The sedra starts with the continuation of the story of the Children of Israel in Egypt. Not only has Jacob passed away, but so too have all his sons, including Joseph.

A new Pharaoh ascends the throne who is ill-disposed towards the Jews. There is actually an opinion in the Talmud (quoted in Rashi) that it was the same Pharaoh but his demeanour changed after the death of Joseph to whom he felt behoved.

Either way, seized by fear that the rapidly expanding immigrant Jewish population would soon become a veritable ‘fifth column’, he devised a plan to stunt the growth of the Jewish people.

No ‘diversity and integration’ for Pharaoh. All males born were to be thrown in the river. However, the Jewish midwives Shifrah and Puah — identified as the mother and sister of Moses — bravely defied Pharaoh's edict.

When Moses' mother gave birth (at the age of 130) she hid the baby in the bulrushes in the river in a box. This was found by Pharaoh's own daughter raised the baby herself — right under her father's nose!

Moses sees an Egyptian smite a Jew. He intervenes on behalf of his fellow Jew and kills the Egyptian. He is forced to flee to Midian, where he marries Zipporah, daughter of Jethro the Priest.

The Almighty appears to Moses in the ‘Burning Bush’ and appoints him as His messenger. He is to demand the people's release — an "Egexit" — aided and abetted by his brother, Aaron, his spokesman.

However, in response Pharaoh increases the repression of the Jews, who are used as slave labour.

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