Weekly Parsha

Mazal Tov to: Daniel Sragowicz on his birthday and to Mr. and Mrs. Itamar Gat on the birth of the bewborn baby boy Elyasaf.

Pray for Refuah Sheimah: Ariel ben Tovah, Yossefa (Josie) bat Sharon, Rafael ben Gladis and Esther Bracha bat Sarah.

Continue Praying for: Teddy Welz, Miriam (Mariana) bat Zulay, Adina (Heidi) bat Sarah and Yosefa (Josie) bat Sharon.

Bo

Exodus 10:1 -13:16 

This week we conclude the ten plagues with the plagues of locusts, darkness and the death of the first-born. The laws of Passover are presented, followed by the commandment to wear tefillin, consecrate the first-born animal and redeem one's first born son. The Torah tells us that at some time in the future your son will ask you about these commandments and you will answer: "With a show of power, G-d brought us out of Egypt, the place of slavery. When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us leave, G-d killed all the first-born in Egypt, man and beast alike. I, therefore, offer to G-d all male first-born (animals) and redeem all the first-born of sons. And it shall be a sign upon your arm, and an ornament between your eyes (tefillin), for with a strong hand the Almighty removed us from Egypt."  (Ex. 13:15)

"And Moshe and Aharon came to Pharaoh and they said to him, 'This is what the Almighty, the Lord of the Hebrews said, "How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go and they shall serve Me" ' " (Exodus 10:3).

What can we learn for our lives from Pharaoh's lack of humility?

The Almighty requests a person to submit his will to the will of the Almighty and this takes humility.  Pharaoh was a very arrogant person and refused to humble himself and therefore this caused his own downfall.

Unfortunately, there are many people who cause themselves problems in life because of their arrogance.  It is their arrogance which makes them retaliate when someone slights them in some manner.  A person with humility would remain silent and that would end the matter.  The arrogant person answers in an attacking manner and this prolongs the quarrel.

A person with humility will ask forgiveness when he wrongs someone, even if he feels that the other person is more to blame than himself.  The arrogant person will not ask for forgiveness even when he knows that he is really at fault.  A person with humility will reach out to others when he needs help.  The arrogant person will feel that it is beneath his dignity to show that he has any weaknesses and will suffer rather than do what he considers belittling himself.

In what ways do you cause yourself needless suffering because of arrogance? What will you do to overcome this fault?

Self-righteousness does not make one righteous.

Shabbat Shalom

R. Tank

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Rabbi Tank is a professor at American Jewish College where he teaches classes on Talmud, Jewish History and Contemporary Jewish Law. Rabbi Tank is dedicated to finding modern usefulness and meaning in ancient wisdom texts and he is happy to provide spiritual, cultural, social and educational programming for communities around the world. 

Rabbi Tank was educated in Chabad Yeshivas in New York and Miami. He has got a Degree in Biblical Archeology from Bar Ilan University and a Harvard Degree in Judaic Studies. He got his Bachelor's in Business Administration and he also earned a degree in International Economic Development from the University of Oxford. 

Rabbi Tank works with active involvement in peace negotiations and humanitarian relief operations an he is a Member of the National White House Faith Leaders, an Executive Office of the President of the United States.

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