» to torah rah p por or tio tion n LEADING Pharaoh Asks, ‘Who is God?’ LIGHT Parshat Vaera: Exodus 6:2-9:35; Ezekiel 28:25-29:21. An AFHU Hebrew University Gift Annuity Can Lead to Life-Enhancing Light for the World and Lifetime Retirement Income for You. M oshe and Pharaoh face Egyptians are an important part of the off in this week’s Torah story, not as subjects of God’s wrath, but portion in a contest that as nonbelievers who eventually “get it” is recorded in the Torah between the — but they, too, are allowed to come to power of God and black magic practiced the realization of godliness in the world by the Egyptians. Each time Moshe at their own pace. performs a miracle, Pharaoh’s magicians Moshe later describes the relationship do the same. Whether it be turning a between God and man as being similar staff into a serpent or water to to an eagle rousing her young blood. fledglings. If the mother bird When the 10 plagues were were to descend upon her nest cast upon the Egyptians, each with her full strength she would plague was different and more topple the entire nest together potent than the one that pre- with her young with just one flap ceded it. From blood to frogs of her wing. and from frogs to lice and So, too, God could have so on up until the death of extracted the Jewish people from Rabbi Michael the first-born children of the Egypt in one fell swoop, but then Egyptians, it takes a long time Cohen neither they nor the Egyptians for Pharaoh to finally under- would have had an understand- stand that God is superior — and he ing of God’s omnipotence. As an eagle finally lets the Jewish people leave Egypt. descends slowly into her nest and gently While this process was taking place, arouses her young, so, too, God brought there seems to have been a real ques- (and brings) the redemptions of His tion who would win the contest; would people slowly. Moshe prevail or Pharaoh? It was not The Egyptians did come to recognize clear from the outset! There are some that their black magic was, itself, an ele- profound messages here that teach us ment of God’s power, as the Egyptian how we, as Jews, view the world and the magicians themselves say following the current events that take place around us. plague of lice that this is the “finger of Firstly, we should recognize that the God.” battle taking place is one of no contest. God is patient. God does not mind The Omnipotent God pit against any waiting and going along with mankind power is, of course, one-sided simply as the people, both Jewish and Egyptian, because “omnipotent” by definition come to terms with His omnipotence means that there is no other power over the course of the 10 plagues. beyond that of the Omnipotent; all power He chooses to start slowly and develop comes from Him. So the source of the understanding of His power one step at power that was being used against God a time. by Pharaoh was actually coming from We, too, should pay attention to God Himself. God was actually engaging the miracles that surround us. There Pharaoh in a duel in which He was pro- are many. And, as we do so, we might viding the ammunition for His enemy. observe a change in the world that we What does this tell us about God’s live in. relationship with man, even a wicked Michael Cohen is the rabbi at Young Israel of man like Pharaoh? Oak Park. We see that Pharaoh and the * A Nanotech Leader: Professor Uri Banin founded Qlight on the basis of technology developed in his laboratory at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Watch him explain the work: afhu.org/cga5 When Professor Uri Banin developed a nanocrystal that converted light to other frequencies with minimum loss of energy, he lit the way for the next generation of illuminated fl at-panel displays and LED lighting. That means unprecedented color quality and better visibility plus energy savings and extended battery life. When you create a secure AFHU Hebrew University Gift Annuity, you obtain a high lifetime fi xed rate of return, an income tax charitable deduction and substantial tax-free annuity payments. You also help propel groundbreaking research. Your gift annuity’s high rate of return assures you retirement income for life and provides a brighter future for Israel and the world. AFHU Hebrew University Gift Annuity Returns Age 65 70 75 80 85 90 Rate 6.0% 6.5% 7.1% 8.0% 9.5% 11.3% CALL OR EMAIL NOW. The returns are generous. The cause is priceless. For information on AFHU Hebrew University Gift Annuities, please call AFHU Midwest Region Executive Director, Judith Shenkman at (312) 329-0332 or email: jshenkman@afhu.org. Rates are based on a single life. Cash contributions produce annuity payments that are substantially tax-free. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem RESEARCH ENGINE FOR THE WORLD. ENGINE OF GROWTH FOR A NATION. Conversations • Why do we not experience open miracles in modern times? • Can God stop one person from harming another? • “I am the Lord your God who took you out of Egypt. ” Why does it not say, “I am the Lord your God that created the universe and all that is in it. ” Surely, creation came before Exodus! 20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 2020 Chicago, IL 60606 (877) 642-AFHU (2348) afhu.org/cga5 2062100 January 7 • 2016 27