Bo, בֹּא - Come!
Torah Portion: Exodus:10:1-13:16
Haftarah: Jeremiah 46:13-28
Shabbat: Exodus 13:1–16
13 Hashem spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Sanctify to me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of animal. It is mine.”
3 Moses said to the people, “Remember this day, in which you came out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand Hashem brought you out from this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten. 4 Today you go out in the month Abib. 5 It shall be, when Hashem brings you into the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which He swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall keep this service in this month. 6 Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to Hashem. 7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and no leavened bread shall be seen with you. No yeast shall be seen with you, within all your borders. 8 You shall tell your son in that day, saying, ‘It is because of that which Hashem did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ 9 It shall be for a sign to you on your hand, and for a memorial between your eyes, that Hashem’s law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand Hashem has brought you out of Egypt. 10 You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.
11 “It shall be, when Hashem brings you into the land of the Canaanite, as He swore to you and to your fathers, and will give it you, 12 that you shall set apart to Hashem all that opens the womb, and every firstborn that comes from an animal which you have. The males shall be Hashem’s. 13 Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and you shall redeem all the firstborn of man among your sons. 14 It shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ that you shall tell him, ‘By strength of hand Hashem brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage. 15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, Hashem killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of livestock. Therefore, I sacrifice to Hashem all that opens the womb, being males; but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ 16 It shall be for a sign on your hand, and for symbols between your eyes; for by strength of hand Hashem brought us out of Egypt.”
Today’s Meditation:
Today, we learn about redeeming the firstborn. Interestingly, before the “golden calf” incident, all the firstborn males of Israel were to be involved in the priesthood. After the incident, only the Levites were designated for this. They did not participate in the event involving the golden calf. And since that time, all Jewish firstborn males have been required to be redeemed. There is a ceremony today called the “Pidyon Haben,” where a baby is presented to a priest and redeemed for five shekels (Numbers 18:16). It reminds me that, in reality, everything belongs to Hashem. He creates all of us to live for Him and return to Him.
Today’s Challenge:
In verse 9, we read about having a sign of Hashem’s Law on our hearts. The forehead and the hand. These may represent our ability to think in our brains and implement with our hands. Our thoughts must reflect Torah, our love for Hashem, and our love for others. Our hands must perform all the duties and acts He requests of us. I challenge you today to take some time to review if your thoughts and actions are representative of Hashem’s light in your life. And work on areas that are not. Improve and be better. For Him. For others.
This Week’s Haftarah: Jeremiah 46:13-28
46:13 The word that Hashem spoke to Jeremiah the prophet, how that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon should come and strike the land of Egypt.
14 “Declare in Egypt,
publish in Migdol,
and publish in Memphis and in Tahpanhes:
say, ‘Stand up, and prepare;
for the sword has devoured around you.’
15 Why are your strong ones swept away?
They didn’t stand because Hashem pushed them.
16 He made many to stumble.
Yes, they fell on one another.
They said, ‘Arise! Let’s go again to our own people,
and to the land of our birth,
from the oppressing sword.’
17 They cried there, ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise;
he has let the appointed time pass by.’
18 “As I live,” says the King,
whose name is Hashem of Armies,
“Surely like Tabor among the mountains,
and like Carmel by the sea,
so He will come.
19 You daughter who dwells in Egypt,
furnish yourself to go into captivity;
for Memphis will become a desolation,
and will be burned up,
without an inhabitant.
20 “Egypt is a very beautiful heifer;
but destruction out of the north has come.
It has come.
21 Also, her hired men in the middle of her are like calves of the stall;
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for they also are turned back.
They have fled away together.
They didn’t stand,
for the day of their calamity has come on them,
the time of their visitation.
22 Its sound will go like the serpent;
for they will march with an army,
and come against her with axes, as wood cutters.
23 They will cut down her forest,” says Hashem,
“though it can’t be searched;
because they are more than the locusts,
and are innumerable.
24 The daughter of Egypt will be disappointed;
she will be delivered into the hand of the people of the north.”
25 Hashem of Armies, the Elohim of Israel, says: “Behold, I will punish Amon of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with her gods, and her kings; even Pharaoh, and those who trust in him. 26 I will deliver them into the hand of those who seek their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of his servants. Afterwards, it will be inhabited, as in the days of old,” says Hashem.
27 “But don’t you be afraid, Jacob my servant.
Don’t be dismayed, Israel;
for, behold, I will save you from afar,
and your offspring from the land of their captivity.
Jacob will return,
and will be quiet and at ease.
No one will make him afraid.
28 Don’t be afraid, O Jacob my servant,” says Hashem;
“for I am with you;
for I will make a full end of all the nations where I have driven you;
but I will not make a full end of you,
but I will correct you in measure,
and will in no way leave you unpunished.”
Today’s Haftarah Meditation:
In the crazy world we live in, a world of “G-dlessness”, but we have a promise. The promise is that all will be made well in the end. The Garden of Eden will be restored in a sense, because in eternity we live with Him once again. We see this promise in verse 27: “Jacob will return, and will be quiet and at ease…” I often think about what it will be like when we are in the Olam Haba (the world to come). Wherever there is chaos in this world, in the Olam Haba, there will be peace and ease. Something we should look forward to, prepare for, and pray for.
Today’s Haftarah Challenge:
In verse 28, we read that there will be consequences for all we have done. We will be punished. We receive that in our lives here on earth. For every sin we commit, there is a consequence. Whether you see it or not. And many times our sins affect others. Today would be a good day to take a hard look at your life. What are the things you have or do in your life that do not bring glory to Hashem? It’s time to correct them. It’s time to make things right.
