2 page 133 Rashi Exodus 6 3 in e g Rashi The Torah With Rashi s Commentary Translated Annotated and Elucidated translated and annotated by Yisrael Isser Zvi Herczeg volume 2 pages 54 55 Ramban Exodus 6 2 Jerusalem circa 1270 in e g Ramban Nachmanides Commentary on the Torah translated by Charles B Chavel New York Shilo Publishing House 1973 volume 2 pages 65 66 Abraham ibn Ezra Commentary on the Torah in e g Ibn Ezra s Commentary on the Pentateuch Exodus Shemot translated and annotated by H Norman Strickman and Arthur M Silver volume 2 page 145 Maimonides Mishneh Torah Hilchot Teshuvah The Laws of Repentance chapter 3 halachah 3 Egypt circa 1170 1180 in e g Mishneh Torah Hilchot Teshuvah The Laws of Repentance translated by Eliyahu Touger New York Moznaim Publishing 1990 pages 140 48 see also Maimonides The Eight Chapters on Ethics chapter 8 Egypt late 12th century in e g The Eight Chapters of Maimonides on Ethics Shemonah Perakim A Psychological and Ethical Treatise edited annotated and translated with an introduction by Joseph I Gorfinkle New York Columbia University Press 1912 reprinted by Forgotten Books 2012 pages 95 96 Zohar part 2 page 191a Spain late 13th century in e g The Zohar translated by Harry Sperling Maurice Simon and Paul P Levertoff London Soncino Press 1934 Rashi Commentary on 8 15 in e g Rashi The Torah With Rashi s Commentary Translated Annotated and Elucidated Translated and annotated by Yisrael Isser Zvi Herczeg volume 2 page 77 Rashbam Commentary on the Torah Troyes early 12th century in e g Rashbam s Commentary on Exodus An Annotated Translation Edited and translated by Martin I Lockshin page 79 Atlanta Scholars Press 1997 Abraham ibn Ezra Commentary on the Torah in e g Ibn Ezra s Commentary on the Pentateuch Exodus Shemot translated and annotated by H Norman Strickman and Arthur M Silver volume 2 page 132 Hezekiah ben Manoah Hizkuni France circa 1240 in e g Chizkiyahu ben Manoach Chizkuni Torah Commentary translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk Jerusalem Ktav Publishers 2013 volume 2 page 392 Nachmanides Commentary on the Torah Jerusalem circa 1270 in e g Ramban Nachmanides Commentary on the Torah translated by Charles B Chavel volume 2 pages 86 87 Saadia Gaon Emunoth ve Deoth Beliefs and Opinions Introductory treatise chapter 6 Baghdad Babylonia 933 in e g The Book of Beliefs and Opinions translated by Samuel Rosenblatt New Haven Yale University Press 1948 page 29 Nehama Leibowitz New Studies in Shemot Exodus Jerusalem Haomanim Press 1993 pages 115 18 reprinted as New Studies in the Weekly Parasha Lambda Publishers 2010 see also Walter Brueggemann The Book of Exodus in Leander E Keck editor The New Interpreter s Bible Nashville Abingdon Press 1994 volume 1 pages 734 35 noting a similar chiastic structure Robert Alter The Five Books of Moses A Translation with Commentary page 339 New York W W Norton amp Co 2004 W Gunther Plaut The Torah A Modern Commentary Revised Edition Revised edition edited by David E S Stern page 393 See W Gunther Plaut The Torah A Modern Commentary Revised Edition Revised edition edited by David E S Stern page 394 See W Gunther Plaut The Torah A Modern Commentary Revised Edition Revised edition edited by David E S Stern page 395 Nahum M Sarna The JPS Torah Commentary Exodus The Traditional Hebrew Text with the New JPS Translation page 32 Jeffrey H Tigay Exodus in Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler editors Jewish Study Bible 2nd Edition page 108 Robert Alter The Five Books of Moses A Translation with Commentary pages 340 41 Baruch Spinoza Theologico Political Treatise chapter 1 Amsterdam 1670 in e g Baruch Spinoza Theological Political Treatise translated by Samuel Shirley page 9 Indianapolis Hackett Publishing Company 2nd edition 2001 Greta Hort The Plagues of Egypt Zeitschrift fur die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft volume 69 