Bo 5775 - English

Rabbi Daniela Szuster
Congregation B’nei Israel, San José, Costa Rica

Learning not to generalize with social groups

In parashat Bo, we learn of the last plagues that G-d cast on the Egyptians in order to attain the liberation of the Hebrew people.  It was especially the final plague, death of the first-born, which convinced Pharaoh to allow the Hebrews to leave the land of Egypt. 

At the most awaited time, the Torah tells us that the people, following Moses’ orders, “The Israelites had done Moses' bidding and borrowed from the Egyptians objects of silver and gold, and clothing.  And the Lord had disposed the Egyptians favorably toward the people, and they let them have their request; thus they stripped the Egyptians." (Shmot 12:35-36)

I would like to stop and analyze this verse which has raised several questions as to its meaning.  These people were slaves for hundreds of years; they suffered, they were abused, and now, when they were able to leave that hell, they dared to ask their masters for silver and gold!  It does not sound like the speech of a slave.  However, we can argue that it was Moses, supported by G-d, who led them to make this request.  Moses, free thinking man, knew that a people without resources would be doomed to failure.  Freedom would be of no use without the means to survive and live well. 

Another question that stems from this text is the meaning of “vaiantzlu”, “stripped”, “took advantage of”.  How come G-d tasked the children of Israel to commit such an action against the Egyptians?  Was it about revenge?

Philo of Alexandria answered this question in his work “On the Life of Moshe”, saying this request was not meant as a way to take advantage of the Egyptians, but as a reward for the heavy work they had done during so many years in Egypt.  The purpose was, in a way, to achieve compensation.  Therefore, it was not a “dispossession”, but a way to have justice, redeeming their word (On the Life of Moses 1:25).

Along this same line, Abravanel claims that the material things left behind in Egypt by the people of Israel exceeded the value of the object the Hebrew requested from their neighbors.  We can also think that by enslaving them, the Egyptians had stripped them of all their belongings and now they were simply attempting to recover some of that. 

Even the Talmud tells a story of a trial on the Egyptians, urging them to pay for the suffering they perpetrated.  Gabiha Ben Paziza defended the cause of Israel before the court of the emperor Alexander of Macedonia, telling the Egyptians of the day that had called on Israel: “Pay us the salary of the six hundred thousand men that you made work as slaves for four hundred thirty years in Egypt.” (Talmud, Masechet Sanedrin 91a)

Kasuto also holds that according to the law, the Egyptians should have paid for the word done by the Hebrew people, and since they did not and there was no court of justice (Beit Din), then the Beit Din Shel Mala (heavenly court) worried and ordered justice be served. 

Therefore, with these commentaries, we can assure that a great majority of commentators hold that neither G-d nor the people had the intention of stealing or taking advantage of the Egyptians, instead they meant to have justice. 

Even though several commentaries head in this direction, the historian Flavius Josephus (Joseph Ben Matityahu), in his book “Jewish Antiquities (Kadmoniot haYehudim)”, states: the Egyptians gave them gifts, some to hurry them away and make them leave as soon as possible, and others out of a sense of friendship.  The Hebrews left and the Egyptians cried and repented from how they had treated them.

This commentary is truly moving.  It shows that not all of the Egyptians were evil.  There were among them sensitive people who did not feel right about what was going on, who felt a sense of friendship towards the Hebrews and gave them genuine gifts, gifts based on a true friendship. 

Another source that supports this idea comes from the discussion of whether the midwives that saved the Hebrew babies disobeying Pharaoh’s order (Shmot 1:17) were Hebrew or Egyptian.  Several commentators claim that they were Hebrew; however, Philo of Alexandria and Flavius Josephus held that they were Egyptian. 

Following this line of thought, there were Egyptians who were capable of risking their lives for a just cause, saving the Hebrews.  We can find among the Egyptians some who disagreed with the atrocities committed by the Pharaoh, who expressed their disagreement through small actions of courage and justice.

These last two sources drive us to avoid the mistake of homogenizing people or social groups.  If someone belonging to a group hurts us, we tend to hate the entire group.  Our own history has taught us that we must not generalize, that not all individuals believe and see things in the exact same way. 

In these weeks of commotion in the world, when we have seen Muslim extremists murder human beings in France, we have also seen Muslim representatives condemning these atrocious acts. 

No matter how hard it might be, in this day and age we must be cautious and have the ability to distinguish between those fundamentalists, murderous and intransigent, and those who live by the values of freedom, justice and equality.  We cannot see all Muslims as extremists, as in any other social group. 

Most of the Egyptians mistreated the Hebrew people, but it was not all of them.  Many felt bad, touched, and gave presents as a symbol of their friendship and solidarity.  Some even risked their lives to save them. 

May G-d give us the ability to discern, to find and value those who fight for freedom, justice and a genuine peace. 

¡Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Daniela Szuster

Congregation B’nei Israel, San José, Costa Rica