This week’s parashat is the 2nd parashat in the book of Shemot also called Exodus, and is called Va’era which means ‘And I Appeared’.
Bullet Point Summary
– YHWH tells Moshe the 4 part plan for Yisra’el
– YHWH sends Moshe to Par’oh but Moshe said if Yisra’el won’t listen why should Par’oh
– The heads of the Children of Yisra’el
– Moshe and Aharon are commanded to bring Yisra’el out and they told Par’oh to let them go
– YHWH told Moshe he shall be an Elohim to Par’oh and Aharon shall be his prophet
– YHWH says Par’oh shall not hearken to you and I will lay my hand upon Mitzrayim
– Moshe and Aharon went ot Par’oh and cast their rod and it became a serpent but He would not listen to them
– Par’oh wouldn’t let the people go so Moshe turned the river to blood but Par’oh’s men did also
– Moshe spread his rod over the river to bring forth frogs because Par’oh wouldn’t let them go
– Par’oh’s men also brought frogs but Par’oh said he would let them go if Moshe took them away
– Par’oh didn’t let them go so Moshe brought forth lice from the dust
– Par’oh’s men could not do the same yet Par’oh wouldn’t listen so Moshe brought forth swarms
– Par’oh said he would let them go if Moshe removed the swarms but afterward he didn’t let them go
– Moshe told Par’oh because he wouldn’t let them go YHWH’s hand would come upon his beasts with pestilence
– Par’oh didn’t let them go so Moshe sprinkled ashes in the air and they brought forth boils on man and beast
– Moshe told Par’oh because he wouldn’t let them go YHWH would bring all His plagues on Par’oh
– Moshe tells Par’oh there will come a fierce hail and to bring in all his servants and animal
– Par’oh repented and asked for Moshe to stop the hail and he did but he wouldn’t let them go
– Haftarah – YHWH used Mitzrayim to teach Yisra’el but will punish them
Parashat Text with Readers and Daily Portions (Reader 1 Starts on Saturday Evening)
Va’era “and I appeared”
Ex 6:2 – 9:35 , Eze 28:25 – 29:21
Reader 1 (Saturday Evening Portion)
Exo 6:2 And Elohim spoke unto Moshe, and said unto him, I am YHWH:
Exo 6:3 And I appeared unto Avraham, unto Yitzchak, and unto Ya’akov, by El Shaddai, but
by my name YHWH was I not known to them.
Exo 6:4 And I have also established * my covenant with them, to give * them the land of
Kena’an, * the land of their pilgrimage, where they were strangers.
Exo 6:5 And I have also heard * the groaning of the children of Yisra’el, whom * the
Mitzrayim keep in bondage; and I have remembered * my covenant.
Exo 6:6 Wherefore say unto the children of Yisra’el, I am YHWH, and I will bring you out *
from under the burdens of the Mitzrayim, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will
redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:
Exo 6:7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you an Elohim: and you shall
know that I am YHWH your Elohim, which brings you out * from under the burdens of the
Mitzrayim.
Exo 6:8 And I will bring you in * unto the land, concerning the which I did * swear to give it
to Avraham, to Yitzchak, and to Ya’akov; and I will give it to you for a heritage: I am YHWH.
Exo 6:9 And Moshe spoke so unto the children of Yisra’el: but they hearkened not unto
Moshe for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.
(Sunday Morning Portion)
Exo 6:10 And YHWH spoke unto Moshe, saying,
Exo 6:11 Go in, speak unto Par’oh king of Mitzrayim, * that he let the children of Yisra’el go
out of his land.
Exo 6:12 And Moshe spoke before YHWH, saying, Behold, the children of Yisra’el have not
hearkened unto me; how then shall Par’oh hear me, who is of uncircumcised lips?
Exo 6:13 And YHWH spoke unto Moshe and unto Aharon, and gave them a charge unto the
children of Yisra’el, and unto Par’oh king of Mitzrayim, to bring * the children of Yisra’el out
of the land of Mitzrayim.
Reader 2 (Sunday Evening Portion)
Exo 6:14 These be the heads of their fathers’ houses: The sons of Re’uven the firstborn of
Yisra’el; Chanoch, and Pallu, Chetzron, and Carmi: these be the families of Re’uven.
Exo 6:15 And the sons of Shim’on; Yemu’el, and Yamin, and Ohad, and Yakhin, and
Tzochar, and Sha’ul the son of a Kena’ani woman: these are the families of Shim’on.
Exo 6:16 And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations;
Gershon, and Kehat, and Merari: and the years of the life of Levi were a hundred thirty and
seven years.
