Rabbi's Sermons

Shabbat shalom!

This week's Parashat "Vaera" is not a parasha of blessings, nor does it deal with issues of peace. It is a parasha that talks about struggles. A fight between Moses and Pharaoh, another between God and Pharaoh, another between Moses and the people of Israel and even between Moses and himself. At the beginning of the parasha, Moshe is again standing in front of his people as written on Exodus 6: "⁹ In this way Moshe spoke to the children of Israel; but they did not listen to Moshe because of anguish of spirit, and hard bondage".

Why did not they listen to Moshe who came to inform about the coming redemption? What was this "hard bondage" that they couldn't listen freely? In the Midrash Shemot Rabbah, the people of Israel are harshly criticized, and the text says: "It was difficult for them to withdraw from idolatry". Idolatry! Not less that that! People were not ready to abandon the idolatry they were used to, with so many Egyptian idols, and could not accept the belief in One and even abstract God. Perhaps that idolatry, was what disturbed their daily rest. Perhaps that "hard bondage" was precisely those annoying little things, which fill our lives today and do not allow us to listen or divert our attention to something more spiritual? Or perhaps, being slaves, it is understandable that they were busy with the quota of labor they had to supply.

The Midrash teaches us that "hard bondage" was idolatry, and with it, it actually explains to us that slavery of the children of Israel was not just physical slavery, but above all, it was a spiritual or psychological slavery, one that reduces the world of man to a confined and unsafe space. The lack of response from the people of Israel actually had a very severe effect on Moshe. When God spoke to him again, he said: “¹² And Moses spoke before the Lord, saying, ‘The children of Israel have not hearkened unto me. How then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips?’". This was not new. We learn in chapter four, that Moshe had already complained about his poor communication and about his inability to express himself: "Slow of speech and slow of tongue". But now however, he used an even harsher expression: "uncircumcised lips". What did that mean? According to Rashi's comment: it meant "sealed lips" as it is written in Jeremiah 6: "their ear is uncircumcised" those are sealed ears, or in Ezekiel 44 that mentions an "uncircumcised heart" meaning being unable to understand. Moshe did not know how to express himself, he did not find the right words. And Casuto explains: "with an inability to speak physically he could not speak before kings". That is, a physical defect, as according to tradition it was said, that Moses stuttered. But there is another perhaps more spiritual explanation. An uncircumcised person is one with whom a pact has not yet been made. It is possible that Moshe by saying “Arel sfatáim - uncircumcised lips” did not feel secure within the covenant with his God, and therefore did not feel prepared to have a connection with the people. He spoke to them, but they did not listen to him, there was no connection established, neither an alliance of common destiny forged. The people themselves showed little faith and had no power to listen, and Moshe, feeling ignored, lost faith in his own ability and in his own power.

Today in our own lives, couldn't something similar happen to us? Perhaps we should ask ourselves, in which situations in our life are we so poor in faith, so caught up in the routine of our labors, that we don't have time for spirituality, we don't have time for others, we don't have time to listen? And perhaps, following the concept of this Parasha Vaera, we should also be more aware of our lack of ability to listen to others, to anyone who has approached us asking for advice or help. Because just like Moshe, we could lose confidence in ourselves, perhaps due to lack of free time and not being prepared to just... listen, listen to others, listen to the sounds of nature, listen to ourselves, to that interior voice that tries to always improve the best in ourselves. Let us also remember that eventually, this communication and connection was reached between Moshe and the people of Israel. Over time, Moshe learned to express himself better, and the people learned to listen to him. The communication was so deep that even before his death, Moshe spoke at length with the next generation of the people, to the point that a whole book of the Torah was written: Sefer Debarim, the book of Deuteronomy, which shows us how much Moshe could speak with his people. With a little more effort, we can listen. With a little more confidence and maturity, we can express ourselves freely and openly. This Shabbat, let us turn the television off, turn off your cell phones, put that book aside, and with an open heart and an attentive ear, just communicate, speak and listen, have a beautiful bond that will allow you to enjoy a good communication with each other and your loved ones. I believe it is worth trying!

Shabat Shalom!

Rabbi David Laor

January 16^th 2026