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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