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Welcome to our humility series. What was the reason Moshe Rabbenu was the greatest of prophets? What made him so special? The Nefesh HaChaim (gate 1, chapter 15) says that only Moshe Rabbenu merited that his full Neshama entered his body with all of its power and influence. That's why in Devarim 33:1, Moshe Rabbenu was called Ish HaElohim /a man of God. Rav Yaakov Hillel, in his commentary Nishmat HaYam on Nefesh HaChaim, connects this to what the Nefesh HaChaim writes in his third gate (chapters 13& 14), that Moshe Rabbenu stood out in the area of humility. It says in Bamidbar 12,3 וְהָאִ֥ישׁ מֹשֶׁ֖ה עָנָ֣ו מְאֹ֑ד מִכֹּל֙ הָֽאָדָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ Moshe Rabbenu was the most humble of men. Furthermore, in Shemot 16,7 Moshe Rabbenu said about himself, ונחנו מה / What are we? Avraham Avinu said, I am dirt and dust , but even dirt and dust are something . It's not a lot, but it's something. However, Moshe Rabbenu said I am nothing . That's why, says Rav Yaakov Hillel, he was able to connect to Hashem on such a high level and reach such a high level of Holiness to the extent that the Shechina spoke through Moshe Rabbenu's throat, as it says, Moshe Rabbenu was different than all of the prophets . All other the prophets said Zeh Davar Hashem / this is the word of God. But Moshe Rabbenu said Ko Amar Hashem/ this is exactly what God says. It came from his throat as if God was talking through him. Why was this? Because he humbled himself to the extreme, and that humility purified his physicality to a point that no other person ever reached. Rav Chaim Volozhin, in his sefer Ruach Chaim Pirkei Avot (chapter 1, mishna 1) uses this to explain the Mishna that Moshe Kibel Torah M'Sinai/ Moshe accepted the Torah from Sinai in the zechut of his humility, more than any other prophet. That's why he was able to see with what's called a shiny window. Windows have different levels of clarity. Certain windows are tinted and you can't see through them well. The better or clearer the window, the better you can see through it. Since what separates us from God is our physicality, our holding of ourselves as a something (what's what we mean by physicality) interferes. But because Moshe's humility was so high, there was nothing to interfere with his connection to Hashem. The Baal Shem Tov has an interesting commentary on, אנכי עומד בין ה׳ וביניכם I am standing between you and your God. The simple meaning is that Moshe Rabbenu is the intermediary, but the Hasidim read it as, a person's Anochi , his egoism is what stands between him and God . Thus the interference between us and God is our egos. Since Moshe Rabbenu had no ego, there was no separation between him and God. This is a very interesting chiddush because the Rambam, in his Shmonei Perakim , where he talks about this concept of the clear glass and the unclear glass, says that every Middah creates an interference. And we see from here that the all/ powerful Middah that, so to say, cleans away all the dirt and grime from a person's soul, is the trait of humility. That was Moshe Rabbenu's greatness. The same Ruach HaChaim says that when it says, "Avraham, Avraham" in the Torah, there's a break between the two, like a line between the two Avrahams. But when is says Moshe Moshe , it doesn't have that. Why is that? Because one of the Avrahams is the Avraham down here, and the other Avraham is the Avraham above- the soul, or the source. His body and Neshama had some kind of separation, so there wasn't an exact connection (of course we talking about Avraham Avinu, so it was only the slightest little bit, but there was still some difference). Moshe Rabbenu reached even higher level. I saw in Rav Yisrael Eliyahu Weintraub's commentary on Nefesh HaChaim that he askshow we can make it sound like Moshe was greater than the Avot ? He explains that this is a concept we talked about before, of the Nanas/ the dwarf, Al Gaveh Anak standing on top of giants, which means Moshe (who, of course was not a dwarf) was building on what the Avot saw. The Avot were able to see Hashem. They used the term Elohim for Hashem. Rashi says, in the beginning of Vaera , that God appeared to the Avot with the name Elohim . But when He appeared to