Living Parashat Va’era: Redemption Through Emunah, Mesorah, and the Quiet Power of Jewish Women

by: Rebbetzin Hannah Miryam Bejarano Gutierrez

⁣-(Shemot / Exodus 6:2–9:35)⁣⁣

Parashat Va’era opens not with victory, but with endurance. The people of Israel are crushed by labor, Moshe feels rejected, and Pharaoh appears more powerful than ever. Yet it is precisely here—within pressure and concealment—that redemption begins to take shape. From a Sephardic perspective, Va’era emphasizes emunah peshutah (simple, steady faith), loyalty to mesorah, and the spiritual strength carried quietly within the Jewish home—traditionally sustained by women.⁣⁣

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-The Revelation of Hashem: Faith That Waits and Faith That Sees⁣⁣

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Hashem declares to Moshe:⁣⁣

“I appeared to Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov as Kel Shakkai, but by My Name Hashem I was not known to them” (Shemot 6:3).⁣⁣

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Rabbi Ovadia Sforno explains that the Avot lived with unwavering trust even when God’s promises were not yet fulfilled; they served Hashem without seeing outcomes (Sforno, Shemot 6:3). The Ramban, following the path of Sephardic peshat, teaches that the Name Hashem represents divine mercy expressed through historical action and miracles (Ramban ad loc.).⁣⁣

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For Jewish women, this distinction resonates deeply. Our mesorah has long emphasized faithfulness over visibility—continuing mitzvot, family purity, prayer, and kindness not for recognition, but out of loyalty to Gd and tradition. Va’era teaches that such quiet faith does not delay redemption; it prepares it.⁣⁣

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-The Four Expressions of Redemption: Healing in Stages⁣⁣

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Hashem promises four stages of redemption:⁣⁣

“I will take you out… I will save you… I will redeem you… I will take you to Me” (Shemot 6:6–7).⁣⁣

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According to Shemot Rabbah (6:4), these expressions represent a gradual process—liberation from physical oppression, emotional bondage, spiritual exile, and finally, intimate relationship with Gd.⁣⁣

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From a Sephardic perspective the Torah often emphasizes balance and patience. Healing is not abrupt; spiritual growth unfolds gently, in order. A woman may remove herself from a painful situation yet still need time to restore her inner strength. Va’era validates this process. ⁣⁣

Each stage of redemption is sacred, even when it feels incomplete.⁣⁣

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-When Words of Hope Cannot Be Heard⁣⁣

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The Torah tells us:⁣⁣

“They did not listen to Moshe because of shortness of spirit and hard labor” (Shemot 6:9).⁣⁣

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Rabbi Chaim ben Attar, the Or HaChaim, explains that the people’s inner spirit was so constricted that they could not emotionally receive consolation, even though Moshe spoke truth (Or HaChaim, Shemot 6:9).⁣⁣

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This insight speaks profoundly to Jewish women. When emotional exhaustion sets in—from caregiving, responsibility, or prolonged stress—even words of Torah can feel distant. Va’era teaches compassion: spiritual difficulty is not a lack of faith, but a sign of constriction. Gd does not withdraw when the people cannot listen; He continues the redemption on their behalf.⁣⁣

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-Lineage, Names, and the Power of Continuity⁣⁣

Before the plagues intensify, the Torah pauses to list the lineage of Moshe and Aharon (Shemot 6:14–27). The Ramban explains that this genealogy reaffirms legitimacy, continuity, and sacred inheritance at a moment of national fragility.⁣⁣

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Sephardic tradition places deep emphasis on mesorah passed through family, often through women—customs of prayer, food, modesty, and reverence for Shabbat and holidays. Va’era reminds us that redemption flows through continuity. When the present feels unstable, returning to inherited practice anchors the future.⁣⁣

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-The Plagues: Breaking False Order⁣⁣

The plagues in Va’era are not random. Rabbeinu Bahya ibn Paquda explains that each plague dismantled Egypt’s belief in natural permanence and self-made power, revealing that creation itself responds to divine will (Rabbeinu Bahya, Shemot 7).⁣⁣

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Blood, frogs, lice, wild animals, pestilence, boils, and hail progressively blur the illusion of control. Pharaoh’s magicians initially imitate, but soon fail. The Or HaChaim notes that imitation without divine alignment collapses quickly.⁣⁣

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On a personal level, this speaks to women navigating modern pressures—control, perfectionism, and external expectations. Va’era teaches that true order comes not from dominance, but from surrender to Hashem’s will.⁣⁣

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-The Merit of Jewish Women and the Path of Redemption⁣⁣

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Hazal teaches:⁣⁣

“By the merit of the righteous women, Israel was redeemed from Egypt” (Sotah 11b).⁣⁣

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Va’era shows redemption beginning quietly—before the Sea splits, before Pharaoh falls. It begins with persistence, modest courage, and spiritual loyalty. Jewish women are rooted in tradition, family cohesion, and gentle emunah, embodying this redemptive strength.⁣⁣

Redemption does not always announce itself loudly. Often, it enters through kitchens, candle-lighting, whispered tefillot, and steadfast kindness.⁣⁣

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-Living Va’era Today⁣⁣

Parashat Va’era teaches Jewish women that redemption grows in concealed places. When faith feels heavy, when words of hope feel distant, Hashem remains present. Emunah that waits is no less precious than emunah that sees.⁣⁣

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Parashat Va’era calls us to honor patience, continuity, and quiet devotion—trusting that HaShem’s brachot will unfold in their proper time.⁣⁣

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Sources⁣⁣

Shemot (Exodus) 6:2–9:35⁣⁣

Ramban on Shemot 6:2–3⁣⁣

Sforno on Shemot 6:3, 6:9⁣⁣

Or HaChaim (Rabbi Chaim ben Attar) on Shemot 6:9⁣⁣

Shemot Rabbah 6:4⁣⁣

Rabbeinu Bahya ibn Paquda on Shemot 7⁣⁣

Sotah 11b⁣⁣

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