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Highlights from my Torah commentary: Ex 6:2-9:35 "Va'era"
וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֶל־מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אֲנִי יְהוָֽה
וָאֵרָא אֶל־אַבְרָהָם אֶל־יִצְחָק וְאֶֽל־יַעֲקֹב בְּאֵל שַׁדָּי וּשְׁמִי יְהוָה לֹא נֹודַעְתִּי לָהֶֽם
VAY'DABER ELOHIM EL-MOSHE VAY'OMER, "EYLAYV ANI YHVH. VA'ERA EL-AVRAHAM EL-YITZ'CHAK V'EL-YA'AKOV B'EL SHADDAI U'SH'MI YHVH LO NODAH'ATI LAHEM.""
God spoke to Moshe; he said to him, "I am ADONAI. I appeared to Avraham, Yitz'chak and Ya'akov as El Shaddai, although I did not make myself known to them by my name, Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh [ADONAI]""
“This week’s parashah is named “Va’era,” which means, “I (HaShem) appeared.” The portion this week and the portion last week continue an ongoing thought, therefore, I will reference last week’s portion in this teaching. The opening sentence this week should cause us to wonder what the Holy One could have meant as he addressed Moshe that day. Let’s go to the text, and then I want to offer an explanation.”