Moshe, it was with Hashem's Divine name of Yud and Heh and Vav and Heh . What's the difference? Elohim means God is in control of all forces. God's able to change nature. Avraham Avinu went into fire and the fire didn't burn him. That's changing nature. But Moshe Rabbenu was on a higher level. It was not like just changing the fire that it wouldn't burn. When he made the miracle of turning water into blood, and blood into water, that was a new creation. When God opened up the earth for Korach, it was a new creation. That higher level of there is no existence but God, which we call En Od Milevado, happened when Rabbenu gave us the Torah. Moshe Rabbenu reached that level and that connection, and his humility caused him to have that high level of understanding of God (Nefesh HaChaim Shaar 3,perek 13 where he discusses this difference between the two names of Hashem and how that impacted Moshe Rabbenu versus the Avot). Going back to our story of ego and I separating us from God, let's get more practical. We're not talking about levels of prophecy between us and Moshe and the Avot. Many political critics keep track of how many times a president or presidential candidate say I in their speeches. I did this and I did that. And I and I and I. That's the feeling of I am doing. That's the Anochi , the I , the ego . There's a beautiful to story told of Rav Shneur Zalman of Liadi who eventually became the famous Baal HaTanya. He was studying under the Hasidish Rebbe Rav Dov Ber, who's known as the Maggid of Mezerich. Late one night, young Zalman knocked on his Rebbe's door to ask him a question. The Rebbe called out, " Who's there ?" And the young boy responded, " It's me ," confident that he would be recognized. The Rabbi repeated, " Who's there ?" and again, he said, " It's me." After the third time that the Rebbe asked Who's there ? the young student finally said, " It's Zalman." The Rebbe then opened the door and said, " My dear Zalman, the time has come for you to have a self-imposed exile. When you return, we will analyze your experience together." In those days, great people went into exile and for some reason, at this point, it was his time. So he went to a certain inn and that very night, thieves broke in and stole the silverware of the innkeeper. The next morning, the innkeeper was suspicious of this young stranger, Zalman, accused him of stealing the the silver and demanded that he confess. Zalman cried, "It was not me! It was not me!" The innkeeper grabbed him by the neck and accused him again. And again he cried, " It's not me, it's not me!" He then pulled himself out of the innkeeper's grip and fled back to Mezerich. He told the Maggid the story and the Maggid said, " This, my dear Zaman, is a lesson which you should never forget. Do you see how many times you were forced to shout, "Not me, not me?"That was in order to undo the effect of calling out proudly, "It's me!" Yes, of course this is the high level training of a great Hasidic Rebbe who eventually started a great dynasty. But the point for us is that the greater the person is, the less the I is there. Moshe Rabbenu did not possess an I and therefore he reached the greatest of levels. And the opposite, the greater the I, the bigger the interference between the person and God.
Today, Aaron and Brayden explore the stage that is set before us. This stage of course is our own life, and how do we make God known to those around us by allowing him control of the stage? If you are interested in joining us for Men's prayer and fasting at our facility in Missouri, click this link to details https://www.loveandpurity.com/mensprayerandfasting2025 This weeks portion is: TORAH EXODUS 6:2-9:35 PROPHETS EZEKIEL 28:25-29:21 GOSPEL LUKE 11:14-22 Want to learn more about our ministry? Visit www.LoveAndPurity.com Intro and outro song: Faith for Salvation (1 Peter 1:3-5) by Brayden & Tali Waller All music rights belong to Love & Purity Ministry
Rabbi Amy Bernstein's weekly Torah study class via Zoom - Exodus/Shemot - 6:1 - January 24, 2025.
Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 13 | Vaera, by Rav Eli Weber What is the difference between Hashem's names? How can Hashem harden Pharaoh's heart? Why does the Torah reintroduce Moshe and Aharon again in the middle of the parasha?
