Author: Shlomo Bar-Ayal

  • Taking God’s Name in Vain

    The most common understanding of the Commandment of not taking God’s Name in vain is that we should not swear falsely. Another understanding is that we should not do commit a crime in His Name.

  • Taking God’s Name in Vain

    The most common understanding of the Commandment of not taking God’s Name in vain is that we should not swear falsely. Another understanding is that we should not do commit a crime in His Name.

    https://youtu.be/BB3q6YJv-yY

  • The Reason for Mt. Sinai

    The 10 Commandments start with a statement that God took us out of Egypt. Why not say that He is the God who created the Heavens and the Earth? Here are two reasons for that.

  • Even Moses Had His Limits

    When Jethro comes to visit his son in law, Moses, he gives him the advice to delegate responsibilities. He does not have to carry the full burden on himself.

  • Don’t Rely on Others

    One of the problems with the Jews was that they were used to having all of their needs taken care of. One of the lessons of the Torah was that we should not rely only of God but have to work to take care of ourselves. That is what freedom really means.

  • Amalek is True Evil

    The commandment to destroy any vestige of Amalek seems strange. There is no such commandment with other enemies of the Jewish people throughout our history. Why such a commandment?

  • God Wants Action, Not Words

    When the Jews get to the Red Sea they seem to be trapped between the sea and Pharaoh’s army. Moses prays and God tells him to quit praying and jump into the sea. This shows God wants action, not just prayers.

  • Freedom Comes With a Price

    The portion starts out with the Jews avoiding going directly to the Land of Israel lest they get into a war with the Philistines and run back to Egypt. It ends with the Jews fighting Amalek. They had to learn that there was no going back to Egypt.

  • Pharaoh Misled Himself

    Pharaoh accused Moses of lying. Moses had said that the Jews had to go three days to worship God. At no time did Moses say that they would be returning. Pharaoh misled himself into believing that they would.

  • Getting Egypt Out of the Jews

    More important that getting the Jews out of Egypt was to get Egyptian culture out of the Jews. God wanted the Jews to be a moral and ethical people and to reject the immorality of Egypt.