Greetings in the name of His & Her Imperial Majesties Qedamawi Haile Sellassie I & Itege Menen Asfaw,

I welcome you all to a new regenartion of cycle Torah readings!  This is another one of the many interpretations of the Scriptures from the light of Ras Tafari by, I, Lidj Yefdi (pronounced Lij, Yef-dee).

I assure you that if you are patient with me, come with a willing mind and heart(ready to learn), you will receive more than what you might have asked for, in seeking the perspective of a Ras Tafarian’s I-sight (eyesight) into the study of the Scriptures.

So,with this Hebrew Shabbot (or Sabbath day) if those who actually open up their Bibles to read in a Jewish/Hebrew cycle of readings, & thoroughly discern, have come to the opening of the Torah portion with W(V)a’Êrӑ – וָאֵרָא.  On the Jewish or Hebraic Calendar in this year 5776, this Sabbath day would probably fall on the 27th – כז, & the 28th – כח, of the month of Teb(v)et – טֵבֵת, for this week, in this mode of study; for those out in the diaspora or outside of Jerusalem/Israel.  (The Hebrew Calendar corresponds to a Lunar cycle of the Moon) &, from an Ethiopic-Christian perspective, in what may be known as the year 2008/2028/7508, on the Ethiopic calendar.  This calculation, with its readings from the Scriptures, would align to the 28th – ፳፰, & the 29th – ፳፱, on the (ወርኀ) month of Taḥ’sas – ታኅሣሥ.  In the Scriptures, what is also known as Tegelletthu – ተገለጥሁ.  The Ethiopic calendar is solar (with its correspondence to the Sun) aligns to this Sabbath (or Senbet – ሰንበት) in the Ethiopian language of Amharic, which is currently one of the languages of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (the other language being Ge’ez – (ግእዝ).

Readings:

Exodus 6:2- 9:35

Ezekiel 28:25- 29:21

Romans 9:14-23

This portion of our studies of the Scriptures comes the Plagues of Egypt.

Now, in summation of the study we have in front of us; Moses is being spoken to from the burning bush that is of the God of the Hebrews (YHWH Elohim) & is commissioned to go to Pharaoh with his brother Aaron, to speak the words of God to Pharaoh to set the captives free, which are of Israel in Egypt. Moses questions his role in this command by God to be the Deliverer of the Hebrew people out of Egypt’s slavery, but of course Moses is convinced for a surety by the great power of the God of his patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob.

The God of Israel, appeared to Moses, & showed how the Hebrew children knew God as, El Shaddai(y)-אֵל שַׁדָּי,…but the name of “YHWH-יְהוָה”, was not known to them.  God also spoke with Moses about how he heard the cry of Israel because of their hard bondage, and he sought to bring them out of Egypt with an outstretched arm.

[Ex. 6: 2-8]

Moses, told the people but they refused to hearken to his words, then God gave Moses and Aaron charge of the children of Israel & to speak with Pharaoh; the words of God.

[Ex. 6: 9-30]

Moses & Aaron, then instructed by God to speak to Pharaoh, & to show forth the signs, wonders, and great judgments that were to come upon Egypt.  God knew that Pharaoh would not consent the words of Moses and his brother Aaron.

[Ex. 7: 1-15]

Vying again, for the release of the children of Israel, from the house of Pharaoh, Moses and Aaron, bring on more of the judgments of God.  But Pharaoh’s heart continued to harden and clutches, still held to the Hebrews.

[Ex. 7: 15-25]

Again, the words of the God of the children of Israel, came to the house of Pharaoh, (LET MY PEOPLE GO!), for there were surely more signs, wonders, and judgments to come if these words were met with refusal.

[Ex. 8: 1-14]

Pharaoh, becoming more than disgruntled with the actions of Moses and Aaron, at the hands of the God of Israel, yielded not continuously.

[Ex. 8: 15- 9:12]

Famine, lice, pestilences, blood in the rivers of Egypt for seven days’ time, Pharaoh surely had to be at his wits’ end, in trying to fully grasp how the control of the house of Pharaoh had become been lost so rapidly.  But, even in the midst of all of this, the hardening of his heart was at its height.

[Ex. 9: 13-35]

The lineage of the children of Israel that should come up out of Egypt is aligned in the study of the Scriptures for this parsha. The God of the Hebrews shows his power to the whole of Egypt through ten devastating Plagues.(In this study, we’ll first go through seven) In which, Moses and Aaron bring forth by the command of God, with the smiting of the ‘oppresive’ Egyptians with the wonders/miracles of YHWH-the God of the Hebrews.

• Plague of blood (דָם)dam: Exod. 7:14–25: (ደም)däm
• Plague of frogs (צְּפַרְדֵּעַ):T’safarade’a Exod. 7:25–8:11: (ጓጕንቸሮች)gʷagʷinchäroch
• Plague of lice or gnats (כִּנִּים)kiniy’m: Exod. 8:16–19: (ቅማል)Q’mal
  
• Plague of flies or wild animals (עָרוֹב)arob: Exod. 8:20–32: (ዝንብ)z’nb
• Plague of pestilence (דֶּבֶר)deibeyr: Exod. 9:1–7: (ቸነፈር)chännäfär
• Plague of boils (שְׁחִין)shach’yn: Exod. 9:8–12: (ቊስል)Qʷ‘sil
• Plague of hail (בָּרָד)barad: Exod. 9:13–35: (በረዶ)bärädo

stay tuned, for more is to come….shalom/selam