Parsha Paragraphs
Rabbi Naftali Moshe Kassorla
The Chains That Bind Us
The D’var Torah for this week is dedicated in memory of:
ר׳ אלחנן יעקב ז״ל בן מורי וחמי ר׳ שמואל פנחס
If you are interested in sponsoring a D’var Torah in honor or in memory of someone, or for any occasion, please email: ParshaParagraphs@gmail.com
In this week’s Parsha, Hashem prepares for the final three plagues against Egypt. These plagues will pave the way for the ultimate redemption of the Jewish People, as they serve to be the final knockout to Egypt.
At this crucial moment, Hashem tells Moshe that He is bringing these plagues upon the Egyptians: למען תספר באזני בנך ובן בנך את אשר התעללתי במצרים…“so that I can put these signs of Mine in his midst; and so that you may relate in the ears of your son and your son’s son that I made a mockery of Egypt…that you may know that I am Hashem” (Shemot 10:1-2).
Hashem commands us to relate, in detail, the plagues and His domination over Egypt, for in seeing the power of the plagues, we and the generations to come will have a greater recognition of Hashem.
However, we must ask a glaring question: Why now at this very moment? Have all the plagues been completed yet? No! Three more plagues have yet to come, yet the Torah is now telling us of the obligation to recount the plagues. It seems logical that at the conclusion of the plagues, we would have the fuller picture and greater perspective of Hashem's greatness. Wouldn’t that then allow for a better and greater recounting of the story of the גאולה? Yet, Hashem tells us of this need to tell over the מכות to the next generation in the middle of the story. Why?
However, we must ask a glaring question: Why now at this very moment? Have all the plagues been completed yet? No! Three more plagues have yet to come, yet the Torah is now telling us of the obligation to recount the plagues. It seems logical that at the conclusion of the plagues, we would have the fuller picture and greater perspective of Hashem's greatness. Wouldn’t that then allow for a better and greater recounting of the story of the גאולה? Yet, Hashem tells us of this need to tell over the מכות to the next generation in the middle of the story. Why?
There is a famous Gemara in Yevamot (79a) that can perhaps give us greater clarity into the timing of this obligation. The Gemara tells us something about the unique traits of the Jewish People:
שלשה סימנים יש באומה זו, הרחמנים והביישנין וגומלי חסדים
There are three attributes to this [Jewish] nation: Merciful, Modest, and Generosity
There are three attributes to this [Jewish] nation: Merciful, Modest, and Generosity
It is a fact borne out by our common history that the Jewish people tend to be merciful (albeit often misplaced). Jews of all religious backgrounds tend towards charitable and political/social activism. It manifests itself in an almost gut level reaction to defend the vulnerable. This innate reaction no doubt stems from the Divine ethos that were revealed to the Jewish people at the foot of Har Sinai millennia ago and ingrained within us for generations.
However, while having mercy for the downtrodden is a praiseworthy quality, it can act as a double-edged sword. Vague and unchannelled feelings of mercy for the downtrodden (simply for one being in a downtrodden state, without a sense of context) is monumentally dangerous. It can cause one to be too trusting of others in a time that does not call for mercy. Chazal warns of this type of misplaced mercy, and the detrimental impact it can have on maintaining a healthy balance of justice in society.
With this in mind, we can now answer why Hashem chose this very moment, in the middle of the plagues, as the time to recount the story. Egypt was in-effect desolate, literally standing on one crippled foot, about to crumble. Anyone with a semblance of a heart, it would be impossible not to feel some sort of mercy at this point, even with Egypt’s long history of abuse to the Jews. In truth, the most appropriate time to recount the plagues was specifically in the middle of plagues, to prevent “misplaced mercy.”
Growing up I was always fascinated with an interesting phenomenon that would occur in Boxing. The lead-up to a fight would be raucous and tense between the fighters. Taunting and threats thrown between the two boxers, with the media breathlessly covering it all. The fans, all aligning behind the fighter of their choice, become divided among themselves. In fact, it was not uncommon that in press conferences to promote the match, fist fights and brawls would break out between the two camps of fighters. Ginning up more anger and blood lust between the fans. Finally, after all the hoopla, the big night arrives and the tension is palpable. And when that bell rings and the fists fly, the heartbeats are racing as the crowd squeals in excitement at every blow landed and every drop of blood drawn.
Yet what I found so amazing, comes at the very moment when it is clear that the fight has been won. The boxer has his opponent pinned up against the ropes, and is landing one powerful blow after another. Jabs, uppercuts to the head, and blows to the body. Each punch delivered with enough force to permanently damage organs and break bones. Yet, maybe out of pride or most probably out of sheer stupidity, his opponent just won’t go down or give up. I recall on many occasions the commentators, almost in a scolding tone, calling “the Ref has got to stop this fight”. The crowd, though initially hungry for this very gore, begin to internally cringe and look away, as their stomachs turn at the sight of such a brutal beating. The next day, the media and the public condemn the referee, the trainers and the sport as a whole for being callous and irresponsible in being late in stopping the fight.
Why is this so? Why is the reaction so visceral and extreme? Didn’t the people just cheer for the fighters to destroy each other? Isn't this exactly what we want?
The answer, I believe, is that deep down we are not brutal savages, we are not completely cruel. No normal person wishes for a person to be beaten past the point of being indefensible and to an inch of his life. This is a natural response for any human, but all-the-more so for the Jewish people.
This is again what, I believe Hashem wanted to forestall. Hashem knew that the Jews would have the innate emotional reaction of empathy for the Egyptians. Thus, Hashem chose a time in the midst of the punishment to state the obligation to recount the plagues. For through recounting the story, we remind ourselves of the reasons why Hashem is doing this to Egypt – the pain they caused, and the evil decrees they enacted upon us.
To now feel empathy for Egypt would have detracted from the message that Hashem wanted to ingrain in us and the world. The response of mercy would have been wrong here – רחמנות במקום אכזריות. Now was the time for Hashem to glorify Himself for all generations and for this, our nerves needed to be steeled. We couldn’t allow ourselves to feel the Egyptians pain.
But, Chas V’Shalom for one to walk away from this idea thinking that we shouldn't never have any mercy for the Egyptians. On the contrary; on Seder night, the very night when we recount the story of our redemption, we actually spill wine and detract from our own happiness in recognition of the fallen Egyptians.
However, the difference is that this act only comes at a time when we can look back as free people, from the perch of history, where we can see everything come together to form the beauty of the redemption. This is not misplaced, for here the mercy is not stemming from an automatic emotional response. Instead on this most joyous of nights, when we are free men of royalty, we still relate to the pain of others – even of those of our enemies. In this way, we revel in the joy of the Exodus and the recognition of Hashem’s Sovereignty, but we also show that we are masters over our own mercy – a sign of true freedom and autonomy.
I once heard a quote: “Control yourself or someone else will control you”. But the message conveyed in it, in my opinion, is not a Jewish concept. Autonomy for its own sake is not a Jewish ideal. Rather I want to amend that quote like this: “Control yourself or something else will control you.” If we aren’t actively working on controlling our behavior, then ultimately some other force will end up controlling you.
This lesson can show us how a Jew is to internalize messages and utilize his emotions. Feelings should not be simply a reaction to external stimuli; rather, they can be controlled and felt at the appropriate times. There is a time to be merciful and a time to be harsh, a time to be happy and a time to be sad. Hashem, in His unfathomable wisdom wants us to be true masters over ourselves.
Shabbat Shalom
