Parashat Bo' (Ex. 10:1-13:16) פָּרָשַׁת בֹּא
INTRODUCTION:
Parashat Bo՚ (Ex. 10:1-13:16) contains the following sidrot:
Fifty-Third Sidra՚, the eighth plague - locusts, and the ninth plague - darkness;
Fifty-Fourth Sidra՚, decree of the death of the first-born, regulations for the Passover, the pilgrimage-festival of Unleavened Bread, more regulations for the Passover;
Fifty-Fifth Sidra՚, the tenth plague - death of the first-born, the Exodus from Egypt, even more regulations for the Passover;
Fifty-Sixth Sidra՚ (continues into the next parasha), consecration of the first-born, more concerning the pilgrimage-festival of Unleavened Bread, consecration of the first-born continues.
ANALYSIS:
Fifty-Third Sidra՚ (Ex. 10:1-29): The eighth plague - locusts, and the ninth plague - darkness.
The parasha begins with YHWH telling Moses why He made Pharaoh so obstinate, "in order that I may put these My signs in his midst. And in order that you may recount in the ears of your son and the son of your son how I dealt wantonly with Egypt, and My signs which I have placed among them; and you will know that I am YHWH" (Ex. 10:1-2). Moses and Aaron go to Pharaoh, as YHWH commanded them, and once again demand that the people be set free to serve YHWH. But, if he refuses to release the Children of Israel, then tomorrow a swarm of locust as never seen before in the land of Egypt will descend upon Egypt. There will be so many that it will be impossible to see the ground beneath them as they consume all that was left from the destruction caused by the hail. An air of discontent starts to grow against Pharaoh, for his servants protest, "Until when shall this one be to us for snare, send out the men, and they shall serve YHWH their God; do you not yet know, that Egypt is lost" (Ex. 10:7). Pharaoh heeds their advice and has Moses and Aaron brought back. Pharaoh tells them to go and serve YHWH, but he wants to know who would go. Moses responds that they will be taking the young and the old as well as their sheep and oxen. Realizing their intent, Pharaoh refuses and has Moses and Aaron thrown out. YHWH tells Moses to stretch out his hand and staff over Egypt, Moses does so and YHWH drives an east wind against the land of Egypt all day and all night. In the morning the east wind has carried the locusts, which descended upon Egypt and cover every corner and facet of the land, while consuming all the vegetation that had survived the hail. Quickly Pharaoh has Moses and Aaron called for and once again admits that he has sinned against YHWH. Pharaoh asks Moses and Aaron to entreat YHWH on his behalf and remove what Pharaoh terms as "this death" (Ex. 10:17). Moses does as Pharaoh requested, and YHWH turns the wind causing a very strong sea wind to carry the locusts away, casting them into the Sea of Reeds until not one locust remained in the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh still did not send the Children of Israel free!
Without any warning to Pharaoh, YHWH commands Moses to initiate the ninth plague - darkness. Moses is told to stretch out his hands over the heavens and darkness will cover the land of Egypt; a darkness that may be felt. Moses does as YHWH commanded and there was a gloomy darkness throughout the land of Egypt for three days. The Torah informs us that it was so dark that it was even impossible for a man to recognize his brother and that no one was able to move about. Nevertheless, there was light in the settlements of the Children of Israel. Pharaoh calls for Moses and tells him that they may go and serve YHWH, even the children, but they cannot take their flocks or cattle. Moses retorts that all must go with them to serve YHWH, even the livestock. Moses now introduces a new term in his negotiations with Pharaoh; Pharaoh must provide the animals for the Children of Israel to offer. YHWH makes Pharaoh obstinate once more so that he will not send the Children of Israel free. It is Pharaoh's very own words in his response to Moses that seals the doom of Egypt, "Go from me; keep to yourself you are not to see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die" (Ex. 10:28). To which Moses chillingly responds, "Yes you have spoken; I will not see your face again" (Ex. 10:29).
Fifty-Fourth Sidra՚ (Ex. 11:1-12:28): Decree of the death of the first-born, regulations for the Passover, the pilgrimage-festival of Unleavened
Bread, more regulations for the Passover.