Exo 6:17 The sons of Gershon; Livni, and Shim’i, according to their families.
Exo 6:18 And the sons of Kehat; Amram, and Yitzhar, and Chevron, and Uzzi’el: and the
years of the life of Kehat were a hundred thirty and three years.
Exo 6:19 And the sons of Merari; Machli and Mushi: these are the families of Levi according
to their generations.
Exo 6:20 And Amram took * him Yokheved his father’s sister to wife; and she bore * him
Aharon and Moshe: and the years of the life of Amram were a hundred and thirty and seven
years.
Exo 6:21 And the sons of Yitzhar; Korach, and Nefeg, and Zikhri.
Exo 6:22 And the sons of Uzzi’el; Misha’el, and Eltzafan, and Zithri.
Exo 6:23 And Aharon took * him Elisheva, daughter of Amminadav, sister of Nachshon, to
wife; and she bore * him Nadav, and Avihu, * El’azar, and Itamar.
Exo 6:24 And the sons of Korach; Assir, and Elkana, and Avi’asaf: these are the families of
the Korchi.
Exo 6:25 And El’azar Aharon’s son took him of the daughters of Puti’el to wife; and she bore
him Pi’nechas: these are the heads of the fathers of the Levi’im according to their families.
(Monday Morning Portion)
Exo 6:26 These are that Aharon and Moshe, to whom YHWH said, Bring out * the children
of Yisra’el from the land of Mitzrayim according to their armies.
Exo 6:27 These are they which spoke to Par’oh king of Mitzrayim, to bring out * the children
of Yisra’el from Mitzrayim: these are that Moshe and Aharon.
Reader 3 (Monday Evening Portion)
Exo 6:28 And it came to pass on the day when YHWH spoke unto Moshe in the land of
Mitzrayim,
Exo 6:29 That YHWH spoke unto Moshe, saying, I am YHWH: speak you unto Par’oh king
of Mitzrayim * all that I say unto you.
Exo 6:30 And Moshe said before YHWH, Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall
Par’oh hearken unto me?
Exo 7:1 And YHWH said unto Moshe, See, I have made you an Elohim to Par’oh: and Aharon
your brother shall be your prophet.
Exo 7:2 You shall speak * all that I command you: and Aharon your brother shall speak unto
Par’oh, that he send * the children of Yisra’el out of his land.
Exo 7:3 And I will harden * Par’oh’s heart, and multiply * my signs and my wonders in the
land of Mitzrayim.
(Tuesday Morning Portion)
Exo 7:4 But Par’oh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay * my hand upon Mitzrayim,
and bring forth * my armies, * and my people the children of Yisra’el, out of the land of
Mitzrayim by great judgments.
Exo 7:5 And the Mitzrayim shall know that I am YHWH, when I stretch forth * my hand
upon Mitzrayim, and bring out * the children of Yisra’el from among them.
Exo 7:6 And Moshe and Aharon did as YHWH commanded them, so did they.
Exo 7:7 And Moshe was eighty years old, and Aharon eighty three years old, when they
spoke unto Par’oh.
Reader 4 (Tuesday Evening Portion)
Exo 7:8 And YHWH spoke unto Moshe and unto Aharon, saying,
Exo 7:9 When Par’oh shall speak unto you, saying, Show a miracle for you: then you shall
say unto Aharon, Take * your rod, and cast it before Par’oh, and it shall become a serpent.
Exo 7:10 And Moshe and Aharon went in unto Par’oh, and they did so as YHWH had
commanded: and Aharon cast down * his rod before Par’oh, and before his servants, and it
became a serpent.
Exo 7:11 Then Par’oh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of
Mitzrayim, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.
Exo 7:12 For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aharon’s rod
swallowed up * their rods.
Exo 7:13 And He hardened Par’oh’s heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as YHWH had
said.
(Wednesday Morning Portion)
Exo 7:14 And YHWH said unto Moshe, Par’oh’s heart is hardened, he refuses to let the
people go.
Exo 7:15 Get you unto Par’oh in the morning; lo, he goes out unto the water; and you shall
stand by the river’s brink against he come; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shall
you take in your hand.
Exo 7:16 And you shall say unto him, YHWH Elohim of the Hebrews has sent me unto you,
saying, * Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, unto now
you would not hear.
Exo 7:17 Thus saith YHWH, In this you shall know that I am YHWH: behold, I will smite
with the rod that is in my hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be
turned to blood.
Exo 7:18 And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the
Mitzrayim shall lothe to drink of the water of the river.
