Thursday, January 30, 2014

FIRE!

It's unnerving enough when a fire truck pulls up in front of my own building.  But when smoke detectors start wailing throughout the building, someone's out in the hall yelling "Fire!," and looking out the window, I spot a firefighter's ladder leaning against our building . . .  I opened my apartment door for a quick look and . . . Holy smoke!  Except that the smoke wasn't holy.  Quickly closing the door, I thought it wise to hunker down in my apartment until I got instructions from the firefighters.  Back on went the boots, wool jacket, and windbreaker.  My coat, scarf, wool beret, and gloves were tossed on a chair, in case I needed to be evacuated.  Last, but not least, I packed the most valuable possessions that I could think of, at the time:  my cell phone and charger, my external hard-drive with over 20 years of files backed up on it (my husband hoards mail, I hoard computer files), and my and my husband's tefillin (Chumashim are cheaper to replace, and even one Chumash might slow me down in the event of an evacuation, especially if I had to get out via the fire escape).  I spent the next 45 minutes alternately leaving voice-mail messages and text messages for my husband, who I knew wouldn't hear his phone because he was at an Israeli folk dance session, while standing by the open livingroom window trying not to inhale too much smoke.

It gets "better," folks--the fire was on our floor!  The firefighters were hard at work down the hall.  I poked my head out of my door often enough that I was sure they knew I was still in my apartment, then closed the door and stayed stationed at the livingroom window.

I'm happy to report that instructions to evacuate never came.  I opened my door again, and was relieved to see neither smoke nor firefighters, and many neighbors, who'd apparently self-evacuated from higher floors, returning via the stairs.  Among them were the neighbors in the apartment two floors above ours--I was happy to see that both parents, their toddler, and their baby were alive and well.

That's enough excitement for a while, thank you very much.  I'm going to "bentch gomel" (say a prayer thanking HaShem for having saved me from danger) this coming Shabbat/Sabbath in synagogue.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Parashat T’rumah/Terumah, 5774 edition

Basics here.

See my previous T'rumah posts, linked here, regarding what I’ve dubbed one of the “vocabulary parashiot.”

 

 New word learned:  זֵר

It means “crown.”

I’m too lazy to learn any more new vocabulary today.

ל  וְנָתַתָּ עַל-הַשֻּׁלְחָן לֶחֶם פָּנִים, לְפָנַי תָּמִיד.  {פ}
30 And thou shalt set upon the table showbread before Me alway. {P}

The literal translation of “lechem panim” is “faces bread” (“bread of faces”?).  What the heck did “showbread” originally mean?  What was the purpose of leaving bread on a table in a house of worship?

כו  וְעָשִׂיתָ לּוֹ, אַרְבַּע טַבְּעֹת זָהָב; וְנָתַתָּ, אֶת-הַטַּבָּעֹת, עַל אַרְבַּע הַפֵּאֹת, אֲשֶׁר לְאַרְבַּע רַגְלָיו.
26 And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof.
“Peyot” are corners?  I suppose so, but that seems an odd term to use to describe a halachic hairstyle.
לא  וְעָשִׂיתָ מְנֹרַת, זָהָב טָהוֹר; מִקְשָׁה תֵּעָשֶׂה הַמְּנוֹרָה, יְרֵכָהּ וְקָנָהּ, גְּבִיעֶיהָ כַּפְתֹּרֶיהָ וּפְרָחֶיהָ, מִמֶּנָּה יִהְיוּ.
31 And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made, even its base, and its shaft; its cups, its knops, and its flowers, shall be of one piece with it
Sigh—sometimes archaic translations annoy me.  What’s a knop, for crying out loud?

Here’s Merriam-Webster’s definition:  “a usually ornamental knob.”

 

Conservadox is getting political again.
 

