Preparations for redemption

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1. The Difference Between Haftarat Nahamu and Haftarat Ekev

   Haftarot: Ekev/Nahamu

   Rabbi Mosheh Lichtenstein

   The nation's suffering is intensified due to the length of the exile, and the feeling that God has abandoned them. The prophet encourages the nation by reminding them of the stable elements in their relationship with God: The fact that God relates to them as a parent, and views them as children; the fact that God vies them as a precious treasure; and the parable to a divorced wife to whom God continues to be loyal. The prophet later claims that God has not forgotten His nation, but the nation has shown that they are not ready for redemption.

2. Parashat Bo: From Passive to Active

   Rabbi Alex Israel | 32 minutes

   Parashat Bo takes an exciting twist: we finally see Bnei Yisrael act. Egypt now knows that God is sovereign and Bnei Yisrael are almost ready to go. Throughout the process, Bnei Yisrael have been marignialized, but suddenly they are asked to do something: they are to prepare for The Plague of the Firstborn, and are given a set of instructions to prepare for the Pesach ritual in Egypt- a Pesach characterized by anticipation and tension rather than remembrance of future generations.
   Suddenly Bnei Yisrael turn from passive to active. This is a dramatic shift- and why is it here? Why are Bnei Yisrael commanded to act?
   Did they need this? We explore various possibilities and suggest that they need to bring themselves into a different state in order to make themselves worthy of coming out of Eypt - and worthy of redemption - in an absolute way.

    

3. A Quick Message about the Yosef Story

   Rabbi Jonathan Snowbell | 4 minutes

   Though it may not seem that way, Miketz contains messages of hope. Yosef asked Sar HaMashkim to mention him to Pharaoh. Though years passed before anything happened, he planted the seeds of his own salvation. Out of unrealistic situations, things could yet change for the better.