issues 1 4 1957 pages 84 103 volume 70 issue 1 1958 pages 48 59 Nahum M Sarna Exploring Exodus The Origins of Biblical Israel New York Schocken Books 1996 page 70 Nahum M Sarna Exploring Exodus The Origins of Biblical Israel page 67 Everett Fox The Five Books of Moses Dallas Word Publishing 1995 page 245 William H C Propp Exodus 1 18 A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary New York Anchor Bible 1998 volume 2 page 36 W Gunther Plaut The Torah A Modern Commentary Revised Edition revised edition edited by David E S Stern page 347 W Gunther Plaut The Torah A Modern Commentary Revised Edition revised edition edited by David E S Stern pages 106 07 W Gunther Plaut The Torah A Modern Commentary Revised Edition revised edition edited by David E S Stern page 396 citing Mordecai M Kaplan Judaism as a Civilisation Macmillan 1934 page 98 David Hume Of Miracles in An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding London 1748 Baruch Spinoza Theologico Political Treatise Amsterdam 1670 6 in e g Baruch Spinoza Theological Political Treatise translated by Samuel Shirley Indianapolis Hackett Publishing Company 2nd edition 2001 W Gunther Plaut The Torah A Modern Commentary Revised Edition revised edition edited by David E S Stern page 396 W Gunther Plaut The Torah A Modern Commentary Revised Edition revised edition edited by David E S Stern pages 396 97 W Gunther Plaut The Torah A Modern Commentary Revised Edition revised edition edited by David E S Stern page 397 John J Collins Introduction to the Hebrew Bible Third Edition Minneapolis Fortress Press 2018 page 109 John J Collins Introduction to the Hebrew Bible Third Edition page 116 Nahum M Sarna Exploring Exodus The Origins of Biblical Israel page 79 Samuel David Luzzatto Shadal Commentary on the Torah Padua 1871 in e g Samuel David Luzzatto Torah Commentary Translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk volume 2 page 582 New York Lambda Publishers 2012 Robert Alter The Five Books of Moses A Translation with Commentary page 354 W Gunther Plaut The Torah A Modern Commentary Revised Edition Revised edition edited by David E S Stern page 390 Jacob ben Asher Baal Ha Turim Rimze Ba al ha Turim Early 14th century in e g Baal Haturim Chumash Shemos Exodus Translated by Eliyahu Touger edited and annotated by Avie Gold volume 2 pages 601 02 Brooklyn Mesorah Publications 2000 Moritz Markus Kalisch A Historical and Critical Commentary on the Old Testament with a New Translation Exodus pages 117 18 London Longman Brown Green and Longmans 1855 in e g RareBooksClub com 2012 Benno Jacob The Second Book of the Bible Exodus London 1940 Translated by Walter Jacob page 275 Hoboken New Jersey KTAV Publishing House 1992 Robert Alter The Five Books of Moses A Translation with Commentary pages 362 Walter Brueggemann The Book of Exodus In The New Interpreter s Bible Edited by Leander E Keck volume 1 page 733 See Richard Elliott Friedman The Bible with Sources Revealed pages 4 128 New York HarperSanFrancisco 2003 See Richard Elliott Friedman The Bible with Sources Revealed pages 4 5 128 29 See Richard Elliott Friedman The Bible with Sources Revealed pages 5 128 29 See Richard Elliott Friedman The Bible with Sources Revealed page 129 See Richard Elliott Friedman The Bible with Sources Revealed pages 130 35 Maimonides Mishneh Torah Cairo Egypt 1170 1180 in Maimonides The Commandments Sefer Ha Mitzvoth of Maimonides Translated by Charles B Chavel 2 volumes London Soncino Press 1967 Sefer HaHinnuch The Book of Mitzvah Education Translated by Charles Wengrov volume 1 page 93 Jerusalem Feldheim Publishers 1991 Menachem Davis editor The Interlinear Haggadah The Passover Haggadah with an Interlinear Translation Instructions and Comments Brooklyn Mesorah Publications 2005 page 51 Joseph Tabory JPS Commentary on the Haggadah Historical Introduction Translation and Commentary Philadelphia Jewish