{"id":40555,"date":"2018-07-09T18:50:27","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T15:50:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-55\/"},"modified":"2022-04-21T10:54:57","modified_gmt":"2022-04-21T07:54:57","slug":"wall-55","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-55\/","title":{"rendered":"chapter-Torah-Exodus-5"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"chapter","wall_id":"55","date":"20251113","book":"Exodus","chapter":"5","chapter_main_number":"55","books_group":"Torah","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"41018","color":"#e6f5f3","size":"1","name":"Exodus 5- Judy Hammond ","post_title":"Exodus 5- Judy 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the posts on this page about the Splitting of the Sea ","post_main_content_content":"

Explore the posts on this page<\/a> about the Splitting of the Sea in honor of the end of Pesach<\/p>\r\n

image: by Bracha Lavee<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":98605,"alt":"","title":"neh9-splitting of the sea - Lavee","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/neh9-splitting-of-the-sea-Lavee.jpg","width":1024,"height":833,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/neh9-splitting-of-the-sea-Lavee-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/neh9-splitting-of-the-sea-Lavee-300x244.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":244,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/neh9-splitting-of-the-sea-Lavee-768x625.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":625,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/neh9-splitting-of-the-sea-Lavee-1024x833.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":833,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/neh9-splitting-of-the-sea-Lavee.jpg","1536x1536-width":1024,"1536x1536-height":833,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/neh9-splitting-of-the-sea-Lavee.jpg","2048x2048-width":1024,"2048x2048-height":833,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/neh9-splitting-of-the-sea-Lavee.jpg","post_full_size-width":1024,"post_full_size-height":833,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/neh9-splitting-of-the-sea-Lavee-516x420.jpg","home_baner-width":516,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"Materials to enrich your holiday celebrations","tile_main_caption":"929 Presents: The End Of Pesach And The Splitting Of The Sea ","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Explore the posts on this page about the Splitting of the Sea ","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":98605,"alt":"","title":"neh9-splitting of the sea - Lavee","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/neh9-splitting-of-the-sea-Lavee.jpg","width":1024,"height":833,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/neh9-splitting-of-the-sea-Lavee-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/neh9-splitting-of-the-sea-Lavee-300x244.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":244,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/neh9-splitting-of-the-sea-Lavee-768x625.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":625,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/neh9-splitting-of-the-sea-Lavee-1024x833.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":833,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/neh9-splitting-of-the-sea-Lavee.jpg","1536x1536-width":1024,"1536x1536-height":833,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/neh9-splitting-of-the-sea-Lavee.jpg","2048x2048-width":1024,"2048x2048-height":833,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/neh9-splitting-of-the-sea-Lavee.jpg","post_full_size-width":1024,"post_full_size-height":833,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/neh9-splitting-of-the-sea-Lavee-516x420.jpg","home_baner-width":516,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Exodus","chapter":"5","chapter_main_number":"55","date":"20251113","wall_id":"55"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"597","name":"Pesach","old_id":"997"}]},{"order":3,"id":"104197","color":"#f7e9e9","size":"1","name":"If Only Pharaoh Had Acquiesced To Temporary Leave ","post_title":"If Only Pharaoh Had Acquiesced To Temporary Leave","slug":"if-only-pharaoh-had-acquiesced-to-temporary-leave","old_id":"104197","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":78133,"post_title":"Josh Blechner","slug":"josh-blechner","old_id":"78133","first_name":"Josh ","last_name":"Blechner ","description":"Josh first finished the Tanach during Yeshiva in Mevaseret Zion. He and his daughter studied the Tanach again for her bat mitzvah. Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group. When not studying for 929, Josh works as an in-house lawyer in New Jersey.","short_description":"Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group, and is an in-house attorney in New Jersey. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":78134,"alt":"","title":"josh blechner","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","width":276,"height":351,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-236x300.jpg","medium-width":236,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","medium_large-width":276,"medium_large-height":351,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","large-width":276,"large-height":351,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","1536x1536-width":276,"1536x1536-height":351,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","2048x2048-width":276,"2048x2048-height":351,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","post_full_size-width":276,"post_full_size-height":351,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","home_baner-width":276,"home_baner-height":351}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"55","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"But it seems even three days was even too much\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

God pressed Moses to go to Egypt to ask Pharaoh to let the Israelites go, but instead of asking for everything, God instructed Moses to initially ask for a three-day journey (see 3:18).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

