What We Missed:

► The 8th and 9th plagues of locusts and darkness: Pharaoh’s intransigence means the Israelites stay put.

 What We Read:

► Dramatic introduction of the last plague to come:  At this point in the Israelite struggle, many (if not most) Egyptians acknowledge the power of Israel’s conquering God. It is now payback time, beginning with the Israelites ‘borrowing’ silver and gold objects from their Egyptian neighbors. The Hebrew conveys that they asked the Egyptians for these objects; but it is pretty evident that the Israelites will never return them.

Some might question the ethics of a new, Torah-bound community for stealing from their Egyptian neighbors.  Although two wrongs do not make a right (as my mother used to say) we must remember that for many years, b’nai yisrael labored without wages. They performed slave labor in the most ignominious fashion. What the people asked would probably constitute a mere fraction of the back wages they were owed for generations. Consequently, we should not be apologetic nor ashamed about the Israelites taking some spoils from the Egyptians. It is interesting how the Torah text suggests that the Egyptians did not hesitate to give; perhaps they knew in their hearts that the Israelites were only asking for their just benefits?

The narrative includes a curious, almost parenthetical statement explaining why the Egyptians might willingly relinquish their silver and gold:

Moreover, Moses himself was much esteemed in the land of Egypt, among Pharaoh’s courtiers and among the people.

What a long way b’nai yisrael has come in the hearts and minds of the Egyptians! The text highlights how Moses earned respect and stature even among Pharaoh’s leading officials. The God of Israel has conquered the god of Egypt (i.e. Pharaoh) to the extent that all of Egypt now venerate Moses. The once-reviled Israelite leader is now revered. What more powerful commentary can be offered about the total emasculation of Pharaoh??

Thoughts to Consider:

► More than the questionable morality of borrowing silver and gold, we are deeply troubled by God’s hardening of Pharaoh's heart. If all of Egypt has been transformed into Moses admirers, why must God remain the heavy?

Surely, the Egyptians now deserve to be spared any further agony. Even if the Torah suggests that God actively denied Pharaoh his free will, it is an obdurate Pharaoh, who is still incapable of contrition. The Torah may ultimately claim that God orchestrates everything, but Pharaoh has demonstrated a vindictive, uncompromising personality. He is incapable of compassion or open-mindedness. As a rational leader, he is too far gone; enslaved to his own ego. Pharaoh can no longer act in the best interest of his nation. His insatiable desire to subjugate b’nai yisrael has become a personal obsession and he is immune to rational thought. The Midrash (homiletic) texts portray God as grieving for the Egyptians who suffered needlessly due to the tyranny of their ruler.

► The Introduction of Passover:  In Bo we read about two, distinct Passover celebrations. The Passover in Egypt consists of a major sacrifice and the final preparation to flee the country at night. Following the Torah's description of Passover in Egypt, it describes Passover observance for future generations (an observance marked by matzah and bitter herbs). It is probable that there were two distinct Passover observances; one, which took place on the fourteenth of Nisan (the actual Passover sacrifice) and the Festival of Matzah which was observed for the duration of the holiday. Eventually, the two celebrations merged.

► The Torah refers to the month of Passover as The first of the months.

How can this be true in light of Rosh Hashanah?

Rosh Hashanah is calculated as the birthday of the world. Therefore, we celebrate the New Year in Tishrei, which according to the Torah is the seventh month). Nisan, the month of Passover, is considered the month in which Am Yisrael, as a nation, was established. It makes sense then, for the Torah to consider Nisan as the first Hebrew month. In Jewish life today, we annually reaffirm Rosh Hashanah as the Jewish New Year and still consider Passover as falling during a later Hebrew month. Although the Torah is central to our history and our faith; it reflects an early stage of Jewish history. Observance and practice have changed drastically over the centuries…

► On the subject of a Passover sacrifice: When I was studying in Israel during my Junior year, we visited a community, which still sacrificed an animal for Passover. They were fulfilling the Torah’s literal command to do so. We were fascinated by the ceremony but were horrified at the same time. Judaism has evolved. We have designed new and creative ways to observe the holiday, primarily through our Seder. Judaism enables us to forge new meaning and new expressions of observance when old customs and traditions become obsolete. Even today, many families develop their own family traditions to embellish the Seder and to help personalize the Exodus.

► Finally, the Torah describes a dialogue, which should take place in the future between parents and child. Children will naturally ask about the peculiarities of the Passover observance. Parents will then respond by teaching about Jewish history. The parental role in teaching children is an invaluable and cherished role we too often abandon. As parents, we are obligated to both provide teachers for our children, and to teach children ourselves. Consequently, we must commit to Jewish learning and to Jewish experiential living within our own homes. We cannot relegate responsibility to teachers, who spend just a few hours with their students. The future of American Judaism will depend not on the Jewish educator, as much as on our parents…

Haftorah Reading: Jeremiah 46:13-28 (page 395-398)

The Torah reading addresses the intransigence of Egypt. Likewise, in the Haftorah, Jeremiah speaks about the impending downfall of the Egypt in his era. Egypt was an arrogant nation, which stood idly by and witnessed the suffering of Israel. Jeremiah predicts that the initial defeat of Egypt by the Babylonians, will lead to total collapse. Although he speaks about Egypt’s doom; Jeremiah never wavers from belief that the Israelites will endure exile.