Parshas Bo

The Sidra Parsha Bo (literally "come"), coming from G-d's commandment that he should "come" to Pharoe and continue to instruct that he should allow the Jews to leave Egypt and "serve their G-d in the desert". As usual, Pharoe's heart is "hardened' and he refuses to let them go, which brings upon him the final three plagues, locusts, darkness, and the death of the firstborn. This Sidra is also significant because it contains the first "mitzvah" (literally "commandment", and etomylogically related to "connection") given by G-d specifially to the Jewish people through Moses. This mitzva is the setting of the months: the Torah calender is lunar, and the traidition would be that the High Court would hear testimony concerning the appearance of the New Moon, after which they would declare a new month, and all dates and holidays in that month would follow in suit. The direct signifance in this Sidra relates to the next commandment, also given in Bo, to make take a young lamb on the 10th of the month, and to make the Pesach sacrifice on the 14th. Also included are the various laws concerning the Pesach sacrifice (both with regards to this particular offering only performed in Egypt, and the offering to be performed in the Temple in Jerusalem for all generations). Finally, the Sidra tells of the very famous "Exodus" from Egypt on Erev Pesach.