Publication Society 2008 pages 94 95 Menachem Davis editor The Interlinear Haggadah The Passover Haggadah with an Interlinear Translation Instructions and Comments pages 51 52 Joseph Tabory JPS Commentary on the Haggadah Historical Introduction Translation and Commentary page 95 Menachem Davis editor The Interlinear Haggadah The Passover Haggadah with an Interlinear Translation Instructions and Comments page 49 Joseph Tabory JPS Commentary on the Haggadah Historical Introduction Translation and Commentary page 94 Exodus 7 4 Ezekiel 28 26 Exodus 7 15 Ezekiel 29 3 Exodus 7 17 19 Ezekiel 29 10 Exodus 7 20 21 Ezekiel 29 4 5 Exodus 7 5 Ezekiel 28 26 6 16 21 Exodus 6 2 Ezekiel 29 21 Further reading EditThe parashah has parallels or is discussed in these sources Biblical Edit Genesis 17 1 El Shaddai 28 3 El Shaddai 35 11 El Shaddai 43 14 El Shaddai 48 3 El Shaddai 49 25 Shaddai Exodus 4 21 10 1 20 27 11 10 14 4 8 hardening Pharaoh s heart Numbers 14 30 God lifted up God s hand Deuteronomy 2 30 15 7 hardening of heart Joshua 11 20 hardening of heart Jeremiah 7 23 I will be your God and you will be my people 11 4 you will be my people and I will be your God 30 22 you will be my people and I will be your God 31 33 I will be their God and they will be my people Ezekiel 20 5 God lifted up God s hand 36 28 you will be my people and I will be your God Psalms 68 5 name is the Lord 78 44 51 plagues 105 23 38 plagues Nehemiah 9 15 God lifted up God s hand Early nonrabbinic Edit Ezekiel the Tragedian Exagōge 2nd century BCE Translated by R G Robertson In The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha Volume 2 Expansions of the Old Testament and Legends Wisdom and Philosophical Literature Prayers Psalms and Odes Fragments of Lost Judeo Hellenistic works Edited by James H Charlesworth page 814 New York Anchor Bible 1985 Philo Allegorical Interpretation 1 13 40 3 14 43 60 172 On the Birth of Abel and the Sacrifices Offered by Him and by His Brother Cain 3 9 12 51 19 69 That the Worse Is Wont To Attack the Better 12 38 39 On the Posterity of Cain and His Exile 22 76 On Drunkenness 26 101 On the Confusion of Tongues 9 29 20 94 On the Migration of Abraham 15 83 85 On Flight and Finding 3 18 23 124 On the Change of Names 2 13 3 20 21 22 125 37 207 On Dreams That They Are God Sent 2 28 189 39 259 42 277 Alexandria Egypt early 1st century CE In e g The Works of Philo Complete and Unabridged New Updated Edition Translated by Charles Duke Yonge pages 29 55 69 95 100 103 116 139 215 237 242 261 322 332 342 43 352 359 401 407 08 Peabody Massachusetts Hendrickson Publishers 1993 Romans 9 14 18 1st century hardening Pharaoh s heart 2 Timothy 3 8 9 Rome 67 CE magicians opposing Moses Revelation 16 12 16 frogs 17 17 changing hearts to God s purpose Late 1st century CE Josephus The Wars of the Jews 5 9 4 Circa 75 CE In e g The Works of Josephus Complete and Unabridged New Updated Edition Translated by William Whiston page 716 Peabody Massachusetts Hendrickson Publishers 1987 Josephus Antiquities of the Jews 2 13 3 Archived 2007 02 11 at the Wayback Machine 2 14 4 Archived 2012 08 09 at the Wayback Machine Circa 93 94 In e g The Works of Josephus Complete and Unabridged New Updated Edition Translated by William Whiston pages 72 74 Peabody Massachusetts Hendrickson Publishers 1987 nbsp Qur anQur an 7 103 126 130 135 10 75 83 11 96 97 17 101 102 20 42 73 23 45 48 26 10 51 28 36 39 29 39 40 23 27 37 43 46 54 51 38 39 73 15 16 79 15 24 Arabia 7th century Classical rabbinic Edit Mishnah Orlah 1 1 3 9 Pesachim 10 1 Shevuot 5 3 Yadayim 4 8 Land of Israel circa 200 CE In e g The Mishnah A New Translation Translated by Jacob Neusner pages 158 66 249 630 1131 New Haven Yale University Press 1988 Jerusalem Talmud Pesachim 42b Rosh Hashanah 20b Megillah 13b Chagigah 4a 11a Yevamot 63a Sotah 10a 28b Sanhedrin 26b Makkot 9a Tiberias Land of Israel circa 400 CE In e g Talmud