
Parashat Va’eira (And I Appeared)
Shemot (Exodus) 6:2–9:35
Haftarah: Ezekiel 28:25-29:21
Our human nature draws us to seek security in the tangible comforts of the world, prioritizing them over reliance on God. From Abraham’s time, Egypt represented a land of stability and abundance, a place where one could reliably find food and water. For generations, the children of Israel turned to Egypt for sustenance and refuge. Genesis 13:10 even describes Egypt as being "like the garden of the LORD," evoking imagery of a lush and fertile haven.
This context helps explain why Jacob sent his sons to Egypt to procure food and why, ultimately, he relocated his entire family to the fertile region of Goshen. There, they flourished and enjoyed Pharaoh’s favor. However, as we see in the opening chapters of Exodus (“Shemot” in Hebrew), circumstances changed drastically when a new Pharaoh rose to power—one who neither knew nor respected Joseph’s legacy. This ruler enslaved the Israelites, subjecting them to harsh labor.
In this week’s Torah portion, we encounter the pivotal moment when God reveals Himself to Moses and reaffirms His covenant with Israel. God declares His intention to deliver His people, reclaim them as His own, and fulfill His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob:
God spoke to Moses and said to him, ‘I am the LORD. I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty, but by My name, LORD, I did not make Myself fully known to them. I also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, where they lived as foreigners. Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered My covenant. Therefore, say to the Israelites: I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you as an inheritance. I am the LORD.’"
Exodus 6:2–8
God’s desire was not only to free Israel from slavery but also to teach them to place their trust and hope in Him alone. Yet the Israelites were slow to embrace Moses’ message of deliverance. This hesitation reflects a profound truth: even when people suffer, they often cling to the familiarity of their circumstances. Slaves, though oppressed, can grow attached to the predictability of their bondage, fearing the unknown more than their suffering. This might explain why the Israelites repeatedly expressed a desire to return to Egypt, even after their liberation.
As noted earlier, the Israelites often looked to Egypt for provision, despite the hardships they endured there. However, in the Haftarah portion, the prophet Ezekiel delivers a prophetic warning of judgment against Egypt. Egypt, once seen as a source of stability and salvation, is revealed to be unreliable and fleeting:
Then all who live in Egypt will know that I am the LORD. You have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel.
Ezekiel 29:6
The imagery of a “staff of reed” is powerful, symbolizing something fragile and easily broken. The Hebrew word for “staff,” מִשְׁעֶנֶת (mishenet), denotes an object of support, but in this case, it represents Egypt as an unreliable crutch. Israel leaned on Egypt, but their dependence was misplaced, as it was not grounded in God. Ezekiel goes on to declare that Egypt, despite its grandeur, will become a “lowly kingdom” (Ezekiel 29:14).
These verses convey a timeless lesson: God will not take second place in our lives. Just as He called Israel to trust in Him alone, this message extends to us as followers of Messiah today. God desires to be our sole source of hope and comfort. Only by placing our trust in Him can we experience the security and peace that no earthly power can provide.
Shabbat Shalom,
Moran