Who Enslaved the Jews in Egypt? - Pesach

Everyone knows the answer to that one. Of course – it was Pharaoh! It seems like a question where the answer is fairly obvious. Just read the verses in the Torah. He came up with the work plan. He hired special overseers to draft workers.1 So, obviously, Pharaoh is the one who enslaved us. Or was he?

We often find that we need to read between the lines to understand the Torah properly. Here too, we rely on Chizkuni, a 13th century French sage, for a deeper interpretation.

"Pharaoh would enslave himself with them (the Israelites) so that

they would exert themselves in the work as it says 'perech' (in Hebrew the word

'perech' is similar to the phrase 'with gentle words'). At the same time, Levi's tribe

remembered that they would be appointed to carry the Holy Ark and felt it

would be inappropriate for them to be involved in menial labot. They therefore

did not join their brothers who worked in the field. Pharaoh decided to let them

be and did not force them into slavery. From that day on, Pharaoh decided

that only those who enslaved themselves would be enslaved."2

What a fascinating concept! Pharaoh didn’t want to have to fight with anyone and create a 'forced labor' workforce. Only those who agreed to be subjugated were enslaved. Those whose personalities and world views could live with this kind of framework would be slaves. So Pharaoh created a situation where people could no longer argue – "You forced us." They joined Pharaoh's workforce of their own volition. They freely became slaves.

We often feel enslaved by uncomfortable situations. Yet quite often, I have found, we are at least partially responsible for that situation. It is up to us to make the decision to create our own future.

To better explain this, there is a famous parable of the Chafetz Chaim. If you see two people walking handcuffed together, how do you know which one is the prisoner and which is the officer? You find out which one has the key.

We sometimes find ourselves in situations where we feel enslaved or stuck. Yet quite often the key to change lies within. Just as the Israelites in Egypt 'enslaved themselves' so too we can find ourselves in difficult situations of our own making and the way out lies within.

We have a life to live.3 It is our responsibility to bring that to fruition. We all have a purpose – and we are to bring that out! We can, therefore, celebrate on this Pesach not only the freedom from the slavery in Egypt but the freedom from own inner incarceration as well.

 Click here for another logoParsha article on Pesach (Identity Crisis)

Notes

  1. See chapters 1-2, 5 of Shemot to see Pharaoh's hard-handed policy.
  2. Shemot - 5:4
  3. Viktor Frankl often writes of every one having a specific purpose in their lives and the responsibility to fulfill that purpose.

Have A Great Shabbat!laughing

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