Parshat Va'Era
What is the difference between blood and water? They are both a liquid, necessary for all mammals to survive. Yet, they are very different and can be seen as polar opposites of each other.
In this week's Torah portion of Va'Era, we focus on the story of the servitude in Egypt, and the beginning of the respite, from the horrible apartheid of those days. The Torah relates how Moshe Rabbeinu (our teacher Moses), by the instruction of G-d, brought about the first seven plagues upon Pharaoh, his people, and the land of Egypt.
The first plague was Dam-blood. Moshe was commanded to strike the Nile river, and all the waters of Egypt, and they would turn to blood. On the surface, this first plague makes logical sense. As the Egyptians worshiped (among many other Gods) the Nile Delta, as it was their source of water and nourishment, G-d wanted to strike first at their belief system. The Ibn Ezra explains, that being that the Nile was the source of the economy, it was chosen to be afflicted first. Other commentaries however, explain in great detail, that the purpose of the first three plagues in fact, was to prove to the Egyptians, that an Omnipresent G-d does in fact exist.
But perhaps, there is a deeper message as well.
Water is the symbol of life. Every living thing needs water. In the Torah, water is referred to as "Mayim Chayim-Living waters". Blood, on the other hand, is the symbol of death.
However, sometimes the opposite is true as well. "Blood" is also referred to as the "life-line". Without blood in our body, we can't survive. The "blood" of a person is where their vitality and vigor comes from. Water can be the source of death as well.
The lesson we can derive from this is simple. Blood can be a source of death or a source of life. The same applies to water. It all depends on what you do with it.
The message that Hashem wanted to send Pharaoh, and in truth, each and every one of us is, a message of accountability and conscience. "Be aware of what and how you use the physical things that I have created. Don't make Gods out of things that are meant to help you survive. Don't abuse a good thing either".
In other words, you can make an idol out of G-d blessings, and you can drown in the most pristine waters. Remember, it is all about HOW and WHY we use the things that A-lmighty G-d has given us.
Shabbat Shalom
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