Yerushalmi Edited by Chaim Malinowitz Yisroel Simcha Schorr and Mordechai Marcus volumes 18 24 26 27 30 36 44 49 Brooklyn Mesorah Publications 2011 2019 And in e g The Jerusalem Talmud A Translation and Commentary Edited by Jacob Neusner and translated by Jacob Neusner Tzvee Zahavy B Barry Levy and Edward Goldman Peabody Massachusetts Hendrickson Publishers 2009 Genesis Rabbah 1 15 5 7 18 5 19 7 37 3 46 1 5 82 3 88 5 92 7 96 97 Land of Israel 5th century In e g Midrash Rabbah Genesis Translated by Harry Freedman and Maurice Simon volume 1 pages 14 37 38 144 153 296 389 392 volume 2 pages 754 816 853 898 929 London Soncino Press 1939 Mekhilta of Rabbi Ishmael Beshallah 7 Land of Israel late 4th century In e g Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael Translated by Jacob Z Lauterbach volume 1 page 166 Philadelphia Jewish Publication Society 1933 reissued 2004 nbsp TalmudMekhilta of Rabbi Simeon 2 1 2 5 3 1 15 4 5 16 1 4 19 4 21 4 22 6 26 3 6 35 1 47 2 Land of Israel 5th century In e g Mekhilta de Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai Translated by W David Nelson pages 5 7 9 11 50 51 54 56 78 79 89 93 114 117 150 209 Philadelphia Jewish Publication Society 2006 Babylonian Talmud Berakhot 38a 54b Shabbat 97a Eruvin 83b Pesachim 53b 99b Rosh Hashanah 11b Megillah 11a Moed Katan 6a 18a Chagigah 13b Nedarim 51b Sotah 11b 43a Bava Kamma 80b Bava Batra 91a 109b 10a 116a 117b Sanhedrin 12a 58b 67b 82b 90b 111a Shevuot 35b Menachot 68b 84a Chullin 134a Bekhorot 41a Babylonia 6th century In e g Talmud Bavli Edited by Yisroel Simcha Schorr Chaim Malinowitz and Mordechai Marcus 72 volumes Brooklyn Mesorah Pubs 2006 Medieval Edit Saadia Gaon Emunoth ve Deoth Beliefs and Opinions Baghdad Babylonia 933 In e g The Book of Beliefs and Opinions Translated by Samuel Rosenblatt pages 29 116 17 152 154 199 411 New Haven Yale University Press 1948 Exodus Rabbah 5 14 6 1 12 7 23 9 25 27 28 4 10th century In e g Midrash Rabbah Exodus Translated by Simon M Lehrman volume 3 London Soncino Press 1939 Rashi Commentary Exodus 6 9 Troyes France late 11th century In e g Rashi The Torah With Rashi s Commentary Translated Annotated and Elucidated Translated and annotated by Yisrael Isser Zvi Herczeg volume 2 pages 53 90 Brooklyn Mesorah Publications 1994 nbsp Judah HaleviRashbam Commentary on the Torah Troyes early 12th century In e g Rashbam s Commentary on Exodus An Annotated Translation Edited and translated by Martin I Lockshin pages 59 92 Atlanta Scholars Press 1997 Judah Halevi Kuzari 1 25 2 2 Toledo Spain 1130 1140 In e g Jehuda Halevi Kuzari An Argument for the Faith of Israel Introduction by Henry Slonimsky pages 46 86 New York Schocken 1964 Abraham ibn Ezra Commentary on the Torah France 1153 In e g Ibn Ezra s Commentary on the Pentateuch Exodus Shemot Translated and annotated by H Norman Strickman and Arthur M Silver volume 2 pages 129 82 New York Menorah Publishing Company 1996 Maimonides Mishneh Torah Hilchot Teshuvah The Laws of Repentance chapter 3 halachah 3 Egypt Circa 1170 1180 In e g Mishneh Torah Hilchot Teshuvah The Laws of Repentance Translated by Eliyahu Touger pages 140 48 New York Moznaim Publishing 1990 nbsp MaimonidesMaimonides Mishneh Torah Hilchot Chometz U Matzah The Laws of Chametz and Matzah chapter 7 halachah 7 Egypt circa 1170 1180 In e g Mishneh Torah Hilchot Chametz U Matzah The Laws of Chametz and Matzah The Rambam s Text of the Haggadah Translated by Eliyahu Touger New York Moznaim Publishing 1988 Maimonides The Eight Chapters on Ethics chapter 8 Egypt Late 12th century In e g The Eight Chapters of Maimonides on Ethics Shemonah Perakim A Psychological and Ethical Treatise Edited annotated and translated with an introduction by Joseph I Gorfinkle pages 95 96 New York Columbia University Press 1912 Reprinted by Forgotten Books 2012 Maimonides The Guide for the Perplexed part 1 chapters 24 45 46 part 2 chapter 