The seven Aliyahs of Va’iera
top right – This begins with Hashem speaking to Moses that the promises to the patriarchs Abraham (blue – chesed – kindness), Isaac (red – gevura – restraint) and Jacob (yellow – tiferet – harmony) will be delivered, with the freeing of the Hebrews and Moses will have the help of his brother Aaron (orange – compassion), but the enslaved Hebrews are not convinced of Moses’ role.
top left – A strange diversion in this Aliyah where all the ancestors of Moses and Aaron are listed. Who do you come from? A good question.
top center – Moses (green for the Sephirot associated with him, Netzach, victory) and Aaron confront Pharaoh whose heart has been hardened, turned to stone.
bottom right – The first two plagues – the turning of the waters to blood and the frogs invading the country. Pharaoh hiding his humanity claiming to be a god, would go to the Nile to secretly relieve himself but Moses knew his routine and where to confront him.
bottom left – The next two plagues – Aaron strikes the ground with his staff and fleas emerge attacking the Egyptians, and then the “noxious” animals attack them.
bottom center – The next two plagues – the death of the Egyptian animals; and then Moses and Aaron throw soot into the air which causes boils on the bodies of the Egyptians.
center center – The next plague, where Moses addressed the heavens and hail and fire descend killing animals, vegetation and Egyptians who denied the plague’s dangers and were killed. A warning for us all to recognize the threats to our existence when we are blinded by ignorance and cruelty.