parashat bo

Hellooo friends! This week the topic of the power of our thoughts was really present for me. Realizing how every little decision and path I choose actually changes the world and my life – it is all energy. The energy I send out into the universe, to Hashem, to the world, is what i will receive in return, it is the very energy that I will find to be present in my life because that is what Hashem reciprocates just like a boomerang. So currently I am working on self-control in the realm of my thoughts (Itkafia (conquest): (lit. “bending back”) the Divine service of subjugating and subordinating the material nature of the body and the animal soul), trying to put a lot of intention and focus into making sure that I always fill my imagination with positive visions, with beautiful memorys that invoke good feelings so that it will lead to good vibes, a good character, good decisions. This is the way we literally shape our reality through thought – the source of our decisions and personality.

Parashat bo records the last three plagues that Hashem afflicted the egyptians with. We also learn about the very first Mitzva – sanctifying the new moon, rosh chodesh as well as the instructions for the pessach sacrifice (passover – because hashem passed over the doorposts which were sprinkled with the blood of the lamb/goat) which is to be eaten with bitter herbs and matza. When the last plague of smiting the firstborns came in, Paraoh finally broke and let the jewish people go.

Have you also asked yourself following question: was it really Paraoh who is to be made responsible for the plagues if it is Hashem who “hardened his heart” as it says in the Torah? The answer is: no. We must understand the following: The path a person chooses will be the path G-d will help one in. This goes for good choices and also, as we see in the case of Paraoh, for bad and evil choices.

He provides a perfect example of what happens when we choose evil and foulness to govern our thoughts and decisions – at some point, we almost loose control of it because, once we really choose this path, Hashem increases the force and momentum in our journey on this path we initiate – Paraoh did not have a soft heart (his own decision and character which originate in his negative thoughts toward the jews) so what Hashem did is harden it even more.

Nevertheless, we must remember that we can always come back to our core and repent, even when we realize that we are going on a wrong path. The doors of teshuva are always open – it might be harder, but it is always possible to return.

The exodus, which took place in this parasha, is a very fundamental theme in our daily life as jews. We remember it every day when we say Shema, when men put on tefillin, we mention and give thanks for it when we bless our food and once a year we celebrate Pessach for 7 days, remembering this miracle of Hashem guiding the jewish people out of slavery.

I want to share is a kavanah (intention) when saying the shema prayer. At the very end, we say: “I am the L-rd your G‑d who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your G‑d; I, the L-rd, am your G‑d. True.” For a long time, I said it without connecting to it – what do I think of? People in a desert walking away happily because they are no longer in slavery? I have no concept of what slavery really is and it was so long ago, making it so unrelatable.. Then I heard this, which really gave new life to my prayer: leaving Egypt means leaving our limitations, constrictions which we put ourselves in or even those which lie outside of our control. 10 plagues which were certainly above nature took the jewish people out of over a century of bitter and hard slavery. So can we be redeemed out of the things that enslave us, wether it is our emotions and overwhelming thoughts or material circumstances. It may have been long ago that the exodus happened but it is the same G-d with the same powers and the same message that rules the world we live in nowadays. Remembering leaving Egypt means remembering that every day is a new opportunity to leave our own limitations to become a free person and Hashem is here, waiting for you to call out to Him, it means removing the coldness within us that makes us ignorant of the inner work we have to do.

To come back to my point in the beginning: paraoh gives us a negative example of what happens when we initiate a path of darkness. We can see this from the positive side, too: when we decide to do good and send out good vibes and thoughts, Hashem will certainly amplify and reinforce this energy. We just have to dare to jump up and Hashem will make us fly!

May we all find the clarity and strength to choose the right things to see them flourish in our lives in increased ways, to take advantage of this dynamic that whatever we send out will be intensified.

Gut Shabbes gut shaaabeeesss