At first, Moses and Aaron ask for a vague leave to celebrate God in the wilderness. Pharaoh dismisses this request, questioning who this God is that they are to worship. In response, Moses and Aaron answer that they need a three-day journey lest \u201c[God] strike us with pestilence or sword\u201d (verse 3). Pharaoh resists again, and increases the work of the people, further alienating them from Moses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Why does God tell Moses to ask for only three days? Why does Moses seem to invent the punishment part? Malbim posits that God wanted to give Pharaoh the easiest possible suggestion just to prove that Pharaoh would not allow the people to leave even for such a limited amount of time. Later, the three-day request will become part of moving goal posts, as Pharaoh will latch on to this request with limitations, such as not allowing women and children to go. Moses will steadfastly stick to the three days journey for everyone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Three days could also be looked at as a time of separation between people. Earlier, Laban set a three-day journey length between himself and Jacob while Jacob was gathering the striped and spotted sheep. Three days might also not mean a literal three days, but merely enough time to allow a break. For example, Joseph interprets the dreams of the Baker and the Butler explaining that the outcome of those dreams will happen in three days\u2019 time. This could be the reason that initially Moses and Aaron do not ask specifically for three days. When Pharaoh protests, they explain that they are only asking for the minimum amount of time to create some distance from Egypt.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Then Moses and Aaron add the kicker \u201clest God strike us with pestilence or sword.\u201d Moses and Aaron are trying to talk to Pharaoh\u2019s religious background: that the gods do not look kindly on those who disobey them. But why would that sway Pharaoh? He considers himself a god, and in the ancient world, when one people is subjugated by another, then their gods are also subjugated. The Israelite god would have no control over the people if they were slaves in Egypt.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Another reading then is that this is actually a veiled threat against Pharaoh himself. Moses and Aharon are careful not to direct it at the monarch, but that is their intent. If Pharoah does not let the people go, God will punish Pharaoh with pestilence and sword.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":56420,"alt":"","title":"jud19-three","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud19-three.png","width":1280,"height":640,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud19-three-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud19-three-300x150.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":150,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud19-three-768x384.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":384,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud19-three-1024x512.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":512,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud19-three.png","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":640,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud19-three.png","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":640,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud19-three-1200x600.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":600,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud19-three-840x420.png","home_baner-width":840,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"If Only Pharaoh Had Acquiesced To Temporary Leave","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"But it seems even three days was even too much","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":56420,"alt":"","title":"jud19-three","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud19-three.png","width":1280,"height":640,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud19-three-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud19-three-300x150.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":150,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud19-three-768x384.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":384,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud19-three-1024x512.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":512,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud19-three.png","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":640,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud19-three.png","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":640,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud19-three-1200x600.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":600,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud19-three-840x420.png","home_baner-width":840,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Exodus","chapter":"5","chapter_main_number":"55","date":"20251113","wall_id":"55"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"384","name":"God","old_id":"784"},{"term_id":"397","name":"Moses","old_id":"797"},{"term_id":"591","name":"Pharaoh","old_id":"991"}]},{"order":4,"id":"104199","color":"#f7e9e9","size":"1","name":"Wily E Pharaoh ","post_title":"Wily E Pharaoh","slug":"wily-e-pharaoh","old_id":"104199","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":62571,"post_title":"Yaakov Bieler","slug":"yaakov-bieler","old_id":"62571","first_name":"Yaakov ","last_name":"Bieler ","description":"Rabbi Yaakov Bieler has been involved in Jewish education and the synagogue Rabbinate in New York, NY and Silver Spring, MD since being ordained by Yeshiva University in 1974. He has lectured and written extensively on Modern Orthodoxy, and blogs daily at https:\/\/yaakovbieler.wordpress.com ","short_description":"Rabbi Yaakov Bieler has been involved in Jewish education and the synagogue Rabbinate in New York, NY and Silver Spring, MD since being ordained by Yeshiva University. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":62572,"alt":"","title":"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","width":141,"height":180,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler-141x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":141,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","medium-width":141,"medium-height":180,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","medium_large-width":141,"medium_large-height":180,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","large-width":141,"large-height":180,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","1536x1536-width":141,"1536x1536-height":180,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","2048x2048-width":141,"2048x2048-height":180,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","post_full_size-width":141,"post_full_size-height":180,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","home_baner-width":141,"home_baner-height":180}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"55","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"God responds in kind\u00a0\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

While<\/span> God<\/span> told Moses that He was going to redeem the Jews from Egypt (Exodus 3:8,) the presentation to Pharaoh was that the Israelites wanted only to be allowed to worship their deity in the desert, implying that they were prepared to return to their previous tasks once they achieved their aim: \u201cLet My people go, that they may celebrate a festival for Me in the wilderness\u2026 Let us go, we pray, a distance of three days into the wilderness to sacrifice to our God\u2026 They cry, \u201cLet us go and sacrifice to our God!\u201d (5:1,3,8).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Pharaoh finally acquiesces after the tenth plague, and while his desires to control the situation by retaining the Israelites\u2019 children and the animals (10:10,24) were not accepted by Moses, Pharaoh gives no indication that he expects to have seen the last of the Jewish slaves: \u201cUp, depart from among my people, you and the Israelites with you! Go, worship God as you said!\u201d (12:31),<\/span><\/p>\r\n

