Shmot:

Exodus 1:1-6:1.

OVERVIEW

With the death of Joseph, the Book of Genesis (Bereishis) comes to an end. The Book of Exodus (Shmos) chronicles the creation of the nation of Israel from the descendants of Jacob. At the beginning of this week's Parsha, Pharaoh, fearing the population explosion of Jews, enslaves them. However, when their birthrate continues to increase, he orders the Jewish midwives to kill all baby boys. Yocheved gives birth to Moses and places him in a basket in the Nile. Pharaoh's daughter finds and adopts the baby even though she realizes he is probably a Hebrew. Miriam, Moses's older sister, offers to find a nursemaid for Moses. She arranges for his mother Yocheved to be his nursemaid and help raise him. Years later, Moses witnesses an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, and Moses kills the Egyptian. When Moses realizes his life is in danger, he flees to Midian where he rescues Tzipporah, whose father Jethro approves of their subsequent marriage. On Mt. Sinai (Chorev), Moses witnesses the burning bush where Hashem commands him to lead the Jewish People from Egypt to Eretz Yisrael, which Hashem has promised to their ancestors. Moses protests that the Jewish People in Egypt will doubt his being Hashem's agent, and so Hashem enables Moses to perform three miraculous transformations to validate him in the eyes of the people: Changing his staff into a snake, his healthy hand into a leprous one, and water into blood. When Moses declares that he is not a good public speaker Hashem tells him that his brother Aaron will be his spokesman. Aaron greets Moses on his return to Egypt and they petition Pharaoh to release the Jews. Pharaoh responds with even harsher decrees, declaring that the Jews must produce the same quota of bricks as before, but without being given supplies. The people become dispirited, but Hashem assures Moses that He will force Pharaoh to let the Jews leave.

Overview courtesy of Rabbis Newman and Sinclair, Ohr Somayach