| * | Shemot / "Summary: With the final three plagues, the battle between God and Pharaoh comes to a dramatic conclusion. Locust swarm down upon Egypt devouring all the crops and plants that remain. But Pharaoh still refuses to let the Israelites go. When darkness descends upon Egypt for three full days, Pharaoh seems to relent, but not completely. Moses refuses his offer, and Pharaoh declares that Moses can not come before him again, or he will be put to death. Moses then forewarns the Egyptians about the final plague: Death of the First Born. Before the final plague, God presents the first Mitzvah to be given to the People of Israel collectively: the observance of the festival of Pesach (Passover). Moses and Aaron are instructed by God to offer a lamb as a sacrifice, and to mark the doorposts of the homes of the Israelites with its blood. Instructions are then given to eat Matzah (unleavened bread) and Maror (bitter herbs) and to annually observe a seven day festival of commemoration of the Exodus (which is yet to take place). And then, as the climactic conclusion, the angel of death passes through, killing all of the first born of Egypt. With this final blow, Pharaoh sends the Israelites on their way, and they hurriedly depart. We are told that there were 600,000 adult men who left Egypt, along with all the Israelite women, children, and a ""mixed multitude"" - all the other non-Israelite slaves who also took the opportunity to leave. Our parasha concludes with a review of the laws of Pesach, as well as introducing the mitzvot of Redemption of the First Born and Tefillin." |