It is an explicit commandment \u201c<\/span>Keep far from a false charge\u2026\u201d <\/span>(23:7)<\/span>, so wouldn\u2019t we expect a forthright statement of the ultimate intentions of the Jewish people to the Egyptians, as uncomfortable as this might make Moses?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Various Midrashim explain that the idea of celebrating a festival in the desert after a three days journey was merely a pretense to set up the coup de gr\u00e2ce that God wished to administer to Pharaoh's armies at the Sea of Reeds (Exodus 14): \u201cIn order to cause Pharaoh to pursue them (the Jews) in the wilderness\u201d (Midrash Sechel Tov (Buber) on Exodus 5:1).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Midrashim assume that the account in Exodus 14, had already been anticipated by God long before, and therefore became part of His master plan:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his courtiers had a change of heart about the people and said: \u201cWhat is this we have done, releasing Israel from our service?\u201d He ordered<\/span> his chariot and took his force with him; He took six hundred of his picked chariots, and the rest of the chariots of Egypt, with officers<\/span> in all of them. God stiffened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he gave chase to the Israelites (14:5-8).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Such a perspective also can be utilized to address the moral dilemma created by the Jews \u201cborrowing\u201d valuables from the Egyptians prior to their leaving (see 12:35). Pharaoh therefore becomes the embodiment of the biblical statement: \u201cWith the pure You act in purity, and with the perverse You are wily\u201d (II Samuel 22:27). While a human being can never be in a position to decide whether another is \u201cpure\u201d or \u201cperverse,\u201d God, the \u201cDiscerner of Hearts,\u201d is certainly capable of doing so.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image by: Ben Schachter (courtesy of the artist).<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":40721,"alt":"","title":"ANewPharaoh-Schachter","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ANewPharaoh-Schachter.jpg","width":1247,"height":1168,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ANewPharaoh-Schachter-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ANewPharaoh-Schachter-300x281.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":281,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ANewPharaoh-Schachter-768x719.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":719,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ANewPharaoh-Schachter-1024x959.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":959,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ANewPharaoh-Schachter.jpg","1536x1536-width":1247,"1536x1536-height":1168,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ANewPharaoh-Schachter.jpg","2048x2048-width":1247,"2048x2048-height":1168,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ANewPharaoh-Schachter-1200x1124.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1124,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ANewPharaoh-Schachter-448x420.jpg","home_baner-width":448,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Wily E Pharaoh","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"God responds in kind\u00a0","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":40721,"alt":"","title":"ANewPharaoh-Schachter","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ANewPharaoh-Schachter.jpg","width":1247,"height":1168,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ANewPharaoh-Schachter-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ANewPharaoh-Schachter-300x281.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":281,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ANewPharaoh-Schachter-768x719.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":719,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ANewPharaoh-Schachter-1024x959.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":959,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ANewPharaoh-Schachter.jpg","1536x1536-width":1247,"1536x1536-height":1168,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ANewPharaoh-Schachter.jpg","2048x2048-width":1247,"2048x2048-height":1168,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ANewPharaoh-Schachter-1200x1124.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1124,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ANewPharaoh-Schachter-448x420.jpg","home_baner-width":448,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Exodus","chapter":"5","chapter_main_number":"55","date":"20251113","wall_id":"55"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"384","name":"God","old_id":"784"},{"term_id":"591","name":"Pharaoh","old_id":"991"}]},{"order":5,"id":"41020","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"2","name":"Bible on The Bench: The Difficulties of Redemption ","post_title":"Bible on The Bench: The Difficulties of Redemption","slug":"bible-on-the-bench-the-difficulties-of-redemption","old_id":"41020","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":38102,"post_title":"929-English","slug":"929-english","old_id":"38102","first_name":"","last_name":"929-English","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":38333,"alt":"","title":"\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","width":1513,"height":860,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-300x171.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":171,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-768x437.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":437,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-1024x582.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":582,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","1536x1536-width":1513,"1536x1536-height":860,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","2048x2048-width":1513,"2048x2048-height":860,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-1200x682.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":682,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-739x420.png","home_baner-width":739,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"55","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"

https:\/\/youtu.be\/qy06GCQsyws<\/p>","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"Bible on the Bench","tile_main_caption":"Chapter 5: The Difficulties of Redemption","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"with Adam Mintz and Shira Hecht-Koller","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/qy06GCQsyws","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Exodus","chapter":"5","chapter_main_number":"55","date":"20251113","wall_id":"55"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"369","name":"Visual Arts","old_id":"769"}]},{"order":6,"id":"40871","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Hardening the Hearts for the Sake of Free Choice ","post_title":"Hardening The Hearts For The Sake Of Free Choice","slug":"hardening-the-hearts-for-the-sake-of-free-choice","old_id":"40871","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":38047,"post_title":"Shoshana Michael Zucker","slug":"shoshana-michael-zucker","old_id":"38047","first_name":"Shoshana Michael ","last_name":"Zucker ","description":"Shoshana Michael Zucker is a translator and editor by profession, but would much rather be learning and teaching Torah. A graduate of Barnard College, she made aliyah in 1983 and now lives in Kfar Saba where she is an active member of the Masorti Congregation Hod veHadar. ","short_description":"Shoshana Michael Zucker is a translator and editor and lives in Kfar Saba \r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":38048,"alt":"","title":"Shoshana Michael Zucker","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","width":231,"height":310,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker-224x300.jpg","medium-width":224,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","medium_large-width":231,"medium_large-height":310,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","large-width":231,"large-height":310,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","1536x1536-width":231,"1536x1536-height":310,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","2048x2048-width":231,"2048x2048-height":310,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","post_full_size-width":231,"post_full_size-height":310,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Shoshana-Michael-Zucker.jpg","home_baner-width":231,"home_baner-height":310}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"55","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"It takes hard work to break bad habits","post_main_content_content":"

Pharaoh sits on his throne and says: \u201cNo!\u201d<\/p>\r\n

\u201cI do not<\/strong> know the Eternal, and I will not<\/strong> will I let Israel go\u201d (Exodus 5:2).<\/p>\r\n

This declaration marks the beginning of the battle between Pharaoh\u200e and God, in which God strives not only to liberate the Israelites but also to produce a magnificent, albeit destructive, show of power intended to prove God\u2019s unique divinity to Egyptians and Israelites alike.<\/p>\r\n

Ten times during the story of the Exodus, the Torah tells us that Pharaoh hardened his heart. Another ten times, it says that God did the hardening. Between one hardening of the heart and another, Pharaoh relents and agrees to allow the Israelites to leave, but soon has second thoughts and hardens his heart again. Pharaoh\u2019s independent behavior is comprehensible. He takes a strong position of principle, responds to conditions in the field, and resumes his previous position when conditions improve; over and over again.<\/p>\r\n

But why did God harden Pharaoh\u2019s heart? Must proving divine power come at such a high cost?<\/p>\r\n

