1. Tefillin
2. Golden Calf
3. Forms of Heresy
4. Notes (2023)
5. Chapter 10
   1. Locusts
   2. Darkness
6. Chapter 11
7. Chapter 12
8. Chapter 13

The only difference between nature and the miraculous is that we are accustomed to the former, and startled by the latter.

Tefillin

At the end of the Parashat Bo, a sacred duty is placed upon us, to carry into the future as a sign, by laying tefillin, which contain scrolls telling of the Exodus.

וְהָיָ֤ה לְאוֹת֙ עַל־יָ֣דְכָ֔ה וּלְטוֹטָפֹ֖ת בֵּ֣ין עֵינֶ֑יךָ כִּ֚י בְּחֹ֣זֶק יָ֔ד הוֹצִיאָ֥נוּ יְהֹוָ֖ה מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃

"And so it shall be as a sign upon your hand and as a symbol on your forehead that with a might hand the Ha'shem freed us from Egypt."

This is a constant reminder for us, an action we repeat almost every day to remind us of who we are, and our duties and responsibilities as human beings who are part of something greater (whether a family, a community, or a belief in the goodness of G-d, together with whom we will herald in the coming of the Messianic era.) There are four reminders wrapped into the mystery of the tefillin.

1. The principle of the Unity of G-d. God is One.

שׁמא ישׂרַאל אדוני אלוהינו, אדוני אחד.

"Hear O Israel, Your Lord, Your G-d, is One."

2. To accept His omnipotence.

In the old language, we spoke of His Kingship — the state, or cloak of King, that is placed upon someone. It speaks of rulers and empires, of the pharaoh and his ilk. It thus acknowledges and supports the concept of Kingship, which is only apt in reference to the Divine Omnipotent King who rules over us all. But it opens the door to human "kings" claiming divine status — and who can object?

3. Karma

The next reminder is that of Karma. Acknowledge the dynamics of cause and effect. The previous concept of reward and punishment fitted in to the realm of kingship. It is, after all, a king who metes out reward and punishment, and has the sovereign right to. No, G-d does not punish us, nor does he reward us — we reap what we sow. If you behave according to the Will of G-d, as expressed, in part, by the so-called "laws of nature", you will find balance and some peace. As long as you fight against His Will, you will find your life beset.

4. The binding.

Finally, there is the binding. The promise and commitment to obey his מִתצבות, his commandments/orders – which are his mitzvot, which themselves mean, binding, an assertian of the
These orders were set down thousands of years ago. Would the commandments of the Infinite Being be given once, and never again? If creation is continuous, and evolutionary, does the practice of these laws not being continuously recreated as well? Many aspects of the Torah are interpreted and expressed in the vernacular of the time. We cannot deny that Judaism, as a practice, has changed and evolved - as has humanity, the transmitters of this Wisdom. We bind the arm - action, opposite to the heart - emotion, and then place the head piece - which represents the intellect and memory. Memory allows us to be conscious and aware of our obligations. My question is whether the practice - the outer form - of these obligations are set in stone, and unchanging. For I put forward that it is the inner obligation(s) - to love Ha'Shem with all your heart and soul - that does not and cannot change.

These scrolls are reminders of the Exodus from Egypt. It is also acknowledged that there is a dimension of Exodus that affects the whole Torah. Thus to my previous point:

1. It is still ongoing
2. We cannot do the same thing and expect a different result.
   That persecution, anti-semitism and hatred, will not arise this time! But what is this change that is needed?
3. The story is a story of an uprising.

Golden Calf

The heresy of the golden calf represents the attraction of Egypt, the place of "physical" bondage. Today we say that your spirit is still a slave in Egypt.

Israel, the holy land, where, when we create the Temple, the Shekhina will return her home.
Egypt, is the place of physicality, where we bind our souls with the material.

The calf represents the germ of idolatry. Although liberated from our physical slavery, if we cannot free ourselves from our intellectual bondage, we will fall back into creating an idolatrous society.

