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Todays Parsha #14: VaEra (and I appeared)

STUDY QUESTIONS FROM LAST WEEKS PORTION (Shemot)
1) What part of the Exodus drama is recalled or reenacted not just as Passover but at the
other two Great Feasts during the Hebrew year?
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'Three times a year all your menfolk must appear before Yahweh your God in the
place chosen by him: at the feast of Unleavened Bread, at the feast of Weeks, at the
feast of Shelters. No one must appear empty-handed before Yahweh, 17 but each
must give what he can, in proportion to the blessing which Yahweh your God has
bestowed on you. (Deuteronomy 16:16-17 NJB)
We remember Abba YHWHs redemption from Egypt always in the sense that
without that intervention, we would not have Israel, Jerusalem or all the other
blessings that have come as a direct result of the Exodus.
2) What is the difference between when Moshe sees the Burning Bush from a distance,
to when he goes up and sees it up close, to when he sees the Pillar of Fire writing the
Ten Commandments?
The first time Moshe sees the burning bush there is a figure of an angel in it.
The next two occasions there is only a voice.
3) What is the connection between Pharaohs initial refusal and a place in Samaria that
Yshua visited?
In Exodus 5:9 Pharaoh accuses the slaves of believing false reports and the
word for false in Hebrew is shekar which is the same word used for the town
in Samaria (Sychar in Greek; Shekar in Aramaic) where Jacobs well is located
per Yochanan 4. This word both means to lie and to be drunk.
4) How does one of Moshes miracles relate to Adam and Eve and Yshua?
One of Moshes miracles involved manipulating a serpent. It is Adam and Eve who
are told that their descendant Yshua will crush the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15)
during the End of Days.
5) How does Yshuas discourse hint that some of his disciples may have recently come
out of the Oral Traditions of the rabbis?
Three times in Yochanan 17 (see excerpts below) Yshua says that he came to teach
the Name of his Father, YHWH. The fact that the disciples obviously did NOT know

His Name prior to this time proves they were under the ban.
(Joh 17:6) I have made Your Name known to the sons of those men whom You had
given to me from the world. They were Yours and You have given them to me, and
they have kept Your Word. (Joh 17:7) Now they have known that everything that
you have given to me I have given to them and they received them. (Joh 17:8) And
they know that I have truly proceeded from your presence, and they believe that You
have sent me.
(Joh 17:11) Henceforth, I will not be in the world, and these are in the world. And I
am coming to Your presence. Kadosh201 Father, keep them by your Name,202 the
same Name which you have given to me, that they may be one even as We are one.
(Joh 17:12) I was with them while I was in the world. I have kept them in your
Name;203 those whom you have given to me, I have kept. And not a man of them is
lost except for the son of destruction, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled.
(Joh 17:26) And I have made Your Name known to them. And I will confess it so
that the love with which You have loved me might be in them, and I might be in
them."
1) Meaning of this weeks Torah portion and summary of contents:
VaEra means and I appeared, as in Abba YHWH explaining that He appeared to
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and this thought of course follows from His introduction in
Shemot that Moshe is a descendant of these people, I am the El of your fathers.
After the initial Bricks Without Straw setback, Moshe is strengthened to go back to
Pharaoh though neither he nor his own people seem willing to do the right thing. Now
also the warning period is over and Abba YHWH prepares to begin the real battle.
After the signs of the serpent and the leprosy are given and Pharaoh refuses to listen,
Moshe turns the Nile to blood and Egypt thirsts for 7 days. Plague after plague follows,
along with failed attempts on Pharaohs part to either muddy the issue or distract Abba
YHWH from His purpose. The portion ends with the plague of hail, but worse plagues
are still in their future.
2) Parsha (English-Exodus 6:2-9:35). This week we will read the entire portion.

Vayedaber Elohim el-Moshe vayomer elav ani Yahweh.

Va'era el-Avraham el-Yitschak ve'el-Ya'akov be'El Shaday ushmi
Yahweh lo nodati lahem.
Vegam hakimoti et-briti itam latet lahem et-erets Kena'an et erets
megureyhem asher garu vah.

3) Play by Play commentary where appropriate.