Maimonides, who declared free will a major foundational principle of Torah, explains that Pharaoh is denied his freedom as a punishment, after he sinned severely (Laws of Repentance, 6:3). Yet elsewhere Maimonides clearly states that God does not actively intervene in the world; Pharaoh was not deprived of his freedom. Rather he lost it by succumbing to his own bad habits. Likely this was not the first time he behaved in this manner, which allowed God to foresee the entire process, and tell Moses how it would progress even before the first plague.<\/p>\r\n

Another school of interpretation, represented by Rabbi Ovadia Sforno (Italy, 15-16th century) explains that hardening Pharaoh\u2019s heart was intended to give him an opportunity to make right decision for the right reason: \u201cIf his heart had not been hardened, Pharaoh surely would have released the Israelites but [only] because he could no longer tolerate the plagues.\u201d By this reading, Pharaoh\u2019s heart was hardened against suffering, but he still had the ability to make the correct choice.<\/p>\r\n

None of us are Pharaoh but we each have our own bad habits. Sforno\u2019s reading alerts us to the strenuous effort needed to break those habits. We remain endowed with freedom of choice but using it requires hard work. The Torah will later commands us to choose life and good, but it never promises that it will be easy.<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":53737,"alt":"","title":"jo11-hard-heart","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo11-hard-heart.png","width":330,"height":190,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo11-hard-heart-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo11-hard-heart-300x173.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":173,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo11-hard-heart.png","medium_large-width":330,"medium_large-height":190,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo11-hard-heart.png","large-width":330,"large-height":190,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo11-hard-heart.png","1536x1536-width":330,"1536x1536-height":190,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo11-hard-heart.png","2048x2048-width":330,"2048x2048-height":190,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo11-hard-heart.png","post_full_size-width":330,"post_full_size-height":190,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo11-hard-heart.png","home_baner-width":330,"home_baner-height":190}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Hardening The Hearts For The Sake Of Free Choice","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"It takes hard work to break bad habits","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":53737,"alt":"","title":"jo11-hard-heart","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo11-hard-heart.png","width":330,"height":190,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo11-hard-heart-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo11-hard-heart-300x173.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":173,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo11-hard-heart.png","medium_large-width":330,"medium_large-height":190,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo11-hard-heart.png","large-width":330,"large-height":190,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo11-hard-heart.png","1536x1536-width":330,"1536x1536-height":190,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo11-hard-heart.png","2048x2048-width":330,"2048x2048-height":190,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo11-hard-heart.png","post_full_size-width":330,"post_full_size-height":190,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/jo11-hard-heart.png","home_baner-width":330,"home_baner-height":190}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Exodus","chapter":"5","chapter_main_number":"55","date":"20251113","wall_id":"55"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"366","name":"Commentators","old_id":"766"},{"term_id":"384","name":"God","old_id":"784"},{"term_id":"386","name":"Psychology","old_id":"786"},{"term_id":"591","name":"Pharaoh","old_id":"991"}]},{"order":7,"id":"40873","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Arguments and Challenges for the Sake of Heaven ","post_title":"Arguments and Challenges for the Sake of Heaven","slug":"arguments-and-challenges-for-the-sake-of-heaven","old_id":"40873","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33923,"post_title":"Jonathan Sacks","slug":"rabbi-lord-jonathan-sacks","old_id":"33923","first_name":"Jonathan ","last_name":"Sacks","description":"An international religious leader, philosopher, and award-winning author of over 35 books, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks served as the International President of 929.\r\nRabbi Sacks served as the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth years between 1991 and 2013, and was knighted by Her Majesty The Queen in 2005 and made a Life Peer. Rabbi Sacks passed away on 7th November 2020, aged 72. He was one of the greatest Jewish thinkers of the 20th century, who bridged the religious and secular world through his ground-breaking canon of work.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"short_description":"Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z\"k (1948-2020) was the former Chief Rabbi of the Commonwealth, and the International 929 president.","link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":36222,"alt":"","title":"JSacks","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594.jpg","width":437,"height":548,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594-239x300.jpg","medium-width":239,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-768x448.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":448,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-1024x597.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":597,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594.jpg","1536x1536-width":437,"1536x1536-height":548,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594.jpg","2048x2048-width":437,"2048x2048-height":548,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594.jpg","post_full_size-width":437,"post_full_size-height":548,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594-335x420.jpg","home_baner-width":335,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"55","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"God chose as prophets people who were prepared to argue with heaven and earth","post_main_content_content":"

What is striking about Judaism, is that argument and the hearing of contrary views is of the essence of the religious life. Moses argues with God. That is one of the most striking things about him. He argues with Him on their first encounter at the burning bush. Four times he resists God\u2019s call to lead the Israelites to freedom, until God finally gets angry with him (Ex. 3:1\u20134:7). More significantly, at the end of the parsha he says to God:<\/p>\r\n

\u201cLord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Why did You send me? Since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and You have not rescued Your people at all.\u201d (Ex. 5:22-23).<\/p>\r\n

This is extraordinary language for a human being to use to God. But Moses was not the first to do so. The first was Abraham, who said, on hearing of God\u2019s plan to destroy the cities of the plain, \u201cShall the Judge of all the earth not do justice?\u201d (Gen. 18:25).<\/p>\r\n

Similarly, Jeremiah, posing the age-old question of why bad things happen to good people and good things to bad people, asked: \u201cWhy does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?\u201d<\/em> (Jer. 12:1). In the same vein, Habakkuk challenged God: \u201cWhy do You tolerate the treacherous? Why are You silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?<\/em>\u201d (Hab. 1:13). Job who challenges God\u2019s justice is vindicated in the book that bears his name, while his friends who defended Divine justice are said not to have spoken correctly (Job 42:7-8). Heaven, in short, is not a safe space in the current meaning of the phrase. To the contrary: God loves those who argue with Him <\/em>\u2013 so it seems from Tanakh.<\/p>\r\n