Anything produced by mankind, the he accepts as divine, will be constaining and limiting, and he will likely become enslaved by (addicted to) it.

No person can see all of humanity (not even Moshe Rabeinu).

Forms of Heresy

1. The world always existed. There is no creator.
2. G-d cannot be aware of daily happenings.
3. He is not involved in human affairs.
4. No reward nor punishment. No need to take responsibility for the outcome of one's actions.

מנ”ה - He will count (each one of us). Meaning that each one of us is important to Him.

Notes (2023)

Although I have carried the inspiring and resounding story of the Exodus from Egypt, the event through which our Nation, my nation, was formed, this time the reading of this Parasha left me with a rather uninspired feeling. The story is riddled with strangenesses, disconcerting unfoldings that leave one with a strange taste.

That our liberation occurred was built on infanticide. That G-d felt it was necessary to kill all the first-born of Egypt in order to enable the Hebrews to leave and eventually establish their own nation is appalling enough, but that G-d destined that by "hardening Pharaoh's heart" until the final act of infanticide occurred. As the omnipotent Creator of all things, surely that was not the only way to do this?

Then there is the strange effects of the plagues, which were never discussed. For instance, as the locusts ate all the green vegetations the hail did not destroy; that much livestock died as a result of the death of all first-born; that the Egyptians "gave" the Hebrews their valuable possessions as well as much of the livestock that remained; it is obvious that Egypt must have been in a very sorrow state. However, besides there being no historical record of this, there is also no record of two to two-and-a-half million people leaving Egypt, which was a country that would hardly have had more than that many people. For instance, the estimate of the total population of Egypt around 150 BC is around 2.9 million! So, half of Egypt left in the Exodus, and there is no mention of this in the annals of Egyptian history!?

Besides the question of what is the reason for ten plagues? Why not just two or three? Why the build up? Is this to make a story of it? Are the plagues presented in any order of severity? For until the infanticide, there were no people killed in any of the plagues, though they experienced serious discomfort.

Then the end of the story is for us to remember this event, and to teach it to our children - that "G-d took us out of Egypt with a mighty hand!".

־־־

Chapter 10

This is the climax of our story. The last three plagues occur, we are commanded to sanctify the new moon, which anchors the calendar and from which we can derive the festival cycle. The laws of Passover are explained, and the requirement to sanctify the firstborn in order to atone for the killing of the firstborn of Egypt. Finally, Pharaoh's resistance is crushed, and the dashes through the streets in search of Moses and Aaron.

Locusts

This plague introduces a new element. It is meant to make a mockery of Egypt, that the Egyptians and the Jewish people will know HaShem's greatness. That the Jews are included in this event speaks of the fact that even amongst the believers, there are those who belief is imperfect and needs to be adjusted. This apparently happened at the splitting of the sea that those whose faith was not pure gained true faith in HaShem and his servant Moshe (14:31).

n10:2] למען תסַפר—to relate. The lesson here is that HaSHem is not aloof, but master every day of all events. {Note: God creates the stage and the actors, and we "play" our parts—and with free choice—or not.}
n10:2] התאללתי—mocked.

G-d is the first cause of everything.

n10:3] עד־מתי "Pharaoh and his advisors have seen My total control of the elements, and still you remain obstinate. {Note: Even though this seems to be by G-d's wish... although I like the line that is taken, that you will see later. That by strengthening Pharaoh's heart, it meant that He encouraging Pharaoh to act according to his inclinations.} I shall break your stubbornness {Note: which cannot be broken, because that did not seem to be G-d's wish.} through attrition. There will be a series of plagues until you submit." {Note: Which brings up the suffering of the people because of one man, their king, who stubbornly refused to let our people go. These are the innocent victims of the battles between kings. Here it is between G-d and Pharaoh, and although many would slate me for that comparison, it is very much how it is represented in this story. It is the power of the Egyptian gods against the power of HaShem. A tale of my King is more powerful than yours!

