SEDRA : Vaera: Hertz Chumash p. 232 Exodus Chapter 6 Verse 2

This week's Sedra is generously sponsored by Avi Berman

SYNOPSIS:

G-d reassures Moses following the great despair accompanying the first and absolute rejection by Pharaoh of Moses' demands on behalf of the Israelites. G-d restates His covenant and relationship with the Patriarchs and in a powerful declaration He reveals the 4 stages of Redemption which will come about through His intervention for He is fully aware of the suffering of His people.

The people are so deeply oppressed that they do not accept this reassurance which results in Moses too suffering a crisis of confidence. G-d however insists and orders Moses and Aaron to initiate the redemption. The Sedra now presents a genealogy of Moses and Aaron, the descendants of Levi as they now formally assume the role of representing the Israelites.

G-d emphasises Moses' role as G-d's representative to Pharaoh with Aaron as "prophet" or spokesman. These meetings take the form of an extended series of dramatic confrontations. The pattern which emerges is that Pharaoh will continually harden his heart, but his power and self-confidence will be repeatedly and dramatically crushed by G-d's great wonders and signs until all Egypt will clearly know His greatness.
Having been instructed by G-d, Moses and Aaron demonstrate the first sign: Aaron casts his rod down and it changes into a snake. Pharaoh's wizards do likewise, but their serpents are eaten by that of Aaron. Pharaoh's heart hardens and he refuses to comply.
This is followed by the first plague foreshadowed by Moses and effected by Aaron who, in the presence of Pharaoh and his advisers, puts out his rod and turns all the waters of Egypt into blood. Pharaoh's wizards are able to copy this and he again refuses to be budged.

After seven days Moses confronts Pharaoh and requests permission for the Israelites to depart to serve their G-d. He warns Pharaoh that refusal will result in a plague of frogs. Pharaoh is unmoved.
The plague is brought into effect and Pharaoh's wizards are able to copy the miracle. Pharaoh budges temporarily and the next day the plague ceases. Once the plague is lifted he again resumes his intransigence.

Aaron is then commanded to retaliate by bringing on a plague of gnats. The magicians are stumped by this and begin to recognise the Divine Power, but Pharaoh holds firm in his refusal.
The fourth plague - a mixture of pests - is invoked and in this plague the land of Goshen where the Israelites live is, by design, completely unaffected. The plague is immensely destructive and Pharaoh calls upon Moses to bring relief and he offers the Israelites the opportunity to serve G-d in Egypt. Moses insists that the people must serve G-d in the wilderness where He directs. Pharaoh consents but with the removal of the plague he immediately reneges on his promise.
G-d then commands Moses to threaten Egypt's herds of livestock with pestilence. Again the Israelites' stock will remain completely unscathed. The plague is brought on and again Pharaoh is resolute in his stubbornness.

Moses is now instructed to cause the sixth plague: boils. This plague affects every Egyptian individually. The magicians in particular are overwhelmed by their powerlessness to do anything to ward off the plague - for they too are greatly affected. Pharaoh remains unmoved in his refusal. Moses is instructed to warn Pharaoh yet again.
He threatens a plague of hail and warns Pharaoh that every living thing should be brought under shelter for the plague will be ferocious and all-consuming. The plague is invoked with massive destructive consequences for the countryside of Egypt. The Israelites and their property are untouched. Pharaoh hastens Moses into his presence and confessing his guilt begs him to have G-d stop the hail. Moses complies, the tempest abates and reveals the complete devastation of the land of Egypt. Again Pharaoh's heart hardens and he refuses to let Israel depart.

HAPHTORAH : HERTZ CHUMASH P. 244 Ezekiel Chapter 28. Verse 25

The common theme between the Sedra and Haphtorah is the prediction of another destruction of Egypt. Egypt's great reliance on the Nile which is the source of its great wealth and power is gravely threatened. Egypt will be overrun by the Babylonians and its demise will pave the way for Israel's restoration.

TELL ME RABBI ... Minyan

The quorum of ten needed for the conduct of public religious worship is called a MINYAN, literally, "a number". The basis for ten as the quorum is the Biblical passage in Numbers 14:27, where the term EDAH which means a congregation is used. The reference here is to the ten spies (out of the twelve) who brought back to Moses the pessimistic report of their expedition into the land of Canaan.

That less than ten is not regarded as a community is also alluded to in the Torah. Abraham stopped his bargaining with G-d to save Sodom and Gomorrah after he reached the figure of ten (Genesis 18:16-33). As long as ten righteous men could be found, the merits of the righteous community, though small, could be weighed against the sins of the wicked community. With less than ten, they could be regarded only as individuals.
The basis for requiring a minyan for prayers that sanctify G-d's name is Leviticus 22:32: "...that I may be sanctified in the midst of the Israelite people." The sanctification of G-d's Name is not a private matter, but a public act in the midst of a community.

The portions of the service requiring a minyan are:
Kaddish, Sanctifying of G-d
Kedusha, Sanctifying of G-d
Barchu, The call to bless G-d
Birkat Kohanim, the Priestly Benediction
Reader's repetition of the Amidah Reading of the Torah

Where there is no minyan we may recite all prayers, excluding those enumerated, privately as individuals or in unison under the leadership of a Reader.