Parashat 14 Portion 51 Shemot 8:20-9:35 Yesh 34:11- 35:4 Heb 12:14-17

Bar’chu et YHVH ha-m’vorach, Baruch YHVH ha-m’vorach l’O’lam va-ed!

Baruch ata YHVHEloheinu melech ha-olam asher bachar banu m’kol ha-amim, v’na-tan lanu eht Torah-to. Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”

(Bless YHVH the blessed One; Blessed is YHVH, the blessed One for all eternity. Blessed are you, YHVH, our Elohim, King of the Universe, you have selected us from among all the peoples, and have given us your Torah.)

Exo 8:20  And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Rise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh as he comes out to the water, and say to him, ‘Thus said יהוה, “Let My people go, so that they serve Me.

Exo 8:21  “Or else, if you do not let My people go, see, I am sending swarms of flies on you and your servants, and on your people and into your houses. And the houses of the Mitsrites shall be filled with swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they stand.

Exo 8:22  “And in that day I shall separate the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, so that you know that I am יהוה in the midst of the land. (Eph 2:12-13)

Exo 8:23  “And I shall put a distinction (Heb – ransom) between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall be.” ’ ”

The difficult verb פדה (pada) describes how one's submission to a common standard creates a much greater degree of freedom than that the absence or violation of that standard would.

‘’In the Bible this verb may describe the cultivation of a field from its wild state, or a change in cultivation from the standard adhered to by the old owner to the one of the new owners. It may also describe the transfer of a girl from the standard of her father's house to that of her new husband's house. To modern tastes this principle may seem horribly misogynistic, which is why we don't have words that describe it. In Biblical times, however, a young woman who neither enjoyed the protection of her father's house nor that of a husband's wouldn't live very long. Her submission to either standard guaranteed her safety and freedom of movement much more than an "escape" into the uncharted wild. (1Cor 6:20)

Because this verb describes an effort made, or a price paid, to obtain collective freedom, it's often translated with to ransom or redeem (Numbers 18:16, 2 Samuel 7:23, Isaiah 35:10, 51:11), while in the narrative the old standard is often portrayed as a captor, an abductor, or an evil slave-driving master. The famous invitation of Yeshua/Jesus to the heavy-laden to take up his yoke, speaks likewise of a light private load in return for a priceless collective rest (MATTHEW 11:29).’’ Abiram Publications.

Exo 8:24  And יהוה did so, and thick swarms of flies came into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses, and into all the land of Mitsrayim, and the land was ruined because of the swarms of flies.

Exo 8:25  Pharaoh then called for Mosheh and Aharon, and said, “Go, slaughter to your Elohim in the land.”

Exo 8:26  And Mosheh said, “It is not right to do so, for we would be slaughtering the abomination of the Mitsrites to יהוה our Elohim. See, if we slaughter the abomination of the Mitsrites before their eyes, would they not stone us?