4) Point out key Hebrew words/terms. Color Commentary:
VAERA EL-AVRAHAM EL-YITZKHAK VEEL YAAKOV BEEL SHADDAY
USHMI YAHWEH LO NADATI LAHEM (6:3) = I revealed myself to Abraham and to
Isaac and to Jacob and My Name Yahweh I did not let them know Me by.
Very interesting note from Bible.ort.org:
Actually, God did use the Tetragrammaton (YHVH) in speaking to Abraham (Genesis
15:7) and Jacob (Genesis 28:13). The name was also used by angels (Genesis 16:11,
19:13,14, 18:14), by the Patriarchs themselves (Genesis 14:22, 15:2, 15:8, 16:2, 16:5,
22:14, 24:27, 24:31, 24:40, 24:44, 24:48, 26:22, 27:7, 27:27, 28:31, 29:32, 33:35, 30:24,
30:30, 32:10, 49:18), and even by gentiles (Genesis 24:3, 24:31, 26:28,29, 30:27, 31:49).
It is true, however, that the Tetragrammaton was never used in speech before the time of
the Patriarchs. Among the Patriarchs, the Tetragrammaton was known, but not its
inner significance (Ramban; Ibn Ezra). This was because the Patriarchs received their
prophecy from the level associated with the name El Shaddai, while only Moses received
it from the level associated with the Tetragrammaton (Moreh Nevukhim 2:35; Ralbag;
Milchamoth HaShem 6). Knowing God's name in the true sense is something great, as we
see in Isaiah 52:6, Jeremiah 31:33, Psalms 83:19.
My comment:
Genesis 4:26 makes it clear that people well before the patriarchs did use the Name of
Yahweh. Genesis 9:20 says Noah built an altar to Yahweh, although it doesnt directly
say he called Him that, but still the precedent was already set. Obviously there is a
disconnect though between the Rabbis admitting the Patriarchs used the Name of
Yahweh and their determination not to use it. If we have a clear track of usage up to
Exodus 3, and Yahweh in that place clearly says, This is My name for all eternity, who
is anyone to say NOT to use it when He says the world will know and praise Him in His
name?
However, in large measure, I kind of agree with them too, because it is EHYEH ASHER
EYHEH that is revealed to Moshe and its inner significance is surely NOT explained by
Abba YHWH prior to this time.
VE-EZKOR ET-BRITI (6:5) = and I have remembered My covenant. In the strictest
sense, Abba YHWH doesnt remember the covenant because that implies He can forget
something and He has perfect memory. Rather when He talks about remembering He
means focusing on or deciding about and when He forgets He has turned His face
away from something, most likely, from a person who has broken covenant. Father Yah
does not forget that person literally either but simply makes up His mind about them
and permanently turns away, if that is what is called for. Father Yah in the same way
remembered Noah and remembered Sarah, which really means that He had decided
to act at a particular moment in time in a particular way.

LACHEN EMOR LI VNEY YISRAEL- ANI YAHWEH VEHO-TSETI ET-CHEM

MITACHAT SIVIOT MITSRAYIM VEHITSALTI ET-CHEM ME-AVODATAM
VEGAALATI ETCHEM BI-ZROA NETUYAH UVISHAFATIM GEDOLIM (6:6) =
Therefore say to the sons (or children) of Israel: I am Yahweh and I will take you away
from the labor you are subjected to (literally, from the burdens you are under/forced to
do) and redeem you from slavery with an outstretched arm and with great acts of
judgment.
It is important to note that Abba YHWH frees with His arm which is also used as a
symbol of Messiah (Isaiah 53:1) because in both cases the arm brings salvation. The arm
as a limb of a body under control of the mind is a good description of the relationship
between the Father and the Son on the divine side.
ASHER NASATI ET YADI (6:8) = for which I have raised my hand. This is a literal
reading. Idiomatically it refers to raising ones hand in connection with taking an oath
(Genesis 14:22).
MIKOTSER RUACH (6:9) = Literally, short spirit or broken spirit, the
disappointment from the first time Moshe spoke with Pharaoh and made their labors even
worse than they were before.
VAYEDABER YAHWEH EL-MOSHE LAMOR (6:10) = And Yahweh spoke to Moshe
saying. This is the first time this sentence is given right before Abba YHWH speaks a
command. It becomes a kind of formula as the story goes on, letting us know that a
mitzvot is about to be given.
VAANI ARAL SFATAYIM (6:12) = Literally for I have foreskin over my lips or I
have uncircumcised lips meaning that Moshe is a stutterer. His lips do not form graceful
words. Also in 6:30.
According to rabbinic legend, the reason Moshe is a stutterer was because he was brought
before Pharaoh at age 5 and threw down the crown from his head (this much is in
Josephus too). The rabbis extend the story to test the toddler Moshe by putting a scale in
front of him. On one side there is the crown and on the other burning coals. The idea was
if he took the coals he had no bad intent but if he takes the crown he does and must be
killed. Once again, little Moshe reached for the crown but an invisible angel behind him
grabbed his hand and made him grasp the coals. Burning and in pain, he put his hand in
his mouth and burned his tongue, making him a stutterer ever since.
As odd as this story may seem, it probably was inspired by the phrase uncircumcised
lips implies some kind of physical deformity as opposed to Moshe simply lacking the
skill to speak, not having a good vocabulary and so on. The rabbinic story, again
amplified from the incident Josephus records, attempts to explain where the physical
deformity of Moshes lips came from.

CHAYEY LEVI SHEVA USHLOSHIM UMEAT SHANAH (6:16) = Levi lived 137
years. According to Genesis 29, Levi was born towards the end of Jacobs first 7 years
with Laban. While we do not directly know how old Jacob was when Levi was born, we
do know that when his son Joseph is 39 years old, Jacob is 130 years old, making him 91
years old when Joseph is born. Joseph is in turn born right at the end of the second 7 year
period, meaning that Joseph is about 7 years younger than Levi, give or take a year on
either side. These figures therefore tell us when Levi died, clearly after Josephs death at
age 110, or 34 years later. That also fits with the phrasing in Exodus 1 of and all that
generation had died.
KORACH (6:21) = Korah, as in the same Levite who will lead a rebellion later in
Numbers 16 and 17. Korah was a descendant of Kohath whose normal job was to
safeguard and maintain the sacred furniture, including the Ark of the Covenant. Instead,
he desired to be high priest which was not allowed of his family line. Ironically however
Korahs great-great grandson will ascend to the high position he aspired to but never
attained. His name is Samuel.
UVNEY KORACH (6:24) = and the sons of Korah. These sons did not die in their
fathers rebellion. Rabbinic tradition, perhaps correctly, has decided that these are the
same sons of Korah who are mentioned in the Psalms and who are credited with having
written Psalms 42, 44-48, 84 and 87.
PUTIEL (6:25) = A hybrid Egyptian-Hebrew name. PUTI means devoted to/belonging
to and EL is of course Abba YHWH. So this may be a person raised Egyptian who
decides he belongs to Abba YHWH now. Some authorities think this could be another
title for Jethro but no one is certain on the matter.
PINCHAS (6:25) = Phineas. Interestingly enough, this is another authentically Egyptian
name, Pi-neches means the dark one or he who aroused himself which foreshadows
him killing the couple in the tent for sexual sin and idolatry.
It is Phinehas later career that becomes a very important chronological clue in pinning
down the accounts in the book of the Judges. Despite his birth being recorded here and
his exploits as a young man becoming a hallmark of the book of Numbers, Phinehas
remains a high priest and leader throughout the entire book of Joshua and is still in power
after Samsons death 300 years later (Judges 20:28)! I called that irregularity, The
Strange Case of Doctor Phinehas in one of my chronology teachings. Something was
clearly wrong.
The only answer I found that kept the Scripture from being contradicted was a simple
one: Judges Chapters 17-21 actually belong chronologically speaking at the beginning of
that book, not at the end. This was far from the only reason I determined such to be the
case, but it was definitely one of the most important reasons for going with that answer.
VAYOMER MOSHE LEFNEY YAHWEH HEN ANI ARAL SFATAYIM VEEYCH
YISHMA ELECH PAROH (6:30) = and said Moshe before the face of Yahweh, I do not

