Parshas Bo Shabbos Times Erev Shabbos Shabbos Day Plag HaMincha 7:11pm Latest time for Shema 9:57am Candle Lighting 8:23pm Shabbos Ends 9:26pm Shkiya 8:40pm Mazal Tov Shaarei Tefillah would like to wish Mazal Tov to Reb Menachem Yaakov and Rivki Zuckerberg on the occasion of Yossi’s Bar Mitzva Mazal Tov to grandparents Mr & Mrs Casen and Dr & Mrs Zuckerberg Friday Night Boys Minyan All boys are invited to a Friday night boys minyan this Shabbos - run by the madrichim The minyan will take place in the marquee Shaarei Shabbos Riddles 1. What is אסור in your garden, but מותר in your friend’s garden? 2. Who is commanded to leave the techum? (not a question of pikuach nefesh) 3. Which name of a plague from Parshas Va'erah is also mentioned in this parsha? (2 answers) 4. In what context are shoes mentioned in this parsha? 5. What two-letter word appears four times in this parsha, and has two different meanings? Short Vort on the Parsha The opening possuk of our Parsha seems a bit strange at first glance. It reads 'and Hashem said to Moshe 'come to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants in order to place my signs / wonders in his midst.'' Hashem is giving Moshe a reason to come to Pharaoh and warn him about the next plague. Yet Hashem tells Moshe that Pharaoh's heart has been hardened; isn't this a reason not to warn Pharaoh - for he won't listen anyway? The Sforno answers that this was precisely what Hashem was telling Moshe. Hashem was forewarning Moshe that Pharaoh will not listen to his warning - but even so there is a point to warning him. How so? For at least others might heed the warning and repent. Moreover, the warning would make Bnei Yisroel recognise Hashem's Might (that the plagues were exactly in-keeping with their warnings) and Mercy (in providing a warning to the Egyptians first).