This week’s Parsha starts with the word “Bo,” when G-d tells Moshe Rabbeinu to “come” to Paro (Pharaoh). Something immediately seems unusual about this; Why does Moshe say “come” to Paro instead of “Go” to Paro? “Come” implied “Come with me.” The Zohar says that Moshe was intimidated at the prospect of facing Paro. Buy why would the highest level of kedusha in human form, the outward manifestation of Divine Wisdom, Moshe Rabbeinu, be afraid of Paro, even though Paro was the epitome of evil? Paro’s deeds and wicked commands truly made him seem like the epitome of evil. But … Continue reading →

In perhaps one of the most startling moments in the Bible, Moses confronts G-d about the treatment of the Children of Israel at the hands of their slavemasters the Egyptians; “Why have you done evil to your people?” he exclaims. I remember as a child feeling very startled at this. How could Moses of all people have the chutzpah (or rather, the holy chutzpah) to talk to G-d like that? Aside from the very boldness of the statement, one could also as how could Moses, who had access to the highest levels of divine knowledge and was the greatest prophet … Continue reading →