have the self-confidence to speak. How will Pharaoh pay attention to me? This is now the
6th excuse Moshe gives Abba YHWH to avoid the job he has been given. The other 5
were in Exodus 3 and 4: 1) Who am I that I should go unto Pharaoh? 2) I dont know
Your Name to tell the Israelites Who sent me. 3) They wont believe You sent me. 4) Im
a stutterer. 5) Please send someoneanyoneother than me to do this thing. Now we
add this one: Im not brave enough.
VAYOMER YAWHEH EL-MOSHE REEH NETATICHA ELOHIM LEFAROH (7:1)
= And Yahweh said to Moshe: Behold, I make you like an Elohim before Pharaoh.
ELOHIM can mean god or mighty one or even angel. In this case all three
meanings are viable.
VENATATI ET-YADI BMITSRAYIM (7:4) = then I will display my power against
Egypt. Literally however it is then I will stretch out my hand throughout Egypt. There
are a number of plagues that suggest the imagery of a Great Hand, such as Abba YHWH
covering over the sun for darkness or placing frogs, insects, and other pests outside of
their normal habitations. In another sense, sending out Father Yahs hand means sending
His arm, who is Messiah Yshua (Isaiah 53:1). There may also be yet another linkage to
the large disembodied hand in Daniel that writes a message of doom on Balthazars wall.
YEHI LETANIN (7:9) = Let it become a serpent. When Moshe was back at Mount Sinai
in Exodus 3 and 4, the staff he was holding became a NACHASH, which is the kind of
serpent that tempted Adam and Eve. Now however the staff is turning into a TANIN,
another word for serpent but TANIN can also mean several other things such as
dragon or Great Serpent and is used to refer to a primeval beast of tremendous
proportions, much like the Leviathan. TANIN is also used in Aramaic NT to denote
Satan, the Great Serpent, who is cast into the Abyss.
I think this is significant because TANIN here is referencing Egyptian belief also in a
Great Serpentin this case one that devours the sun (Ra) at the end of each day. The day
that Moshe turns the Nile to blood was on a feast day to Ra. And so it may be TANIN in
the Hebrew way of referencing the Egyptian snake-monster Apep.
CHARTUMIM (7:11) = can refer to astrologers but here seems to reference a more
general kind of magician. The thing is, the astrologers from the East who came to see
Yshua were called MAGI, from where we get magic and they WERE astrologers!
Daniel was also called the king of the magicians in his book.
ANOCHI MAKEH BAMATEH ASHER BAYADI AL-HAMAYIM BA YEOR
VENEHEFCHU LEDAM (7:17) = I will strike the water of the Nile with the staff in my
hand and (the water) will turn into blood. Compare this with the original plan for this
miracle in Exodus 4:9 which was to take a little water from the Nile and put it on the
ground and have it turn to blood on the ground