The pursuit of truth and justice require the freedom to disagree.<\/p>\r\n

And where do we learn this from? From God Himself, who chose as His prophets people who were prepared to argue with Heaven for the sake of Heaven in the name of justice and truth.<\/p>\r\n

When you learn to listen to views different from your own, realising that they are not threatening but enlarging, then you have discovered the life-changing idea of argument for the sake of heaven.<\/p>\r\n

From: God Loves Those Who Argue (Covenant & Conversation, Shemot 5778)<\/em><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":104205,"alt":"","title":"-625ff0529303e--625ff0529303fex5-argue 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and Challenges for the Sake of Heaven","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"God chose as prophets people who were prepared to argue with heaven and earth","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":104205,"alt":"","title":"-625ff0529303e--625ff0529303fex5-argue 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A Pittsburgh native, he graduated from Haverford College in Pennsylvania. Dr. Bleiberg received an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Toronto. He is the author of several books and articles on ancient Egyptian economy, Egyptian coffins, and the Jewish minority in ancient Egypt and ancient Rome.","short_description":"Dr. Edward Bleiberg is Senior Curator of Egyptian, Classical, and Ancient Near Eastern Art at the Brooklyn Museum.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":40025,"alt":"","title":"Edward_Bleiberg_335W","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Edward_Bleiberg_335W-e1537039197728.jpg","width":182,"height":204,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Edward_Bleiberg_335W-e1537039197728-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Edward_Bleiberg_335W-300x280.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":280,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Edward_Bleiberg_335W-e1537039197728.jpg","medium_large-width":182,"medium_large-height":204,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Edward_Bleiberg_335W-e1537039197728.jpg","large-width":182,"large-height":204,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Edward_Bleiberg_335W-e1537039197728.jpg","1536x1536-width":182,"1536x1536-height":204,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Edward_Bleiberg_335W-e1537039197728.jpg","2048x2048-width":182,"2048x2048-height":204,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Edward_Bleiberg_335W-e1537039197728.jpg","post_full_size-width":182,"post_full_size-height":204,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Edward_Bleiberg_335W-e1537039197728.jpg","home_baner-width":182,"home_baner-height":204}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"55","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"

https:\/\/youtu.be\/TJHzhwDtOpk<\/p>\r\n

Dr. Edward Bleiberg, Senior Curator of Egyptian, Classical, and Ancient Near Eastern Art at the Brooklyn Museum<\/p>\r\n

Dr. Aaron Koller, Associate Professor of Near Eastern and Jewish Studies, Yeshiva University<\/p>","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"929 At The Museum","tile_main_caption":"Brooklyn Museum: Of Palaces and Temples","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/TJHzhwDtOpk","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Exodus","chapter":"5","chapter_main_number":"55","date":"20251113","wall_id":"55"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"369","name":"Visual Arts","old_id":"769"},{"term_id":"555","name":"Archaeology","old_id":"955"}]},{"order":9,"id":"40876","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Sonnet: Exodus 5 ","post_title":"Sonnet: Exodus 5","slug":"sonnet-exodus-5","old_id":"40876","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":39523,"post_title":"Ilana Kurshan","slug":"ilana-kurshan","old_id":"39523","first_name":"Ilana ","last_name":"Kurshan ","description":"Ilana Kurshan is the author of If All the Seas Were Ink, winner of the Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature.","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":39524,"alt":"","title":"ilana kurshan","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ilana-kurshan-e1536180264919.jpg","width":652,"height":715,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ilana-kurshan-e1536180264919-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ilana-kurshan-e1536180264919-274x300.jpg","medium-width":274,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ilana-kurshan-768x679.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":679,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ilana-kurshan-1024x905.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":905,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ilana-kurshan-e1536180264919.jpg","1536x1536-width":652,"1536x1536-height":715,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ilana-kurshan-e1536180264919.jpg","2048x2048-width":652,"2048x2048-height":715,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ilana-kurshan-e1536180264919.jpg","post_full_size-width":652,"post_full_size-height":715,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ilana-kurshan-e1536180264919-383x420.jpg","home_baner-width":383,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"55","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The Israelites must make all their own bricks \/ So don\u2019t pull off any silly rod-snake tricks","post_main_content_content":"

Moses and his bro went to the king
\r\nAnd said: \u201cHey Pharaoh! Let my people go!\u201d
\r\nHe looked at them askance. \u201cWho knows a thing
\r\nOf your God? He\u2019s a god I do not know.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

They tried: \u201cLet us go worship Him three days
\r\nWith sacrifice. Lest we be struck by sword
\r\nHe\u2019s our God and we want to offer praise.\u201d
\r\nBut Pharaoh, rolling eyes, said \u201cO my lord.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Said Pharaoh to the foremen: \u201cGive more work
\r\nThe Israelites must make all their own bricks
\r\nThat way we know no stupid slave will shirk
\r\nOr pull off any silly rod-snake tricks.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

