Exodus Va-eira

Va-eira
Exodus 6:2 – 9:35

I. Summary

A. Va-eira = “I appeared” (to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as El Shaddai)

B. God tells Moses that he appeared to Moses’ ancestors as El Shaddai (basic generic name for any god … also Elohim) but not YHVH (contra, Gen. 15.7 and 28.13). In talking to Moses, God uses name of YHVH (God’s unchanging and personal name by which Israelites call their god) … (to make Moses more trustworthy to Israelites and instill confidence in Moses?). Contrast God previously telling Moses (Ex. 3:13) to call God by non-translatable name of Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh (“I will be what I will be”).

C. God reiterates that God “heard the moaning of the Israelites” and instructs Moses to tell Israelites that God will deliver them from bondage. Moses does so but Israelites do not listen (“their spirits crushed by cruel bondage”). God then instructs Moses to go to the Pharoah. Moses tells God that the Pharoah won’t listen to him so God instructs Moses and Aaron to together deliver Israelites from the land of Egypt. (6:2-13)

D. The genealogy of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and their descendants is recorded. Aaron and Moses are again noted as deliverers of Israelites despite Moses’ hesitation. (6:14-30)

E. God places Moses in “role of God to Pharoah” and Aaron as Moses’ prophet (Moses to repeat God’s commands and Aaron to speak words to Pharoah). God says he will stiffen Pharoah’s heart as an opportunity to “multiply God’s signs and marvels” and, when Pharoah does not heed Moses’ request, will deliver “extraordinary chastisements”. Moses and Aaron go before Pharaoh and perform a miracle by converting a rod into a snake. They relate God's message to Pharaoh to let the Israelites leave Egypt. Pharoah’s magician’s match miracle of snake (v. their inability to replicate plague of lice at 8:14) but Aaron’s “rod swallowed their rods”. Pharoah’s “heart stiffened” and does not heed request of Moses and Aaron. (7:1-13)

F. The first seven (progressively more severe) plagues occur: 1. Blood (Nile). 2. Frogs. 3. Lice. 4. Insects. 5. Pestilence (death of livestock). 6. Boils. 7. Hail. In course of these plagues, God again hardens Pharaoh's heart and Pharaoh rescinds each offer to let the Israelites go. (7:14-9:35)

II. Commentary (Plaut, various websites and prior Hevreh discussions)

A. Name motif in Exodus – 1. Vindication of God’s name = main theme of plagues. 2. Uses of various names for God reinforces Moses’ developing perception of a single God = seed of monotheism v. patriarchal recognition of their own distinctive God while also accepting existence of other gods. 3. At beginning of Exodus, failure of Pharoah to recognize a name makes the Exodus necessary (Pharoah “who knew not Joseph” so could subjugate Israelites). Reinforces power of naming (suggests control and ability to define named thing).

B. Covering eyes for Shema - Tradition of covering our eyes when we recite the Shema comes from the idea that while we each "see" God differently, we come together to proclaim that God is One.

C. God hardening Pharoah’s heart v. free will – God hardened Pharoah’s heart and then punishes Pharoah for having a hardened heart. For God to make it impossible for a man to obey Him and then punish him for his disobedience would be both unjust and contrary to the fundamental Jewish belief in free will. Midrashic explanation suggests Pharoah hardened his own heart for first five plagues. Plagues were God’s response to Pharoah’s prior evil and insensitive acts against Israelites (every evil act tends to harden man's heart). God’s subsequent hardening of Pharoah’s heart (making Pharoah insensitive) was Pharoah’s punishment for his prior insensitive acts.

D. Punishment of all Egyptians - God warns all the God-fearing Egyptians to save themselves and their beasts. (9:19) Points to importance of giving wrongdoers the opportunity to save themselves. Contra, Egyptians, as a people, enslaved Israelites so plagues upon all Egyptians = their punishment from God for enslaving and mistreating Israelites.

E. God’s harshness v. God’s compassion - God’s alternatively compassionate (given last chance) and then harsh (plagues) treatment of Pharoah and Egyptians says we must confront our own beliefs in God, forcing ourselves to see God in a different light and in different roles.

F. Fifth cup of wine at Seder - Four cups of wine at Seder represent the four expressions of redemption in the order of priorities of the suffering Jews: 1) "I will take you out from under the burden of Egypt" - the torture will stop! 2) "I will save you from their bondage" - the slavery will end! 3) "I will redeem you with a strong hand" - no longer aliens! 4) "I will take you unto Me as a nation" - it's all over! A fifth expression "I will bring you into the land" corresponds to the fifth cup we pour for Elijah the prophet who will announce the Messiah to bring us back to the land.

G. Purpose of plagues - Consider plagues as 1) method for God to convince Israelites of God’s power in order to assure their faith in God, 2) God’s way of giving Israelites incentive to leave Egypt (even for the unknown) and 3) punishment of Egyptians. Rationales for plague groupings – Progressively worse (four plagues of nuisance, then four plagues of attacks on people & property, then one plague of terror and then one plague of killing first born). Two alternative groupings: 1) two (Nile) + two (insect pests) + two (illness pests) + two (crop pests) + two (darkness/death) and 2) three plagues after meeting Pharoah in the open + three plagues with warning to Pharoah + three plagues without warning + one killing of first born.

H. Enslavement as a motivating force - When living comfortably, Israelites were happy to stay where they were and arguably saw no need for covenant with God; however, enslavement by Egyptians (not entire 430 years … 86 years?) gave Israelites motivation to escape from under yoke of Egyptians and later participate in covenant with God and go to Promised Land.

I. Lessons for us today
1. Achieve large goals in smaller, deliberate steps (God tells Moses to ask Pharaoh for three-day journey into wilderness for Israelites while real agenda was freedom forever).
2. Remember and learn from past experience (in continuing to grant Israelite requests for relief then changing his mind, Pharoah forgets consequences of prior plagues and sets himself and Egyptians up for continuing suffering).
3. While small acts of God may be duplicated, don’t lose appreciation for God’s ability to do truly wondrous and unique things (Pharoah’s magicians could replicate rod-snake conversion but, when faced with third plague of lice, admitted that it was “the finger of God”).
4. When you have to work the hardest to seek help is often when you need the help the most (Israelites couldn't listen to Moses because they were enslaved).
5. Never give up hope (Moses’ persistence with Pharoah).

(Revised 1/16/10)