In addition, as has so often happens, while the people suffer and often die for the cause, the actual cause, the Pharaoh survives. }

לענות מפני—humbled. Pharaoh would not bend to Divine Will

כי חג־ה’ לנוּ֬—Everyone must participate.

*n10] כי רעַה נגד—evil intent. Pharaoh was astute in guessing that Moses and the people had no intention of returning from their excursion.

רעה is thought of as a star. Expressed through the Egyptian astrologers' prediction that the nation would be formed in blood. This was thought to be the blood of the paschal lamb, but was instead the blood of the circumcision. This is the argument Moses used against G-d after the sin of the Golden Calf. It was, in essence an egotistical argument, playing into G-d's: "You are better than them."

{Note: Perhaps Moses was blessed in the sense that the opposing force, Pharaoh, was clear. Here and now, who the Pharaoh is, is not so obvious. Who is the clear opposer that I can say to G-d, "You are better than him?"

My only prayer here is: "If this is the way we have to go, if this is the path we have to walk, may I do it with grace, with love and forgiveness in my heart—and with joy. However, my deepest prayer is that there is another way, and that you will guide those of us who believe in You, along Your Way, the way that is closer to Your Will—with outstretched arm and great judgements. For evil walks freeling in the world, and it needs to be banished again. It must return home to its place in the heavens.}

Game:

Moses warns Pharaoh about the locusts. Then Moses walks out (v6), knowing that Pharaoh and his advisors must be worried about the famine that will ensue. His advisors capitulate (v7), but not Pharaoh.

The Pharaoh then calls Moses, and offers him a compromise. The men can go, but the women and children—the future of the nation—have to stay behind, almost hostages to ensure Moses' return. Pharaoh even demands a list of the elders and leaders who were to go. Moses responds that everyone, including the women and children, will need to go.

He then accuses Moses of treachery (v10), claiming that his G-d will not be with someone who will accept his dishonesty. {Note: Though this is not what happened, for Moses has been obeying G-d's commands assiduously.}

n11] Pharaoh then counters that there is no reason for children at such a ceremony

n17] שׂא נא—Forgive me: The locusts descend on Egypt, such as has never been seen before or since. They fill the homes, and eat everything green. They strip the trees and the crops, and cover the land. Realising what is facing them, Pharaoh summons Moses and begs him to forgive him. The people can go, just remove the locusts. He even goes so far as to acknowledge Moses as his master too.

n19-20] Pharoah had promised not to sin again, however, after the West wind blew away all the locusts (including those that had been collected for food), G-d then again strengthened Pharaoh's heart and he refused to let our people go. This is an illustration of the principle: If one wishes to contaminate oneself, the way is open to you.

Darkness

The plague is the end of a set of three. Like the 3rd & the 6th plague there was no warning. The darkness was broken into the first three days, and then the last three days during which the darkness became so dense that the Egyptians could not move.

(a) Who were to die: There is a commentary that speaks of the reason for this absolute darkness was so that the unbelievers amongst the Jews would die, as G-d did not want Pharaoh to see that there were non-believers amongst the Jews. I do not support that view. For two reasons:

1. The Egyptians would have seen (or known of) the dead amongst the Jews, though there were no dead amongst the other nations. This would be a far worse accusation: We were merely paralysed, while G-d's people died!
2. The 10th plague is the only (besides the hail) plague in which the people are active. In other words, they are required to do something, very specific, and if they are believers, they will obey, and if not they will not. Similar to those who placed their livestock under shelter and thus they survived the hail, as opposed to those who did not. But this was not the climax... and did not include death of any people.

A more radical view, in line with my previous one, would be that there was something in that darkness, something that grew, and was alive with some spirit. The darkness could have been used to preview those who did believe and those who did not. For it would not have affected the believers. Thus the unbelievers amongst our people would have been affected by the darkness—especially the double-darkness of the last three days.

