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Parshat Va’era

By: SFW Students & Alumna
Ayelet Mael, SFW ’04-‘05

In this week’s parsha, Parshat Va’ara, we learn about the makot which are inflicted upon Mitzraim. Right before the discussion of the makot, we learn about the ot, (or mofet) that Moshe performs in front of Paroah, of making his mateh turn into a tanin. What is difference in purpose between the makot and the otot? Both essentially attest to the existence and power of Hashem.

In order to deal with this subject, I wanted to discuss an incredible Netivot Shalom which I had the ability to learn this week in the beautiful walls of the SFW Beit Midrash. (Thanks to Mrs. Blank and the rest of the SFW faculty who prepared an outstanding Bogrot Program.)

The Netivot Shalom on last week’s parsha discusses the significance of the otot that Hashem reveals to Moshe in order to show Paroah. The first ot is that Moshe’s staff will turn into a snake, the second that his hand will be full of tzara’at, and the third is that the water of the Nile will turn to blood. The Netivot Shalom questions why the first two signs, the snake and the tzara’at, both revert back to their original state, while with the third ot, the water remains as blood.

The Netivot Shalom answers that these three otot are essentially for B’nei Yisrael more than anyone else. They were a continuation of the message of the burning bush which could not be consumed. The burning bush was a symbol for B’nei Yisrael who were on an incredibly low level, as if burning with sin. And yet, they could not be consumed by this fire because they still had a good root, a holiness ingrained within them from the avot. Therefore, when it came time to take B’nei Yisrael out of Mitzraim, one of the biggest problems was that B’nei Yisrael knew that they were burning with the culture of Mitzraim and they didn’t believe in themselves. They did not believe that they were worthy of being taken out. Therefore, Moshe comes along with the otot. First he shows them the staff which turns into a snake, something of tumah, something resembling the state of B’nei Yisrael. However, the snake turns back into a staff, showing B’nei Yisrael that there’s room to change, hope isn’t lost. He then gives another example -- a human who gets, but is still able to transform back. So then B’nei Yisrael believe in themselves, but still maintain a belief in the avodah zara of Mitzraim, in the Nile. Therefore, Moshe shows how the Nile has no power, how it turns into blood, and is not transformed back into its original state.

This then can help us understand how the makot were directed towards Paroah. Time and again, the Torah reiterates the purpose of the makot, “l’man teida ki ein kamoni b’kerev ha’aretz.” The makot are meant to prove to Paroah the existence of a true God.

In conclusion, as we learn the parsha, there are two essential messages and lessons to be learnt from the way in which Hashem manifests his Divine power in the text – both in the otot and in the makot. Firstly, we must believe in the unlimited power of Hashem as was shown through the makot, and second, we must also believe in ourselves, in our ability to become closer to Hashem despite any distancing or hardships that we may experience.

Shabbat Shalom