Monday, January 27, 2014

"Gender&tefillin:Possibilities&consequences"(R. Tucker, writing in the "Times of Israel")

With all the discussion written about the fact that SAR Academy in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, New York City, and Ramaz in Manhattan, both Modern Orthodox day schools, now allow female students to wear tefillin, this is one of the best-reasoned discussions that I've read on the subject.  Hat-tip.

Mechon Hadar, where Rav Tucker teaches, has now added a PDF of this presentation of halachah, for those who'd like to download and print and/or save it.  See here.

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Welcome to the warehouse :(

When my husband and I arrived at our synagogue yesterday morning, we were dismayed to find the lobby full of furniture awaiting sale in our weekday-only Thrift Shop, and even more dismayed to find the sanctuary, as well, lined along two walls with furniture for sale. After services, instead of enjoying Kiddush in the lobby, as usual, we ended up crowding around two small tables squeezed in among the furniture in the back of the sanctuary.  It's a shame that the shul has to resort to such (dis)arrangements in order to pay its bills and keep the doors open.  :(

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Restore Net Neutrality, or we'll all pay

I received a request from an individual whom I know and trust in real life to post this link on my blog, and it seemed like a good idea:  A petition to the Obama administration to restore Net Neutrality by directing the FCC to classify Internet Providers as "Common Carriers." As the law stands now, ISPs could be permitted to charge companies for access to their users and charge users for access to certain services, resulting in fewer companies being able to afford access for innovative ideas and products.  The Internet as a channel for free speech would probably also suffer.

Parashat Mishpatim, 5774/2014 edition

Basics here.
My Mishpatim posts from 2013 and 2012, with links.

Swiped from my Yitro postof last week —I got carried away and made notes about text from Mishpatim.


י  אִם-אַחֶרֶת, יִקַּח-לוֹ--שְׁאֵרָהּ כְּסוּתָהּ וְעֹנָתָהּ, לֹא יִגְרָע.
10 If he take him another wife, her food, her raiment, and her conjugal rights, shall he not diminish

 The short version:  Polygamy is expensive.  :)  And wives have rights.

כב  וְכִי-יִנָּצוּ אֲנָשִׁים, וְנָגְפוּ אִשָּׁה הָרָה וְיָצְאוּ יְלָדֶיהָ, וְלֹא יִהְיֶה, אָסוֹן--עָנוֹשׁ יֵעָנֵשׁ, כַּאֲשֶׁר יָשִׁית עָלָיו בַּעַל הָאִשָּׁה, וְנָתַן, בִּפְלִלִים.
22 And if men strive together, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart, and yet no harm follow, he shall be surely fined, according as the woman's husband shall lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.

I assume that this is the origin of the rabbinic opinion that abortion is not murder.


א  אִם-בַּמַּחְתֶּרֶת יִמָּצֵא הַגַּנָּב, וְהֻכָּה וָמֵת--אֵין לוֹ, דָּמִים.
1 If a thief be found breaking in, and be smitten so that he dieth, there shall be no bloodguiltiness for him.

Self-defense is permissible . . .

ב  אִם-זָרְחָה הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ עָלָיו, דָּמִים לוֹ: 
2 If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be bloodguiltiness for him . . .

. . . but if there’s a way to defend oneself that doesn’t involve killing, then killing is not permissible.  Once the sun’s up and you can see that the thief is on the way out of the house and you’re not in mortal danger, you can’t just shoot to kill.


לא  וְשַׁתִּי אֶת-גְּבֻלְךָ, מִיַּם-סוּף וְעַד-יָם פְּלִשְׁתִּים, וּמִמִּדְבָּר, עַד-הַנָּהָר:  כִּי אֶתֵּן בְּיֶדְכֶם, אֵת יֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ, וְגֵרַשְׁתָּמוֹ, מִפָּנֶיךָ.
31 And I will set thy border from the Red Sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness unto the River; for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee.
לב  לֹא-תִכְרֹת לָהֶם וְלֵאלֹהֵיהֶם, בְּרִית.
32 Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.
לג  לֹא יֵשְׁבוּ בְּאַרְצְךָ, פֶּן-יַחֲטִיאוּ אֹתְךָ לִי:  כִּי תַעֲבֹד אֶת-אֱלֹהֵיהֶם, כִּי-יִהְיֶה לְךָ לְמוֹקֵשׁ.  {פ}
33 They shall not dwell in thy land--lest they make thee sin against Me, for thou wilt serve their gods--for they will be a snare unto thee. {P}