35 part 3 chapters 29 46 54 Cairo Egypt 1190 In e g Moses Maimonides The Guide for the Perplexed Translated by Michael Friedlander pages 33 58 61 224 318 359 397 New York Dover Publications 1956 Jacob Anatoli Sermon on Wa Era A Homily on Education First half of 13th century In Marc Saperstein Jewish Preaching 1200 1800 An Anthology pages 113 23 New Haven Yale University Press 1989 Hezekiah ben Manoah Hizkuni France circa 1240 In e g Chizkiyahu ben Manoach Chizkuni Torah Commentary Translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk volume 2 pages 382 99 Jerusalem Ktav Publishers 2013 Nachmanides Commentary on the Torah Jerusalem circa 1270 In e g Ramban Nachmanides Commentary on the Torah Translated by Charles B Chavel volume 2 pages 63 99 New York Shilo Publishing House 1973 Zohar 2 22a 32a Spain late 13th century In e g The Zohar Translated by Harry Sperling and Maurice Simon 5 volumes London Soncino Press 1934 Bahya ben Asher Commentary on the Torah Spain early 14th century In e g Midrash Rabbeinu Bachya Torah Commentary by Rabbi Bachya ben Asher Translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk volume 3 pages 815 54 Jerusalem Lambda Publishers 2003 Jacob ben Asher Baal Ha Turim Commentary on the Torah Early 14th century In e g Baal Haturim Chumash Shemos Exodus Translated by Eliyahu Touger edited and annotated by Avie Gold volume 2 pages 569 607 Brooklyn Mesorah Publications 2000 Isaac ben Moses Arama Akedat Yizhak The Binding of Isaac Late 15th century In e g Yitzchak Arama Akeydat Yitzchak Commentary of Rabbi Yitzchak Arama on the Torah Translated and condensed by Eliyahu Munk volume 1 pages 331 45 New York Lambda Publishers 2001 Modern Edit Isaac Abravanel Commentary on the Torah Italy between 1492 and 1509 In e g Abarbanel Selected Commentaries on the Torah Volume 2 Shemos Exodus Translated and annotated by Israel Lazar pages 85 133 Brooklyn CreateSpace 2015 Abraham Saba Ẓeror ha Mor Bundle of Myrrh Fez Morocco circa 1500 In e g Tzror Hamor Torah Commentary by Rabbi Avraham Sabba Translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk volume 3 pages 895 920 Jerusalem Lambda Publishers 2008 Obadiah ben Jacob Sforno Commentary on the Torah Venice 1567 In e g Sforno Commentary on the Torah Translation and explanatory notes by Raphael Pelcovitz pages 308 27 Brooklyn Mesorah Publications 1997 Moshe Alshich Commentary on the Torah Safed circa 1593 In e g Moshe Alshich Midrash of Rabbi Moshe Alshich on the Torah Translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk volume 2 pages 375 400 New York Lambda Publishers 2000 Shlomo Ephraim Luntschitz Kli Yakar Lublin 1602 In e g Kli Yakar Shemos Translated by Elihu Levine volume 1 pages 80 130 Southfield Michigan Targum Press Feldheim Publishers 2002 nbsp HobbesAvraham Yehoshua Heschel Commentaries on the Torah Cracow Poland mid 17th century Compiled as Chanukat HaTorah Edited by Chanoch Henoch Erzohn Piotrkow Poland 1900 In Avraham Yehoshua Heschel Chanukas HaTorah Mystical Insights of Rav Avraham Yehoshua Heschel on Chumash Translated by Avraham Peretz Friedman pages 125 31 Southfield Michigan Targum Press Feldheim Publishers 2004 Thomas Hobbes Leviathan 3 36 37 England 1651 Reprint edited by C B Macpherson pages 456 474 Harmondsworth England Penguin Classics 1982 Chaim ibn Attar Ohr ha Chaim Venice 1742 In Chayim ben Attar Or Hachayim Commentary on the Torah Translated by Eliyahu Munk volume 2 pages 499 533 Brooklyn Lambda Publishers 1999 Nachman of Breslov Teachings Bratslav Ukraine before 1811 In Rebbe Nachman s Torah Breslov Insights into the Weekly Torah Reading Exodus Leviticus Compiled by Chaim Kramer edited by Y Hall pages 56 63 Jerusalem Breslov Research Institute 2011 nbsp HirschSamson Raphael Hirsch The Pentateuch Exodus Translated by Isaac Levy volume 2 pages 63 106 Gateshead Judaica Press 2nd edition 1999 Originally published as Der Pentateuch