This week’s Parasha is Va’era 📖
Within this week’s parasha we see the beginning of (and the majority) of the ten makot. The first plague is the plague that transformed the water of the Nile into blood.
Hashem commanded Moshe to tell his brother Aaron to take Moshe’s staff and stretch it out over all of the waters of Egypt and watch, as they become blood. Why does Moshe have to command Aaron? Why does Hashem tell Moshe to give Aaron his staff? Why does Hashem not command Moshe, who was His most faithful servant, to do it himself?
Rashi comments on this pasuk that Hashem did not command Moshe to touch the Nile as the Nile saved his life when the boy babies of Bnei Yisrael were thrown into the Nile as part of Pharaoh’s decree. Aaron, therefore, brought on the plague (as well as the second plague, plague of frogs as they also came from the Nile). There is a Gemara that comments on this: A person should not cast stones into the well from which he has drunk.
When Hashem asked Adam HaRishon if he had eaten from the Tree of Knowledge, Adam immediately blamed Chava, his wife, for giving him the fruit and causing his downfall to sin. From this sin, Adam and Chava were kicked out of Gan Eden. Does this not seem like a very harsh punishment? Why did Hashem eject them from Gan Eden?
Hashem gave Chava to Adam as a helper. They were being told to build together and grow together. However, Adam blamed Chava for his downfall. He was ungrateful to Hashem for giving him such a bracha, such kindness! The same went for Moshe Rabbenu and the Nile, which is just a body of water.
Hakarat Hatov is a mitzvah of thanksgiving. It keeps us conscious and grateful for events that happen to the person who receives it, even if it seems like a normal thing to be done. It is an attitude of gratitude that does not let us feel sorry for ourselves. We should do our best to appreciate every kindness in our life.
✨ *Shabbat Shalom* ✨