|
Yirmiyahu 46:13
This week’s
haftorah shows us a painful reality: that people are not willing to learn
from the past and history will undoubtedly be repeated. The setting is,
once again, the destruction of the Egyptian empire by the Babylonian army.
However, this week we are introduced to a new dimension, the massacre of
the Egyptian people and the execution of their Pharaoh. The prophet
Yirmiyahu states in the name of Hashem, “I will direct my attention to
the multitudes of Alexandria and to Pharaoh and all of Egypt…I will
deliver them into the hands of their killer, Nebuchadnezar, the King of
Babylonia.” (46: 25, 26)
The Radak explains
that these passages refer to a massive massacre predicted for Egypt and
her Pharaoh. Radak reminds us that the Egyptian people have a long
history of hostility towards the Jewish nation. After an extended period
of calm following her devastation at the Reed Sea, Egypt resumed her
hostility towards her Jewish neighbors. It resurfaced during the reign of
the Egyptian premier, Shishak, who invaded the Land of Israel shortly
after the demise of Shlomo Hamelech. During this vulnerable Jewish era,
Shishak forced his way into Israel and cleared out the treasury of the
king. Our Chazal (quoted in Rashi’s commentary to M’lochim I, 14-6) cite
that Shishak even had the audacity of stealing the glorious throne of
Shlomo Hamelech. Egypt continued her hostility towards Israel and, after
receiving heavy sums from Israel in exchange for military protection,
betrayed her Jewish “ally” and abandoned her. But Egypt’s final crime
came when Pharaoh N’cho executed the pious King Yoshiyahu because he
refused to allow Pharaoh’s army to enter Israel enroute to Assyria.
Because of this
full record, Hashem decided that the time had arrived to repay Egypt for
all her cruelty. Although, in truth, she had previously received forty
years of exile, apparently this was not sufficient treatment for her.
This time, a massive massacre was being planned and an appropriate
execution was awaiting her Pharaoh. With this, Hashem would remind Egypt
of the very special relationship He maintained with His people. Hashem’s
historic lesson to the earlier Pharaoh was His opening statement that the
Jews are “My son, My first-born” (Shemos 4: 24). Through these words Hashem
warned Egypt at the outset that her hostility toward His chosen nation
would be repaid in full. And now, nearly a thousand years later, the time
had come for Egypt to review this lesson. Egypt would soon be massacred
in response to her cruelty and hostility towards Hashem’s first born, the
Jewish people.
It is interesting
to note the particular analogy Yirmiyahu uses when predicting the
Babylonian army’s invasion. He says “They cut down her forest, for the
enemy could not be counted; they exceeded the locusts, beyond any
imaginable limit.” (46: 25, 26) Yirmiyahu compares the Babylonians to
locusts invading the land in unimaginable proportions. In fact, he
describes the completeness of this massacre as even greater than the work
of the locusts. This analogy seems to bring us back to the historic
plague of locusts in this week’s sedra. It suggests a corollary between
the Egyptian plague in earlier times and the invasion of Egypt by the
king Nebuchadnezar in later times.
The explanation of
this may be gleaned from the insightful words of the Kli Yakar in this
week’s sedra. He notes the Torah’s introduction to the plague of locusts
and explains it through a shocking Egyptian phenomenon. The Torah
introduces the plague and states, “I have hardened the hearts of Pharaoh
and his servants in order to place My signs in his midst. And for you to
tell your children and grandchildren how I played with Egypt.” (Shemos
10: 1, 2) “Why,” asks the Kli Yakar, “was this introduction chosen for
the plague of locusts and not for any other plague?” He responds by
citing the testimony of Rabbeinu Chananel regarding an indisputable
phenomenon in the land of Egypt. Rabbeinu Chananel testifies that there
has never been a locust invasion in Egypt since the massive plague of
locusts sent to them by Hashem. Nowadays, even when all surrounding
countries are infested with locusts these devouring insects will not
penetrate the Egyptian borders. And if they remotely filter into Egypt
they never destroy any of the existing crop.
He explains that
this miraculous phenomenon was meant to serve as an everlasting testimony
about the plague of locusts. In response to Moshe Rabbeinu’s plea for the
removal of locusts the Torah states, “There did not remain one locust
throughout the entire Egyptian border.” (Shemos 10: 19) Apparently, this
passage became an everlasting statement and from that point and on
locusts will never remain in the land of Egypt. This indisputable
testimony reminds the world of Hashem’s harsh response to Egypt for all
the cruelty she showed His chosen people. The plague of locust therefore
deserves a special introduction stating that the purpose of all the
plagues was for us to relate their experience to our children. Because,
in fact, the plague of locust and its everlasting testimony serve as the
perfect vehicle through which to remember Hashem’s revelations in Egypt.
We now appreciate
the perfect analogy of Yirmiyahu regarding the Babylonian invasion. The
prophet was hinting to the fact that Egypt’s attitude towards the Jewish
people could not be condoned. They, more than anyone, should have
anticipated the consequences of their cruel actions. The total absence of
locusts from Egypt should have been a constant reminder for them of their
past experiences for mistreating the Jewish people. Obviously no one
could claim that Egypt hadn’t been fairly warned. However, typically,
people do not learn their lesson and history must undoubtedly be
repeated. If the historic plague of locusts was not a sufficient reminder
for them then the present Babylonian “locusts” would do the trick. Hashem
therefore ordered a full scale massacre for Egypt to repeat their earlier
experience. They would once again realize that the Jewish people are very
dear to Hashem and hostility towards them is certainly not a welcomed
policy. Eventually Hashem will protect His people and respond to all
hostility in a most befitting fashion.
|
|
Comments
Post a Comment