(b) The Jews also went into the Egyptian houses and inspected them for their valuables, so that they would later know what to request to "borrow" from the Egyptians.

• How did we manage to see anything? if the darkness was upon the Egyptians. Did they have lamps? Where the Egyptians not aware of the light from these lamps when they were in their houses? That must have been a very strange darkness, almost one that arose from inside the person. But would the (innocent) children also be mired in the same intense, debilitating darkness? The other possibility is that the darkness only encompassed the idol worshippers, and non-believers. That would give more credence to the idea that it arose from inside the person, but also speaks of an even more power/sentient darkness—as strange as that concept might be to the modern, rational mind.
• Why borrow? Did the people not know that they were leaving, never to return? Or were they simply being dishonest, and thus it was a form of thievery. It says they gave their possession willingly. Why would they hand over their possession to their slaves? What are we missing here? Either it was this G-d's hand, to honour the promise He made to Abraham about leaving Egypt with great wealth. Or it was the power of the Cult of Yahweh, which existed and began at the time of Abraham.

n22-23] לא ראוּ אישׁ Each plague lasted seven days.
"The darkness was not merely the absence of light, but an opaque fog-like condition, that extinguished all flames." Thus the Egyptians could not light their lambs (Ramban), nor could they keep track of the days and nights. לא קמה אישׁ מתחתיו They could not rise, nor could they go anywhere. The darkness was extreme (Ibn Ezra). "The sitting could not stand, and the standing could not sit" (Rashi). This describes a palpable darkness, almost alive.

n25-26] In order to have livestock for the offering, the people left with livestock. It seems that they did not only take their own livestock with them, but also that of the Egyptians.

n27-29] This was Pharaoh's final intransigence. "The wicked do not repent even when standing on the threshold of Gehinnom" (Eruvim 19a). And G-d strengthened Pharaoh's heart, allowing him to make whatever decision he deemed rational.

Chapter 11

n1-8] "Warning of the plague of the first-born".
n1] כָּלָה—complete: "G-d's justice decrees whoever refuses of his own free will to obey Him will be forced to do so in a less pleasant way (Avot 4:10).

n2] Moses has commanded the Jews to request their valuables from the Egyptians in fulfilment of G-d's vow to Abraham that his descendants would leave Egypt with great wealth.

n3] בעיני העם Moses stature grew in the eyes of the people.
n4] בחצות הלילה—midnight.. This points out a less than savoury aspect of human nature. Even though the first-born were dying around them, the necromancers would snatch at any straw to discredit Moses. This sort of perverse attitude has corrupted human behaviour throughout history. Such is the nature of the wicked: their belief in G-d is so fragile that they will discard it at the slightest provocation.

n5] ומת כל־בכור—All the firstborn perished eeven the poor and foreign captives.

n9] Pharaoh's heart hardened, because there were still wonders to perform.

Chapter 12

Now we have a 28 verse interruption to the narrative of the plagues, after which the story continues with the plague of the first-born, during which the following commandments are explained:

1. Sanctification of the new moon
2. The details of the pesach-offering
3. The seder ceremony
4. The pesach laws.

n2] Rosh Chodesh The sanctification of the new moon is the first commandment given to the nation. This is so important to the functioning of the society, that it was one of the three prohibitions of the Syrian Greek persecution: this, the Sabbath and circumcision. For without the setting of the new month, the calendar of the year could not be determined, thus the festival cycle could not occur. This new moon is also a time of renewal.

Jewish Calendar

The Jewish calendar is based on the moon, and regulated by the sun.
The time between one new moon and the next is $29$ days, $12$ hours, $44$ minutes and $3 \frac1{3}$ seconds. Since the month has to consist of complete days, the month vacillates between 29 and 30 days, so that a 12 month year contains 354 days. This is 11 days less than the solar year, and if it had to continue for many years, Nissan would fall in the winter — but the Torah requires that Nissan be חודשׁ אביב, the month of springtime [generally March/April in the northern hemisphere] (Deut 16:1). This is very interesting, as Nissan is not the "springtime" in the southern hemisphere! To solve this problem, the "Jewish leap year" was instituted. It consists of adding a $13^th$ month ot the year 7 times in 19 years, so that Nissan remains in its proper season.

