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As the narrative of
the redemption of the Jewish people from Egyptian bondage unfolds, I am
continually struck by the apparently gradual process that is described
for us in the Torah. What does all of the detail associated with each of
the plagues visited upon Egypt come to teach us? And would not one great
plague alone have sufficed? After all, in the past century we witnessed
how two bombs, alone, forced the powerful and fanatical Japanese Empire
to surrender unconditionally. So, what is the message of the ten plagues
and the elapse of time from the onset of the mission of Moshe to its
final successful conclusion?
These issues are
raised and discussed by all of the great rabbinic commentators over the
ages. As is usual in Jewish biblical commentary, there is no one
definitive answer, for the Torah itself is said to have seventy different
“faces.” Yet, there is much ground for a general understanding of
the matter in their writings and opinions.
The main thrust of
rabbinic opinion is that all of this was necessary to give the Egyptians
an opportunity to repent and save themselves and, just as importantly, to
give the Jews an opportunity to begin to think of themselves as a free
and independent people and no longer as slaves and pagans. It takes time
and a series of many events to turn around the mentality and preconceived
ideas of human beings.
The Egyptians had
to somehow become accustomed to the fact that they had no right to rule
over others and be cruel to their fellow human beings. The Jews had to
become accustomed to the responsibilities of freedom and an independent
life and to realize that they were destined to be a special people
dedicated to the service of God and humankind.
These things cannot
happen suddenly and if they do, then they are not of a long-lasting
nature. Judaism is not built upon sudden epiphanies but rather upon the
long, grinding routine. Only after ten plagues have visited Egypt, the
Egyptians and the Jews as well begin to understand what God wants from
them.
We see from many
incidents recorded for us throughout the Bible that one-shot miracles, no
matter how impressive and meaningful they are at the moment they occur,
do not really change the mindset of people in the long run. The miracle
performed through Elijah, when all of Israel proclaimed that Hashem is
the God of the universe, was not of a long-lasting nature and/or
influence.
The people soon
sank back into the swamp of idolatry and immorality. Regularity,
consistency and repeated instruction and education are necessary to make
miracles truly influential and long-lasting. If the Jews had been
delivered from Egyptian bondage by one great miracle, they would have had
a much harder time grasping the unique role that God intended them to
play in world history.
They would have
been much more reticent to accept that role at Sinai had it not been for
the fact that they witnessed so many miracles. Those miracles were
repeated regularly and explained to them by Moshe in the light of the
godly Torah, which they now willingly accepted.
Shabbat shalom
Rabbi Berel Wein
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