The fifty-fourth sidra՚ opens with YHWH telling Moses that He will bring one more strike against Pharaoh and Egypt. This plague - the tenth and last - will be so devastating that Pharaoh will send the Children of Israel free. YHWH politely asks Moses to tell the Children of Israel to request from their Egyptian neighbours vessels of silver and gold. The Torah informs us, "And YHWH gave the people grace in the eyes of Egypt; also the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the eyes of Pharaoh's servants and in the eyes of the people" (Ex. 11:3). Moses relates to Pharaoh what YHWH is about to do. In the middle of the night YHWH will go throughout the land of Egypt and every first-born will die, from high-born to low-born, including man and beast, "But against all the Children of Israel no dog shall sharpen its tongue, against man or against beast; in order that you shall know, that YHWH makes a distinction, between Egypt and between Israel" (Ex. 11:7). Moses goes out from Pharaoh in a blazing anger.
YHWH tells Moses and Aaron that, "This month is to you the beginning of months; it is to you the first, of the months of the year" (Ex. 12:2). Moses and Aaron are to inform the entire Community of Israel (this is the first time in the Torah that the term Community of Israel עֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל is used) of the regulations for the Pesaḥ Offering (פֶּסַח - pass-over):
The Torah now relates the ordinances for the Pilgrimage Festival of Maṣṣoth (unleavened bread) - which follows on from the Pesaḥ Offering - is here called a remembrance. We are commanded to keep the Pilgrimage Festival of Maṣṣoth for seven days, from the fifteenth of the first month until the twenty-first of first month, in commemoration of the Exodus from Egypt throughout our generations. Prior to the commencement of the festival we must remove all traces of leaven (שְֹאֹר) from our homes. During the seven days of the festival we are to eat maṣṣoth and are not permitted to eat anything fermented (חָמֵץ) or anything containing fermented ingredients; the punishment for which is, "that person shall be cut off from Israel" (Ex. 12:15). The first day and seventh day are holy proclamations on which no mela՚kha (work that is productive or creative) maybe done, but cooking is permitted even though it is a form of mela՚kha.
Moses has the Elders of Israel called for and instructs them with the regulations for the first ever Pesaḥ:
Fifty-Fifth Sidra՚ (Ex. 12:29-51): The tenth plague - death of the first-born, the Exodus from Egypt, even more regulations for the Passover.
The tenth plague is told in just two chilling verses, "And it was in the middle of the night that YHWH struck all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh who sits upon his throne, to the first-born of the captive, who is in the dungeon; and all the first-born of beast. And Pharaoh arose (in the) night he and all his servants and all Egypt, and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house, that there was not there one dead." (Ex. 12:29-30)
Pharaoh immediately calls for Moshe and Aaron and tells them they are to, "arise and go out from amidst my people" (Ex. 12:31) in addition they can take all their livestock furthermore the can go and worship YHWH. Before Moses and Aaron leave the presence of Pharaoh he asks them, "And bless me also" (Ex. 12:32). The Egypt people were now very anxious for the Israelites to leave due to the devastation brought by the plagues, moreover they gave the Israelites many items of gold, silver and clothing. Egypt was stripped bare as compensation for the years of cruel bondage as YHWH had said. The Children of Israel loaded their dough upon their shoulders before it had fermented and set of from Ra'meses (Zoan) in the eastern Nile Delta near Goshen, to Sukkoth which is south east of Ra'meses and near the modern day city of al-Isma'iliyah. The Israelites left Egypt with a mixed multitude of different peoples, including Egyptians, who had attached themselves to the Children of Israel. The Torah informs us that the dough which they loaded onto their shoulders did not ferment and baked into unleavened cakes, also because they left Egypt in haste they did not have time to make any provisions. "And the settlement of the Children of Israel, which had settled in Egypt; was thirty years, and four hundred years" (Ex. 12:40). According to the years calculated from the genealogy of Moses and Aaron mentioned in Parashat Wa՚era՚ the four hundred and thirty years the Children of Israel were in Egypt would have included the age of the Patriarchs in the land of Canaan, which during this period was under Egyptian domination. The Torah reveals to us the quintessential meaning of the Pesaḥ, "It is a night of keeping-watch for YHWH, to bring them out from the land of Egypt; that is this night of YHWH, a keeping-watch for all the Children of Israel throughout their generations" (Ex. 12:42).
YHWH relays to Moses and Aaron even more regulations for the Pesaḥ Offering:
Fifty-Sixth Sidra՚ (Ex. 13:1-13:16 continues into the next parasha): Consecration of the first-born, more concerning the pilgrimage-festival of Unleavened Bread, consecration of the first-born continues.
The fifty-sixth sidra՚ opens with the verse; "And YHWH spoke to Moses saying. Sanctify to me every first-born the first-opener of every womb among the Children of Israel, of human and of beast; it is mine" (Ex. 13:1-2).