Ouch.  What do we do with this?  Kahane to the contrary notwithstanding, Israel can’t just expel the Palestinians.  I don’t think that’s the kind of behavior that a compassionate people, followers of a compassionate G-d, can justify.


Okay, now for this week’s comment, also from Chapter 23:

יט  רֵאשִׁית, בִּכּוּרֵי אַדְמָתְךָ, תָּבִיא, בֵּית יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ; לֹא-תְבַשֵּׁל גְּדִי, בַּחֲלֵב אִמּוֹ.  {פ}
19 The choicest first-fruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in its mother's milk. {P}

Is this the Torah’s first mention of not boiling a baby goat in its mother’s milk?


Haftarah note:
Haftarat Mishpatim, which shows B’nei Yisrael/the Children of Israel backsliding regarding freeing slaves after six years, begins with Yirmiyahu/Jeremiah, chapter 34, verses 8-22, then continues with chapter 33, verses25-26(See haftarah list here.)  Go figure.  Wonder how often that happens?



Conservadox comments on the Torah’s mandate of kindness toward animals.

RavShai Held, of Mechon Hadar, writes about the Torah’s mandate to turn memory into empathy.

Winter Weather Advisory

Bundled like an Eskimo
I go out to face the snow
Snowstorm's remnants on cars still stick
Piles at corners making street-crossing a trick
Slippery sidewalks make me slide
Wish that I were safe inside
Today, at least, we have some sun
But 10-degree weather isn't fun

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Winter Wonderland???!

Wind-chill stings, are you listenin'
On the lawns, snow is glistenin'
The "white stuff" last night
gave snowplows a fight
Walkin' to the subway ain't so grand

Gone away are the "snow-birds"
Here to stay are the work-birds
We're singin' no song
as we slip along
Walkin' to the subway ain't so grand

On the plus side, we still have the subways
Most NYC folks can get to work
I feel sorry for the car commuters
who skid on snowy roadways and get stuck :(

Bundled up, dressed in layers
Asked for heat, in my pray-ers
More snow's due next week--
no year for the weak :(
Walkin' to the subway ain't so grand

Winter Wonderland (Williams Brothers performance)
Original lyrics (with two extra verses that I've never heard sung)

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

"Katonti"--encore

Here's a link to the Israeli folk dance.

You can hear Ofir Ben-Shitrit's version here.

It may be easier to dance to the first version, but, in my opinion, Ofir's is easier on the ears.  :)

Friday, January 17, 2014

Quick, easy, healthy homemade soup (experiment)

Kosher, parve, vegan, gluten-free, no added salt or sweetener, no onions, garlic, or pepper (for those of us with easily-troubled tummies).  What more can you ask?  And the whole thing takes about a half-hour to 45 minutes preparation and cooking time, total.  (I'm still working on the timing, since I’ve made this only twice.  I suggest that you begin checking the soup for "done-ness" after 20 minutes.  If you like your chopped apple pieces al dente, 20 minutes might suffice, whereas if you prefer them with the skins better cooked, you might want to simmer the soup a bit longer).

