The Portion of Bo Passover in Egypt
Despite
the seven plagues which afflicted Pharoh and his people as described in
the previous portion of Vaeira, he stubbornly refuses to free the
Israelites from their bondage. Following the plague of darkness, Moses
warns Pharoh of the final and most severe plague- the slaying of the
firstborn.
Moses
takes leave of Pharoh, and together with Aaron they prepare the
Children of Israel for the offering of the Passover sacrifice in Egypt.
They are instructed to observe five commandments: the slaughtering of
the sacrifice, the smearing of its blood on the two doorposts and lintel
on the entrance to their homes, eating the sacrifice after it has been
roasted, eating it quickly, and eating it together with matzah and
bitter herbs.
These
five commands are alluded to by the additional crowns above the letter
"hei" (the numerical value of which is five) in the word "tzivah"
(commanded) in the verse "And the Children of Israel went and did as G-d
had commanded Moses and Aaron, and so they did" (Exodus 12;28). (Divrei
Kohelet)
I've
highlighted additional crowns which also appear above the letter "hei"
in the word "hetzeel" (saved) (Exodus 12;27) possibly indicating that it
was the observance of these five commandments which saved the children
of Israel from the final and devastating plague brought upon Egypt.
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