uebersetzt und erklaert Frankfurt 1867 1878 Samuel David Luzzatto Shadal Commentary on the Torah Padua 1871 In e g Samuel David Luzzatto Torah Commentary Translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk volume 2 pages 561 93 New York Lambda Publishers 2012 nbsp MalbimMalbim The Torah and the Commandments Warsaw 1874 80 In e g Malbim Rabbenu Meir Leibush ben Yechiel Michel Commentary on the Torah Translated by Zvi Faier volume 4 pages 158 252 Israel M P Press Hillel Press 1984 OCLC 187452464 1982 Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter Sefat Emet Gora Kalwaria Ger Poland before 1906 Excerpted in The Language of Truth The Torah Commentary of Sefat Emet Translated and interpreted by Arthur Green pages 87 91 Philadelphia Jewish Publication Society 1998 Reprinted 2012 nbsp CohenHermann Cohen Religion of Reason Out of the Sources of Judaism Translated with an introduction by Simon Kaplan introductory essays by Leo Strauss page 39 New York Ungar 1972 Reprinted Atlanta Scholars Press 1995 Originally published as Religion der Vernunft aus den Quellen des Judentums Leipzig Gustav Fock 1919 Alexander Alan Steinbach Sabbath Queen Fifty four Bible Talks to the Young Based on Each Portion of the Pentateuch pages 42 45 New York Behrman s Jewish Book House 1936 Benno Jacob The Second Book of the Bible Exodus London 1940 Translated by Walter Jacob pages 142 280 Hoboken New Jersey KTAV Publishing House 1992 Thomas Mann Joseph and His Brothers Translated by John E Woods page 788 New York Alfred A Knopf 2005 Originally published as Joseph und seine Bruder Stockholm Bermann Fischer Verlag 1943 nbsp CassutoUmberto Cassuto A Commentary on the Book of Exodus Jerusalem 1951 Translated by Israel Abrahams pages 76 122 Jerusalem The Magnes Press The Hebrew University 1967 Elie Munk The Call of the Torah An Anthology of Interpretation and Commentary on the Five Books of Moses Translated by E S Mazer volume 2 pages 74 111 Brooklyn Mesorah Publications 1995 Originally published as La Voix de la Thora Paris Fondation Samuel et Odette Levy 1981 Walther Zimmerli I Am Yahweh In I Am Yahweh Translated by Douglas W Stott edited and introduction by Walter Brueggemann pages 1 28 Atlanta John Knox Press 1982 Originally published in Geschichte und Altes Testament pages 179 209 J C B Mohr 1953 Roland de Vaux The Revelation of the Divine Name YHVH In Proclamation and Presence Old Testament Essays in Honour of Gwynne Henton Davies Edited by John I Durham and J Roy Porter pages 48 75 London SCM Press 1970 Ziony Zevit The Priestly Redaction and Interpretation of the Plague Narrative in Exodus The Jewish Quarterly Review new series volume 66 number 4 April 1976 pages 193 211 Marvin H Pope Mid Rock and Scrub A Ugaritic Parallel to Exodus 7 19 In Biblical and Near Eastern Studies Essays in Honor of William Sanford La Sor Edited by Gary A Tuttle pages 146 50 Grand Rapids Michigan Eerdmans 1978 Robert R Wilson The Hardening of Pharaoh s Heart Catholic Biblical Quarterly volume 41 number 1 1979 pages 18 36 Ziony Zevit Three Ways to Look at the Ten Plagues Were They Natural Disasters A Demonstration of the Impotence of the Egyptian Gods or an Undoing of Creation Bible Review volume 6 number 3 June 1980 John E Currid Why Did God Harden Pharaoh s Heart Bible Review volume 9 number 6 November December 1983 Judith R Baskin Pharaoh s Counsellors Job Jethro and Balaam in Rabbinic and Patristic Tradition Brown Judaic Studies 1983 Pinchas H Peli Torah Today A Renewed Encounter with Scripture pages 59 62 Washington D C B nai B rith Books 1987 Mark S Smith The Early History of God Yahweh and the Other Deities in Ancient Israel pages 4 8 66 New York HarperSanFrancisco 1990 Ziony Zevit Three Ways to Look at the Ten Plagues Were they natural disasters a demonstration of the impotence of the Egyptian gods or an undoing of Creation Bible Review volume 6 number 3 1990 Harvey J Fields