Bo - Day #5

Bo, בֹּא - Come!  

Torah Portion: Exodus:10:1-13:16

Exodus 12:21–28

12:21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said to them, “Draw out, and take lambs according to your families, and kill the Passover. 22 You shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two door posts with the blood that is in the basin. None of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning. 23 For Hashem will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel, and on the two door posts, Hashem will pass over the door, and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to strike you. 24 You shall observe this thing for an ordinance to you and to your sons forever. 25 It shall happen when you have come to the land which Hashem will give you, as He has promised, that you shall keep this service. 26 It will happen when your children ask you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ 27 that you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of Hashem’s Passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when He struck the Egyptians, and spared our houses.’”

The people bowed their heads and worshiped. 28 The children of Israel went and did so; as Hashem had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.

Today’s Meditation:

This Pesach miracle is to be remembered and passed down from generation to generation. It is a Feast that we are required to memorialize each year. It is not meant to be a heavy burden, but rather a wonderful reminder of Hashem’s mercy and grace. He heard His people's cries, and He answered them. He delivered them out of slavery and into a Land of milk and honey. Celebrating Pesach every year can draw us back in time to a time when Hashem held out His arms to His people and redeemed them. 

I am sure this was very unexpected to them. After all, they were probably asking to be delivered from slavery, not necessarily to be moved into a different country. Maybe they had forgotten the promise made to their fathers—the promise of Israel. Nevertheless, Hashem did not forget. And now it was time to bring them home. May we never forget that Hashem hears our prayers and answers them. They may look different than what we expected.

Today’s Challenge:

Are you asking Hashem to deliver you from a specific situation? Keep believing He has heard you and will redeem you; it just may surprise you how He does it. Try to remain strong and hold onto your faith. Trust that He will move in His time. Open your eyes and see if your “exodus” has begun.

Va'eira - Day #5

Va'eira  וָאֵרָא - And I Appeared  

Torah Portion: Exodus 6:2-9:35

Exodus 8:7–18

8:7 The magicians did the same thing with their enchantments, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt.

8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, “Entreat Hashem, that he take away the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to Hashem.”

9 Moses said to Pharaoh, “I give you the honor of setting the time that I should pray for you, and for your servants, and for your people, that the frogs be destroyed from you and your houses, and remain in the river only.”

10 Pharaoh said, “Tomorrow.”

Moses said, “Let it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like Hashem our Elohim. 11 The frogs shall depart from you, and from your houses, and from your servants, and from your people. They shall remain in the river only.”

12 Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried to Hashem concerning the frogs which he had brought on Pharaoh. 13 Hashem did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courts, and out of the fields. 14 They gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank. 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart and didn’t listen to them, as Hashem had spoken.

16 Hashem said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the earth, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.’” 17 They did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and struck the dust of the earth, and there were lice on man, and on animal; all the dust of the earth became lice throughout all the land of Egypt. 18 The magicians tried with their enchantments to produce lice, but they couldn’t. There were lice on a man and on an animal.

Today’s Meditation:

In all that Moses has done, he proves that “there is no one like Hashem our Elohim.” (verse 8:10) Moses is dealing with a Godless culture, or really a culture of many gods. Ultimately, we know that Hashem wants everyone to know Him and serve Him. Here is a way to show the Pharaoh who He is. And the Pharaoh begins to see the hand of G-d in all the miracles of destruction. But he is stubborn. He believes for a minute, and then, when things become good again, he dismisses it all. Isn’t that a lot like us? Our faith is strong when we witness Hashem’s miracles, but it grows weak when we become accustomed to them. Maybe it is time to appreciate, love, and give glory to Hashem every day of our lives.

Today’s Challenge:

Do you have any “frogs” or “lice” in your life that you cannot get rid of? Maybe it is time to turn it all over to Hashem. Perhaps it is time to believe that He really does exist and that He really does love you. Take a minute to praise Him for all the good He has done in your life. And then ask Him to help you through this time of trouble. Guaranteed, He will remove the frogs and lice; it just may not look the way you think it should.

