January 17, 2026 – Va’era (“I appeared”) – Parshat 14

• Torah: Exodus 6:2-9:35
• Haftara: Ezekiel 28:25-29:21
• Brit Chadasha: Luke 11:14-22

וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

וָאֵרָ֗א אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֛ם אֶל־יִצְחָ֥ק וְאֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֖ב בְּאֵ֣ל שַׁדָּ֑י וּשְׁמִ֣י יְהוָ֔ה לֹ֥א נוֹדַ֖עְתִּי לָהֶֽם׃

Vayedaber Elohim el-Moshe vayomer elav ani Adonay.

Va’era el-Avraham el-Yitschak ve’el-Ya’akov be’El Shaday ushmi Adonay lo nodati lahem.

God spoke to Moses and said to him, “I am the LORD.

I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as El Shaddai, but I did not make Myself known to them by My name יהוה.

Shemote (Exodus)7:1 The LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I have made you as God to Pharaoh; and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet.

This incredible statement by the creator of the universe to Moshe is breathtaking when we consider the scope of it. HaShem promises to make Moshe like him in the eyes of Pharaoh. While Moshe will speak the words of Adonai, it will be as they are his own and by his own authority, although he Is actually only the Shaliach (sent one). Adonai will make him as “The Angel of the Lord” carrying the Memra (complete and total essence of HaShem) unto Pharaoh.                                                                                                             Shemote (Exodus) 23:21 ““Behold, I send an angel before you, to keep you by the way, and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. Pay attention to him, and listen to his voice. Don’t provoke him, for he will not pardon your disobedience, for my name is in him.
In the same way … HaShem says His name will be upon Moshe. Pharaoh thinks himself to be as god, but you “I have made you as God to Pharaoh” you will be to him the most high God.

“The sages expressed amazement at this passage and asked how is it possible that the LORD allowed Moses to take His own divine title as “God”. The rabbis exclaimed, “God called Moses by His own name! If someone assumed the name of Caesar or Augustus, he would be executed!” Not with the Holy One, blessed be He. A king of flesh and blood does not share his glory with others, but the LORD shares His glory with those who fear Him. For example, a mortal king lets no man ride on his horse, but the LORD let Elijah ride on His horse, as it says, “In whirlwind and storm is His way” (Nahum 1:3), and “Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven” (2 Kings 2:11).                                                                                A Mortal king lets no man sit on his throne, but the LORD placed Solomon on His throne, as it says, “Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD” (1 Chronicles 29:23).                     A Mortal king lets no man use his scepter, but God handed His to Moses, as it says, “Moses also took the staff of God in his hand.”                                          One must not wear the crown of a mortal king, bur God will one day place His crown on the head of King Messiah, as it says, “You set a crown of fine gold on his head” (Psalm 21:4[3]).”     [First fruits of Zion-Shadows of the Messiah-Va’era, Book 2 pg.339 (on Midrash Exodus Rabbah 7:1)]

And finally “Truly the Messiah King will ultimately be second [to HaShem], like a chief viceroy to the King of the universe, to conduct all that must be conducted … this is the explanation of the prophecies near the end of Isaiah. Regarding this they said that He will be dressed with God’s crown, as the explanation of Isaiah [52:13] says, “He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted.’ even more than the ministering angels.” (Akeidat Yitzchak – Yalkut Moshiach: Va’era, 344∫∫148.)

Moshe in Va’era is a perfect type of Mashiach in this example, and just like Messiah Yeshua … Adonai the father ultimately receives all the glory. Moshe like Yeshua only did what he saw his father do, and only said what the father said so that in the end it was indeed God doing the work.

It is a pattern for us: Adonai make us as Moshe and Yeshua, let us carry your name throughout the nations by allowing you to shape us with your Ruach HaKodesh, let us be fully yielded to your perfect will as shown to us in your Torah.

Ahav V’shalom L’Mish’pachtanu love and peace to our family in Messiah from Beth Hallel Lodi