A Torah Commentary for Our Times Volume II Exodus and Leviticus pages 17 24 New York UAHC Press 1991 Nahum M Sarna The JPS Torah Commentary Exodus The Traditional Hebrew Text with the New JPS Translation pages 30 48 269 Philadelphia Jewish Publication Society 1991 Nehama Leibowitz New Studies in Shemot Exodus pages 114 77 Jerusalem Haomanim Press 1993 Reprinted as New Studies in the Weekly Parasha Lambda Publishers 2010 Aaron Wildavsky Assimilation versus Separation Joseph the Administrator and the Politics of Religion in Biblical Israel page 14 New Brunswick N J Transaction Publishers 1993 Walter Brueggemann The Book of Exodus In The New Interpreter s Bible Edited by Leander E Keck volume 1 pages 731 60 Nashville Abingdon Press 1994 Judith S Antonelli Elisheva In In the Image of God A Feminist Commentary on the Torah pages 146 53 Northvale New Jersey Jason Aronson 1995 Ellen Frankel The Five Books of Miriam A Woman s Commentary on the Torah pages 102 04 New York G P Putnam s Sons 1996 Marc Gellman The Pharaoh and the Frog In God s Mailbox More Stories About Stories in the Bible pages 36 43 New York Morrow Junior Books 1996 W Gunther Plaut The Haftarah Commentary pages 131 39 New York UAHC Press 1996 Sorel Goldberg Loeb and Barbara Binder Kadden Teaching Torah A Treasury of Insights and Activities pages 94 99 Denver A R E Publishing 1997 William H C Propp Exodus 1 18 volume 2 pages 261 354 New York Anchor Bible 1998 Susan Freeman Teaching Jewish Virtues Sacred Sources and Arts Activities pages 332 46 Springfield New Jersey A R E Publishing 1999 Exodus 9 30 Exodus to Deuteronomy A Feminist Companion to the Bible Second Series Edited by Athalya Brenner pages 22 30 31 47 59 85 95 96 98 100 01 107 164 169 Sheffield Sheffield Academic Press 2000 Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg The Particulars of Rapture Reflections on Exodus pages 81 131 New York Doubleday 2001 Lainie Blum Cogan and Judy Weiss Teaching Haftarah Background Insights and Strategies pages 451 57 Denver A R E Publishing 2002 Michael Fishbane The JPS Bible Commentary Haftarot pages 87 93 Philadelphia Jewish Publication Society 2002 Bernhard Lang Why God Has So Many Names Bible Review volume 19 number 4 August 2003 pages 48 54 63 nbsp ObamaRobert Alter The Five Books of Moses A Translation with Commentary pages 339 64 New York W W Norton amp Co 2004 Barack Obama Dreams from My Father page 294 New York Three Rivers Press 1995 2004 Moses and Pharaoh Jeffrey H Tigay What s in a Name Early Evidence of Devotion Exclusively to Yahweh Bible Review volume 20 number 1 February 2004 pages 34 43 47 51 Jeffrey H Tigay Exodus In The Jewish Study Bible Edited by Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler pages 115 22 New York Oxford University Press 2004 nbsp Halter photo c ErlingMandelmann ch Marek Halter Zipporah Wife of Moses pages 245 49 New York Crown 2005 Professors on the Parashah Studies on the Weekly Torah Reading Edited by Leib Moscovitz pages 94 99 Jerusalem Urim Publications 2005 Lawrence Kushner Kabbalah A Love Story page 78 New York Morgan Road Books 2006 W Gunther Plaut The Torah A Modern Commentary Revised Edition Revised edition edited by David E S Stern pages 379 404 New York Union for Reform Judaism 2006 Suzanne A Brody The highest form In Dancing in the White Spaces The Yearly Torah Cycle and More Poems page 76 Shelbyville Kentucky Wasteland Press 2007 nbsp kugelJames L Kugel How To Read the Bible A Guide to Scripture Then and Now pages 40 54 205 216 32 376 421 425 New York Free Press 2007 Kenton L Sparks Enuma Elish and Priestly Mimesis Elite Emulation in Nascent Judaism Journal of Biblical Literature volume 126 2007 635 37 Priestly Mimesis in the Exodus Story Shmuel Goldin Unlocking the Torah Text An In Depth Journey into the Weekly Parsha Shmot pages 37 65 Jerusalem Gefen Publishing House 2008 The Torah A Women s Commentary Edited by