Shemot - Day #5

Shemot, שְׁמוֹת - Names  

Torah Portion: Exodus 1:1-6:1

Exodus 3:16–4:17

3:16 Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and tell them, ‘Hashem, the Elohim of your fathers, the Elohim of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, “I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt. 17 I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, to a land flowing with milk and honey.”’ 18 They will listen to your voice. You shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt, and you shall tell him, ‘Hashem, the Elohim of the Hebrews, has met with us. Now please let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to Hashem, our Elohim.’ 19 I know that the king of Egypt won’t give you permission to go, no, not by a mighty hand. 20 I will reach out my hand and strike Egypt with all my wonders which I will do among them, and after that, he will let you go. 21 I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, and it will happen that when you go, you shall not go empty-handed. 22 But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, and of her who visits her house, jewels of silver, jewels of gold, and clothing. You shall put them on your sons, and on your daughters. You shall plunder the Egyptians.”

4 Moses answered, “But, behold, they will not believe me, nor listen to my voice; for they will say, ‘Hashem has not appeared to you.’”

2 Hashem said to him, “What is that in your hand?”

He said, “A rod.”

3 He said, “Throw it on the ground.”

He threw it on the ground, and it became a snake; and Moses ran away from it.

4 Hashem said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand, and take it by the tail.”

He stretched out his hand, and took hold of it, and it became a rod in his hand.

5 “This is so that they may believe that Hashem, the Elohiim of their fathers, the Elohim of Abraham, the Elohim of Isaac, and the Elohim of Jacob, has appeared to you.” 6 Hashem said furthermore to him, “Now put your hand inside your cloak.”

He put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, as white as snow.

7 He said, “Put your hand inside your cloak again.”

He put his hand inside his cloak again, and when he took it out of his cloak, behold, it had turned again as his other flesh.

8 “It will happen, if they will not believe you or listen to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. 9 It will happen, if they will not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, that you shall take of the water of the river, and pour it on the dry land. The water which you take out of the river will become blood on the dry land.”

10 Moses said to Hashem, “O Hashem, I am not eloquent, neither before now, nor since you have spoken to your servant; for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.”

11 Hashem said to him, “Who made man’s mouth? Or who makes one mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Isn’t it I, Hashem? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth, and teach you what you shall speak.”

13 Moses said, “Oh, Lord, please send someone else.”14 Hashem’s anger burned against Moses, and he said, “What about Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Also, behold, he is coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 15 You shall speak to him, and put the words in his mouth. I will be with your mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what you shall do. 16 He will be your spokesman to the people. It will happen that he will be to you a mouth, and you will be to him as God. 17 You shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.”

Today’s Meditation:

Hashem is determined to use Moses. Even though he is scared and objects. What is so interesting is that Hashem works through his doubts with him. He promises to do miracles, signs, and wonders. He will make Moses' rod perform extraordinary acts to convince the people. And Hashem promises to put words into his mouth to speak. Moses is still afraid. Hashem gets a little upset with him, but then agrees to use his brother Aaron as a mouthpiece. It’s like Hashem is telling Moses, “Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.” 

Isn’t that what Hashem does with us? He tells us to do something, and we give a thousand excuses; yet He stays with us through it all. It is very wonderful. So, don’t be afraid to carry out Hashem’s task. He is there, and He will help you.

Today’s Challenge:

I have a brave challenge for you today. Look around you and see if Hashem is showing you something that someone needs. Take that need, pray about it, and ask Hashem to do a miracle. Don’t do anything (unless Hashem tells you to), pray about it. See what He does. Be sure to pray His will in the situation. You may be super surprised at His answer to your prayer.

Vayechi - Day #5

Vayechi, וַיְחִי - And He Lived  

Torah Portion: Genesis 47:28-50:26

Genesis 49:19–26

49:19 “A troop will press on Gad,

    but he will press on their heel.

20 “Asher’s food will be rich.

    He will produce royal dainties.

21 “Naphtali is a doe set free,

    who bears beautiful fawns.

22 “Joseph is a fruitful vine,

    a fruitful vine by a spring.

    His branches run over the wall.

