out his rich Jewish heritage. When the children of Israel could no longer endure their terrible suffering at the hands of their cruel overlords, their cries for help coming from the very bottom of their hearts pierced the heavens. God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and decided to deliver their descendants from bondage. Moshe was 80 years old and his brother 83 years old when they entered the palace of King Pharaoh. Pharaoh asked the two brothers what they wanted. The message sounded like a command: "The God of Israel said, 'Let My people go, that they may serve me.'" Pharaoh refused, saying that he had never heard of the God of the Israelites. He further accused Moshe and Aaron of a conspiracy against the government and of interfering with the work of the Hebrew slaves. At Moshe's suggestion, Aaron then performed the miracles God had enabled him to perform, but Pharaoh was not greatly impressed, for his magicians could do almost as well. When Pharaoh continued to refuse to liberate the children of Israel, Moshe and Aaron warned him that God would punish both him and his people. First, the waters of the land of Egypt were to be turned into blood. This was followed by the plague of frogs, which covered the entire land. The third plague had lice crawling forth from the dust to cover all of Egypt. Although Pharaoh's advisors pointed out that this surely was Divine punishment, he hardened his heart and remained relentless in his determination to keep the children of Israel in bondage. The fourth plague consisted of hordes of wild animals roving all over the country destroying everything in their path. Only the province of Goshen, where the children of Israel dwelt, was immune from this as well as from the other plagues. As with the previous plagues, Pharaoh promised faithfully to let the Jews go on the condition that they would not go too far. Moshe prayed to God and the wild animals disappeared. But as soon as they ...