Tamara Cohn Eskenazi and Andrea L Weiss pages 311 54 New York URJ Press 2008 Thomas B Dozeman Commentary on Exodus pages 159 238 Grand Rapids Michigan William B Eerdmans Publishing Company 2009 Reuven Hammer Entering Torah Prefaces to the Weekly Torah Portion pages 83 88 New York Gefen Publishing House 2009 Rebecca G S Idestrom Echoes of the Book of Exodus in Ezekiel Journal for the Study of the Old Testament volume 33 number 4 June 2009 pages 489 510 Motifs from Exodus found in Ezekiel including the call narrative divine encounters captivity signs plagues judgment redemption tabernacle temple are considered Jhos Singer Uncircumcized Lips Parashat Vaeira Exodus 6 2 9 35 In Torah Queeries Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible Edited by Gregg Drinkwater Joshua Lesser and David Shneer foreword by Judith Plaskow pages 80 84 New York New York University Press 2009 Bruce Wells Exodus In Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary Edited by John H Walton volume 1 pages 181 98 Grand Rapids Michigan Zondervan 2009 nbsp SacksBerel Dov Lerner Crying Out About Frogs Vetus Testamentum volume 60 number 4 2010 pages 662 63 Jonathan Sacks Covenant amp Conversation A Weekly Reading of the Jewish Bible Exodus The Book of Redemption pages 41 68 Jerusalem Maggid Books 2010 Sam Ernst and Jim Dunn A Tale of Two Audreys In Haven season 2 episode 1 Entertainment One 2011 plagues plot element nbsp HerzfeldShmuel Herzfeld Building a Noble Community In Fifty Four Pick Up Fifteen Minute Inspirational Torah Lessons pages 80 85 Jerusalem Gefen Publishing House 2012 Torah MiEtzion New Readings in Tanach Shemot Edited by Ezra Bick and Yaakov Beasley pages 61 107 Jerusalem Maggid Books 2012 Ari Kahn Lessons in Leadership The Jerusalem Report volume 25 number 21 January 26 2015 page 47 Jonathan Sacks Lessons in Leadership A Weekly Reading of the Jewish Bible pages 67 71 New Milford Connecticut Maggid Books 2015 David Fohrman The Exodus You Almost Passed Over Aleph Beta Press 2016 Jean Pierre Isbouts Archaeology of the Bible The Greatest Discoveries From Genesis to the Roman Era pages 105 07 Washington D C National Geographic 2016 Jonathan Sacks Essays on Ethics A Weekly Reading of the Jewish Bible pages 85 89 New Milford Connecticut Maggid Books 2016 Shai Held The Heart of Torah Volume 1 Essays on the Weekly Torah Portion Genesis and Exodus pages 134 43 Philadelphia Jewish Publication Society 2017 Steven Levy and Sarah Levy The JPS Rashi Discussion Torah Commentary pages 44 46 Philadelphia Jewish Publication Society 2017 nbsp KassBill Dauster Pharaoh s Administration Offers a Cautionary Tale for Today Washington Jewish Week January 11 2018 page 19 Biblical Archaeology Society Staff Exodus in the Bible and the Egyptian Plagues Can we make sense of the Biblical plagues Bible History Daily March 31 2020 Andrew Tobolowsky The Problem of Reubenite Primacy New Paradigms New Answers Journal of Biblical Literature volume 139 number 1 2020 pages 27 45 Leon R Kass Founding God s Nation Reading Exodus pages 106 59 New Haven Yale University Press 2021 External links Edit nbsp Texts Edit Masoretic text and 1917 JPS translation Hear the parashah read in HebrewCommentaries Edit Academy for Jewish Religion California Academy for Jewish Religion New York Aish com American Jewish University Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies Chabad org The Israel Koschitzky Virtual Beit Midrash Jewish Theological Seminary Mechon Hadar MyJewishLearning com Orthodox Union Pardes from Jerusalem Reconstructing Judaism Sephardic Institute Tanach Study Center TheTorah com Union for Reform Judaism United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism Yeshiva University Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Va 27eira amp oldid 1177962952, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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