The opening statement in parshas BeShalach states, “When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was nearer; for God said, “The people may have a change of heart when they see war, and return to Egypt”, Exodus 13:17). Later on in the Chumash, Moshe rabbeinu comments that traveling directly from Egypt to Canaan normally would take eleven days. However instead of going along the Mediterranean coast in the north, Israel went south along the Red Sea coast, substantially multiplying the travel time. In most places Egypt was much farther away.
The situation in Egypt was obviously horrible. Israelite babies were being killed their Egyptian neighbors; the work was backbreaking; the bosses were absolutely abusive; and this had been going on for over eighty years. The Ten Plagues clearly showed that HaKadosh Baruch Hu was on the side of Israel. Could there be any doubt about victory in war? How could there be any desire to return to Egypt?
King David in Psalms 78 and 106 discusses the sins of our fathers often in connection with the Exodus from Egypt. It is a bill of particulars that starts to explain how a person can become so twisted as to desire to return to Egypt. He starts with bad character. They were infuriating and rebellious. Their hearts were in the wrong place. Their spirit was not true to God. They were gluttons. They were greedy. Specific examples include ignoring miracles when they should have contemplated them, rejection of the Torah and the land of Israel, and scorn of religion and glorification of death.
The expectation of war, though, was legitimate. However, Judaism to a certain extent is a warrior religion. The idea is rooted in the Kabbalah that the universe was created in darkness then a ray of light was shined into it that was ever expanding. Likewise the mission of the Jews is to shine the light of Hashem especially in the darkest places. HaKadosh Baruch Hu has given the Jews many gifts to accomplish this task, but the one thing He insists on from them is courage.
Character and courage is needed to face a powerful adversary. Sometimes it takes more courage to talk to a wise man about something sensitive that makes a difference, to read a book that might make you change a long held opinion, or debate the faith of Israel with someone with a very different point of view.
Thus it was in Egypt. Israel was commanded to slaughter and eat a lamb specifically because it was the God of Egypt. The religion of Egypt revolved around astronomy and astrology. The lamb is the constellation for spring. They were not entirely wrong but they carried it too far. As a result they did horrible things, horrible things happened to them, and they had a fight with the Jews. Israel also learned things, was compensated for their work, and in the end Egypt will be a friend.
So it has been through the ages and so it is today. When I was a boy the gentile children would throw rocks at the Jewish children and shout, “Your people killed our Lord Jesus Christ”. The Jewish kids did not throw rocks back, but they had a sharp answer. “If we could kill him he wasn't much of a God”. Perhaps coincidentally decades later the Christians made a new translation of the Bible. It was notable because, unlike the past, they made use of normative Orthodox Jewish texts. Among them was the Aleppo Codex, (כֶּתֶר אֲרָם צוֹבָא), which was endorsed for its accuracy by Maimonides. Some would say that Jesus was the word of God in the flesh and he was attached to God like the three leaves of a clover make one plant. However the name of the Creator, who created the world in six days, was Yod-Hei-Vov-Hei. When I made it to Yeshiva sometimes they would praise a really big rabbi as a living sefer Torah and say the Torah, HaKadosh Baruch Hu, and Israel are one (see Zohar 2:92).
Israel is called upon to open the eyes of the blind, release people from the chains of ignorance, and shine a light on those that dwell in darkness. Sometimes it's physical help other times its by education, debate, and example. Nevertheless we must not eat chametz on Passover so as to know these things are best done humbly and modestly.
לע"נ האמא מלכה בת חיים ז"ל נלב"ע טז ניסן תשנ"ח
העלון ניתן לקבל בדואר אלקטרוני וגם באתר http://dyschreiber.blogspot.com
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