BLATEYCHEM (7:22) = through their hidden arts. The Hebrew root LUT denotes
something hidden or secret. Some authorities think this refers to demonic worship
(Sanhedrin 67b).
SHALACH ET-AMI (7:26) = Let My people go, or send My people out. The reason
for this is given in the next words, VEYA AVDUNI, so they may serve Me. The use of
SHALACH (send out) rather than a synonym like BO (go) denotes a remez (hint) of the
future, as Israel is supposed to be a SHALIACH (sent out one; apostle) to the nations.
But first of course they must get their own house in order.
TZEFARDAYIM (7:28) = frogs. In Egyptian myth, the frog goddess Heket was closely
associated with Osiris, for whom the Nile was his bloodstream. Heket was known as the
goddess of resurrection and therefore linked to the winter season as it stretched towards
spring. Therefore, it is no surprise that Abba YHWH brought death to the Egyptians
through the image of Heket who was supposed to bring life instead! That is why, after
de-throning Osiris through blood, the next on the hit list was Heket. We will be going
over these associations in greater detail with the Torah Thought for the Week.
CHINIM (8:12) = lice or gnats. The beginning of several plagues dealing with insects
was meant as a slap to the royals directly. A number of insects are associated with royal
power, most notably the dung beetle or scarab that appears on royal seals. The dung
beetle was revered in ancient Egypt because it looked like the beetle spontaneously
created life from lifeless dung, but we know today the beetle simply was laying
microscopic eggs in the dung that the naked eye could not see.
ETSBA ELOHIM (8:15) = finger of Elohim in Hebrew, but derived from ancient
Egyptian again! In their language the word ETZBA or TZEBA means both finger or
retribution, hence the Egyptian sages are saying, This is the retribution of the El of the
Hebrews. TZEBA in Aramaic denotes will or pleasure specifically relating to
YHWH, as Yshua prays in the Lords Prayer, NEH WEH TZEVYANAKH (Let Your
will be done). So by YHWH extending His FINGER He is accomplishing HIS WILL.
AROV (8:17) = Possibly flies, but also many authorities believe it can refer to a mixture
of insects, snakes and wild animals in a general group. However, for me the strongest
link is again with ancient Egyptian and the word AOV (beetles) which again specifically
refers to royal seals and scarabs.
PEDUTH (8:19) = Literally, a redemption sign sometimes called distinction as in I
will make a distinction between your people and my people, meaning that the Hebrews
are set-apart with a sign showing their redemption is imminent.
VAYOMER MOSHE LO NACHON LAASOT KEN KI-TOAVAT MITSRAYIM
NIZBACH LYAHWEH ELOHEYNU HEN NIZBACH ET-TOAVAT MITSRAYIM
LEYNEYHEM VELO YISKELUNU (8:22) = And said Moshe (to Pharaoh): That
would not be acceptable because what we will sacrifice to Yahweh our Elohim is Set-

Apart (forbidden for sacrifice) in the eyes of the Egyptians. Could we then sacrifice such
a Set-Apart animal before the very eyes of the Egyptians and not have them stone us?
Meaning: As we saw in the Joseph story, sheep were sacred to the Egyptians and to eat
them and sacrifice them was considered a great sin. This is why Joseph tried to set
himself apart and not eat in front of Potiphars household. Now Moshe is saying that if he
sacrifices sheep in massive numbers in plain sight within Egypts borders, it will provoke
anger and riots, which is why they had to go OUT of Egypt, into the wilderness to do
this. Pharaoh wants to obviously control the political situation by asking for the sacrifice
in his borders, but also perhaps reasons that if a riot breaks out with massive Hebrew
casualties that the Hebrews will again curse Moshe and have no heart to demand their
freedom.
MIQNEH (9:3-4) = livestock. The cattle represents several Egyptian gods, most notably
the sacred bull Apis. However, in a sense, even though Abba YHWH inflicts judgment
against this false deity, it is not the end of its influence. It will re-surface later as the
Golden Calf, and worse than that, the sacred bull will be attributed to the real YHWH
via Egyptian pagan worship.
MELOPIACH (9:8) = handfuls of soot. Actually DOUBLE HANDFULS, where both
Moshe and Aaron have both their hands full of the soot and throw it up before Pharaohs
eyes. Their dust forms SHECHIN, painful boils on man and beast (9:9-10).
KI-ATAH SHLACHTI ET-YADI (9:15) = I could have sent forth My Hand, meaning I
could have sent so much power that all you would surely die. Abba YHWH is literally
tying one hand behind His back as if He were a kind of boxer or warrior and if Pharaoh
doesnt watch it, YHWH will untie that hand and really do some serious, permanent
damage. It is very close to saying, I am fighting you only with one hand tied behind my
backkeep it up though and I will bring the other hand to bear on you as well.
VAYEHI VARAD VEESH MITLAKACHAT HABARAD (9:24) = and there was hail
and there was fire flashing in the midst of the hail. Many readings are possible, but my
tendency is still to take the text literally with the hail itself having fire within it. I do not
believe this phenomenon came from a volcanic eruption or a meteor shower, as has often
been suggested.
Torah Question of the Week:
What is a common sign associated with Pesach now that was NOT available during
the original Exodus?
END PART 1

PART 2: THE HAFTORAH

Torah Question of the Week:
What is a common sign associated with Pesach now that was NOT available during
the original Exodus?
Those of you who are familiar with my Wheel of Stars teachings know this: Its the
barley of course, thoroughly destroyed in 9:31. In fact barley is not even mentioned over
the next 40+ years as being relevant to timing Pesach (not even in Gilgal in Joshua 5) and
this is because Abba YHWH set the clock (Exodus 12:1-2) without having anyone look at
the barley. No biblical figure ever went on a barley hunt or picked discrete areas of Israel
instead of other areas. Instead, the barley is the RESULT of spring, not the CAUSE of
the year starting in spring.
5) Haftorah portion: (English- Yehezqel (Ezekiel) 28:25-29:21) and discuss common
themes with the Torah portion. Read entire portion first.
6) Our linguistic commentary
HINENI ALEYCHA PAROH, MELECH MITSRAYIM (29:3) = Behold, I am
AGAINST you Pharaoh, king of Egypt. The word AGAINST, AL, can also mean to
be superior, above so Abba YHWH is also saying that He is in charge of Egypt, not
Pharaoh, and the Nile was made by and for Him, not Osiris.
HATANIM HA GADOL (29:3) = the great serpent/dragon/sea monster. The serpent
was another symbol of Egyptian royal power. Every Pharaoh word a headdress with
a serpent protruding out from the center of his forehead. But again, the serpent of
Egypt is the great liar and destroyer, Ha Satan, and Abba YHWH puts Himself above
all pretenders.
MISHENETH KANEH (29:6) = staff of reeds. Compared to Israel, Egypt is like
paper, for papyrus reed is used to make the paper they write on. The reed KANEH is
where we get the name for the city of Cana, where Yshua will turn water into wine.
This is a perfect imagerecalling how the waters of the Nile were turned to blood!
PATHROS (29:14) = south land. Because the Nile flows the opposite of most other
rivers, that is to say South to North rather than the other way around, Upper Egypt is
in the SOUTH and Lower Egypt is in the NORTH. This threat then is basically
referring to when Egypt was a divided culture before Pharaoh Narmer/Menes unified
it and gave birth to the First Dynasty ca. 3100 BCE. The message: You will go back
to being a tiny little settlement in the South Land, and all the progress you have made
as a civilization will be taken from you as you go back to square one.
BAYOM HAHU ATSMIACH KEREN LEVEYT YISRAEL (29:21) = On that day I
will cause a horn to spring forth towards the House of Israel. The Hebrew word