The foremen cried to Moses: \u201cIt\u2019s your fault!<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>Don\u2019t talk to Pharaoh. Put this to a halt!\u201d<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":104046,"alt":"","title":"-625839483a25f--625839483a261Ex-Kurshans sonnet 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A Leader Must Stand Alone ","post_title":"When A Leader Must Stand Alone","slug":"when-a-leader-must-stand-alone","old_id":"40878","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33859,"post_title":"Avidan Freedman","slug":"avidan-freedman","old_id":"33859","first_name":"Avidan","last_name":"Freedman","description":"Rabbi Avidan Freedman is the Rabbi of Hevruta, the Shalom Hartman Institute's post high school program for Israelis and North Americans, and an educator in the institute's high school. He is an activist advocating for moral limits on Israeli arms exports, and on behalf of African refugees, and a proud husband and father of 5. He received his rabbinical ordination from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah in New York, and from the Israeli chief rabbinate.","credit":"","image_url":"","short_description":"Rabbi Avidan Freedman is the Rabbi of Hevruta, the Shalom Hartman Institute's post high school program for Israelis and North Americans, and an educator in the institute's high school. ","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33860,"alt":"Avidan Freedman","title":"Avidan Freedman","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avidan-Freedman-e1532029306365.jpg","width":856,"height":1024,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avidan-Freedman-e1532029306365-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avidan-Freedman-e1532029306365-251x300.jpg","medium-width":251,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avidan-Freedman-e1532029306365-768x919.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":919,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avidan-Freedman-e1532029306365-856x1024.jpg","large-width":856,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avidan-Freedman-e1532029306365.jpg","1536x1536-width":856,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avidan-Freedman-e1532029306365.jpg","2048x2048-width":856,"2048x2048-height":1024,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avidan-Freedman-800x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Avidan-Freedman-e1532029306365-351x420.jpg","home_baner-width":351,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"55","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"It\u2019s not what the people want now that\u2019s important, but what they need ","post_main_content_content":"

So deeply does Moses internalize God's message of accountability to the people from the last chapter that he actually takes God to task at the end of chapter 5 for being the cause of their suffering. But here the Torah is sounding an important note of counterbalance to that message.<\/p>\r\n

As the chapter opens, Rashi points out that Moses and Aaron, who had been surrounded by all of the community elders, now walk alone to stand before Pharaoh. This, too, is a necessary element of leadership. Being too sensitive to the people's pain can lead to a loss of priorities. The immediacy of suffering blurs long-distance vision, focusing one's sight short-range, on the fastest, most direct way to stop it. This attitude is exactly what every despot is aiming at and counting on.<\/p>\r\n

\"Why should Moses and Aaron disturb the people from their work? Go back to your suffering!\"<\/em><\/p>\r\n

Why capitulate to Pharaoh? Because at a certain point of exhaustion, the pain is so great that Pharaoh's solution becomes a twisted kind of win-win. Everyone gets what they want- we stop hurting, and Pharaoh gets his slaves.<\/p>\r\n

This voice of exhaustion can be heard in the throats of good, normal, people who just want to live good lives, in the midst of every extended conflict. And it can be heard from the great leaders who most deeply feel the pain of their people, as do the Jewish officers in Egypt who are beaten defending Jewish slaves.<\/p>\r\n

There will come a time when their sacrifice will be rewarded and their brand of leadership will be needed. But when the conditions for peace and quiet are defined by an oppressive leader, giving in to those conditions is in reality serving him, not serving the people. This is the point at which a leader needs to be willing to stand alone, even against his own people, on their behalf.<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":60971,"alt":"","title":"2sam19-leader facing","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam19-leader-facing.png","width":1920,"height":732,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam19-leader-facing-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam19-leader-facing-300x114.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":114,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam19-leader-facing-768x293.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":293,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam19-leader-facing-1024x390.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":390,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam19-leader-facing.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":586,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam19-leader-facing.png","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":732,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam19-leader-facing-1200x458.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":458,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam19-leader-facing-1102x420.png","home_baner-width":1102,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"When A Leader Must Stand Alone","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"It\u2019s not what the people want now that\u2019s important, but what they need ","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":60971,"alt":"","title":"2sam19-leader facing","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam19-leader-facing.png","width":1920,"height":732,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam19-leader-facing-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam19-leader-facing-300x114.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":114,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam19-leader-facing-768x293.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":293,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam19-leader-facing-1024x390.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":390,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam19-leader-facing.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":586,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam19-leader-facing.png","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":732,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam19-leader-facing-1200x458.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":458,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam19-leader-facing-1102x420.png","home_baner-width":1102,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Exodus","chapter":"5","chapter_main_number":"55","date":"20251113","wall_id":"55"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"366","name":"Commentators","old_id":"766"},{"term_id":"397","name":"Moses","old_id":"797"},{"term_id":"402","name":"Leadership","old_id":"802"}]},{"order":11,"id":"41026","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Of Bricks and Straw ","post_title":"Of Bricks and Straw","slug":"of-bricks-and-straw","old_id":"41026","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":false,"related_cahpter":"55","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"From the collection of George Blumenthal","post_main_content_content":"

In Exodus 5:7\u20138, Pharaoh announces that he will no longer provide the Israelites with raw goods for their brick-making quota. Although the quota will remain the same, they will now be required to gather their own straw. Papyrus Anastasi IV, a 13th<\/sup> century hieratic text, also indicates that straw was an important material for brickmaking. The document refers to a shortage of laborers and raw materials: \u201c. . . and there are neither men to make bricks nor straw.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/p>\r\n