Vaera | Pharoah and the Problem of Free Choice, by Rav Yair Kahn
The second Torah portion reading from the Book of Exodus this week is in some respects THE beginning of the Exodus itself, in that it describes the first set(s) of the 'Ten Plagues of Egypt." 'Vaera' (Exodus 6:4 through chapter 9), beings, however, with an explanation of His Name, YHVH. "And I appeared," ('vaera') He says, to Abraham, and to Yitzak, and to Yakov, "as El Shaddai, but by My Name YHVH I did not," at not in the way that He is about to, "make Myself known to them. And that is the essence of what He is about to do! The Erev Shabbat reading, as usual, covers the story itself, but also starts to lay out the incredible significance of just what that means: https://hebrewnationonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SSM-1-24-25-Vaera-teaching-podcast-xxx.mp3 The Sabbath Day midrash takes a deeper look at a number of key elements that are laid out in this parsha, from the emphasis on His Name YHVH, and that He would then SHOW what that means, so that all of us would know, to the patterns and projections associated with the plagues themselves. They were not only all judgments against various fake Egyptian 'gods,' but also, Mark contends, a set of 'open brackets,' or one half of a set of bookends, which we will eventually see closed by the prophesied second, or "Greater Exodus." And there are certainly "candidates" for those in play today. Vaera: What's it Gonna TAKE?" https://hebrewnationonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/WT-CooH-1-25-25-Vaera-Whats-It-Gonna-TAKE-podcast-xxx.mp3 The combined two-part teaching is here:
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Seeings Sings of Redemption
Why in the world did Hashem promise the forefathers the land of Israel if He had no intention of eventually giving it to them? Well, it's something we live with every day. Take five minutes to listen to the Parsha Pick-Me-Up to learn more.
Shiur given by Rabbi Dovid Apter on Parsha. Shiur recorded in Yeshivas Ohr Reuven, Monsey, NY.
Shiur given by Rabbi Yisroel Saperstein on Parsha. Shiur recorded in Yeshivas Ohr Reuven, Monsey, NY.
Shiur given by Rabbi Ben Zion Bamberger on Parsha.
Shiur given by Rabbi Heshy Friedman on Parsha. Shiur given in Yeshivas Ohr Reuven, Monsey NY.
Shiur given by Rabbi Benzion Brodie on Parsha to Yeshiva Ketana. Shiur recorded in Yeshivas Ohr Reuven, Monsey, NY.
Rabbi Matt Shapiro explores this week's Torah reading through the lens of Parenting. Special Guest: Rabbi Matt Shapiro.
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A Gutten Erev Shabbos Parshas Vaera - Divrei Torah, stories and Chizuk.Embark on a soulful journey with Rabbi Yehoshua Liff's inspiring melodies. Join us in honoring the joy, wisdom, and beauty of Rabbi Liff's newly released album, 'Ilu Finu'. - Listen hereVisit our website Subscribe to our YouTube channel Contact JFoundations:WhatsApp +972 55-711-6220
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Zohar for All. VaEra. And I Appeared—In God Almighty [Shadai], and My Name Is HaVaYaH, I Am Not Known to Them
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Rabbi Kalish
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וָאֵרָא אֶל־אַבְרָהָם אֶל־יִצְחָק וְאֶל־יַעֲקֹב בְּאֵל שַׁדָּי וּשְׁמִי ה' לֹא נוֹדַעְתִּי לָהֶם׃ I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as El Shaddai, but I did not make Myself known to them by My name, Hashem.
Apt Inspiration on the Parsha given by Rabbi Menachem Apter. Shiur recorded in Yeshivas Ohr Reuven, Monsey, NY.
Shiur given by Rabbi Yisroel Saperstein on Parsha. Shiur recorded in Yeshivas Ohr Reuven, Monsey, NY.
