The Book of Shmos opens with the
descent of the children of Israel
into servitude. It was not slavery as we conventionally think about it because
it was not a case of a particular Egyptian holding a particular Jew as a slave.
Rather it was a case of being drafted into public service where the work the
work was excessive and harsh. One nation was in fact enslaving another nation
but one individual was not enslaving another.
The persecution begins with
"a new king of Egypt
who did not know Yosef." There is a debate in the Gemara concerning this
statement. One side says that it was a new man on the throne who did not know
Yosef personally. The other side is more on target with the subject of the text.
Specifically that the new king knew of Yosef but acted as if he had never heard
of him and had the system revert to the way it was before Yosef became viceroy.
There is a pronounced difference
in the change in attitudes towards religion by the Egyptian dynasty. The
earlier pharaoh's reaction to Yosef was, "is there to be found a man like
this that has the spirit of G-d in him", (Bereshis 41:38). He also greatly
trusts Yosef to the extent that he gives him very broad authority. The later
pharaoh is markedly different. When approached by Moshe, simply for time off
for a religious festival in the desert, he retorts, "Who is Hashem that I
should listen to his voice to dismiss Israel ;
I do not know Hashem nor will I dismiss Israel ", (Shmos 5:2). The
second pharaoh essentially denies religion and distrusts the children of Israel .
The reason given by the Chumash
for the persecution is that the Egyptians feared that Israel would leave their domain.
Consequently they instituted a system to preclude this action. When the
approach did not satisfy their expectations, increasingly harsh measures were
implemented.
The oppression lasts for many
years even after the pharaoh that instituted them passes away. The children of Israel groan
because of the hardship and their cry is heard before the Throne of Glory. At
that point G-d so to speak recalls his covenant with the patriarchs. The
sentence though ends with a curious phrase, "and G-d knew" (Shmos
2:23-25). The question is what did He know? The Torah Temima brings the Talmud
Yerushalmi (Ta'anis 81) that there were thoughts of repentance (tshuva – (תשובה
among the children of Israel .
This creates a difficulty because from the text there is no apparent sin. Tshuva
is typically understood as abandoning and regretting a violation. However, it
can include turning towards religion after one has merely been absent. In other
words because of the persecution there has been an inchoate arousal of the
faith.
It is here that we begin to see
an aspect of Israel and it mission in this world. Even
though a Jew may do nothing that is Jewish, never the less he has in him an
aspect of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya'akov. Therefore the mere sight of a Jew can
arouse issues concerning wisdom, sanctity, and belief in G-d. The inherent
nature of the world is darkness with a ray of expanding light. What this means
is that higher knowledge and higher holiness are often suppressed. Because
there are always advances in wisdom and morality there will always be an aspect
of the Egyptian exile. This is also an aspect of the final verses of Psalm 44
(verse 21 to 27).
"Have we forgotten the name of G-d,
have we stretched out our hands to a foreign power? It is for Your sake that we
are killed all day, considered like sheep to the slaughter. Has not G-d
searched this out, for He knows the recesses of our hearts? Awake why do You
sleep my Master, arouse do not spurn us forever. Why do you hide Your face and
forger our affliction and oppression. For we our soul is bowed down to the dirt
and our belly clings to the earth. Arise and help us and redeem us for the sake
of Your kindness".
Also alluded to in the above
psalm is an aspect of the evil of persecution in and of itself. Part of the
oppression in Egypt
was simply pointless suffering. A Jew should be disturbed by that whenever it
occurs. One becomes more sensitive to it after personally feeling its pain. This
is an aspect of Psalm 72:12-14.
"For he will
rescue the destitute, when he cries, and the poor and those that have no help.
He will pity the lowly and the destitute and the souls of the destitute he will
deliver. From malice and injustice he will redeem their souls and their blood
will be precious in his eyes".
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A talk about persecution of religion and pointless suffering
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