This recipe feeds two.  Adjust quantities of ingredients to accommodate the number of soup-slurpers.  :)

Ingredients:
  • 1 15-16 ounce can or package of unsweetened pumpkin puree
  • 1 apple (personally, I'd recommend a sweeter variety of apple, such as a Fuji or Gala, rather than a tart variety, such as Granny Smith)
  • pumpkin pie spice blend, or whatever components you happen to have in the house--ground cloves, ground nutmeg, and/or ground allspice, plus a tad more ground ginger and about 1 1/2 times as much ground cinnamon
Instructions:

Chop the apple into small enough pieces that it'll cook fairly quickly.  Put chopped apple into 2-3 quart pot, just to spread it thin so that it'll cook more quickly.  Add pumpkin puree and about 1/4 to 1/3 cup water--you can add more later if the soup looks too thick.  Stir together, then sprinkle with the pumpkin pie spices, and stir again.  Turn the light on just high enough to get the soup to a low boil, then let the soup simmer.  Check after 20 minutes, adjusting the seasoning to taste and adding more water if necessary.

Enjoy!


P.S.  This is much easier to make than that butternut squash soup with which I experimented, and it's still loaded with vitamin A, so it's perfect for a lazy cook like me.

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Happy Tu Bi-Sh'vat, slightly belated

Parashat Yitro, 5774/2014 edition

I got nothin'. Check out my Yitro post from last year, with links.

Conservadox gets political.

Rav Shai Held says there's a reason why Yitro's story comes right after Amalek's.


On second thought (and further rereading) . . .


כב  וְלֹא-תַעֲלֶה בְמַעֲלֹת, עַל-מִזְבְּחִי:  אֲשֶׁר לֹא-תִגָּלֶה עֶרְוָתְךָ, עָלָיו.  {פ}
22 Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto Mine altar, that thy nakedness be not uncovered thereon. {P}


Is this the Torah’s/Bible’s first mention of tzniut/modesty?

Saturday, January 18, 2014, 9:15 PM correction:
The following are all from the next weekly reading, Parashat Mishpatim, and should have been saved for my next parashah post.  Apparently, I got carried away.  Well, a little extra learning can't hurt.


י  אִם-אַחֶרֶת, יִקַּח-לוֹ--שְׁאֵרָהּ כְּסוּתָהּ וְעֹנָתָהּ, לֹא יִגְרָע.
10 If he take him another wife, her food, her raiment, and her conjugal rights, shall he not diminish


The short version:  Polygamy is expensive.  :)  And wives have rights.

כב  וְכִי-יִנָּצוּ אֲנָשִׁים, וְנָגְפוּ אִשָּׁה הָרָה וְיָצְאוּ יְלָדֶיהָ, וְלֹא יִהְיֶה, אָסוֹן--עָנוֹשׁ יֵעָנֵשׁ, כַּאֲשֶׁר יָשִׁית עָלָיו בַּעַל הָאִשָּׁה, וְנָתַן, בִּפְלִלִים.
22 And if men strive together, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart, and yet no harm follow, he shall be surely fined, according as the woman's husband shall lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.


I assume that this is the origin of the rabbinic opinion that abortion is not murder.



א  אִם-בַּמַּחְתֶּרֶת יִמָּצֵא הַגַּנָּב, וְהֻכָּה וָמֵת--אֵין לוֹ, דָּמִים.
1 If a thief be found breaking in, and be smitten so that he dieth, there shall be no bloodguiltiness for him.


Self-defense is permissible . . .

ב  אִם-זָרְחָה הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ עָלָיו, דָּמִים לוֹ: 
2 If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be bloodguiltiness for him . . .


. . . but if there’s a way to defend oneself that doesn’t involve killing, then killing is not permissible.  Once the sun’s up and you can see that the thief is on the way out of the house and you’re not in mortal danger, you can’t just shoot to kill.



