1# Shemot (Ex. 1:1-6:1) (1-9-21)

We are beginning a new Scroll of The Bible and the ‘1st Portion’ comes from ‘The Book of Exodus’; it is called: ‘SHEMOT or NAMES’, which gets it’s Name from ‘The 1st Verse in The Book, which details the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt. The English-speaking world calls this Book ‘Exodus’. The Hebrew title for the Book comes from the opening phrase of The Book: "Now these are The Names (SHEMOT) of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob" (Exodus 1:1).
The English name Exodus comes from the Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible. The Greek title for ‘The Book is: (EXODUS AIGYPTOU), which translates as: "Departure From Egypt." The name ‘Exodus’, is an abbreviated form of that title. Exodus means "Departure." The Book of Exodus tells the story of the children of Israel enslaved in Egypt and their miraculous redemption through the hand of Moses, the story of the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, the construction of the golden calf and the construction of the Tabernacle. In This Video, we will focus on the famous encounter of Moses with the living God in the desert, at the ‘Burning Bush’ that was not consumed (Exodus 3).

(Exodus 3:7)
‘I have indeed seen the miser of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. I have come down to rescue them!...
(An Ancient Commentary)-(Midrash, Exodus Rabbah 32.9 quoting Exodus 23:20 & Malachi 3:1)..
"Behold, I send an Angel (Messenger)." Wherever the Angel [of the LORD] appeared, the Shekinah (Presence of God) appeared.
Therefore, In the Messianic Age it will be the same way, when The Savior reveals Himself, Salvation will come to Israel, as it is written, "Behold, I will send my messenger (angel), who will prepare the way before me."
There is already something foreshadowing The Messiah at work in the story of the Exodus. The entire story is put into motion with the LORD's concern and compassion for His people. The Angel of the LORD appears to Moses in The Burning Bush. The Voice of the LORD speaks to him and says: "I have come down to rescue." Moses the man, is made into the agent of God, and rival to Pharaoh who’s ‘Heart Was Hard and His ‘Neck Was Stiff’!
In Hebrew, ‘Egyptian’ is translated: (Mitzraiym). It’s interesting that the word: ‘Mitzraiym’ – ‘Egyptian’, is the same word as: (Narrow Strait), meaning: ‘A Rough, Tight Spot’! We could equally use the term: ‘BEING CAUGHT BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE’! Therefore, The Sages compared the life of God’s People in Egypt, to ‘A LIFE OF BEING THE DOWN TRODDEN’! Egypt was a ‘Oppressive Place’ because Pharaoh’s ‘Heart Was Hard and His ‘Neck Was Stiff’! The Sages believed that Pharaoh’s ‘Neck Was Stiff’ because the numerical value of the word ‘Pharaoh’ is: (355). Also the numerical value of the word ‘Neck ‘Ha’oreph’ is (355) too! So therefore, they asked the question: ‘Since Pharaoh and Neck are connected, what kind of ‘Neck’ did ‘Pharaoh’ have? Since he’s the king of such a ‘A Rough, NARROW STRAIT – ‘Mitzraiym’, his ‘Neck’ must be ‘Stiff’ from Pride’! Listen their commentary on: ‘Pharaoh’s Stiff-Neck’:
(Talmud, on Deuteronomy 9:6)
The ‘Stiff-Neck’ is one who follows after ‘One’s Own Heart and Mind’ in spite of instruction. The ‘Neck’ is the ‘NARROW STRAIT’ – Mitzraiym) between the ‘Mind and Heart’, but which kind of ‘Neck’ will prevail as a reflection of the ‘Heart and Mind’, a conforming Neck, or a ‘Stiff-Neck’? Egypt (Mitzrayim – Narrow-Strait) became a proving ground to God, a test between: ‘The choice to Conform Unto Obedience’ or ‘A Choice to A Stiff-Neck leading to Disobedience’? As it is written in Psalm 118:5: “I called the LORD from the ‘Narrow Strait’ (Egypt - Mitzrayim).
(IT’S AT THE NECK THAT MOSES AND PHARAOH WILL BE JUDGED).
Moses, a man of God, singleness of heart and mind, is chosen for his role because he ‘Turned Aside To See” the Burning Bush. This ‘Turning’ is a torsion of the ‘Neck’, a deliberate motion out of the ‘Narrow Strait’, the ‘Heart and Mind’, working together to remove the ‘Stiffness From His Neck’!
Moses said: ‘Let Me Turn Aside To See’…
Rabbi Jonathan said: ‘Moses Took 3 Steps Forward To See;’ But Rabbi Simeon ben Levi said: ‘He Took No Steps At All, But He Only Twisted His Neck. God said to him: “You went to the trouble of ‘Turning Your Stiff-Neck To See’ – as you live Moses, you are worthy that I should reveal Myself to you.” Immediately, “God called to him from the midst of ‘The Burning Bush”!
(BUT PHARAOH REFUSED TO TURN HIS ‘STIFF-NECK’)
‘Pharaoh’s Heart was Hard saying: ‘I Will Not Let The Hebrews Go Out’!
What precisely does the term ‘Hard Heart’ mean? The simplest explanation is that it means (Stubborn) with a particularly cruel connotation. However, the word “stubborn” in Biblical Hebrew is: ‘Ha’qasheh Oreph’ meaning ‘HARD-HEARTED, but should be translated as ‘STIFF-NECKED’!
Therefore, ‘IT’S WITH THE ‘NARROW-STRAIT OF THE NECK OF MOSES, PHARAOH AND ALL OF MANKIND, THAT THE HIDDEN PARTS OF THE HEART ARE REVEALED)!