KEREN can also mean ray of light, indicating a renewal of the Hebrew people at
the expense of the Egyptians.
7) Renewed Covenant portion: (English). Romans 9:14-17 and 2 Corinthians 6:147:1 (all the way through with applicable footnotes.)
No footnotes for Romans 9:14-17
2 Corinthians 6:14
Another place where "communion" was inserted into Christian versions, where it is
clearly and simply "fellowship."
2 Corinthians 6:16
Present tense, the Temple was still standing when this Epistle was written and
therefore before the year 70. Of course, Pauline authorship also gives us this time,
since the Apostle died before 67.
2 Corinthians 6:18
Literally, "Master YHWH that (is) all power."
2 Corinthians 7:1
Murdock translates this as righteousness, as did I previously. However, while
technically true, the word is kadishota in Aramaic, which is more properly rendered
as Set Apart. This is an important distinction in both the Aramaic and the Greek
because it shows Paul exhorting Gentiles to literally work sanctification proving
that work and sanctification are not separate and/or mutually exclusive concepts
but are spiritually symbiotic. The myth as perpetrated by Luther and others that Paul
is all about grace and Yaakov is all about works is exposed here as a falsehood.
Rav Shaul and Yaakov emphasize how works and sanctification live together; each
is required of the other otherwise a persons faith becomes out of balance.
8) Highlight common themes in Aramaic (terms in footnotes which I will read):
9) Apply these themes/issues to modern issues in the Netzari faith. (This entire,
extra-loaded portions showcases the need for all believers to learn about the
history around Biblical events. We must understand that Abba YHWH reveals
Himself through the current historical and political circumstances of both His
chosen people and His enemies. Therefore, understanding how the folks back
then really thought about these things brings us closer to being there and feeling
what they felt, even if vicariously.)

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10) Relate to all or part of an Appendix portion of AENT or footnotes from a portion
(Salvation p. 952-954).
STUDY QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED NEXT WEEK
1) How is it possible to use ancient history to more precisely date the plagues of the
Exodus?
2) Why does Exodus 6:20 say that Moshes father Amram married his Aunt, when
Leviticus 18:12 specifically prohibits this?
3) Is there any historical evidence to explain how the Egyptian magicians were also
able to turn their staffs into snakes? What is the difference between their power
and YHWHs?
4) How does Moshes form of address in 8:25 reflect his appraisal of Pharaohs
character at that moment?
5) What part of this Torah portion gives a clear signal that some Egyptians may in
the future turn to monotheism, as they did under Pharaoh Akenaten?
Torah Thought for the Week:
The Plague Clock
For those of you who have been with me for a while, you know I have been making
several efforts over the years to give a precise chronology of the Ten Plagues. As my
research has progressed on this point since early 2011, I have since made a number of
very helpful discoveries that have helped make this chronology more precise and more
accurate. In particular, I found something very intriguing about Yom Kippur that really
proved to be a game changer and wanted to share it with you all! We begin our study
with these three Scriptures:
(Exo 7:7) Now Mosheh was 80 years old and Aharon 83 years old when they
spoke to Pharaoh. (The Scriptures 1998)
(Deu 1:3) And it came to be in the 40th year, in the 11th month, on the 1st day
of the month, that Mosheh spoke to the children of Yisral according to all that
had commanded him concerning them. (The Scriptures 1998)
(Deu 31:1) And Mosheh went and spoke these words to all Yisral, (Deu 31:2)
and he said to them, I am 120 years old today. I am no longer able to go out
and come in. And has said to me, You do not pass over this Yardn. (The
Scriptures 1998)
To my mind, these passages combine to tell us several important things. First, that right
before the plagues started, Moshe had just turned 80 years old. Second, that Moshe died

