Parshas Va'eira

Parshas Va'eira


In this week's parsha, Moshe told the Jewish people that G-d would redeem them from Egypt and give them the Torah.  The Torah says that they were not "able to listen to Moshe because of the shortness of spirit and the harsh work."( loosely translated) This was part of the slavery by Pharaoh and the Egyptians: they did not want the Jews to contemplate lofty ideals and thoughts of redemption.

The Path of the Just, by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzatto (1707–1746), relates that this is one of life's greatest challenges. We are constantly busy and there are many demands on our time; thus, we are faced with the challenge of not taking the time to think. This allows us to stay comfortable with our behavior and our path in life.

Life is hectic and we have many responsibilities, but our Sages teach us that we need to spend just a few precious minutes daily, or at least from time to time, to stop and think!

Have a great Shabbos!

Naftali