This week we begin the Sefer {Book} of Shemos {Names} with Parshas Shemos. “V’aileh shemos {these are the names} of Bnei Yisroel {the Children of Israel} who came down to Mitzrayim. [1:1]” A few weeks ago I had the tremendous zechus {merit} to perform something so simple but unfortunately, very rare. My mother, who married…

“…and she sent her maidservant and she took it” (2:5) The Torah relates that Pharaoh’s daughter Bisya went down to bathe in the Nile River, and upon seeing a basket floating amongst the reeds, “vatishlach es amasa”; the plain meaning of the text is that she sent her “amah” – “maidservant” to bring the basket…