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on the same day he was born. And third, that birth and death date was the 1st day of
Shevat, the 1st day of the 11th month of the Hebrew year.
Therefore, our process basically involves two steps. First, to identify the years (in our
current Gregorian calendar) when these events had to occur; and second, to convert the
Hebrew date of 1 Shevat into our modern calendar, because it is from Moshe himself that
the ordering of months and years comes directly (Exodus 12:1-2).
What is particularly also of interest to me as a calendar guy is the fact that Exodus year
had to be counted the old waythat is to say, from what we now call Tishri in the
previous fallfirst, before being switched over the next spring. This is because only two
turns of the year are mentioned in Scripture and these are only in spring (2 Samuel
11:1, 1 Kings 20:22, 26) and in fall (Exodus 34:22).
The reason we know this is because of the order given in Genesis 8:22 by Moshe himself.
Seedtime and harvest refers to the fall sowing season of barley and wheat that is
harvested in the spring as well as the spring planting of summer and fall fruits that are
harvested in the fall. This is followed by cold (fall going into winter) and then heat
(spring going into summer), and finally summer and winter. It is also interesting that the
last pair is day and night rather than night and day, because even though the Hebrew day
runs sunset to sunset, the longest day is at the first day of summer and the longest night is
at the first day of winter, so these last four terms are meant to go together.
As a result, that first Exodus year began at Fall Equinox in 1448 BCE, Saturday morning,
September 22nd (Gregorian) 12:25 PM Jerusalem time, which in Hebrew terms brings us
to the following sunset, hitting the daylight part of September 23rd. In a very interesting
coincidenceor is it?the date of this Solar New Years day corresponded to the 10th of
Tishri, or what would be Yom Kippur just a year later! So the Israelites New Year is a
Day of Atonement in Abba YHWHs eyes. From there it would count this way
Month 1-September 22nd to October 21st (1448)
Month 2-October 22nd -November 20th
Month 3-November 21st-December 20th
Month 4-December 21st-January 19th (1447)
Month 5-January 20th-February 18th (No leap day)
Month 6-February 19th-March 20th
Incidentally, these months that were verified for 1448-1447 BCE were identical in terms
of the dates I predicted for the Hebrew Solar Year system which went back to Noah! In
my mind this means Abba YHWH has validated the theory by picking a year where the
New Years Day corresponds to the future Yom Kippur and revealing the actual original
architecture at the same time!
So after March 20th, the seventh Solar Month began, just before the start of spring, but
Abba YHWH had also made sure the lunar month, or New Moon nearest this Solar 7th
Month, had already been underway when He instructed Moshe about taking a lamb on

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the 10th day of that lunar month. From that point on, the starts of the months would be
determined by the lunar cycles, which back dated the months beginning back to March
8th.
However, with the institution of the agricultural feasts under Moshe, now the moon also
became increasingly important, as it was from the moons darkest point (conjunction) to
its brightest (full moon) and back to dark again that made for counting the months. The
full moon in particular has been scientifically proven to be the best time to harvest, and in
ancient times it had the added benefit of providing more light for the workers to do so at
night. The New (or Dark) moon then began the time to mark the start of the month and to
celebrate the 7th month (Yom Teruah). Of course the 7th full moon was also sanctified
(Sukkot) just as the seventh day (Shabbat), the 7x7 day (Omer count before Shavuot) the
seventh year (Shemittah) and the 7x7 year (year before Jubilee) were.
In any case, the time has come to apply what we have just learned. This day of 1 Shevat,
as I said earlier, must be translated into solar time for Moshes birth in very late 1528
BCE (Saturday, December 23rd), Moshe turning 80 before Exodus in 1447 BCE
(Wednesday, January 9th) and death in 1406 BCE (Wednesday, January 7th), all
Gregorian time. That is the most important key to the whole Plague Clock!
Again, harking back to Exodus 7:7, Moshe had turned 80 years old when he first spoke
with Pharaohthe second meeting had not happened yetbecause that meeting began in
Exodus 7:10. That means the earliest possible time that Moshes first encounter with
Pharaoh could have happened was during the daylight portion of Thursday, January 10th,
1447 BCE. Since the Israelites were freed in the early hours of March 23rd (15 Abib) in
hat same year, this gives us a maximum window of everything from Bricks without
straw to the 10th and last plague of 73 days
January 10-31 inclusive
All of February (No leap)
March 1-23
TOTAL

22 days
28 days
23 days
73 days

However, if we count from the first daylight part, which is to say on January 11th, its 72
days.
Now during this time its important to note the following New and Full Moons:
Wednesday-Thursday, January 23-24
Thursday-Friday, February 7-8
Saturday-Sunday, February 23-24
Friday-Saturday, March 8-9
Friday-Saturday, March 22-23

Full Moon (15 Shevat)

New Moon (1 Adar)
Full Moon (15 Adar)
New Moon (1 Abib)
Full Moon (15 Abib)

Now, when Moshe first makes the request for Pharaoh to let the Israelites go for a 3 day
march in the wilderness (Exodus 5:1-3), that means it takes 3 days to get there, at least 1

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day to worship and 3 days to get back to Egypt. The earliest time Moshe could have
arrived was on his 80th birthday on 1 Shevat/January 10th (daylight), by which time the
New Moon had already begun with Moshe born on New Moon day.
But if the pattern of having feasts on new and full moons as feast days unless we are
commemorating a fast (Yom Kippur) or a historical event (Hanukkah)applies to this
earlier time, Moshe would have needed Pharaohs permission to leave Egypt no later than
Monday morning, January 21st, to get to the wilderness by Wednesday the 23rd.
This timing makes perfect sense. The earliest the festival could have begun was the 23rd
at sunset, ending of course no earlier than the 24th at sunset. The Israelites then could
have travelled back during the daylight part of Friday, rested on Shabbat until Saturday
night, and arrived back in Egypt on Monday, January 28th.
However, because Pharaoh said no, I believe Abba YHWH held this day in trust until,
during a much later age, the rabbis would enshrine this time as Tu BShevat (15 Shevat),
or the Jewish New Year for Trees. This occasion goes at least as far back to Hillel the
Elder, to the 1st century BCE, but the source for this ruling is found in discussing how to
apply Torah commands in Leviticus 19:22-23 and Deuteronomy 14:22-29. Mashiyach
Yshua also appears to be referring to Tu BShevat, or is at least inspired by its
requirements, in the wedding feast parable of Matthew 22.
The details then in the Bricks Without Straw drama certainly seem to be taking place over
several weeks at least, as it seems unlikely that an inconvenience of no straw that lasted a
few days would create much of a stir. It makes far more sense for Pharaoh to draw this
punishment out, so that Moshe will be harassed by his own people.
Then, during these same several weeks, I believe Moshe is also negotiating with Pharaoh
to have him agree to letting Israel go for the next new and full moons (February 7-8 and
23-24), but these dates Adar 1 and Adar 15 are also refused. According to Josephus
(Antiquities, 11:202)1, Adar was the month that King Xerxes held a great wedding feast
(hmm there it is again), in Esthers honor. Adar 15 of course, would later be the day of
Esthers triumph, the celebration of Purim.
So now three requests for Pharaoh to let Israel go for a feast to Abba YHWH have been
refused by Pharaoh. It is then sometime after that Adar Full Moon but before the New