The Torah provides that Rosh Chodesh can be proclaimed only by the rabbinic court on the basis of two witnesses.

In the year 4119 (358-359 C.E), the court of Hillel promulgated a calendar for all succeeding generations based on the calculation that had historically been used to corroborate the testimony of witnesses to the new moon.

n2] החודשׁ הזה—This month, Nissan, in which this commandment was given, is to be the beginning of the months i.e., even though the new year begins with Tishrei, the moons are numbered from the month of the Exodus, so that the Torah refers to Rosh Hashanah as the first day of the seventh month, while Pesach is the fifteenth day of first month (Rashi). By numbering all the months from Nissan — the second month, the third and so on — we are always recalling the month of the Exodus.

The currently used names of the month are of Babylonian origin, and came into use only after the destruction of the First Temple. Those names were retained as a reminder of the redemption from Babylon which resulted in the building of the Second Temple (Ramban).

The word חדשׁ should be understood not as month, but as renewal.

לכם—For you. The word appears twice in the verse to stress a new relationship between Jews and time. As slaves, their time belonged to their masters, not to them. For they did not have the freedom to act as they pleased when they pleased. But from now on, Jews would be masters of their time, and their only master would be G-d (Sforno).

n3-11] The pesach offering. The word פסח means pass over and it commemorates G-d's mercy towards the Jewish people on the night of Pesach in Egypt, for He took the lives of the Egyptian firstborn, but he passed over the home where the people (the believers) were eating their pesach-offering. Although the pesach-offering was to be brought annually, the offering in Egypt served a special function that included procedures that applied only in Egypt.

n3] עַדַת—assembly. The word derives from יעד, to fix, to appoint, referring to a society united by their common calling, a community (R. Hirsch). This is the first time this word is found in the Torah, implying that the commandment of the pesach-offering ushered in a new era. The people was a nation united by its common calling as G-d Chosen People.

n3-12] What if you do not eat meat? A form of Nazarite, swearing off all meat products, and a vegan swearing off all animal products.

n6] The Pesach Haggadah cites a verse from Ezekiel )12:48), which suggests that the people could be redeemed by blood, meaning that the pesach-offering and that of circumcision.

בינ הערבים—between the evenings. The afternoon is given this name because it falls between the two "sunsets": the first is when the noontime sun begins to dip toward the horizon adn the second when it sets below the horizon (Rashi).

n8] הבשׂר ... וּמצות—The flesh ... and matzos. There are three positive commandments in this verse: to eat flesh of the pesach-offering, matzah and bitter herbs. There is a Rabbinic commandment if you cannot eat the pesach-offering, to eat bitter herbs at the Seder.

n9] ... אל־תאכלוּ—You shall not eat ... The preparation of the offering apply to all pesach-offerings throughout the ages; those regarding the conditions under which it is to be eaten applied only to the offering in Egypt.

n12-13] G-d Himself will carry out the plague

n12] ...ועברתי... והכיתי—I shall go through... and I shall strike... From this verse we learn that G-d personally {Note: What does that even mean?} carried out the plague of the firstborn, and did not send an emissary or angel to do so.

From the foundation of Israel as a nation, G-d's relationship to it was direct and personal, without an intermediary (Maharal).

כל־בכור בארץ מצרים—Every firstborn in the land of Egypt. Since the verse does not speak only of Egyptian or even of human firstborn, it implies that the plague struck even the firstborn of foreigners who were in the land of Egypt. From Psalms 136:10, the Sages derive that even Egyptian firstborn out of the country died as well (Rashi).

