Torah Classes

Chp. 11 verses 1 - 9: Hashem informs Moshe that there would be one more plague that would be brought on the Egyptians. Hashem asks the Jews to borrow gold and silver from the Egyptians. Moshe tells Pharaoh that at midnight G-d will kill all firstborns in Egypt. From the firstborn of Pharaoh to the firstborn of the maidservant and all animals. But not one Jewish person or animal will die. Then your servants will come and bow down to me and ask that all the people leave. He leaves Pharaoh in a fit of anger. G-d tells him that Pharaoh will not listen to you so that My wonders will be multiplied in the land of Egypt.

Chp. 10 verses 16 - 29: Pharaoh immediately calls Moshe and Aaron and admits that he has sinned to G-d and to them. He asked them to pray to Hashem to remove the locusts which he calls death. Moshe goes out from Pharaoh and prays to Hashem, who then brings a strong west wind and removes all the locusts in an instant even those that were pickled in jars. Hashem hardens his heart and he does not send out the people. Hashem then tells Moshe to stretch out his hand and bring the plague of darkness. He does so and there are three days of extreme darkness and then three days of thick darkness where not Egyptian can move. The Jews however are able to see and go where they wish. Pharaoh then agrees to let everyone go out except the animals. Moshe says not only will they take their animals but that Pharaoh will give them some of his. Again Hashem hardens Pharaoh's heart and he threatens Moshe that the next day he sees his face he would die. Moshe agrees that he would not see Pharaoh again.

Chp. 10 verses 1 - 15: Introduction, Hashem tells Moshe to go to Pharaoh. He says that He has hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants so that He can show them His signs. Also, so that the children of Israel will know for all generations that He is the L-rd. Moshe and Aaron go to Pharaoh and warn him about the plague of locusts that would devour his land. His servants tell him to let the men go and serve Hashem. Pharaoh asks them who would go out for this festival? They tell him everyone. He warns them about the sign of blood that his astrologers see for them in the desert. He accuses them of being disingenuous and drives them out. Hashem then tells Moshe to bring the plague of locusts. The east wind blows all night and in the morning the locust come and devour everything that the hail had spared.

Chp. 9 verses 13 -35: Hashem tells Moshe to go to Pharaoh early in the morning and warn him about the plague of hail, which would be as severe as all the plagues. Moshe makes a mark on the wall and says at this time tomorrow the hail, thunder, and rain would come. He warned Pharaoh and his people to take all their animals and servants into their houses. Anything left in the field would die. It also would destroy the flax and the barley. When the hail comes Pharaoh calls for Moshe and Aaron and admits that G-d is righteous and that he and his people are evil. He agrees to let the people go if Moshe would pray to Hashem to remove the hail and the thunder. Moshe goes outside the city to pray to Hashem and He removes the Hail, thunder, and the rain. But Pharaoh's heart was hardened and he refused to send out the children and Israel.

Chp. 8 verse 15 - 28 Chp. 9 verses 1 - 12: The magicians of Egypt admit that the lice are the finger of Hashem. Pharaoh stills hardens his heart. Then Moshe warns him about the fourth plague, wild animals. This makes Pharaoh concede to letting the Jews bring sacrifices to Hashem but only in Egypt. Moshe insists on a three day trip into the wilderness. Pharaoh finally agrees and Moshe prays the animals are removed, but Pharaoh hardens his heart once again. Chp. 9, Moshe warns Pharaoh and his people about the fifth plague, pestilence, that would effect all their animals. Once again Pharaoh refuses to let the people go. Then Hashem tells Moshe that he should bring the sixth plague of boils on Egypt in front of Pharaoh but without any warning. The magicians are unable to even appear before Pharaoh because of their affliction. Hashem hardens Pharaoh's heart and he still does not free the people.

Chp.7 verses 23 - 29 Chp. 8 verses 1 - 14: Pharaoh is not impressed with the plague of blood, even though it lasts seven days. Hashem tells Moshe to tell Pharaoh that he will bring a plague of frogs on Egypt and they will be everywhere. Chp. 8, G-d tells Moshe to say to Aaron to bring the plague of frogs on Egypt and he does so. The Egyptian magicians are also able to do so. Pharaoh calls Moshe and Aaron and tells them to pray to G-d to remove the frogs from himself and his people. Moshe asks him when he wants them removed he says tomorrow and Moshe says as you wish. The next day all the frogs die except those that were in the Nile they remained forever. They piled the dead frogs in heaps and the land stunk. With the end of the plague of frogs Pharaoh hardened his heart and did not listen to them. Then without warning G-d told Moshe to tell Aaron to hit the earth and it would turn to lice, and so it was. However the magicians were not able to replicate the lice since sorcery does not have power on anything s

Chp. 7 verses 8 - 22: Hashem tells Moshe that when Pharaoh asks you to do something that amazes you, tell Aaron to throw his staff in front of Pharaoh and turn it into a snake. They did what Hashem told them but Pharaoh had his magicians do the same. Then Aaron had his staff swallow all their staffs. Hashem tells Moshe to go to the Nile in the morning and warn him that G-d would turn all the water into blood and that all the fish in the Nile would die and cause Egypt to stink. Moshe told Aaron to turn all the waters into blood and he did. However, the magicians of Egypt were able to do the same with their magic and Pharaoh's heart was hardened and he didn't listen to them just as G-d had told them.

Chp. 6 verses 25 - 30 Chp. 7 verses 1 -7: The Torah introduces us to Elazar and his son Pinchas. It continues with Moshe and Aaron who would be the ones to speak to Pharaoh to take the Jews out of Egypt. Hashem tells Moshe to speak to Pharaoh and he answers that he has a speech defect, "so how will Pharaoh listen to me?" Chp. 7, Hashem tells Moshe that he will be a god to Pharaoh and Aaron will be his prophet. Hashem says that Aaron will tell Pharaoh all that I tell you. He then tells him that Pharaoh will not listen and that He would multiply His signs and wonders in Egypt. The end would be that He would take the children of Israel out of Egypt. They did all that G-d commanded them. Moshe was 80 and Aaron 83 years old when they spoke to Pharaoh.

Chp. 6 verses 8 - 24: Hashem tells Moshe the fifth term of redemption, " that I will bring you to the land." Moshe speaks to the people but they do not listen to him because of their harsh conditions. G-d tells him to go to Pharaoh, but Moshe says if the people don't listen to me how will Pharaoh especially with my speech defect? Hashem then tells Moshe and Aaron to speak to the people and to Pharaoh about the exodus. Portion continues with the lineage of the families of Ruevain, Shimon, and then Levi. However with Levi the Torah elucidates on their lineage, with the intent of introducing us to their families, especially Aaron his sons.

Chp. 4 verses 2 - 7: Introduction, Hashem speaks harshly to Moshe since he questioned His actions, but then softens His tone. He tells Moshe that the Avos never questioned His actions and He never had to interact with them with the name Hashem of mercy. He tells Moshe that he has heard the groans of the B'nai Yisrael because of their harsh servitude and He has remembered His covenant. He expresses to Moshe four terms of redemption that would show the people that He was their G-d and that He would bring them out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.