The regulations concerning the consecration of the first-born are interrupted by the reiteration of the ordinances for the Pilgrimage Festival of Maṣṣoth, as both commemorate the Exodus from Egypt. Exodus 13:4 informs us of the exact time of year that we left Egypt, "This day you are coming out; in the month of the fresh-ears of grain", and Exodus 9:31 informs us that it was the barley that was in ear. In this section dealing with the ordinances of the Pilgrimage Festival of Maṣṣoth we are informed that the Children of Israel are to start keeping the festival once they enter the land of Canaan, "And it shall be when YHWH brings you to the Land of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Hivite and the Jebusite which He swore to your fathers to give to you, a land flowing with milk and honey; and you shall serve this service in this month" (Ex. 13:5), this lends further credence to the hypothesis that the regulations for the Pesaḥ Offering in verses 12:3-11 and the ordinances for the Pilgrimage Festival of Maṣṣoth verses 12:14-20 are to be established once Israel is settled in the land of Canaan. As well as not eat anything fermented (חָמֵץ) or anything containing fermented ingredients, nothing fermented nor any leaven is to be seen within our borders. Additionally we are commanded to teach our children about the Exodus and the wonders that YHWH did for us, for the deeds of YHWH i.e. the Exodus, are to be, "to you for a sign upon your hand and for a remembrance between your eyes, in order that the Torah of YHWH will be in your mouth; because with a strong hand, YHWH brought you out from Egypt" (Ex. 13:9).
The regulations concerning the consecration of the first-born are now cited. Just as with the Pilgrimage Festival of Maṣṣoth, the consecration of the first-born is to be kept once the Children of Israel enter the land of Canaan. The Torah defines the first-born for consecration as the "first-opener of a womb" (Ex. 13:12), and thus belongs to YHWH. The first-born of a donkey (possibly representing any domesticated impure beast) is to be ransomed with a sheep, and if it isn't, then its neck is to be broken. However every first-born human male is to be ransomed. Again, as with the Pilgrimage Festival of Maṣṣoth, the connection between the consecration of the first-born and the Exodus from Egypt is clearly delineated by the fact the first-born are ransomed because, "YHWH killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of human even to the first-born of beast" (Ex. 13:15). The parasha ends by once again stressing that the deeds that YHWH performed for us during the Exodus are to be, "a sign upon your hand, and for droplets/pendants between your eyes; for with strength of hand, YHWH brought us out from Egypt" (Ex. 13:16).
AUTHOR'S THOUGHTS:
The Pesaḥ Offering is the first ordinance bestowed upon the entire Community of Israel by YHWH. We can trace our birth as a nation back to that dark foreboding night, our very last in Egypt. The next morning Israel, as a nation, would step out onto the stage of world history. While the tenth plague befell Egypt, decimating her population, Israel passed from the dark winter of bondage to the springtime of nationhood and to the freedom of YHWH's Torah. We are a nation born in slavery, a sobering fact that places any subsequent achievements into the correct perspective; humility is the lesson. More than anything else YHWH did it! No armies, no tanks, no missiles, just the Creator and Master of all. Just as our ancestors longed for freedom from the Egyptian bondage, we also long for true freedom. True freedom is not the negation of subjugation and slavery, in whatever form it may manifest itself, but the willing acceptance of a higher discipline. We were redeemed for a purpose; to serve YHWH and to keep His Torah. YHWH released us from subjugation by an earthly master in order to prove our worth as a chosen people prepared to serve Him. Thus in truth there is no absolute freedom only a choice of masters. We can serve YHWH and be free, or else serve man and be enslaved.
Parashat Bo՚ (Ex. 10:1-13:16) contains the following sidrot:
Fifty-Third Sidra՚, the eighth plague - locusts, and the ninth plague - darkness;
Fifty-Fourth Sidra՚, decree of the death of the first-born, regulations for the Passover, the pilgrimage-festival of Unleavened Bread, more regulations for the Passover;
Fifty-Fifth Sidra՚, the tenth plague - death of the first-born, the Exodus from Egypt, even more regulations for the Passover;
Fifty-Sixth Sidra՚ (continues into the next parasha), consecration of the first-born, more concerning the pilgrimage-festival of Unleavened Bread, consecration of the first-born continues.
ANALYSIS:
Fifty-Third Sidra՚ (Ex. 10:1-29): The eighth plague - locusts, and the ninth plague - darkness.