וּבכל־אלוהי מצרים—And against all the gods of Egypt.The wooded ones rotted and the metal ones melted (Rashi).

[Angels too are referred to as אלוהיםְ.] The heavenly forces that guide and protect the destiny of Egypt were struck in this plague, so that Egypt would be completely defenceless (Ramban).
{Note: This introduces a new level to our cosmology. There were "angels/Elohim that protected and guided Egypt too. Why would G-d need to strike them with a plague — for I assume that the plague that the angels of Egypt encountered was not the of the death of the firstborn — could He not just order the angels to not interfere with His plans? If He has to strike them down with a plague as well, this intimates a fight between G-d and the Angels! As G-d is the omnipotent Ruler of everything, how come He often behaves in a manner that contradicts that, according to the Sages especially?}

*n13] לָכֶּם לאֹת—A sign for you. It was their devotion to HaShem that saved them.

Since the verse stresses that the sign will be for you, the Sages infer that the blood should have been placed inside the doorway, where it would not be visible to outsiders. The Jewish firstborn were saved from the plague because the blood inside the house signified that those involved themselves in doing G-d's will. It was this devotion to the commandment, not the mere presence of a "safe house" that protected them; therefore Rashi notes, an Egyptian firstborn who took refuge in a Jewish home would not survive.

{Note: And by inference, any non-Jew that obeyed His commandment would be saved, if his faith was true! The fact that the Jews were not circumcised at this stage would mean that it would be impossible to differentiate between Jews and non-Jews. Although it states that the Jews kept their language, Hebrew, it is possible that there were others that learnt their language too. Also, if a lingua franca had emerged (which is more than likely after 200 years of slavery), it would only be the elite amongst the Jews (of which Moses was no doubt a member) who would be using Hebrew. }

"It was not the blood that prevented the plague, nor its absence that caused it. The Torah teaches that whoever unequivocally placed his trust in HaShem and did not fear Pharaoh or his decrees, who fearlessly slaughtered Egypt's god in public and placed the pesach-offering's blood on his doorposts, thereby demonstrating he was righteous and worthy of being protected from the plague... (R' Bachya).

{Note: What a family scene that must have been. The preparation was the slaughtering of the lamb, draining its blood, and then smearing the blood on the inside lintels of their front door. Then sitting down to eat with the blood dripping of the lintels, and the smell thereof permeating the room, while the screams of the living who encountered their dead penetrated the spaces around them, must have been an uncomfortable and scary situation, not a calm evening meal.

That does raise a point though. If the firstborn died quietly in their sleep, why would their family members be awake? If their passing was peaceful, no one would discover them till morning. However, was it peaceful? Did they just expire? Or did they suffer beforehand, alerting their family to their plight?}

*m14-20] The Pesach (Passover) Festival We shall all be free!

Pesach is the inaugural festival of the our people, because it marked their inauguration as a nation. This nationhood was not based on revolution, triumph in battle, conquest of a land, or any of the other normal manifestations of national pride and struggle for independence. {Note: However, we had to fulfil the promise of nationhood by settling in Canaan — and then it was full of all of these "normal" manifestations of nationhood. This has been repeated 2000 years later. Please G-d, my prayer here is that modern day Israel does not behave similarly to the manner in which the Ancient Jews behaved — though I fear it might be too late.} ...

n15] ...שׁבעת ימים—A seven day period... The Sages derive exegetically that there is no requirement to eat matzah through the seven days of Pesach, for the eating of matzah is compulsory only on the Seder night. Our verse treaches that if one wishes to eat a grain product during the Pesach, it must be unleavened (see Rashi).

n17] וּשׁמרתם את־המצות—You shall safeguard the matzos. "If a mitzvah comes to your hand, do not allow it to be "leavened" by delaying its performance (Rashi). The performance of a single mitzvah without delay may be necessary for the salvation of an individual at any moment. (Maskil Ha'David)

n19] בַּגֵּר וּבאזרח הארץ—Whether a convert or a citizen of the land. The Torah makes clear that all believers, even later converts whose ancestors did not participate in the Exodus, are equally obligated to keep the commandments (Rashi).

