BO
Exodus 10:1-13:16

“And Moses said: “Thus saith the LORD: About Midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt; and all the firstborn in the land shall of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maid-servant that is behind the mill; and all the first-born cattle.”  (Exodus11: 4)
 
The Hebrew word for “Go” is “Bo.”   It is so fitting for our Torah Portion to be entitled “Bo.”  As its central theme deals with letting the Children of Israel “Go” from slavery to freedom so they could worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Within the confines of these scriptures we see ever ensuing the battle between Good and Evil, between the ruling class and the slave class.  We learn that Redemption is costly and can only be wrought by men and women who fear not Evil, but who are called of God and willing to do God’s bidding in the face of danger, mocking, and stubborn resistance.  It’s their obedience to God’s voice and their tenacity to weather the adversity it produces that ultimately allows God’s power to be demonstrated on an individual and National basis.  Wisdom itself is the anchor for such a man, as it was for Moses.  What can this portion teach us about God’s wisdom and its place in redemption?
 
The passage we cited above states that the LORD told Moses that “about Midnight” he was going to go into the midst of Egypt.  Why did the LORD say “about Midnight?” and why did He choose “Midnight” as the time of death to the firstborn of the Egyptians?
 
The Sages say that the reason the LORD said to Moses “about Midnight” was so that, were the event not to occur at the exact second of midnight, the Egyptian astrologers should have no chance of calling him either Moses or God a liar. 
 
This is an important principle that a man, who speaks in the stead of God, can glean from.  When a man says, “Thus saith the LORD” and his words do not come to pass he is often seen by both believer and unbeliever as one who has not sanctified God’s name, but rather made God out, and himself, to be a liar.  God was not willing to put Moses in that position before the wicked, and thus one who speaks in the stead of God, should not put himself or God is such a position before the wicked either. 
 
Rabbi Zera said, “Moses thought that the astrologers of Pharaoh might make a mistake, and then they would say that Moses was a liar. For so a Master said: Let thy tongue acquire the habit of saying, ‘I know not’, lest thou be led to falsehoods [lying].”
 
There is great humility and wisdom found in a man who is willing to say, “I don’t know.”  You will find that such a man will not be given to lying or falsehood, because he is a man of no reputation. He has nothing to gain or lose by how much he does or doesn’t know. He knows the source of all knowledge is God and God will vindicate Himself when he speaks.
 
Such was the case with Moses.  Moses said to Pharaoh “About Midnight” and yet, we find in Exodus 12:29 that the death Angel came through Egypt at precisely Midnight: “And it came to pass at midnight, that the LORD smote all the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon.”  Therefore, God’s Name was sanctified in the eyes of all men.  The Bible says that the wisdom of God will stop the mouth of the gainsayer—such it was with Moses before the Egyptians.
 
Why Midnight?   
 
Midnight is the time when Judgment and Mercy meet. Night is, in truth, the time of the royal judgment, and that judgment extends to all parts alike. Midnight, however, is fed from two sides, from justice and mercy (clemency); only the first half of the night is the time of judgment, but the second half is illumined from the side of clemency (Heb. chesed—mercy and loving kindness).
 
If we consider the above in light of our Torah portion, we can vividly see that Midnight was the meeting of judgment and mercy.  For the Egyptians God meted out judgment, but for the Hebrew children mercy.  Prior to God’s execution of this last plague, He instructed each Hebrew household to take for themselves a spotless lamb and slay it on the fourteenth day of the first month.  They were to kill it at dusk, and then take the blood of the lamb and place it upon the two side-posts and on the lintel of their door.   Then they were to roast the lamb and eat it that night.  They were to eat it with their loins girded, shoes on their feet, and their staff in hand.  They were also to eat it in haste for it was ‘The LORD’s Passover.’ 
 
Exodus 12:12 reads, “ For I will go through the land of Egypt in that night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt will I execute judgment: I am the LORD.  And the blood shall be to you as a token upon the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and there shall be no plague be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.”
 
Although this study is not on the Passover, it is notable to comment on the fact that the dividing line between the judgment of God and the mercy of God was “the blood of a spotless lamb.” 
Throughout the scriptures “blood” is the indivisible line between judgment and mercy; life and death, not prayer or good deeds.
 
David also understood that Midnight was the time when mercy and judgment met. We read in the scriptures that David rose at Midnight to give praises to God because of His righteous judgments.  It is said that in David’s bedroom there hung a harp above his bed.  And at Midnight the North winds would begin to blow through Jerusalem.  As the winds came through David’s bedroom, the harp would begin to sing, thus causing David to arise at Midnight to praise and worship God.  It was at this time that David would sing psalms of recalling God’s mercy in the face of judgment.  It was at this time that David would cry “Hallelujah” ascribing God’s name to his high Praise!  David took advantage of God’s mercy in the Midnight Hour.  

The following is another interesting perspective about Midnight as told by an-old man:  “It is written: Midnight I will rise to give thanks to thee because of thy righteous judgments (Ps. CXIX, 62). Since the word “at” is omitted, we may take “Midnight” as an appellation of the Holy One, blessed be He, who is addressed thus by David because He is to be found with His retinue at midnight, that being the hour when He enters the Garden of Eden to converse with the righteous.’ David knew this, because his kingship depended on this; and therefore he used to rise at this hour and chant praises, and for this reason he addressed God as “Midnight”. He also said, “I rise to give thanks to Thee for Thy righteous judgments” because this is the fount of justice, and the judgments of earthly kings derive from here; therefore David never neglected to rise and sing praises at this hour.’ Rabbi Abba came and kissed the old man, saying, ‘of a surety it is so. Blessed be God who has sent me here!  For night is the time of judgment in every place.”

One last interesting note about Midnight.  The Rabbis say that the “cockcrows” at midnight.  One story reads, “Rabbi Abba, accompanied by his son Rabbi Jacob, was journeying from Tiberias to meet other learned scholars at the house of his father-in-law. Coming to Kfar Tarsha, they decide to spend the night there. Said Rabbi Abba to his host, ‘Have you a cock here?’ He said, ‘Why?’ ‘Because,’ he said, ‘I want to get up precisely at midnight.’

The Hebrew phrase for “The call of the cock or cockcrow” is ‘keri'ath ha-geber’ — yet it is also interpreted as, “The call of a man.”

In conclusion:  Midnight is the time when Mercy and Judgment meet: mercy to those who have partaken of the flesh and blood of the lamb, and judgment for those who have not.  The Midnight Hour is upon us.  Let us be wise before our enemies and consider where we stand with God.