Netilas Yadayim and the Bracha, Al Netilas Yadayim. This class on the Bracha of Netilas yadayim focused on the reasons for washing (both negative ones, going out of what is negative) and positive ones (going into K’dusha). It is for the latter reason that we make a Bracha. Why negel vasser is intermittent and other…

Asher Yatzar (Part One). Wednesday 5 MarCheshvan 5774/ October 9 2013. (Machon Chana). 1) The blessing for nature and (specifically) for life and human life. 2) Different versions. 3) five ideas: A. Life, B. The moment of birth, C. In the service of God, D. The correlation between man and Atzilus, E. The struggles of…

Likutei Sichos vol. 01 page 119 ff. The first two plagues represent parallel yet opposite ideas: Dam- Blood, is to warm Egypt from it’s natural coldness to holiness, to be warmed by it. Tzfardea- Frogs were to cool off Egypt’s passions to worldliness. Here the order (is atypical:) first from the top down and then…

Likutei Sichos vol. 21 page 38 ff. The frogs represent an in between state: creations that are neither helpful nor harmful, that are philosophically worse than both extremes. Like an in between level of faith. They too declared אחדות השם.

Likuti Sichos vol. 11 page 24 ff. The first three plagues punished the Egyptian gods, only from the fourth plague and on were the Egyptians themselves being punished. Therefore only from the fourth plague on was the difference between the Jews and the Egyptians very noticeable.

Likutei Sichos vol. 11 page 24 ff. (2). Continued. The Midrash sees all the מכות beginning with the very first as a series of steps to exhaust Egypt. accordingly ערוב wasn’t about killing Egypt, but to confuse them, thus the name: ערוב.

Introduction (part one). the history of the world until this point.

Getting Yidden out of Mitzrayim didn’t need to be so complicated. It was because it was (also) an education to Egypt and the Jewish people about Achdus Hashem. This is why there needed to be ten Makkos.

Likutei Sichos vol.36 page 26 ff. A unique characteristic of מכת שחין was that it was performed in a way that could be seen as natural. This is part of how Hashem taught Egypt about Himself.

Likutei Sichos vol. 06 page 46 ff. In the aftermath of מכת ברד (for the first time) we find the Pharaoh being remorseful and even penitent. The way the מכת ברד ended reveals levels in the תשובה that the Pharaoh was thinking to do. Did he do the equivalent of תשובה עילעא or only of…