The parasha begins with YHWH telling Moses why He made Pharaoh so obstinate, "in order that I may put these My signs in his midst. And in order that you may recount in the ears of your son and the son of your son how I dealt wantonly with Egypt, and My signs which I have placed among them; and you will know that I am YHWH" (Ex. 10:1-2). Moses and Aaron go to Pharaoh, as YHWH commanded them, and once again demand that the people be set free to serve YHWH. But, if he refuses to release the Children of Israel, then tomorrow a swarm of locust as never seen before in the land of Egypt will descend upon Egypt. There will be so many that it will be impossible to see the ground beneath them as they consume all that was left from the destruction caused by the hail. An air of discontent starts to grow against Pharaoh, for his servants protest, "Until when shall this one be to us for snare, send out the men, and they shall serve YHWH their God; do you not yet know, that Egypt is lost" (Ex. 10:7). Pharaoh heeds their advice and has Moses and Aaron brought back. Pharaoh tells them to go and serve YHWH, but he wants to know who would go. Moses responds that they will be taking the young and the old as well as their sheep and oxen. Realizing their intent, Pharaoh refuses and has Moses and Aaron thrown out. YHWH tells Moses to stretch out his hand and staff over Egypt, Moses does so and YHWH drives an east wind against the land of Egypt all day and all night. In the morning the east wind has carried the locusts, which descended upon Egypt and cover every corner and facet of the land, while consuming all the vegetation that had survived the hail. Quickly Pharaoh has Moses and Aaron called for and once again admits that he has sinned against YHWH. Pharaoh asks Moses and Aaron to entreat YHWH on his behalf and remove what Pharaoh terms as "this death" (Ex. 10:17). Moses does as Pharaoh requested, and YHWH turns the wind causing a very strong sea wind to carry the locusts away, casting them into the Sea of Reeds until not one locust remained in the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh still did not send the Children of Israel free!
Without any warning to Pharaoh, YHWH commands Moses to initiate the ninth plague - darkness. Moses is told to stretch out his hands over the heavens and darkness will cover the land of Egypt; a darkness that may be felt. Moses does as YHWH commanded and there was a gloomy darkness throughout the land of Egypt for three days. The Torah informs us that it was so dark that it was even impossible for a man to recognize his brother and that no one was able to move about. Nevertheless, there was light in the settlements of the Children of Israel. Pharaoh calls for Moses and tells him that they may go and serve YHWH, even the children, but they cannot take their flocks or cattle. Moses retorts that all must go with them to serve YHWH, even the livestock. Moses now introduces a new term in his negotiations with Pharaoh; Pharaoh must provide the animals for the Children of Israel to offer. YHWH makes Pharaoh obstinate once more so that he will not send the Children of Israel free. It is Pharaoh's very own words in his response to Moses that seals the doom of Egypt, "Go from me; keep to yourself you are not to see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die" (Ex. 10:28). To which Moses chillingly responds, "Yes you have spoken; I will not see your face again" (Ex. 10:29).
Fifty-Fourth Sidra՚ (Ex. 11:1-12:28): Decree of the death of the first-born, regulations for the Passover, the pilgrimage-festival of Unleavened
Bread, more regulations for the Passover.
The fifty-fourth sidra՚ opens with YHWH telling Moses that He will bring one more strike against Pharaoh and Egypt. This plague - the tenth and last - will be so devastating that Pharaoh will send the Children of Israel free. YHWH politely asks Moses to tell the Children of Israel to request from their Egyptian neighbours vessels of silver and gold. The Torah informs us, "And YHWH gave the people grace in the eyes of Egypt; also the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the eyes of Pharaoh's servants and in the eyes of the people" (Ex. 11:3). Moses relates to Pharaoh what YHWH is about to do. In the middle of the night YHWH will go throughout the land of Egypt and every first-born will die, from high-born to low-born, including man and beast, "But against all the Children of Israel no dog shall sharpen its tongue, against man or against beast; in order that you shall know, that YHWH makes a distinction, between Egypt and between Israel" (Ex. 11:7). Moses goes out from Pharaoh in a blazing anger.
YHWH tells Moses and Aaron that, "This month is to you the beginning of months; it is to you the first, of the months of the year" (Ex. 12:2). Moses and Aaron are to inform the entire Community of Israel (this is the first time in the Torah that the term Community of Israel עֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל is used) of the regulations for the Pesaḥ Offering (פֶּסַח - pass-over):
- On the 10th day of the First Month each household i.e. each extended family, is to set aside a year old male sheep or goat perfect without blemish.
- If the extended family is few in numbers then several extended families can join together.