Exo 7:19 And YHWH spoke unto Moshe, Say unto Aharon, Take your rod, and stretch out
your hand upon the waters of Mitzrayim, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon
their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there
may be blood throughout all the land of Mitzrayim, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of
stone.
Exo 7:20 And Moshe and Aharon did so, as YHWH commanded; and he lifted up the rod,
and smote * the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Par’oh, and in the sight of his
servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.
Exo 7:21 And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Mitzrayim could
not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Mitzrayim.
Exo 7:22 And the magicians of Mitzrayim did so with their enchantments: and Par’oh’s
heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as YHWH had said.
Exo 7:23 And Par’oh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also.
Exo 7:24 And all the Mitzrayim dug round about the river for water to drink; for they could
not drink of the water of the river.
Exo 7:25 And seven days were fulfilled, after that YHWH had smitten * the river.
Exo 8:1 And YHWH spoke unto Moshe, Go unto Par’oh, and say unto him, Thus saith
YHWH, * Let my people go, that they may serve me.
Exo 8:2 And if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite * all your borders with frogs:
Exo 8:3 And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into
your house, and into your bedchamber, and upon your bed, and into the house of your
servants, and upon your people, and into your ovens, and into your kneadingtroughs:
Exo 8:4 And the frogs shall come up both on you, and upon your people, and upon all your
servants.
Exo 8:5 And YHWH spoke unto Moshe, Say unto Aharon, stretch forth * your hand with
your rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, * and cause frogs to come up
upon the land of Mitzrayim.
Exo 8:6 And Aharon stretched out * his hand over the waters of Mitzrayim; and the frogs
came up, and covered * the land of Mitzrayim.
Reader 5 (Wednesday Evening Portion)
Exo 8:7 And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up * frogs upon the
land of Mitzrayim.
Exo 8:8 Then Par’oh called for Moshe and Aharon, and said, intreat YHWH, that He may
take away the frogs from me, and from my people; * and I will let the people go, that they
may do sacrifice unto YHWH.
Exo 8:9 And Moshe said unto Par’oh, Glory over me: when shall I intreat for you, and for
your servants, and for your people, to destroy the frogs from you and your houses, that they
may remain in the river only?
Exo 8:10 And he said, tomorrow. And he said, Be it according to your word: that you may
know that there is none like unto YHWH our Elohim.
Exo 8:11 And the frogs shall depart from you, and from your houses, and from your
servants, and from your people; they shall remain in the river only.
Exo 8:12 And Moshe and Aharon went out from Par’oh: and Moshe cried unto YHWH
because of the frogs which He had brought against Par’oh.
Exo 8:13 And YHWH did according to the word of Moshe; and the frogs died out of the
houses, out of the villages, and out of the fields.
Exo 8:14 And they gathered them together * upon heaps: and the land stank.
(Thursday Morning Portion)
Exo 8:15 But when Par’oh saw that there was relief, he hardened * his heart, and hearkened
not unto them; as YHWH had said.
Exo 8:16 And YHWH said unto Moshe, Say unto Aharon, stretch out * your rod, and smite *
the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Mitzrayim.
Exo 8:17 And they did so; for Aharon stretched out * his hand with his rod, and smote * the
dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice
throughout all the land of Mitzrayim.
Exo 8:18 And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth * lice, but they
could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast.
Reader 6 (Thursday Evening Portion)
Exo 8:19 Then the magicians said unto Par’oh, This is the finger of Elohim: and Par’oh’s
heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as YHWH had said.
Exo 8:20 And YHWH said unto Moshe, rise up early in the morning, and stand before
Par’oh; lo, he comes forth to the water; and say unto him, Thus saith YHWH, Let my people
go, that they may serve me.
Exo 8:21 Else, if you will not * let my people go, behold, I will send * swarms upon you, and
upon your servants, and upon your people, and into your houses: and the houses of the
Mitzrayim shall be full * of swarms, and also the ground where they are.
Exo 8:22 And I will sever in that day * the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no
swarms shall be there; to the end you may know that I am YHWH in the midst of the earth.
Exo 8:23 And I will put a division between my people and your people: tomorrow shall this
sign be.
Exo 8:24 And YHWH did so; and there came a grievous swarm into the house of Par’oh, and
into his servants’ houses, and into all the land of Mitzrayim: the land was corrupted by
reason of the swarm.
Exo 8:25 And Par’oh called for Moshe and for Aharon, and said, Go you, sacrifice to your
Elohim in the land.
