parshat Va'era

Would the Bnei Yisroel have been permitted to trap arov on Shabbos?

Our parasha describes, on one hand, the troubles Moshe encountered on the way to the liberation of Bnei Yisrael and, on the other hand, the great miracles that accompanied that process. The prophet Micha coined the phrase about the hope for such recurring miracles, when he said: “Like the days that you left the Land of Egypt I will show you miracles” (Micha 7:15). We will concentrate now on parallel words of two other prophets. One received prophecy about a possible liberation that could have followed the prototype of the Exodus, but it was made conditional on the mending of the nation’s ways. The second prophet informed the people that the liberation was canceled because the nation did not succeed in repenting as necessary.

“[Hashem] commanded [Moshe and Aharon] to Bnei Yisrael and to Paroh, King of Egypt” (Shemot 6:13). Rashi provides two explanations of what was supposed to be done in relation to Paroh. The second had to do with the various actions Hashem had spelled out. The first one is actually to treat Paroh with respect.