Parashat Bo - פרשת בא
Reference: Exodus 10:1 - 13:16
About This Parasha
Parashat Bo continues the dramatic confrontation between Moshe and Pharaoh, culminating in the final three plagues: locusts (arbeh), darkness (choshech), and the death of the firstborn (makat bechorot). This parasha contains some of the most significant moments in Jewish history, including the first mitzvot given to the Jewish people as a nation—the commandments of the Pesach offering and the sanctification of the new moon. The parasha concludes with the actual Exodus from Egypt and the laws of tefillin and pidyon haben (redemption of the firstborn).
Aliyot
| Aliyah | Hebrew | Verses |
|---|---|---|
| Aliyah 1 | ראשון | Exodus 10:1-11 |
| Aliyah 2 | שני | Exodus 10:12-23 |
| Aliyah 3 | שלישי | Exodus 10:24 - 11:3 |
| Aliyah 4 | רביעי | Exodus 11:4 - 12:20 |
| Aliyah 5 | חמישי | Exodus 12:21-28 |
| Aliyah 6 | ששי | Exodus 12:29-51 |
| Aliyah 7 | שביעי | Exodus 13:1-16 |
Key Themes
- The Final Plagues: The locusts that devastate Egypt’s crops and the tangible darkness that immobilizes the Egyptians
- The Pesach Offering: The first national mitzvah—selecting, preparing, and eating the Korban Pesach
- Matzot and Chametz: The foundational laws of Passover observance
- Death of the Firstborn: The climactic plague that finally breaks Pharaoh’s resistance
- The Exodus: The actual departure from Egypt after 430 years
- Tefillin: The commandment to bind these words as a sign upon one’s hand and between one’s eyes
- Sanctification of the Firstborn: The dedication of all firstborn to God
Back to Shnayim Mikra
Last updated on