Bo, Ex.10.1-13.16
HaShem tell Moshe and Aaron to "come" (bo) to Pharaoh, saying,
"Come to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, in order that I may place these signs of Mine in his midst, 2. and in order that you tell into the ears of your son and your son's son how I made a mockery of the Egyptians, and [that you tell of] My signs that I placed in them, and you will know that I am the Lord."
So Moshe and Aaron went to Pharaoh, however Pharoah would not allow all of Israel to go because he did not trust Moshe, for it is written:
"The L-rd be with you, if ever I let you and your little ones go! Look, you have some evil purpose in mind. No! Go, the men, among you, and serve the L-rd, for that is what you desire." Ex.10.10
So in response, Moshe stretched out his rod over the land of Egypt and Hashem sent a plague upon the land covering their land with locusts. In this affliction, Pharaoh called Moshe and Aaron back again saying he repented and asked to have the locusts removed from the lands. HaShem knows all things, therefore He was well aware of the folly in Pharaoh's heart; yet He did remove all the locusts, even those [according to Midrash Rabbah] that the Egyptians had tried to save within their pots (the wind knocked those pots over and the locusts escaped). But as soon as they were gone Pharaoh again demanded that the children be left behind so Moshe stretched out his hand again and a thick darkness came down upon Egypt for three days, but in Goshen where the Israelites dwelled, there was still light.
So Pharaoh called for Moshe and Aaron again and this time allowed the children, but he would not allow any livestock. Yet Moshe rebuked him saying that without the livestock they could not sacrifice to HaShem. These words angered Pharaoh greatly and he cursed Moshe saying:
"Get away from me; take heed of yourself; never see my face again; for in the day you see my face you shall die." Gen.11.28
And Moshe affirmed his words:
"As you say! I will not see your face again!" Gen.11.29
Now HaShem tells Moshe to have the Israelites ask the Egyptians for their gold and jewelry, and when they do Israel will find favor and get everything thing they asked for. HaShem also told Moshe to warn Pharaoh that one more plague was to follow and with that plague all would be complete:
"Yet one plague more will I bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence; when he lets you go he will drive you away completely." Ex.11.1
This was the plague of the first born where HaShem went through all the lands of Egypt, even to the land of Goshen (for even Israel could face death). For He said:
"About midnight I will go forth in the midst of Egypt and all of the first born in the land of Egypt shall die from the first born who sits upon his throne, even to the first born of the maidservant who is behind the mill; and all the first born of the cattle. And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever shall be again. But against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, not a dog shall growl; that you may know that the L-rd makes a distinction between the Egyptians and Israel. And all your servants shall come down to me, and bow down to me, saying, 'Get you out, and all your people who follow you.' And after that I will go out." Ex.11.4-9
"For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will smite all the first born in the land of Egypt, both male and beast; and on all the gods of Egpyt I will execute judgments: I am the L-rd. The blood shall be a sign for you upon the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall fall upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt." Ex.12.12-13
"This New moon (month) shall be for you the beginning (head) of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you." Ex.12.2
This beginning month is called Nissan, which is the same month of Pesach as well as our Savior's death and Resurrection. It is not the beginning of the Jewish Civil calendar (for this comes on Yom Kippur in the fall), but rather it is the beginning of our Spiritual calendar for in this month we were made free. What follows in chapter 12 of Exodus is a retelling of the Passover story and the commands for us to keep this feast once a year. This text also explains the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which sages teach that our father Av'raham and his nephew Lot kept; pointing to the serving of bitter herbs to the angels as proof that Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed during Chag HaMotzi (Feast of Unleavened Bread). For greater detail on this, please see Pesach and Chag HaMotzi, our own humble attempt at making a Haggadah.
So for the sake of brevity, we will move forward to where our fathers set out from Ram'eses to Succos. What follows in verses 37-42 are some statistics on their years of slavery and the company and possessions they left with. And after these we are again reminded of the extreme importance of this memory and it's keeping. This is a feast only for Israel and not for the Grafted-in, Ex.12.43-45, yet if one of these Grafted-into Israel seeks to join to Israel this text states they may, yet first the men must be circumcised, for only those who abide circumcision may eat of this and this makes them Jews, not by birth and not by family heritage, Ex.12.48-49!
Chapter 13 opens with the mitzvah to consecrate the first born of Israel. Then as it was done with Pesach, we read again that we must keep Chag HaMotzi as well when we come into our homeland. Then we are told that this is to be "as a sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes that the law of the L-rd may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand the L-rd has brought you out of Egypt" like the Tiphillan we wear in prayer. And then again HaShem reiterates the law for consecrating the first born and this law is to be as Tiphillan.
