PARSHAT SHEMOT 

Dear Bentzion,
Your answer is exactly how I have always felt. People often think I am some kind of neanderthal when I talk about the concept of sin.
-Martin

PARSHAT VAEIRAH

Pharaoh might be taken as a figure for the animal soul, the nefesh, whose only aim is the sustenance of its own animality.  Or more precisely, Pharoah represents the ruach, or emotional will, of the animal soul that is Egypt. Not unlike many if not most human institutions, it was Pharaoh's job to maintain the economic engine of Egypt.  The problem was that he did not know Hillel--he was only for himself--and did not see himself as an instrument for fulfilling HaShem's purpose for the body politic(read nefesh).  Why do any of us resist the change we know we must undertake to align ourselves better with HaShem's will?  How is it we do not let ourselves hear the messages being given to us daily?  The defenses of the ego are multitudinous as Pharoah's armies.  So we invite illness into our lives, the plagues, as HaShem draws us into compliance with the Divine plan, each plague, or symptom, a powerful text message direct from HaShem.
-Michael Diamond

Thank you for the Torah thought.  I look forward to receiving more.  Also, looking forward to the start of the new JLI session!
-Cheri  

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