לא  וְשַׁתִּי אֶת-גְּבֻלְךָ, מִיַּם-סוּף וְעַד-יָם פְּלִשְׁתִּים, וּמִמִּדְבָּר, עַד-הַנָּהָר:  כִּי אֶתֵּן בְּיֶדְכֶם, אֵת יֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ, וְגֵרַשְׁתָּמוֹ, מִפָּנֶיךָ.
31 And I will set thy border from the Red Sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness unto the River; for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee.
לב  לֹא-תִכְרֹת לָהֶם וְלֵאלֹהֵיהֶם, בְּרִית.
32 Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.
לג  לֹא יֵשְׁבוּ בְּאַרְצְךָ, פֶּן-יַחֲטִיאוּ אֹתְךָ לִי:  כִּי תַעֲבֹד אֶת-אֱלֹהֵיהֶם, כִּי-יִהְיֶה לְךָ לְמוֹקֵשׁ.  {פ}
33 They shall not dwell in thy land--lest they make thee sin against Me, for thou wilt serve their gods--for they will be a snare unto thee. {P}


Ouch.  What do we do with this?  Kahane to the contrary notwithstanding, Israel can’t just expel the Palestinians.  I don’t think that’s the kind of behavior that a compassionate people, followers of a compassionate G-d, can justify.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

More gluten-free goodies

Absolutely Gluten-Free flatbreads and crackers.

(Some previous recommendations.)

The Absolutely flatbreads are classic junk food:  They taste like white-flour crackers, but without the white flour--the main ingredients are tapioca starch, potato starch, and potato flour.  What's unique about Absolutely Gluten-Free products is that they're kasher l'Pesach/kosher for Passover!  So I can eat them during Pesach as substitutes for my beloved Rice Thins, instead of spreading almond butter on matzah and making myself ill.  What a mechayeh/lifesaver!

IMPORTANT KASHRUT NOTICE, Wednesday, April 23, 2014 (post-Pesach) update:
It turns out that only some, not all, of the Absolutely Gluten Free flatbreads and crackers are kasher l'Pesach/kosher for Passover.  Please be sure to follow standard kosher operating procedure and check every food product on an individual basis, even if they're made by the same company.  This is especially important regarding kosher for Passover products, as some of them may lose their kasher l'Pesach status between one Pesach and the next.

Take a hike, Mike--weird weather wreaks havoc

The plumbing in the New York City metropolitan area is suffering birth pains, or, at least, contractions, not to mention expansions--the constant changes of temperature from colder-than-usual to warmer-than-usual have caused numerous pipes to burst.  The MTA took my subway train out of service due to a water-main break, so I had to walk the last ten blocks or so to work.  Guess I've already had my exercise for the day. :)

Speaking of weird weather, you might want to read this: Polar Vortex Is Nothing To Laugh At (Jewish Daily Forward).

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Grammar gripe: "The problem is, is that . . . " :(

If I hear that fine example of mangled English one more time, I'll clobber the speaker over the keppeleh with a paper towel (or knock her on the noggin with a wet noodle :) ).  There are very few circumstances in which it's grammatically correct to use the word "is" twice in a row.  The problem is that people use that grammatically-garbled phrase all the time.  Grumble, grumble, kvetch and mumble . . . :(

Monday, January 13, 2014

Good, bad, and different

The good news: The synagogue member who took an ambulance ride last Shabbat returned this Shabbat looking much healthier--and with yet another new stent. I joked that s/he collects stents as a hobby.

The bad news:  Our chazzan/cantor became just ill enough to be unable to continue leading the service, and my husband had to take over in mid-Shacharit (Morning Service).

And now, for something totally different:  Given that my husband had just led most of Shacharit and had chanted the haftarah--note that Haftarat B'Shalach is the longest of all the haftarot--I volunteered to lead Musaf (the "Additional Service").  I warned the congregation that I hadn't led Musaf in roughly 20 years.  It didn't occur to me until afterward that I had actually never led Musaf on Shabbat/Sabbath at all--at our former shul/synagogue, we skipped all but the Kedushah section (don't ask--weird prayerbook), and at our long-defunct egalitarian chavurah/prayer fellowship, we skipped Musaf completely.  I'm happy to say that, aside from Birkat Kohanim (the Priestly Blessing), which we never say to ourselves, I managed not to mangle Musaf too badly.

I'm even happier to say that the chazzan was back to his usual self by Shacharit on Sunday.

