Shemot (Exodus 1:1 - 6:1)

The portion is named "Shemot" , literally "names," because it begins with a list of the descendants of
Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob.

This week's portion begins the tale of the enslavement of the Israelites in Egypt and their redemption. It begins with reminding us of what happened at the end of the previous book of the Pentateuch, Genesis: Jacob and his family moved to Egypt, meeting Joseph there. We then hear of the deaths of all of the generation, and a new king who ruled over Egypt, who was unaware of Joseph and his status. This new king was alarmed by the mighty Israelites, and decided to enslave them. He also ordered the midwives to kill all the boys born to Israelite women, but they did not listen to him. He then decreed that every Israelite boy born should be thrown into the Nile River.

At that time, we hear of the birth of Moses, from the tribe of Levi. His mother managed to hide him for three months, but then could hide him no more, and she placed him in a basket in the Nile, with his sister watching over him. The daughter of Pharaoh, who went to bathe in the Nile, spots and saves him, and it is she who names him. She adopts him and Moses grows up as her son.

When older, Moses goes out and sees the suffering of his people. He kills an Egyptian who hit an Israelite, thinking that no one saw him do so, but when he discovers that it was witnessed, is forced to flee from Egypt because Pharaoh seeks to kill him.

Moses flees to Midian, where he meets his wife, Zipporah, the daughter of the Midianite priest Jethro. Moses stays in Midian and is Jethro's shepherd. At that time, the king of Egypt dies.

One day, while tending to his father in law's flock, Moses witnesses a burning bush which is not consumed. It is then that God reveals himself to him, and gives him his mission of redeeming the Israelites from Egypt. Moses is hesitant and not certain of his ability to perform the mission, but is promised God's support.

Moses then asks for his father in law's permission and returns to Egypt. On his way he meets his brother, Aaron, and together they go to the elders of the Israelites and inform them of God's plan to redeem them, and then to Pharaoh, of whom they demand the release of the Israelites. Pharaoh refuses, and makes the working conditions of the Israelites even more difficult. The portion ends with Moses' complaint to God that the mission is not succeeding and the Israelites' conditions have only worsened, and he is promised by God that they will be released.