REDEMPTION

Dear Family,

I hope everyone is well.

Thank you to all the Family in California for hosting us so well. We should always get together for many simchos!

I heard some interesting points from this week's Sedra, Bo, in a recorded shiur from Rabbi Gordon ah.

It is interesting that Torah, which is a Book of Law, goes through the whole book of Bereishis and a few Sedras of the book of Shemos before we get to the very first 2 Mitzvos, which we find in our Sedra this week.

There is a lot of discussion about why this is so, but it basically highlights that Hashem is in charge, and all is according to His Will.

What I found really interesting was the commentary of our Sages (he did not mention which Sages), that in the verse just before these 2 Mitzvos, it says '..lemaan revos mofsei be'eretz Mitzraim.' - (Pharoah will not listen to you) in order that My Miracles be further multiplied in the land of Egypt.'

Now if you take the first letter of each of the last 4 words in this verse, it is the acronym Rambam!

It is amazing how this Sedra:

• always follows soon after the Rambam's yohrtzeit,
• the above verse refers to Egypt where Rambam lived,
• and the verse is placed right before the first 2 Mitzvos of Torah, the area where Rambam has been the chief codifier throughout our history, to list out the full 613 Mitzvos that Torah comes to teach us.

The 2 Mitzvos are Rosh Chodesh observance, and bris milah (circumcision)

And Nissan now takes over as the first month of the Jewish calendar, from Tishrei (the start of Creation), which previously held this position. ie the Jewish Nation moves from a state connected to the natural world, to a state of miracles (Nissan root meaning is miracles), in preparation for the REDEMPTION FROM EGYPT

Rabbi Gordon pointed out that in the same way as the Jewish Nation was being clothed with 2 Mitzvos to merit the Redemption from Egypt, the Rebbe set out his 10 point Mitzva Campaign so that the whole Jewish world will merit the final REDEMPTION THROUGH MASHIACH.

These 10 Mitzvos are

1. Light Shabbos candles
2. Tefillin
3. Mezuzos on doors
4. Torah study
5. Tzedakah (Charity)
6. Home filled with books
7. Kashrut observance (dietary laws)
8. Love your Fellow
9. Jewish education
10. Observe Family Purity in marriage.

May this be soon in our days

Gut Shabbos to all