Exo 8:26 And Moshe said, It is not proper so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of
the Mitzrayim to YHWH our Elohim: if we shall sacrifice * the abomination of the
Mitzrayim before their eyes, will they not stone us?
Exo 8:27 We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to YHWH our
Elohim, as He shall command us.
Exo 8:28 And Par’oh said, I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to YHWH your Elohim in
the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away: intreat for me.
Exo 8:29 And Moshe said, Behold, I go out from you, and I will intreat YHWH that the
swarms may depart from Par’oh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow: but let
not Par’oh deal deceitfully any more in not * letting the people go to sacrifice to YHWH.
Exo 8:30 And Moshe went out from Par’oh, and intreated YHWH.
Exo 8:31 And YHWH did according to the word of Moshe; and He removed the swarms
from Par’oh, from his servants, and from his people; there remained not one.
Exo 8:32 And Par’oh hardened * his heart at this time also, neither * would he let the people
go.
Exo 9:1 Then YHWH said unto Moshe, Go in unto Par’oh, and tell him, Thus saith YHWH
Elohim of the Hebrews, * Let my people go, that they may serve me.
Exo 9:2 For if you refuse to let them go, and will hold them still,
Exo 9:3 Behold, the hand of YHWH is upon your livestock which is in the field, upon the
horses, upon the donkeys, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall
be a very grievous pestilence.
Exo 9:4 And YHWH shall sever between the livestock of Yisra’el and the livestock of
Mitzrayim: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children’s of Yisra’el.
Exo 9:5 And YHWH appointed a set time, saying, Tomorrow YHWH shall do this thing in
the land.
Exo 9:6 And YHWH did * that thing on the morrow, and all the livestock of Mitzrayim died:
but of the livestock of the children of Yisra’el died not one.
Exo 9:7 And Par’oh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the livestock of Yisra’el dead.
And the heart of Par’oh was hardened, and he did not * let the people go.
Exo 9:8 And YHWH said unto Moshe and unto Aharon, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the
furnace, and let Moshe sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Par’oh.
Exo 9:9 And it shall become small dust in all the land of Mitzrayim, and shall be a boil
breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Mitzrayim.
Exo 9:10 And they took * ashes of the furnace, and stood before Par’oh; and Moshe
sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man,
and upon beast.
Exo 9:11 And the magicians could not stand before Moshe because of the boils; for the boil
was upon the magicians, and upon all the Mitzrayim.
Exo 9:12 And YHWH hardened * the heart of Par’oh, and he hearkened not unto them; as
YHWH had spoken unto Moshe.
Exo 9:13 And YHWH said unto Moshe, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before
Par’oh, and say unto him, Thus saith YHWH Elohim of the Hebrews, * Let my people go,
that they may serve me.
Exo 9:14 For I will at this time send * all my plagues upon your heart, and upon your
servants, and upon your people; that you may know that there is none like me in all the
earth.
Exo 9:15 For now I will stretch out * my hand, that I may smite you and your people with
pestilence; and you shall be cut off from the earth.
Exo 9:16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised you up, to show * in you my power;
and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.
Reader 7 (6th Day Friday Morning Double Portion)
Exo 9:17 As yet exalt you yourself against my people, that you will not let them go?
Exo 9:18 Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as
has not been in Mitzrayim since the foundation thereof even until now.
Exo 9:19 Send now, and gather * your livestock, and all that you have in the field; for upon
every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the
hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die.
Exo 9:20 He that feared * the word of YHWH among the servants of Par’oh * made his
servants and his livestock flee into the houses:
Exo 9:21 And he that regarded not the word of YHWH left * his servants and his livestock in
the field.
Exo 9:22 And YHWH said unto Moshe, Stretch forth * your hand toward heaven, that there
may be hail in all the land of Mitzrayim, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of
the field, throughout the land of Mitzrayim.
Exo 9:23 And Moshe stretched forth * his rod toward heaven: and YHWH sent thunder and
hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and YHWH rained hail upon the land of
Mitzrayim.
Exo 9:24 So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was
none like it in all the land of Mitzrayim since it became a nation.
Exo 9:25 And the hail smote throughout all the land of Mitzrayim * all that was in the field,
both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and broke every tree of the
field.
Exo 9:26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Yisra’el were, was there no hail.
Exo 9:27 And Par’oh sent, and called for Moshe and Aharon, and said unto them, I have
sinned this time: YHWH is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.
Exo 9:28 Intreat YHWH (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and
hail; and I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.
Exo 9:29 And Moshe said unto him, As soon as I am gone out * of the city, I will spread
abroad * my hands unto YHWH; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any
more hail; that you may know how that the earth is YHWH’S.