In a very interesting twist of fate, Josephus seems to be aware of two ancient readings for Esther 6:16-18.
In the Masoretic Text, the king is said to have married Esther in the 10 th month of Tevet; however in the
Septuagint Greek he marries Esther in the month of Adar. Josephus is apparently trying to harmonize the
two accounts by suggesting a gap between when the king realizes he loves Esther and wants to marry her
and when he actually makes a feast for her sometime after the wedding. So I think this is actually how the
original Hebrew (pre-Masoretic text) read, making a distinction between selecting Esther for wife in Tevet
but giving her a wedding feast in Adar. Here is how Josephus put it: And when Esther had come to him, he
was pleased with her, and fell in love with the damsel, and married her, and made her his lawful wife, and
kept a wedding feast for her on the twelfth month of the seventh year of his reign, which was called Adar.
(Antiquities, 11:202) One can easily imagine Tevet being intended during the first part of that sentence.

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Moon of Abib (March 8th) that I believe Abba YHWH sets the total deliverance for Israel
at the next full moon, for Exodus.
The timing then of the start of the plagues, meaning the prelude where Moshe gives
Pharaoh the final warning with his staff turning into a snake, must I believe hit after the
full moon of Adar concluded because from Abba YHWHs view (I think that is), the time
ran out on Pharaoh at the same moment it will for Haman in Persia about a thousand
years later and this is also time of the death of Herod the GreatPurim Full Moon is the
last one that tyrant sees as well and he dies before the next full moon at Pesach in 4 BCE!
At the other end of the bookend however is Exodus 12:1-2 which is dated to March 8th,
the start of Abib, for that reference to be valid. This means broadly speaking that the
plagues began before Abib did, but that first plague lasted a week, so the day before that,
in order to make the overall timing work, must be just about March 1st, although February
28th is still remotely possible as well. Still, I have gone with March 1st as the day Moshes
staff turned into a snake. However, to proceed deeper into this inquiry we need to talk
about how part of the Egyptian calendar actually worked.
Just to talk on this system very briefly. The Egyptian New Years Day was calculated by
both the cycles of the moon and the return of a star before sunrise after it had disappeared
from the night sky for about 70 days; this is called heliacal rising. That star, Sirius, was
by far the most important heavenly body to the Egyptians, both in terms of astronomycalendar and in their own mythology.
At any rate, the length of the star yearthe time between two heliacal risings of
Siriusmatched exactly the length of a year in the Julian calendar: 365 days and 6 hours
exactly (365.25 days). That meant, assuming the location was fixed every year which we
know it was (and where), Sirius should return literally like clockwork on or near the
same Julian calendar day year after year, century after century, but there are
observational factors involved in this determination that must be accounted for to get a
certain result. Over the course of 3,000+ years, astronomers have long known that
generally speaking Sirius will do a heliacal rising from Memphis Egypt sometime in the
third week of July according to the Julian calendar. However, for true accuracy in any
given year, especially one this ancient, special software is needed to look at a variety of
factors in the ancient skies and determine what a skilled ancient astronomer would have
been able to reasonably see with the naked eye and when. It also helps that Egypt is a
dessert, so not a whole lot of rain or clouds to worry about obstructing their view, though
flash floods do occur rarely there.
As a result, I asked my science advisor Bill Welker to run the numbers through the
astronomy software he has for this year, and he told me the return date of Sirius in Julian
time is the morning of July 16th Julian, which correlates to our current morning of
Tuesday, July 3rd in Gregorian time. In order to avoid confusion, I will use only
Gregorian time references from this moment forwards.

