Will Our Heroes Save the Day? with Cantor Toby Schwartz

WILL OUR HEROS SAVE THE DAY?  COME BACK NEXT WEEK!

In the 1930’s and 1940’s, kids could spend hours at the movies being entertained by cartoons, newsreels and short movies called serial adventures.  This was all build up to the main movie in the theater that week.  Serial adventure shorts like “Flash Gordon” became popular, because they always had our hero ends up in a tough spot at the end of the movie.  The announcer’s voice always told us to come back next week and see if he saved the day…

Our Torah is a weekly serial adventure.  Each week, we have a different parasha to learn and study, and leave with lessons that will help us to become better people going forward.   This week’s portion, Bo, begins right in the middle of the adventure.  After enduring seven of the Ten Plagues, Pharaoh is still not budging.  Moses goes to Pharaoh to plead for the release of the Israelites from bondage, and Pharaoh hardens his heart, as G-d as previously foretold.  Moses warns him of the upcoming plague of locusts to the land.   Pharaoh’s advisors tell him it might be time to listen, so Moses and Aaron return to Pharaoh and he asks them who will go.  Moses tells him “We will all go, young and old: we will go with our sons and daughters, our flocks and herds; for we must observe the Lord’s festival”(Exodus 10:9) But Pharaoh says only the men may leave to go and worship G-d.  Here, it appears at though Pharaoh is attempting to bargain with Moses, letting the men go and holding the rest of Israel hostage along with their flocks.  Was this a test to see if the people of Israel would follow the word of G-d? As Pharaoh expels Moses and Aaron from his presence, G-d commands Moses to hold out his arm over the land of Egypt to commence the plague of the locusts. 

After the locusts destroy all the living crops of Egypt, Moses and Aaron are again summoned to Pharaoh who asks for forgiveness, but still does not release the Israelites.  G-d commands Moses to again hold out his arm, and this time, the plague of darkness descends upon Egypt, but not on the Israelites.  Pharaoh summons Moses again and tries to bargain that the Israelites may leave Egypt with their children, but must leave their flocks and herds behind.  Was this to test our morals?  Moses tells Pharaoh that the Israelites must bring their flocks in order to have sacrifices available for G-d, and once again, Pharaoh’s heart was stiffened.

G-d tells Moses the details of the tenth plague, and tells Moses to have the people borrow objects of gold and silver from their neighbors.  This meant that they were asking Egyptians for these items and the courtiers were willing to give.  Moses explains the terrible details of the tenth plague to the people so that they are prepared.  G-d tells Moses to make sure that the Israelites mark their doorways with lamb’s blood so that the Angel of Death will “pass over” their homes as all the first born of Egypt are slaughtered that night.  Additionally, G-d commands that the Israelites eat the lamb that was sacrificed that night, but to eat it hurriedly, and be ready to travel immediately.

The final plague unfolds over Egypt, and with death and destruction everywhere, Pharaoh finally sends the Israelites out of the land, after 430 years.  The Israelites gather their flocks, their herds, their families and their meager provisions, including the bread that did not have time to rise, making matzah.  G-d commands to Moses and the people that they celebrate this event “as a festival to the Lord throughout the ages; you shall celebrate it as an institution for all time.  Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread” (Exodus 12:14-15) Instructions for the Exodus and for the celebration of the Pesach are relayed to the people by Moses.  The people gather and prepare to depart Egypt, finally beginning their journey to freedom.

Will they make it?  What happens next?  Come back next week to find out the answers!

Cantor Toby Schwartz