Exo 9:30 But as for you and your servants, I know that you will not yet fear YHWH Elohim.
Exo 9:31 And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax
was bolled.
Exo 9:32 But the wheat and the rie were not smitten: for they were not grown up.
Exo 9:33 And Moshe went out * of the city from Par’oh, and spread abroad his hands unto
YHWH: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth.
Exo 9:34 And when Par’oh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he
sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.
Exo 9:35 And the heart of Par’oh was hardened, neither * would he let the children of
Yisra’el go; as YHWH had spoken by Moshe.
Haftarah (Shabbat Evening Portion)
Eze 28:25 Thus saith YHWH Elohim; When I shall have gathered * the house of Yisra’el
from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight
of the nations, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to my servant Ya’akov.
Eze 28:26 And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards;
yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that
despise them round about them; and they shall know that I am YHWH their Elohim.
Eze 29:1 In the tenth year, in the tenth month, in the twelfth day of the month, the word of
YHWH came unto me, saying,
Eze 29:2 Son of man, set your face against Par’oh king of Mitzrayim, and prophesy against
him, and against all Mitzrayim:
Eze 29:3 Speak, and say, Thus saith YHWH Elohim; Behold, I am against you, Par’oh king
of Mitzrayim, the great dragon that lays in the midst of his rivers, which has said, My river is
my own, and I have made it for myself.
Eze 29:4 But I will put hooks in your jaws, and I will cause the fish of your rivers to stick
unto your scales, and I will bring you up out of the midst of your rivers, and all the fish of
your rivers shall stick unto your scales.
Eze 29:5 And I will leave you thrown into the wilderness, you and all the fish of your rivers:
you shall fall upon the open fields; you shall not be brought together, nor gathered: I have
given you for food to the beasts of the field and to the fowls of the heaven.
Eze 29:6 And all the inhabitants of Mitzrayim shall know that I am YHWH, because they
have been a staff of reed to the house of Yisra’el.
Eze 29:7 When they took hold of you by your hand, you did break, and rend all their
shoulder: and when they leaned upon you, you broke, and made all their loins to be at a
stand.
Eze 29:8 Therefore thus saith YHWH Elohim; Behold, I will bring a sword upon you, and
cut off man and beast out of you.
Eze 29:9 And the land of Mitzrayim shall be desolate and waste; and they shall know that I
am YHWH: because he has said, The river is mine, and I have made it.
Eze 29:10 Behold, therefore I am against you, and against your rivers, and I will make * the
land of Mitzrayim utterly waste and desolate, from the tower of Migdol even unto the border
of Kush.
Eze 29:11 No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast shall pass through it, neither
shall it be inhabited forty years.
Eze 29:12 And I will make * the land of Mitzrayim desolate in the midst of the countries that
are desolate, and her cities among the cities that are laid waste shall be desolate forty years:
and I will scatter * the Mitzrayim among the nations, and will disperse them through the
countries.
Eze 29:13 Yet thus saith YHWH Elohim; At the end of forty years will I gather * the
Mitzrayim from the people where they were scattered:
Eze 29:14 And I will bring again * the captivity of Mitzrayim, and will cause them to return
into the land of Patros, into the land of their habitation; and they shall be there a base
kingdom.
Eze 29:15 It shall be the basest of the kingdoms; neither shall it exalt itself any more above
the nations: for I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations.
Eze 29:16 And it shall be no more the refuge of the house of Yisra’el, which brings
lawlessness to remembrance, when they shall look after them: but they shall know that I am
YHWH Elohim.
Eze 29:17 And it came to pass in the twenty seventh year, in the first month, in the first day
of the month, the word of YHWH came unto me, saying,
Eze 29:18 Son of man, Nevukhadnetzar king of Bavel * caused his army to serve a great
service against Tzor: every head was made bald, and every shoulder was peeled: yet had he
no wages, nor his army, for Tzor, for the service that he had served against it:
Eze 29:19 Therefore thus saith YHWH Elohim; Behold, I will give * the land of Mitzrayim
unto Nevukhadnetzar king of Bavel; and he shall take her multitude, and take her spoil, and
take her prey; and it shall be the wages for his army.
Eze 29:20 I have given * him the land of Mitzrayim for his labor where he served against it,
because they wrought for me, saith YHWH Elohim.
Eze 29:21 In that day will I cause the horn of the house of Yisra’el to bud forth, and I will
give you the opening of the mouth in the midst of them; and they shall know that I am
YHWH.
Review Torah Summaries (Shabbat Morning Portion)