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From this point, the New Years Day will be tested when we reach the first New Moon
after the return of Sirius, or the first new moon after Gregorian July 3rd which is actually,
July 15th. According to one of the leading Egyptian calendar experts whose work I have
personally tested and verified, Richard Parker, if the New Moon after the return of Sirius
is within 11 days of that event (July 3rd through 14th in this case), then a leap month must
be added. If it falls on the 15th or later, then that New Moon is New Years Day. Because
this New Moon falls exactly on the 15th, the Egyptian New Years Day will begin the
following dawn (Gregorian July 16th), since they reckon their days beginning at sunrise;
no leap month is added.
That established, all we need to do is count in 30 day increments for each month to
recover the matching Egyptian festival days for matching up with our Gregorian calendar
days for their entire year:
1 Akhet (Inundation, or Thoth)July 16-August 14, Month #1
2 Akhet (Inundation, or Phaophi)August 15-September 13, Month #2
3 Akhet (Inundation, or Athyr)September 14-October 13, Month #3
4 Akhet (Inundation, or Choiak)October 14-November 12, Month #4
1 Peret (Growth, or Tybi)November 13-December 12, Month #5
2 Peret (Growth, or Mechir)December 13-January 11 [1447 BCE], Month #6
3 Peret (Growth, or Phamenoth)January 12-February 10, Month #7
4 Peret (Growth, or Pharmouthi)February 11-March 12 [Feb. has 28 days], Month #8
1 Shemu (Harvest, or Pachon)March 13-April 11, Month #9
2 Shemu (Harvest, or Payni)April 12-May 11, Month #10
3 Shemu (Harvest, or Epiphi)May 12-June 10, Month #11
4 Shemu (Harvest, or Mesore)June 11-July 10, Month #12
First New Moon at least 11 days after return of Sirius: August 3rd.
As for Father Yah and the Plague Clock, He has, by this time I think written off the
Abib New Moon of March 8th, as evidenced by the statements in Exodus 12:1-2.
Therefore, this is the best estimated time frame I can come up with for the Exodus
drama
Thursday, January 10thLatest possible arrival for Moshe in Egypt when he first
speaks with Pharaoh (Exodus 5:1-23). This timing also makes sense because the best time
to cross the desert from Midian into Egypt is during the winter. Moshe has just turned 80
years old.
Friday, January 11th- Saturday, March 2ndBricks Without Straw events happen,
along with the aftermath (Exodus 6:1-7:9). During this time the Shevat Full Moon and
the Adar New and Full Moons have passed by without a feast for Abba YHWH
happening.
Friday, March 1st19th day of the Egyptian 8th month of Pharmouthi. Moshe turns his
staff into a snake, reminding the priests of Amun-Ra that a snake named Apep devours

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the sun-god every evening. But when Moshes snake devours theirs, it sends a message
that Abba YHWH is more powerful than the greatest enemy to the Egyptian sun god! It
was on this very day that the Festival of Ra on His Barge floated the idol down the Nile
in a boat, symbolizing the rising and setting of the sunexcept in this case Moshes
snake was stronger than Ra and stronger than their demon snake enemy as well.
Saturday, March 2nd20th day of Egyptian 8th month of Pharmouthi. Moshe turned the
Nile waters, and in fact all the waters stored anywhere in Egypt, into blood, thus defiling
the god Osiris, the lord of the living and the dead, was also humiliated, because the Nile
was said to be his bloodstream. Egypt then thirsts for 7 days.
Sunday, March 9th27th day of Egyptian 8th month of Pharmouthi, the plague of frogs
begins. The Egyptian feast on this day is called End of the World by Sekhmet while
ironically the frogs that die represent resurrection but, apparently not for them in the face
of the True Elohim! She is depicted as a lion and known to be associated with warfare,
but in this war the Lion of Judah has triumphed.
Tuesday, March 12thFrogs stay in the Nile. This is the 30th day of Pharmouthi, the day
when special offerings to six important deities were supposed to happen but apparently
the Egyptians had their hands full at that time.
Wednesday, March 13thFrogs die. Plague of insects begins. Beetles were symbols of
royal power; the dung beetle in particular was symbolic of resurrection, as to Egyptian
eyes life sprang from the lifeless manure, when in reality the eggs were simply
microscopic. It is now the 1st of Pachon, the day when there was supposed to be a feast in
honor of the god who is said to dwell inside Pharaoh.
Thursday, March 14thAbba YHWH sends the insects away.
Friday, March 15thCattle die, defaming the goddess Hathor, the Cow goddess, who is
associated both with fertility and death. Hathor is also the wife of Horus, who is said to
be the god inside Pharaoh himself!
Saturday, March 16thAbba YHWH gives Pharaoh an ultimatum.
Sunday, March 17thPlague of fiery hail engulfs Egypt, insulting Nut the goddess of
the sky. It is also 5 Pachon, a feast celebrating fertilityone must wonder how much in
the mood the Egyptians were at this point.
Monday, March 18thPlague of locusts. It is now the 6th day of Pachon, or the Day of
Restructuring the Heavens, also known as the Coming Out.
Tuesday, March 19thPlague of darkness begins.
Thursday, March 21stPlague of darkness ends with start of spring ceremony.

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Friday, March 22nd14-15 Abib. Israelites slaughter the Pesach lamb late in the
afternoon and sit down to eat lamb, matzah and bitter herbs. The sun sets as they wait for
Abba YHWH to slay the first born of Egypt.
Saturday (Shabbat), March 23rd15 Abib. At midnight the first born of Egypt are
slain. Pharaoh calls Moshe and frees the slaves. Hebrews leave in haste, strip the
Egyptians and, as they get on the road, the moon becomes 100% full (2:22 AM local
time).
That sunrise, in Egyptian terms, is the start of the 10th day of Pachon, or the Day the
Shining Ones of HeavenIsrael in this caseMove Upstream (out of Egypt).
And so, while not every day of the plagues was a critical Egyptian feast, I think there are
enough concordances to at least suggest that the convergences are beyond the realm of
pure chance. What do you think?
Im Andrew Gabriel Roth and thats your Torah Thought for the Week!
Next week we will be exploring Bo, or Exodus 10:1-13:16. Our Haftorah portion will be
Yiremeyahu (Jeremiah) 46:13-28 and our Renewed Covenant reading will be from
Revelation 19:1-16. Stay tuned!

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