Fact | Description |
---|---|
Parasha Number | 6th Parasha in the Book of Exodus (Shemot) |
Parasha Name | Bo (בֹּא) means “Go” in Hebrew, reflecting God’s command to Moses to go to Pharaoh and demand the release of the Israelites. |
Torah Book | Exodus (Shemot) |
Number of Verses | 105 verses |
Number of Words | Approximately 2,605 words (in the Hebrew text) |
Primary Characters | Moses, Aaron, Pharaoh, and the Israelites are central figures. God’s role is significant as the final plagues lead to the Israelites’ liberation. |
Key Themes | The final plagues, the Passover, the departure from Egypt, and the establishment of Passover observance. |
Significant Events | The last three plagues (locusts, darkness, death of the firstborn), the institution of the Passover, and the Israelites’ departure from Egypt. |
Notable Quotes | Various verses throughout Bo, including God’s command: “This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you” (Exodus 12:2). |
Legacy | Parasha Bo concludes the narrative of the plagues and the Exodus, establishing the significance of the Passover festival. |
Relevance Today | The themes of liberation, obedience to divine command, and the commemoration of significant events are relevant, offering reflections on freedom and faith. |
Well-Known Stories | The final plagues, the Passover, and the crossing of the Red Sea are iconic narratives that symbolize the Israelites’ deliverance from oppression. |
Special Observances | Bo is regularly read during synagogue services and studied in Jewish communities, especially in preparation for the Passover festival. |
Connections to Other Texts | Bo concludes the Exodus narrative and connects to the subsequent events in the wilderness and the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. |
Theological Significance | Parasha Bo emphasizes the fulfillment of God’s promises, the importance of obedience, and the establishment of key rituals like the Passover. It underscores the concept of God’s intervention in human history for the sake of redemption. |
Parashat Bo is the sixth weekly Torah portion in the Book of Exodus (Shemot). The name “Bo” means “Go” in Hebrew, reflecting God’s command to Moses to go to Pharaoh and demand the release of the Israelites. This parasha covers Exodus 10:1-13:16 and marks the culmination of the plagues inflicted upon Egypt, leading to the Israelites’ liberation.
Key events and themes in Parashat Bo include:
The Final Plagues: Bo describes the last three plagues sent upon Egypt: locusts, darkness, and the death of the firstborn. These plagues intensify the pressure on Pharaoh to release the Israelites, culminating in a dramatic and decisive confrontation.
Institution of the Passover: God instructs Moses and Aaron to establish the observance of the Passover festival. This includes the selection and sacrifice of a lamb, the marking of doorposts with its blood, and the solemn commemoration of God’s deliverance.
The Departure from Egypt: Following the death of the firstborn, Pharaoh finally relents, and the Israelites are given permission to leave Egypt. The urgency of their departure is emphasized, marking the end of centuries of slavery.
Commandments Regarding Firstborns and Tefillin: In addition to the Passover instructions, God provides further guidance on the consecration of firstborns and the wearing of tefillin (phylacteries) as a symbolic reminder of God’s commandments.
Wealth Transfer: The Israelites are directed to request silver and gold from their Egyptian neighbors, signifying a form of restitution for their years of servitude.
Parashat Bo underscores the themes of divine justice, redemption, and the fulfillment of God’s promises. The establishment of the Passover festival as a central commemoration in Jewish tradition is a key legacy of this parasha. It symbolizes the transition from slavery to freedom and serves as a perpetual reminder of God’s intervention in history for the liberation of the oppressed.
בא
Bo
Exodus 10:1-13:16
ירמיהו
מ״ו:י״ג-כ״ח
Jeremiah
Proclaim in Noph and Tahpanhes!
Say: Take your posts and stand ready,
For the sword has devoured all around you!
They did not stand firm,
For GOD thrust them down;
They fell over one another.
They said:
“Up! let us return to our people,
To the land of our birth,
Because of the deadly sword.”
“Braggart who let the hour go by.”
Whose name is GOD of Hosts—
As surely as Tabor is among the mountains
And Carmel is by the sea,
So shall this come to pass.
Fair Egypt, you who dwell secure!
For Noph shall become a waste,
Desolate, without inhabitants.
A gadfly from the north is coming, coming!
Are like stall-fed calves;
They too shall turn tail,
Flee as one, and make no stand.
Their day of disaster is upon them,
The hour of their doom.
As they come marching in force;
They shall come against her with axes,
Like hewers of wood.
—declares GOD —
Though it cannot be measured;
For they are more numerous than locusts,
And cannot be counted.
Handed over to the people of the north.
Have no fear, My servant Jacob,
Be not dismayed, O Israel!
I will deliver you from far away,
Your folk from their land of captivity;
And Jacob again shall have calm
And quiet, with none to trouble him.
My servant Jacob
—declares GOD —
For I am with you.
I will make an end of all the nations
Among which I have banished you,
But I will not make an end of you!
I will not leave you unpunished,
But I will chastise you in measure.
Bo
more on Parashat Parashat Bo: Exodus and Plagues
Quick Guide: The Five Books of Moses
Genesis | Exodus | Leviticus | Numbers | Deuteronomy |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bereshit (1:1-6:8) |
Shemot (1:1-6:1) |
Vayikra (1:1-5:26) |
Bemidbar (1:1-4:20) |
Devarim (1:1-3:22) |
Noach (6:9-11:32) |
Va'era (6:2-9:35) |
Tzav (6:1-8:36) |
Naso (4:21-7:89) |
Va'etchanan (3:23-7:11) |
Lech Lecha (12:1-17:27) |
Bo (10:1-13:16) |
Shemini (9:1-11:47) |
Behaalotecha (8:1-12:16) |
Ekev (7:12-11:25) |
Vayera (18:1-22:24) |
Beshalach (13:17-17:16) |
Tazria (12:1-13:59) |
Shelach (13:1-15:41) |
Re'eh (11:26-16:17) |
Chaye Sarah (23:1-25:18) |
Yitro (18:1-20:23) |
Metzora (14:1-15:33) |
Korach (16:1-18:32) |
Shoftim (16:18-21:9) |
Toledot (25:19-28:9) |
Mishpatim (21:1-24:18) |
Achare Mot (16:1-18:30) |
Chukat (19:1-22:1) |
Ki Tetze (21:10-25:19) |
Vayetze (28:10-32:3) |
Teruma (25:1-27:19) |
Kedoshim (19:1-20:27) |
Balak (22:2-25:9) |
Ki Tavo (26:1-29:8) |
Vayishlach (32:4-36:43) |
Tetzave (27:20-30:10) |
Emor (21:1-24:23) |
Pinchas (25:10-30:1) |
Nitzavim (29:9-30:20) |
Vayeshev (37:1-40:23) |
Ki Tisa (30:11-34:35) |
Behar (25:1-26:2) |
Matot (30:2-32:42) |
Vayelech (31:1-30) |
Miketz (41:1-44:17) | Vayakhel (35:1-38:20) |
Bechukotai (26:3-27:34) |
Masei (33:1-36:13) |
Haazinu (32:1-52) |
Vayigash (44:18-47:27) |
Pekude (38:21-40:38) |
V'Zot HaBeracha (33:1-34:12) |
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Vayechi (47:28-50:26) |