23 The archers have severely grieved him,

    shot at him, and persecuted him:

24 But his bow remained strong.

    The arms of his hands were made strong,

    by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,

    (from there is the shepherd, the stone of Israel),

25 even by the Elohim of your father, who will help you,

    by the Almighty, who will bless you,

with blessings of heaven above,

    blessings of the deep that lies below,

    blessings of the breasts, and of the womb.

26 The blessings of your father have prevailed above the blessings of your ancestors,

    above the boundaries of the ancient hills.

They will be on the head of Joseph,

    on the crown of the head of him who is separated from his brothers.”

Today’s Meditation:

Jacob continues to praise his sons and prophecy about their future. He gives the longest speeches to Judah and Joseph. We all have favorites among our kids, but it's best not to let them know this, right? The point is that he loved all his children (and grandchildren), and it was essential to bestow blessings upon them. As we discussed yesterday, be sure to bless your children while you and they are alive. You never want to miss out on any opportunities.

Today’s Challenge:

Take a piece of paper and write down one special thing about each of your children. If they are grown, still do it. And do the same for your grandchildren. Take your paper, date it, and store it in a special place. Guaranteed, someone will find it sometime in the future and be blessed. And it will help you to remember the special things about your family. If you don’t have kids, then write something special about a sibling or friend.

Vayigash - Day #5

Vayigash וַיִּגַּשׁ - And He Drew Near  

Torah Portion: Genesis 44:18-47:27

Genesis 45:28–46:27

45:28 Israel said, “It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”

46 Israel traveled with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the Elohim of his father, Isaac. 2 Elohim spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob!”

He said, “Here I am.”

3 He said, “I am Elohim, the Elohim of your father. Don’t be afraid to go down into Egypt, for there I will make of you a great nation. 4 I will go down with you into Egypt. I will also surely bring you up again. Joseph’s hand will close your eyes.”

5 Jacob rose up from Beersheba, and the sons of Israel carried Jacob, their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 6 They took their livestock, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt—Jacob, and all his offspring with him, 7 his sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters, and he brought all his offspring with him into Egypt.

8 These are the names of the children of Israel, who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn. 9 The sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. 10 The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman. 11 The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 12 The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. 

The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. 13 The sons of 

Issachar: Tola, Puvah, Iob, and Shimron. 14 The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. 15 These are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, with his daughter Dinah. All the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty-three. 16 The sons of Gad: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. 17 The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and Serah, their sister. The sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel. 18 These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah, his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob, even sixteen souls. 19 The sons of Rachel, Jacob’s wife: Joseph and Benjamin. 20 To Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, bore to him. 21 The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. 22 These are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob: all the souls were fourteen. 23 The son of Dan: Hushim. 24 The sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. 25 These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel, his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob: all the souls were seven. 26 All the souls who came with Jacob into Egypt, who were his direct offspring, in addition to Jacob’s sons’ wives, all the souls were sixty-six. 27 The sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two souls. All the souls of the house of Jacob, who came into Egypt, were seventy.

Today’s Meditation: 

This is about small beginnings. Only seventy people, descendants of Jacob, travel to Egypt to settle in the land of Goshen. But we know that years later, thousands leave to go back to the promised land—over a million with those who joined them. Sometimes we start a project or mission, and the number of people helping us is small. As time progresses and the mission/project grows, so do the people. When we undertake something that is from Hashem, it is sure to flourish. And it is incredible to watch. If you are in the early beginnings of a mission/project, stay in prayer and remain strong. If it is of Elohim, it will mature into a magnificent gift.

Today’s Challenge: 

This is a time of year when we have many family events. I am sure your family has many traditions. Or maybe you don’t have a family, and you are meeting with friends. My challenge to you today is to look at the importance of friends and family. Jacob had several sons, who multiplied their families. One of the ancestral lines of Judah would give rise to the Mashiach. Family is important. Having children is essential. Think and pray about how you will grow your family, or if you are older, how you can bless your children and grandchildren. You never know Hashem's purpose for them. You may be instrumental in changing the world.