Photo credit: British Museum<\/p>","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"Biblical Archaeology Corner","tile_main_caption":"Of Bricks and Straw","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"From the collection of George Blumenthal","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":41027,"alt":"","title":"exodus5_image","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/exodus5_image.jpg","width":1500,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/exodus5_image-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/exodus5_image-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/exodus5_image-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/exodus5_image-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/exodus5_image.jpg","1536x1536-width":1500,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/exodus5_image.jpg","2048x2048-width":1500,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/exodus5_image-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/exodus5_image-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Exodus","chapter":"5","chapter_main_number":"55","date":"20251113","wall_id":"55"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"555","name":"Archaeology","old_id":"955"}]},{"order":12,"id":"40867","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Let My People Go ","post_title":"Let My People Go","slug":"let-my-people-go","old_id":"40867","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":36669,"post_title":"Yakov Azriel","slug":"yakov-azriel","old_id":"36669","first_name":"Yakov ","last_name":"Azriel","description":"Yakov Azriel, who lives in Israel, has published five books of poetry in the USA and hundreds of poems in journals and magazines. His poems have won twenty-two prizes in international poetry competitions, and he has twice been awarded fellowships from the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture.","short_description":"Yakov Azriel is an English language poet who lives in Israel","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":36670,"alt":"","title":"Yakov.Azriel.Photo","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668.jpg","width":1099,"height":1519,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-217x300.jpg","medium-width":217,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-741x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":741,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-741x1024.jpg","large-width":741,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668.jpg","1536x1536-width":1099,"1536x1536-height":1519,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668.jpg","2048x2048-width":1099,"2048x2048-height":1519,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-868x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":868,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-304x420.jpg","home_baner-width":304,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"55","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Let us question. Let us ask. Let us doubt.","post_main_content_content":"

Let us go. \u00a0Let us alone. \u00a0Let us out.<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>Let us dusk. \u00a0Let us evening. \u00a0Let us night.<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>Let us look in the darkness for a light <\/span>
\r\n<\/span>to lead us on. \u00a0Let us sing. Let us shout.<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>Let us whisper, too. \u00a0Let us speak about <\/span>
\r\n<\/span>a bit of milk and honey. \u00a0Let us write <\/span>
\r\n<\/span>the things we see and things beyond our sight.<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>Let us question. \u00a0Let us ask. Let us doubt.<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>Let us hailstorm. \u00a0Let us sleet. Let us snow.<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>Let us hurricane. \u00a0Let our ocean roar <\/span>
\r\n<\/span>when pounding cliffs and boulders. \u00a0Let our sea <\/span>
\r\n<\/span>engulf entire continents. \u00a0Let us go.<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>Let our winds push and push against the door <\/span>
\r\n<\/span>until it opens. \u00a0Let us out. Let us be.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":95323,"alt":"","title":"job38-question key Michal Ben Hamu","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/job38-question-key-Michal-Ben-Hamu.jpg","width":1024,"height":683,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/job38-question-key-Michal-Ben-Hamu-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/job38-question-key-Michal-Ben-Hamu-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/job38-question-key-Michal-Ben-Hamu-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/job38-question-key-Michal-Ben-Hamu-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/job38-question-key-Michal-Ben-Hamu.jpg","1536x1536-width":1024,"1536x1536-height":683,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/job38-question-key-Michal-Ben-Hamu.jpg","2048x2048-width":1024,"2048x2048-height":683,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/job38-question-key-Michal-Ben-Hamu.jpg","post_full_size-width":1024,"post_full_size-height":683,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/job38-question-key-Michal-Ben-Hamu-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"929 Poetry Corner","tile_main_caption":"Let My People Go","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Let us question. 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5:9,11 - Let heavier work \"avodah<\/em>\" be laid upon the men; let them keep at it and not pay attention to deceitful promises\u2026\u201d<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>You must go and get the straw yourselves wherever you can find it; but there shall be no decrease whatever \"be'avodatchem<\/em>\" \u00a0in your work.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

When Simeon the Righteous, said (in Avot 1:2) that the world stands on three things: on Torah, and <\/span>avodah<\/span><\/em>, and <\/span>gemilut chasadim<\/span><\/em> (deeds of loving kindness) \u2013 by <\/span>avodah<\/em> <\/span>he didn't mean hard labor. He meant service \u2013 of the kind to God, and as practiced in the Temple.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Avodah<\/span><\/em> means at least two things. It can mean service, as in <\/span>avodat hashem<\/span><\/em>, serving God, but also serving people, as in the volunteering program, Avodah: The Jewish Service Corps (see avodah.net).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But it also means work, as in labor: regarding the Garden (of Eden), God commanded Adam <\/span>le'ovdah uleshomrah<\/span><\/em>, to work it and watch it. The English words \"work\" and \"worship\" share the same etymology as well (similar to \"cult\" and \"cultivate\"). Likewise, the Israeli Labor Party is called Avodah.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But even with just the meaning of physical labor, the concept has two different, in fact opposite, connotations. The first is the positive one (as in the Garden): work as an expression of positive, creative contribution to the world. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

