Parsha discussion

Question:  Why the double mention of תפילין? Approach: It appears that the two have different approaches as to why the need for the תפילין. In the first section, the driver is the festival of חג המצות, and it could be viewed that the מצוה is linked to the festival. In the second section, the focus is the redemption of the firstborns, which could occur at any point of the year. And as such, the תפילין are there to be a reminder of יציאת מצרים on a constant, and daily, basis. Perhaps this is similar to the difference between זכירת יציאת מצרים & סיפור יציאת מצרים.

Question:  We see the concept of “tomorrow” appearing in many of the מכות. What is the meaning? Approach : The first place the concept exists is when משה challenges פרעה to "name your time" for the end of מכת צפרדע, and פרעה presumably chooses tomorrow in order to see if the ending of the מכה couldn't be attributed to a particular time of day or attribute of משה. The concept was then extended for further emphasise the point in some of the subsequent מכות.

Question:  There seems to be a lot of repetition regarding no longer being given straw to make the bricks and yet having to fill the previous quotas. Why? Approach : Perhaps this is to stress the worsening of conditions for בני ישראל that causes משה to become depressed and disappointed. And as such, as we see in פרשת וארא, increases the nature of the miracle of יציאת מצרים.

Question:  Why is the fact of יוסף seeing great grandchildren from מנשה put after grandchildren from אפרים? Approach: we might suggest that this is the first "proof" of אפרים being more important than מנשה, as forecast by the ברכה given to them by יעקב earlier in the פרשה.