Thursday, January 09, 2014

Parashat B’shalach/Beshalach (whatever), 5774/2014 edition

Basics here.

Links to my previous B’shalach/Beshalach posts here.  Check it out--I think you'll find some interesting ideas there.

Exodus Chapter13 שְׁמוֹת  [I’m copying mostly the English, to avoid taking G-d’s Hebrew name in vain.]

21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; that they might go by day and by night:

Sure sounds like a volcano to me.  Problem:  There are no active or extinct volcanos in the Sinai Peninsula.  Some suggest that the Hebrews may have taken a much more roundabout route.
ט  וַתֹּאמֶר הָלֹךְ אֵלֵךְ עִמָּךְ, אֶפֶס כִּי לֹא תִהְיֶה תִּפְאַרְתְּךָ עַל-הַדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ--כִּי בְיַד-אִשָּׁה, יִמְכֹּר יְהוָה אֶת-סִיסְרָא; וַתָּקָם דְּבוֹרָה וַתֵּלֶךְ עִם-בָּרָק, קֶדְשָׁה.
9 And she said: 'I will surely go with thee; notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thy honour; for the LORD will give Sisera over into the hand of a woman.' And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.
Interesting, that, in a time and place in which, if my understanding is correct, a woman scarcely left her tent/home without the permission of her father or husband, D’vorah went with Barak to prepare for battle, and no one batted an eye.

Tuesday, January 07, 2014

Frozen Apple, January 7, 2014 edition

Yep, it was just as cold when I left our apartment this morning as it was when I wrote this poem.  More's the pity I no longer own that woolen suit.  It's a good thing I didn't give away the long, heavy, lined wool skirt my sister-in-law gave me, even though it doesn't match anything else I own, 'cause it was so cold outside that I didn't care what I looked like and I wore it anyway. (In my mismatched clothing, I probably looked like a patchwork quilt, which might have been handy.  :)  )  Current temperature: A balmy 5 degrees Fahrenheit/-15 degrees Celsius.

Sunday, January 05, 2014

6 inches of snow = 16 shul attendees + 1 ambulance :(

Yesterday morning, we got a minyan just barely in time for the Torah reading, and nearly lost it when half the minyan went out to the lobby to watch the paramedics carry out a congregant who was having a serious health crisis.  Fortunately, that congregant is still alive (albeit not exactly well), which is more than I can say for the two other congregants whom we lost within the past three weeks.  The Mal'ach HaMavet/Angel of Death has been too frequent a visitor, lately.  :(

Friday, January 03, 2014

Parashat Sh’mot, 5774/Jan. 2014 edition

Basics here.

Links to my previous Sh’mot posts here 



כח  וַיֹּאמֶר-לוֹ פַרְעֹה, לֵךְ מֵעָלָי; הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ, אַל-תֹּסֶף רְאוֹת פָּנַי--כִּי בְּיוֹם רְאֹתְךָ פָנַי, תָּמוּת.
28 And Pharaoh said unto him: 'Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in the day thou seest my face thou shalt die.'
כט  וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה, כֵּן דִּבַּרְתָּ:  לֹא-אֹסִף עוֹד, רְאוֹת פָּנֶיךָ.  {פ}
29 And Moses said: 'Thou hast spoken well; I will see thy face again no more.' {P}


[Copying mostly the English, to avoid taking G-d’s Hebrew name in vain.]

1 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Yet one plague more will I bring upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence; when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether.

2 Speak now in the ears of the people, and let them ask every man of his neighbour, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold.'

3 And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people. {S}


10 And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go out of his land. {S}
  

Parshat Bo, 5772 (Jan. 2012)

Monday, January 30, 2012 update:

In Sh'mot/Exodus chapter 10, verse 29, Moshe tells Par'oh that Par'oh will not see his face again. Yet, in chapter 11, Moshe first tells the Hebrews to raid the Egyptians (for booty or back pay, depending on whose opinion you follow), which they do, and then he warns Par'oh about the death of the firstborn. Clearly, he's left Par'oh's presence and later returned. Either Moshe changed his mind about Par'oh not seeing his face again, or else this is a case of Documentary Hypothesis.