In the opening verses of Parashat Vaera, we find Hashem's pronouncement of the "Arba Leshonot Geula" – "four expressions of redemption." He told Moshe to convey to Beneh Yisrael His promise that He will "take you from the suffering of Egypt" ("Ve'hoseti"), He will "save you from their labor" ("Ve'hisalti"), He will "redeem you with an outstretched arm" ("Ve'ga'alti"), and He will "take you to Me as a nation" ("Ve'lakahti"). The Gemara famously teaches that the four cups of wine we drink at the Seder on the night of Pesach correspond to these four promises. One of the approaches taken to explain the significance of these four expressions was presented by the Shem Mi'Shmuel (Rav Shmuel Borenstein of Sochatchov, 1855-1926), who writes that Hashem here refers to the redemptions from the subsequent exiles. Already then, during the Egyptian exile, Hashem informed Beneh Yisrael that just as He was bringing them out of this exile, and extricating them from persecution and suffering, He would also deliver them from the exiles they would endure in the future. The first of the four expressions, "Ve'hoseti," which speaks of Hashem bringing the nation out of a foreign land, alludes to the Babylonian exile, at the conclusion of which Hashem brought the Jews back from exile to the Land of Israel. The second expression foresees Hashem rescuing Beneh Yisrael from danger – "Ve'histalti," and thus refers to the rule of Persia, when Beneh Yisrael were saved from Haman's decree of annihilation. The third of the subsequent exiles was the period of Greek persecution, when Beneh Yisrael faced a grave spiritual threat, as the Greeks forbade them from practicing their religion. Hashem thus promised, "Ve'ga'alti" – that He would redeem them from this spiritual danger. Finally, Hashem promises to deliver us from our current exile, the fourth and final exile, assuring us that He would take us as His nation for all eternity ("Ve'lakahti"). The question, however, arises, why do we commemorate these four promises through the drinking of four cups on the night of Pesach, as we celebrate the Exodus from Egypt? The answer emerges from a discussion in the work Torat Haim (Rav Abraham Haim Schorr, d. 1632) regarding a different question, relating to the duration of the Egyptian exile. The Torah in Parashat Bo (Shemot 12:40) states that the Egyptian exile lasted a total of 430 years. In truth, Beneh Yisrael spent just 210 years in Egypt. Many commentators explain that the 430-year period began from the time Abraham was informed that his descendants would be enslaved. The Torat Haim, however, advances a different theory. He claims that indeed, Hashem decreed a lengthy period of suffering, but He mercifully ended the exile earlier. Tradition teaches that the period of harsh labor began at the time of the birth of Miriam, Moshe Rabbenu's sister, who was 86 at the time of the Exodus. Thus, Beneh Yisrael endured only 86 years of slave labor – one-fifth of the 430 years of slavery that were decreed upon them. The remaining four-fifths were delayed to the future. The four subsequent exiles, the Torat Haim explains, took the place of the missing years of the Egyptian exile. The amount of suffering that would have been experienced in 86 years of grueling slavery and degradation in Egypt were transferred to each of these four periods, and this is how the period of 430 years was completed. The Torat Haim explains that this is why we drink four cups of wine on Pesach night. The word "Kos" in Gematria equals 86, and thus the four cups of wine signify the redemptions from the four subsequent exiles – consistent with the Shem Mi'Shmuel's understanding of the four promises made by Hashem in our Parasha. As we celebrate the redemption from Egypt, we reflect on the fact that Hashem shortened the period of bondage in Egypt, delaying them to the future. He then delivered us from the first three of those four exiles, and we eagerly anticipate the imminent redemption from our fourth and current exile, may it unfold speedily and in our times, Amen.
RAB MORDEJAY MALEJ- PERASHA CON ZOHAR- VAERA 5785 by TALMUD TORA MONTE SINAI
RAB YOSEF BIRCH- PERASHA VAERA 5785 by TALMUD TORA MONTE SINAI
VAERA: Does God Hear Your Lonely Crying? | STUMP THE RABBI (226) https://youtu.be/pmYWQOPNMag No matter who the person is, they have had some tough times in their lives. Some have such difficulties that they feel alone in the world. While everyone knows that HaShem heard Am Yisrael's cries in Egypt, parashat VAERA will teach us whether that also pertains to your lonely cries. If He Hears them, then why doesn't seem like He's responding. These are critical questions that must be answered for each person to have the proper ideological perspective needed during those difficult times when people have to ask you to smile. This and many questions from the live online audience will be addressed BeEzrat HaShem. Learn, Share, Enjoy and Be Holy.
