By Sheera Frenkel JewishWorldReview.com |
Clinton suggests that U.S. aid and support could be at risk if Hezbollah goes too far
NORTHERN ISRAELI BORDER — (MCT) Security officials in Israel closely monitored the “day of rage” in Lebanon on Tuesday amid fears that political violence there could spill over into a new conflagration with Israel.
by Arlene Kushner
Today I participated in a tour of eastern Jerusalem, which incorporated the Shepherd hotel of Sheikh Jarrah as well as part of the Shimon HaTzaddik neighborhood. Other commitments prevent me from doing justice, today, to relevant information regarding this area and its history that I want to share in a posting. And so this will come tomorrow.
We read that how Yitro, Moshe’s father in law, the chieftain of Midyan, heard all that God had done for Moses and for Israel, His people that HaShem had taken Israel out of Egypt.( Exodus 18:1)
What exactly did he hear that prompted his joining Moshe and the people of Israel?
Overview of the Torah Portion Yitro (Exodus 18: 1-20: 23)
Moshe s’ father-in-law, Yitro, hears of the great miracles which G-d performed for the people of Israel, He hears about the splitting of the Red Sea and the war against Amalek. Meaning G-d’s mastery over nature and Man Yitro comes from Midian to the Israelite camp, bringing with him Tziporah Moshe’ wife and two sons.One son was called Gershom, because Moshe said, “I was a stranger in a foreign land( Ger Sham ) and the second who was named Eliezer, because Moshe said”The God of my father came to my aid and rescued me from Pharaoh’s sword.( Eli Ezer)
We see an unusual formulation in the text of our parsha ( Torah portion) that is almost universally translated in a fashion that is clearly different than what the Hebrew actually says.
It begins when the Egyptians set out to recapture the people of Israel”
Egypt ( Mitzrayim) chased after them and overtook them encamped by the sea every horse of Pharaoh’s chariots, his horsemen, and his force beside Pi hahiroth, in front of Ba’al Zephon ( Exodus 14:9)
It ends in the same chapter:
On that day the Lord saved Israel from the hand of Egypt ( Mitzrayim), and Israel saw Egypt ( Mitzrayim), dying on the seashore.31. And Israel saw the great hand, which the Lord had used upon Egypt ( Mitzrayim), and the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in Moses, His servant.( ibid:30)
Beshalach (Exodus 13:17-17:16)
Pharaoh has a change of heart very soon after the Children of Israel leave Egypt. He gathers his forces and chases them into the desert. We are told that HaShem “led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, because it was near; for G-d said: Lest the people change their mind when they see war, and they return to Egypt .” Yet it was not their closeness to Egypt that was their problem since G-d led them around and closer to Egypt . A great lesson is being taught about solutions and destinations being too close and not allowing for the growth of the journey to impact their lives. It would be an eternal lesson. The Children of Israel now find themselves in a situation wherein the Egyptians are closing in from the back , the desert is closing in on the sides and the sea stands before them.
It is then that they turn to G-d for the first time.
We read in the book of Shmot, “This month shall be to you the head of the months” (Exod. 12:1).
Yet throughout Jewish history the Jewish new year or Rosh Hashana, has been viewed as occurring on the first day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei.That is the day that traditionally is understood as the day in which the world was created.
Parshat Bo el Paroh – “Come To Pharoah” (Exodus 10:1-13:16)
Spiritual liberation before the physical liberation.
G-d commands them to do three distinct and important actions.To declare a new month, the Seder meal and the Passover sacrifice and the blood on the lintel. Why?