- The year old sheep or goat is to be kept safe until the 14th day of the First Month.
- It is slaughtered at twilight on the 14th of the First Month, the eve of the 15th.
- The blood from the sacrifice is placed upon the two doorposts and lintel of the house in which it is eaten.
- It is not to be eaten raw or boiled, but roasted whole with fire, with its head and innards, and eaten with maṣṣoth (unleavened bread) and bitter herbs.
- None of it is to remain until the morning; any remainders are to be burnt before the morning.
- It has to be eaten, "with your waist girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in trepidation" (Ex. 12:11).
The Torah now relates the ordinances for the Pilgrimage Festival of Maṣṣoth (unleavened bread) - which follows on from the Pesaḥ Offering - is here called a remembrance. We are commanded to keep the Pilgrimage Festival of Maṣṣoth for seven days, from the fifteenth of the first month until the twenty-first of first month, in commemoration of the Exodus from Egypt throughout our generations. Prior to the commencement of the festival we must remove all traces of leaven (שְֹאֹר) from our homes. During the seven days of the festival we are to eat maṣṣoth and are not permitted to eat anything fermented (חָמֵץ) or anything containing fermented ingredients; the punishment for which is, "that person shall be cut off from Israel" (Ex. 12:15). The first day and seventh day are holy proclamations on which no mela՚kha (work that is productive or creative) maybe done, but cooking is permitted even though it is a form of mela՚kha.
Moses has the Elders of Israel called for and instructs them with the regulations for the first ever Pesaḥ:
- Each clan is to take a sheep and slaughter it as the Pesaḥ.
- The blood of the Pesaḥ is to be collected in a basin.
- A bunch of oregano is to be dipped into the blood and touched upon the lintel and two doorposts of the house where the Pesaḥ is to be eaten.
- No one is to leave the house until the morning.
- The blood will serve as a sign and when YHWH sees the blood He will pass over the house and the plague will not affect it.
Fifty-Fifth Sidra՚ (Ex. 12:29-51): The tenth plague - death of the first-born, the Exodus from Egypt, even more regulations for the Passover.
The tenth plague is told in just two chilling verses, "And it was in the middle of the night that YHWH struck all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh who sits upon his throne, to the first-born of the captive, who is in the dungeon; and all the first-born of beast. And Pharaoh arose (in the) night he and all his servants and all Egypt, and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house, that there was not there one dead." (Ex. 12:29-30)
Pharaoh immediately calls for Moshe and Aaron and tells them they are to, "arise and go out from amidst my people" (Ex. 12:31) in addition they can take all their livestock furthermore the can go and worship YHWH. Before Moses and Aaron leave the presence of Pharaoh he asks them, "And bless me also" (Ex. 12:32). The Egypt people were now very anxious for the Israelites to leave due to the devastation brought by the plagues, moreover they gave the Israelites many items of gold, silver and clothing. Egypt was stripped bare as compensation for the years of cruel bondage as YHWH had said. The Children of Israel loaded their dough upon their shoulders before it had fermented and set of from Ra'meses (Zoan) in the eastern Nile Delta near Goshen, to Sukkoth which is south east of Ra'meses and near the modern day city of al-Isma'iliyah. The Israelites left Egypt with a mixed multitude of different peoples, including Egyptians, who had attached themselves to the Children of Israel. The Torah informs us that the dough which they loaded onto their shoulders did not ferment and baked into unleavened cakes, also because they left Egypt in haste they did not have time to make any provisions. "And the settlement of the Children of Israel, which had settled in Egypt; was thirty years, and four hundred years" (Ex. 12:40). According to the years calculated from the genealogy of Moses and Aaron mentioned in Parashat Wa՚era՚ the four hundred and thirty years the Children of Israel were in Egypt would have included the age of the Patriarchs in the land of Canaan, which during this period was under Egyptian domination. The Torah reveals to us the quintessential meaning of the Pesaḥ, "It is a night of keeping-watch for YHWH, to bring them out from the land of Egypt; that is this night of YHWH, a keeping-watch for all the Children of Israel throughout their generations" (Ex. 12:42).
YHWH relays to Moses and Aaron even more regulations for the Pesaḥ Offering:
- No non-Israelite can eat of it.
- A non-Israelite slave purchased by an Israelite once circumcised may eat of it, but not a non-Israelite hired-hand.
- It is to be eaten in one house and no part of it maybe brought out of the house.
- None of its bones are to be broken, i.e. to suck out the marrow.
- The entire Community of Israel, i.e. ethnic Israelites, is to offer it.