n21-28] The Ritual of the pesach-offering

n21] ...מִשׁכּוּ — Draw forth... Homiletically, R' Hirsch renders withdraw from the errors of your past and accept the new values of submission to your G-d, which are symbolised by docile, submissive lambs and kids.

n22] אְַגֻדת אֵזוב — A bundle of hyssop. Three stalks were required (Rashi). By using the bundle of hyssop the people demonstrated their acknowledgement that only G-d's intervention could redeem us from Egypt.

* * *

**n19] לא תצה — do not go out. The destroyer is about and there are other destroyers about too.

*n26-27] Wicked son

10th Plague: The plague of the firstborn

n29] כל בכור. The first born, eldest son was the one that died. If he was the eldest in the household, and there was no firstborn son, then he, the eldest would die. {Note: It seems that the women were unaffected.} Thus every house was affected.

*Pharaoh's capitulation

n31] בדברדכם — as you have spoken or prophesised. Moses sent agnels. {Note: So did Jacob!}.

n32] Pharaoh survives. {Note: Is that just? He is the one who was responsible for the deaths amongst his people} Moses says they will not slink out at night, but leave proudly in the day.

n34] Unleavened: (see n32 above)

n35-38] Obeyed the word: The justification for borrowing can be found in n3:18-22, but it is a rather weak argument.

n37-42] The estimate is of 600,000 males, which makes for a population of around 3 million people. How many people lived in Egypt at that time? The general estimate is maximum 4.5 million (including slaves), minimum 1.5 million.
n38] ערב רב — a mixed multitude followed the Jews out of Egypt. {Note: If you were a slave, no matter what nationality, and you saw an opportunity to gain your freedom, would you not want to be a part of that?}
*n40] The duration of the exile was officially 210 years. The 400 years number is derived from starting from Jacob.

n43] בן־נַכַּר — alienated. The מוּמר, apostate and the non-Jew may not participate in the pesach-offering. The apostate being a Jewish non-believer. Although apostate should be used to generally define a non-believer in HaShem, whether Jewish or not.

n44] וכל־עבד — Every slave shall be circumcised and shall eat of it.

n45] תוטב ושׂכיר A casual labourer or a hired hand are not permitted, even if circumcised, but not Jewish.

n46] Part of Kashrut is not to break the bones of the animal (even when eating it).

Chapter 13

*n1-16] Three commandment: Firstborn, Exodus, Tefillin.

n3] זכור — Remember. By reciting the third paragraph of the Shema. By saying this prayer we are fulfilling the requirements for remembering the Exodus. However, is it important to remember this event so that it may influence the way you behave and act in your life? It cannot be sufficient to say the prayer, and then go and do wickedness.

n4] Springtime, however in the southern hemisphere it opposite, and is in the winter time... How do we reconcile that?

*n8] והגדת לבנך — Tell your child.

n9] והיה לךָ — ִIt shall be for you. God's teachings...

n13] פטר וחמור — donkey. The miracle of Exodus. Material possessions.

n14] pideon ha'ben

n16] לטוטפות הֶThe tefillin is to be worn on your weaker arm, and as an ornament between your eyes, {Note: like the bindi.}
Group that will bring about the משׁיח.

*Teffilin & Exodus

{Note: Final: The dialogue between Pharaoh and Moses makes me wonder what the real dialogues would have been like if we could get the transcripts. It would be like receiving unedited transcripts of what was actually said at the meetings at White House. I thought of this because it says after the plague of the locusts Pharaoh called Moses master. It is highly unlikely that he announced that publically. Another example of this is that it says "he ran around the streets" searching for Moses and Aaron. However, Pharaoh running around the streets would not be performed in the same way we would have done. And why did he just not send one of his servants (or soldiers) after him?