VaErah: Seeing is believing

In this week’s parshah, Pharaoh experiences 8 plagues and a few miracles. This is not enough to convince him to take the action requested by Gd, the miracle worker, to let the people go.

How much evidence should a person require to be convinced? [ How many any deaths will it take till he knows, that too many people have died? The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind].

In the parsha there are several parameters working together. The consequences of the demonstrations are severe: No water , crowding, itching, disorder, impoverishment, disease, etc.

The degree of deviation from the expected is another axis of evaluation. The sharp distinction's between the Egyptians and the Israelites, the precise and predicted timing for onset and termination of the plagues are elements of their persuasiveness.

Believing in something new is not necessarily a good thing. It requires the breaching of many barriers. Some one will lose money, someone will lose power. There is now doubt ab