The Tanakh Podcast

Today we discuss four elements that were instructed before we departed Egypt. These are four building blocks of Jewish Identity:1. Jewish Time2. Family and the Jewish Home3. Choosing to be Jewish4. Hippazon. The Speed of Redemption - Window of Opportunity.

Our chapter instructs the Israelites to borrow objects of silver and gold from their neighbours. These were items that they were not intending to return. Why does God issue this strange command? Is it honest?

Today we address:1. The central role of children in the Exodus2. The request for a religious furlough of 3 days. Why does Moses ask for a religious holiday; why not simply ask for freedom?

"And God hardened Pharaoh’s heart." Is that fair? Doesn’t thiscontravene the principle of free choice?How is Pharaoh culpable if God is hardening his heart?

Why did God need Ten Plagues?Couldn't he have released the Israelites with just one massive attack?In this class, we explain the unique structure - literary and theological - of the 10 plagues.

The 10 plagues do not merely bring the infrastructure of Egypt to its knees, but they are in fact a battle against the gods of Egypt.

Chapter 6 is a perplexing narrative.God says he has never been known by the name YHVH. Is that possible?And we see a family tree of Moses' origins! Why does this prosaic text appear at the most nail-biting juncture of the story?

Moses and Aharon approach Pharaoh but things worsen severely - Pharaoh stops providing straw for the bricks, the the workload is now more intense, the slaves are lashed and beaten. Pharaoh succeeds in turning the people against their new leader. And Moshe begins to protest to God!

Moses doubts whether the Israelites will believe him.God responds with 3 signs.We discuss the symbolism of these signs.Thanks to Rabbi Prof. Yonatan Grossman whose teachings were enormously useful in preparing this podcast.

Why does God appear to Moshe in a burning bush? What is the symbolism of that image?