Vaera — I Appeared
Hebrew: וָאֵרָא | Book: Shemot (Exodus)
Summary
The first seven plagues; God’s revelation to Moses and Aaron; Pharaoh’s hardening of heart.
Chabad Chassidic Teachings
The Four Expressions of Redemption
God promises redemption using four expressions: “I will take you out… I will rescue you… I will redeem you… I will take you.” These correspond to four levels of geulah:
- Physical liberation from slavery
- Spiritual liberation from the Egyptian mindset
- The covenant at Sinai
- Entry into the Land of Israel
Chassidus adds a fifth: “I will bring you” — the ultimate ingathering of the ultimate geulah.
Pharaoh’s Hard Heart: The Problem of Free Will
“I will harden Pharaoh’s heart” — this verse troubled many commentators. If God hardened his heart, how was Pharaoh responsible?
Chabad teaching (Alter Rebbe, Mitteler Rebbe): after multiple opportunities to repent that Pharaoh refused, God removed his free will to demonstrate to the world the power of Divine judgment. The midah k’neged midah (measure for measure) principle: those who abuse their freedom lose it. This preserves both Divine justice and human responsibility.
The Plagues as Divine Revelation
The ten plagues are not random punishments — they are a systematic revelation of God’s presence in every element of creation. Each plague targets one dimension of Egyptian “reality” (the Nile their god, frogs, darkness) showing that all apparent powers are subordinate to the One.
Key Concepts
Sources Cited
Shemot 6:6-8; Shemot 7:3; Zohar II:25a