ג  דַּבְּרוּ, אֶל-כָּל-עֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר, בֶּעָשֹׂר, לַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה:  וְיִקְחוּ לָהֶם, אִישׁ שֶׂה לְבֵית-אָבֹת--שֶׂה לַבָּיִת.
3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying: In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household;

Is this the first time that B’nei Yisrael, the Children of Israel, are called Adat Yisrael, the Congregation of Israel?

ט  אַל-תֹּאכְלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ נָא, וּבָשֵׁל מְבֻשָּׁל בַּמָּיִם:  כִּי אִם-צְלִי-אֵשׁ, רֹאשׁוֹ עַל-כְּרָעָיו וְעַל-קִרְבּוֹ.
9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; its head with its legs and with the inwards thereof.

They had to eat the kishkes (organs)?!  Sorry, but aside from chopped liver (and, occasionally, broiled liver), my family never touched the stuff.  Some families have different traditions, of course.


12 For I will go through the land of Egypt in that night, and will smite all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD

What did the poor animals do to deserve this?

יג  וְהָיָה הַדָּם לָכֶם לְאֹת, עַל הַבָּתִּים אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם שָׁם, וְרָאִיתִי אֶת-הַדָּם, וּפָסַחְתִּי עֲלֵכֶם; וְלֹא-יִהְיֶה בָכֶם נֶגֶף לְמַשְׁחִית, בְּהַכֹּתִי בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם.
13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and there shall no plague be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

Quick thought on Parshat Bo:"Coming out" as Jews


Nowhere in the above text does it say that HaShem/G-d needed to see the blood on the doorposts to know where the B'nai Yisrael/Children of Israel were located. In my opinion, what was important to HaShem was knowing who among our ancestors were willing to identify themselves publicly as Hebrews.”



כב  וּלְקַחְתֶּם אֲגֻדַּת אֵזוֹב, וּטְבַלְתֶּם בַּדָּם אֲשֶׁר-בַּסַּף, וְהִגַּעְתֶּם אֶל-הַמַּשְׁקוֹף וְאֶל-שְׁתֵּי הַמְּזוּזֹת, מִן-הַדָּם אֲשֶׁר בַּסָּף; וְאַתֶּם, לֹא תֵצְאוּ אִישׁ מִפֶּתַח-בֵּיתוֹ--עַד-בֹּקֶר.
22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side-posts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning.

Already, we have the Oral Law.  :)  Moshe adds an herb (hyssop) to G-d’s command.

I think the rabbis borrowed large chunks of Chapter 12 (and Chapter 13) when they wrote the Haggadah shel Pesach/Passover Haggadah (for the seder).



לה  וּבְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל עָשׂוּ, כִּדְבַר מֹשֶׁה; וַיִּשְׁאֲלוּ, מִמִּצְרַיִם, כְּלֵי-כֶסֶף וּכְלֵי זָהָב, וּשְׂמָלֹת.35 And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they asked of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment.
In my opinion, this is where the text regarding the Hebrews ask the neighbors for "payment" belongs!


מח  וְכִי-יָגוּר אִתְּךָ גֵּר, וְעָשָׂה פֶסַח לַיהוָה--הִמּוֹל לוֹ כָל-זָכָר וְאָז יִקְרַב לַעֲשֹׂתוֹ, וְהָיָה כְּאֶזְרַח הָאָרֶץ; וְכָל-עָרֵל, לֹא-יֹאכַל בּוֹ.
48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land; but no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.
מט  תּוֹרָה אַחַת, יִהְיֶה לָאֶזְרָח, וְלַגֵּר, הַגָּר בְּתוֹכְכֶם.
49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.'

Jew by birth or Jew by choice, the laws are the same—that’s admirably egalitarian. 



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