- If the Ger (Sojourner - a non-Israelite who accepts the laws of a Ger as laid down in the Torah, i.e. a half way house between a God fearing Gentile and an Israelite) desires to offer the Pesaḥ he first has to become circumcised.
- Once the circumcised Ger offers the Pesaḥ he becomes an ethnic Israelite, thus the Pesaḥ Offering as well as being a remembrance for the redemption from Egypt was also the finale of the Ger's naturalization as an Israelite.
Fifty-Sixth Sidra՚ (Ex. 13:1-13:16 continues into the next parasha): Consecration of the first-born, more concerning the pilgrimage-festival of Unleavened Bread, consecration of the first-born continues.
The fifty-sixth sidra՚ opens with the verse; "And YHWH spoke to Moses saying. Sanctify to me every first-born the first-opener of every womb among the Children of Israel, of human and of beast; it is mine" (Ex. 13:1-2).
The regulations concerning the consecration of the first-born are interrupted by the reiteration of the ordinances for the Pilgrimage Festival of Maṣṣoth, as both commemorate the Exodus from Egypt. Exodus 13:4 informs us of the exact time of year that we left Egypt, "This day you are coming out; in the month of the fresh-ears of grain", and Exodus 9:31 informs us that it was the barley that was in ear. In this section dealing with the ordinances of the Pilgrimage Festival of Maṣṣoth we are informed that the Children of Israel are to start keeping the festival once they enter the land of Canaan, "And it shall be when YHWH brings you to the Land of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Hivite and the Jebusite which He swore to your fathers to give to you, a land flowing with milk and honey; and you shall serve this service in this month" (Ex. 13:5), this lends further credence to the hypothesis that the regulations for the Pesaḥ Offering in verses 12:3-11 and the ordinances for the Pilgrimage Festival of Maṣṣoth verses 12:14-20 are to be established once Israel is settled in the land of Canaan. As well as not eat anything fermented (חָמֵץ) or anything containing fermented ingredients, nothing fermented nor any leaven is to be seen within our borders. Additionally we are commanded to teach our children about the Exodus and the wonders that YHWH did for us, for the deeds of YHWH i.e. the Exodus, are to be, "to you for a sign upon your hand and for a remembrance between your eyes, in order that the Torah of YHWH will be in your mouth; because with a strong hand, YHWH brought you out from Egypt" (Ex. 13:9).
The regulations concerning the consecration of the first-born are now cited. Just as with the Pilgrimage Festival of Maṣṣoth, the consecration of the first-born is to be kept once the Children of Israel enter the land of Canaan. The Torah defines the first-born for consecration as the "first-opener of a womb" (Ex. 13:12), and thus belongs to YHWH. The first-born of a donkey (possibly representing any domesticated impure beast) is to be ransomed with a sheep, and if it isn't, then its neck is to be broken. However every first-born human male is to be ransomed. Again, as with the Pilgrimage Festival of Maṣṣoth, the connection between the consecration of the first-born and the Exodus from Egypt is clearly delineated by the fact the first-born are ransomed because, "YHWH killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of human even to the first-born of beast" (Ex. 13:15). The parasha ends by once again stressing that the deeds that YHWH performed for us during the Exodus are to be, "a sign upon your hand, and for droplets/pendants between your eyes; for with strength of hand, YHWH brought us out from Egypt" (Ex. 13:16).
AUTHOR'S THOUGHTS:
The Pesaḥ Offering is the first ordinance bestowed upon the entire Community of Israel by YHWH. We can trace our birth as a nation back to that dark foreboding night, our very last in Egypt. The next morning Israel, as a nation, would step out onto the stage of world history. While the tenth plague befell Egypt, decimating her population, Israel passed from the dark winter of bondage to the springtime of nationhood and to the freedom of YHWH's Torah. We are a nation born in slavery, a sobering fact that places any subsequent achievements into the correct perspective; humility is the lesson. More than anything else YHWH did it! No armies, no tanks, no missiles, just the Creator and Master of all. Just as our ancestors longed for freedom from the Egyptian bondage, we also long for true freedom. True freedom is not the negation of subjugation and slavery, in whatever form it may manifest itself, but the willing acceptance of a higher discipline. We were redeemed for a purpose; to serve YHWH and to keep His Torah. YHWH released us from subjugation by an earthly master in order to prove our worth as a chosen people prepared to serve Him. Thus in truth there is no absolute freedom only a choice of masters. We can serve YHWH and be free, or else serve man and be enslaved.