On this week's parsha, Moses and Aaron beg Pharoah to let the Israelites go, and God sends plagues to Egypt. Moses relates God's message to the Israelites, but they're so beaten down that they don't realize they're about to be redeemed from their enslavement. How are we similarly blinded by the trials of our everyday lives and how can we pay attention despite distractions? Tune in to find out. Sivan Rahav-Meir is a leading Israeli journalist, media personality and Torah scholar. You can sign up for her The Daily Portion WhatsApp group, where Sivan sends small insights about Judaism and current affairs. Check out Liel's new book, How the Talmud Can Change Your Life: Surprisingly Modern Advice from a Very Old Book, available directly from the publisher, or wherever you purchase books. You can find all of Tablet's podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.
Vaera | Pharaoh's Wizards (and the Parenthetic Phrase), by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Why did the חרטומים imitate the first two plagues - and why were they stymied at the third? חרטומי מצרים - the wizards of Egypt - make 5 appearances in the Exodus narrative; the first and last are easily understood but the 2nd (in the context of the plague of blood) the 3rd (frogs) and the 4th (lice) are difficult to decipher. By reading some of these passages as parenthetic texts (מאמר המוסגר), a solution is suggested. Source sheet >>
The World Speaking WITH You Not AT You: 10 Plagues Opens us up to the 10 Dibros. Vaera.
Welcome to Covenant & Conversation essays, Rabbi Sacks' commentary on the weekly Torah portion, exploring Jewish ideas and sharing inspiration from the Torah readings of the week. You can find the full written article on Shemot available to read, print, and share, by visiting: rabbisacks.org/covenant-conversa…/shemot/who-am-i/ Translations in Hebrew, French, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Turkish, Persian and Russian are also available. A new accompanying FAMILY EDITION is now also available: rabbisacks.org/covenant-conversa…/shemot/who-am-i/ For more articles, videos, and other material from Rabbi Sacks, please visit www.RabbiSacks.org and follow @RabbiSacks. The Rabbi Sacks Legacy continues to share weekly inspiration from Rabbi Sacks. With thanks to the Schimmel Family for their generous sponsorship of Covenant & Conversation, dedicated in loving memory of Harry (Chaim) Schimmel.
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Vaera 5785 - moonLight of Emuna - R' Dov Elias by Rabbi Avi Zakutinsky
Latest episode of the podcast. Please consider sponsoring a class online in someones merit, memory or refuah shelemah. You can donate here in the app or send us an email at info@ejsny.org with the dedication you want to make. Thanks!
This week's podcast is sponsored in memory of Dr. Jack Jaffe, Yaakov Zev ben Elchanon. Doctor, community leader, and fervent Zionist. Sponsored by his children, Ari and Marlyn, Reva and Sheldon, Leah and Simon, and Ezra and Marla, as well … Read the rest The post VaEra 5785: The Power of Mahloket first appeared on Elmad Online Learning. Continue reading VaEra 5785: The Power of Mahloket at Elmad Online Learning.
On days when stress and confusion rule, and emotions boil and freeze alternately. When we feel like we've lost control and the world is collapsing before our eyes. How do we defend ourselves? How do we minimize the mental, health, and perhaps financial damage? The coming six weeks are called ShOVaVYM - acrostics of the names of the Parashot (reading portions of these six weeks). They carry great virtue for personal correction and for the correction of the whole, and especially, this year, the year 5785, in which history is rapidly changing before our eyes. Redemption is the result of consciousness, the stages of consciousness of human freedom are revealed before us in the book of Exodus. Our society is going through historical upheavals of redefining personal freedom. Spirituality, values and holiness must be part of true freedom, the freedom to be happy without hatred, anger, guilt and blame. We learn to redefine ourselves, to break one concept after another in order to reach beyond the boundaries of the consciousness of the past. Support our efforts to reach more people and provide you with more materials, donate to Live Kabbalah: https://livekabbalah.org/donations For a short reading about this Parashah: https://livekabbalah.org/vaera Join our course program: https://livekabbalah.org/live-kabbalah-courses Join our Zoom Program: https://livekabbalah.org/weekly-zohar-tree-of-life-study-live
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Presence/Process: Women & The Four Cups. Parsha & Halacha - Vaera. נשים וטעמי ד׳ כוסות.
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