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Parasha Mishpatim (Laws): Once We Were Slaves

February 13, 2015 Since the Israelites had just been released from slavery, the first of God’s mishpatim deal with servants and slaves. “When you acquire a Jewish bondsman, for six years he shall work and in the seventh year he shall go free...” (Exodus 21:2) Several verses later, the painful experiences of the Israelites in Egypt are highlighted again, this time to create empathy for the foreigner. God commands the Israelites that foreigners be treated with kindness and respect.

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Parasha Yitro (Jethro): Burning Out for the Kingdom

February 6, 2015 Yitro rejoiced with Moses over all that God had done for them; but the next day, when Yitro saw Moses spending long hours judging the people, he was concerned about the strain on Moses. Moses’ father-in-law wisely advised him to appoint other men to occupy positions of leadership to help carry the burden, lest Moses wear himself out. The Word of God tells us which qualities to look for in choosing potential leaders: capable, God-fearing, honest people.

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Parasha Beshalach (When Let Go): The Long Way to Destiny

January 30, 2015 Pharaoh finally relented in letting the Israelites go free, but in this week's Parasha, Pharaoh changes his mind and races after them to bring them back into slavery. Thinking they are lost in the wilderness, Pharaoh seemingly traps them against the Red Sea. There is no escape. But God miraculously splits the waters so that His people pass through on dry land, while the Egyptians drown behind them.

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Parasha Bo (Come): Plagues, Freedom, and Redemption from Slavery

January 23, 2015 This week, in Parasha Bo, God sends the final three: locust, darkness and death of the firstborn. After the last plague, Pharaoh finally gives up, triggering the Exodus of the Hebrews. But what were the purposes of the Ten Plagues? To pressure Pharaoh to let the Israelites go free? Perhaps, but God is fully capable of setting His people free without a king’s permission.

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Parasha Va’era (And I Appeared): Expressions of Redemption

January 16, 2015 God promises Moses that He will accomplish four redemptive acts: He would bring out the Israelites from their suffering in Egypt, rescue them from slavery, redeem them from their oppression with His outstretched arm, and take them as His own nation (am). These four promises are called the four expressions of redemption, and they are traditionally commemorated during the Passover Seder (ritual meal) with four cups of wine.

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Parasha Shemot (Names): When Things Seem to Go From Bad to Worse

January 9, 2015 There is much to learn from the suffering of the Israelites. Despite the tyranny by the Egyptians, the People of Israel still grew mighty in number. Oppressive circumstances cannot prevent God from carrying out His purposes and fulfilling His promises. We may suffer under some sort of bondage or pain for what seems like a very long time, but we can rest assured that God hears our cries.

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Parasha Vayechi (And He Lived): The Lion and the Scepter of Judah

January 2, 2015 In this Parasha, Jacob compelled Joseph to vow to carry his body back to the Land of his Fathers and bury him there. Joseph agreed to his dying father’s request not to leave his body in Egypt. Although Jacob had lived the last 17 years of his life in Egypt, he never forgot the Land God had promised him by Divine Covenant. Ever since God called Abraham out of Ur, the Jewish People have not lost sight of the Promised Land given to them through Isaac and Jacob. Even when the people of Israel were taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar, they sat by the rivers of Babylon weeping and remembering Zion, vowing to never forget her.

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Parasha Vayigash (And He Drew Near): God’s Prophetic Plan and Seasons of Trials

December 26, 2014 Parasha Vayigash begins with a plea from Judah, brother of Joseph, on behalf of his younger half-brother, Benjamin. A silver cup was deliberately planted in Benjamin’s bag by Joseph, causing Benjamin to be in danger of having to remain a slave in Egypt. Judah could not bear to return to his father without his youngest brother, Benjamin. He knew that doing so would probably kill his father.

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Parasha Miketz (At the End) & Shabbat Chanukah

December 19, 2014 In the Holy Sanctuary, the light of the Menorah became a symbol of God’s Divine presence; its light shined not only inside the Temple, but tradition says it also shined out the windows and into Jerusalem where people could bask in its rays during the dark nights. During this time of year, when the winter nights are the longest, we sense our need for the light more intently.

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Parasha Vayeshev (And He Lived): Favor, Inheritance, and a Grand Destiny

December 12, 2014 Judah realized that although Tamar’s actions were less than perfect, she had acted to fulfill the familial responsibility to raise up a child for her husband under the family name. He realized that she was more righteous than he was, so he set her free. Tamar gave birth to twins, one of whom, Perez, who became a forefather of Boaz, who became the great-grandfather of King David, who became a forefather of the Messiah.

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