The title of this portion – Va’eira – means “and I appeared.” But why did God’s appearances decrease over the generations of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? And what does the seventh plague – hail & fire – have to do with Ezekiel’s vision of God’s chariot? Or the piles of dead frogs with Joseph’s gathering of grain? Or the Egyptian magicians with Korach’s rebellion? All of these connections (and more) are found in the Hebrew that underlies these amazing stories. Come on an adventure as we explore the spiritual “hyperlinks” embedded in the Hebrew of the Torah.
Exodus 6:2-3 God spoke to Moses and said to him, “I am Adonai. And I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as El Shaddai, but by my name י-ה-ו-ה I did not make Myself known to them.”
וארא (va’eira)
Abraham (3x) Genesis 12:7 / 17:1 / 18:1
Isaac (2x) Genesis 26:2, 24
Jacob (1x) Genesis 35:9
Exodus 6:9 Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses, because of their shortness of breath and hard work.
רוח (ruach) = “spirit”
Exodus 6:27 They were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt about bringing out the people of Israel from Egypt, he was Moses and Aaron.
“they” = הם (hem) “he” = הוא (hu)
Exodus 7:12 For each man cast down his staff, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.
מטתם (matotam) – 2x in Tanach
Numbers 17:6 Moses spoke to the people of Israel. And all their chiefs gave him staffs, one for each chief, according to their fathers’ houses, twelve staffs. And the staff of Aaron was among their staffs.
Exodus 8:14 [10] And they heaped them together in piles, and the land stank.
ויצברו (va’yitz’beru) – 2x in this form
Genesis 41:35 “And let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and heap up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities and let them keep it.”
Exodus 8:19 [23] “Thus, I will put a division between my people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall happen.”
פדת (pedut) = “redemption” – 4x in Tanach
Exodus 9:24 There was hail and fire flashing continually in the midst of the hail, very heavy hail, such as had never been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.
ואש מתלקחת (v’esh mit’lakachat) – 2x in Tanach
Ezekiel 1:4 As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness around it, and fire flashingforth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal.
REFERENCES:
Abraham (3x):
Genesis 12:7 Then Adonai appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to Adonai, who had appeared to him.
Genesis 17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old Adonai appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am El Shaddai; walk before Me, and be blameless.”
Genesis 18:1 And Adonai appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day.
Isaac (2x):
Genesis 26:2 And Adonai appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you.”
Genesis 26:24 And Adonai appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father. Fear not, for I am with you and will bless you and multiply your offspring for My servant Abraham’s sake.”
Jacob (1x):
Genesis 35:9 God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him.
Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Deuteronomy 9:20 “And Adonai was so angry with Aaron that He was ready to destroy him. And I prayed for Aaron also at the same time.”
1 Samuel 15:23 “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft/divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of Adonai, He has also rejected you from being king.”
Psalm 111:9 He sent redemption [pedut] to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever. Holy and awesome is His name!
Psalm 130:7 O Israel, hope in Adonai! For with Adonai there is steadfast love, and with Him is plentiful redemption [pedut].
Isaiah 50:2 Why, when I came, was there no man? Why, when I called, was there no one to answer? Is My hand shortened, that it cannot redeem [pedut]? …
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