The second is the one we meet here in this chapter. For the root of avodah<\/em>, \u05e2-\u05d1-\u05d3, 'ayin-b-d, is also the root of avdut<\/em>, slavery. The sort of enforced labor that as the hyper-cynical sign says at the entrance to Auschwitz, \u2013 work that makes one \u201cfree\u201d (\"arbeit macht frei\"). We all know what sort of freedom that was.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The tragedy is that real, good, meaningful work actually can be liberating, but here we\u2019re talking about subjugation. \u00a0When we sing on Pesach <\/span>avadim hayinu le-far'oh bemitzrayim<\/span><\/em>,<\/em> we were <\/span>avadim<\/span><\/em> to Pharaoh in Egypt: we were \"slaves\" \u2013 both slaving for him slavishly, and servants serving him in a servile way. Egypt was a beit avadim<\/em>, a house of bondage.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":104193,"alt":"","title":"-625fdffab4345--625fdffab4346ex5-milim avodah.jpg","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/09\/625fdffab4345-625fdffab4346ex5-milim-avodah.jpg.jpg","width":960,"height":720,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/09\/625fdffab4345-625fdffab4346ex5-milim-avodah.jpg-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/09\/625fdffab4345-625fdffab4346ex5-milim-avodah.jpg-300x225.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":225,"medium_large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/09\/625fdffab4345-625fdffab4346ex5-milim-avodah.jpg-768x576.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":576,"large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/09\/625fdffab4345-625fdffab4346ex5-milim-avodah.jpg.jpg","large-width":960,"large-height":720,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/09\/625fdffab4345-625fdffab4346ex5-milim-avodah.jpg.jpg","1536x1536-width":960,"1536x1536-height":720,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/09\/625fdffab4345-625fdffab4346ex5-milim-avodah.jpg.jpg","2048x2048-width":960,"2048x2048-height":720,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/09\/625fdffab4345-625fdffab4346ex5-milim-avodah.jpg.jpg","post_full_size-width":960,"post_full_size-height":720,"home_baner":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/09\/625fdffab4345-625fdffab4346ex5-milim-avodah.jpg-560x420.jpg","home_baner-width":560,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"MiliMiliM - The Hebrew Corner","tile_main_caption":"\u05e2\u05d1\u05d5\u05d3\u05d4 - Avodah - Work, labor","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"... a word from the daily chapter...","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":104193,"alt":"","title":"-625fdffab4345--625fdffab4346ex5-milim avodah.jpg","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/09\/625fdffab4345-625fdffab4346ex5-milim-avodah.jpg.jpg","width":960,"height":720,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/09\/625fdffab4345-625fdffab4346ex5-milim-avodah.jpg-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/09\/625fdffab4345-625fdffab4346ex5-milim-avodah.jpg-300x225.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":225,"medium_large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/09\/625fdffab4345-625fdffab4346ex5-milim-avodah.jpg-768x576.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":576,"large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/09\/625fdffab4345-625fdffab4346ex5-milim-avodah.jpg.jpg","large-width":960,"large-height":720,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/09\/625fdffab4345-625fdffab4346ex5-milim-avodah.jpg.jpg","1536x1536-width":960,"1536x1536-height":720,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/09\/625fdffab4345-625fdffab4346ex5-milim-avodah.jpg.jpg","2048x2048-width":960,"2048x2048-height":720,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/09\/625fdffab4345-625fdffab4346ex5-milim-avodah.jpg.jpg","post_full_size-width":960,"post_full_size-height":720,"home_baner":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/09\/625fdffab4345-625fdffab4346ex5-milim-avodah.jpg-560x420.jpg","home_baner-width":560,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"Robert Kneschke (shutterstock 161025986)","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Exodus","chapter":"5","chapter_main_number":"55","date":"20251113","wall_id":"55"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"361","name":"Hebrew language","old_id":"761"},{"term_id":"438","name":"Slavery","old_id":"838"}]},{"order":15,"id":"40869","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Exodus Chapter 5 - Summary: Desperation ","post_title":"Exodus Chapter 5 - Summary: Desperation","slug":"exodus-chapter-5-summary-desperation","old_id":"40869","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":false,"related_cahpter":"55","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"

After the Israelites and their leaders declare the trust which Moses and Aaron earned at the end of the last chapter, they stand before Pharaoh, demanding: \"Thus says the Lord, God of Israel: let My people go\" (and to make the request sound more reasonable) \"and they will celebrate Me in the desert\" (5:1).<\/p>\r\n

Pharaoh, as is to be expected, isn't impressed: \"I don't know who 'the Lord' is and I will not let Israel go\" (5:2). Along with snubbing the Israelite leaders, Pharaoh takes measures to suppress dangerous ideas among the Israelites, his slaves: \"Let heavier work be laid upon the men so that they seek no redemption in lies\" (5:9). What does this actually mean? Straw, one of the raw materials for making bricks, will no longer be supplied. They'll have to gather it themselves, and... still come up with the same amount of bricks.<\/p>\r\n

The Israelites' suffering leads them to point an accusing finger at Moses and Aaron: \"You have made us abhorrent to Pharaoh and his servants - you've handed them a sword with which to kill us\" (5:21). Moses, in turn, blames God: \"Why have You wronged Your people? Why did You send me? Since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name he has been cruel to the nation and You have not saved Your people\" (5:22-23).<\/p>\r\n

Desperation.<\/p>\r\n

Points to Ponder:
\r\n1. A white lie<\/strong>? Moses doesn't ask that the Egyptians free the Israelites. He only asks that they be allowed to celebrate in the desert. But that doesn't mean they'll come back afterwards...<\/p>\r\n

2. Moses vs. Pharaoh<\/strong>. Is this the same Pharaoh in whose home Moses was raised? According to Exodus 2:23 (and 4:19), apparently not.<\/p>\r\n

3. Israelite officers<\/strong>. In this chapter we encounter the organizational structure of the enslaving regime. There are Egyptian taskmasters, under whom are Israelite officers who are directly in charge of the slaves. When the Israelites fail to fulfill the quota of bricks, it's the officers who are beaten by the taskmasters.<\/p>\r\n

4. Don't give up<\/strong>. Next week the tables will turn.<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":86314,"alt":"","title":"Points to ponder","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":1000,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"The Daily Summary","tile_main_caption":"Points to Ponder: Exodus 5","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Insights and questions for personal reflection and group discussion","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":86314,"alt":"","title":"Points to ponder","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":1000,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Exodus","chapter":"5","chapter_main_number":"55","date":"20251113","wall_id":"55"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false}],"hide_acf":true,"home_image":false,"home_posts_title":"","posts_home":[],"home_posts":false,"static_cube_title":"","static_cube_brief":"","static_cube_color":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall\/40555"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/wall"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40555"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}