Today's Mitzrayim is
Americans living in the Nile
In the parshas we read during these weeks, Shemos, Veyera and Bo, the topic throughout is galus and redemption, the exodus from Mitzrayim. The Rebbe explains that Pharoh had a threefold misconception. Pharoh said; “Lo yadati es Hashem- I do not recognize Hashem”, and “MiHashem asher eshma b’kolo-who is Hashem that I should listen to his voice”. This implies three things. Firstly he does not recognize the existence of Hashem. Secondly, even if he does exist, he would be aloof and uninvolved in our daily life. Thirdly, even if He were not aloof, what difference would it make, He could not change the very nature of the way things are anyway.
The Rebbe teaches that this was indeed the purpose of the makos, to show Pharoh and all of Mitzrayim otherwise, quite the opposite of Pharoh’s notions. This is also a deeper understanding of why Rebbe Yehudah divided the ten makos into three distinct groups; DaTzaK, AaDaSh, BaAaCh
In the first group, about the makah, Dam-Blood the Torah says; “With this you will know that I am Hashem”, meaning the very existence of Hashem. This was also the conclusion of the chartumim-the magicians of Pharoh when they exclaimed in the last of the first three makos, “etzba Elokim he- This is Hashem’s finger”. With the first set of makos, the entire country of Mitzrayim including Pharoh became intimately aware of a creator, Hashem.
In the first makah of the second group, arov-the mixture of wild animals, the Torah states; “l’maan teidah shAni Hashem b’kerev haaretz- it is so that you should know that it is I Hashem in the midst of the earth”. This set of makos makes very clear that Hashem is present and involved within workings of our world, dispelling Pharoh’s second notion.
In the third group by the makah of barad-hail the Torah says “l’maan teidah sh’ayn kamoni bekol haaretz- it is so that you should know that there is none like me in all of the earth”. The reason this statement is made by barad is because in this makah Hashem changes the very nature of creation, bringing harmony to opposites, fire and water, to serve a singular miraculous purpose.
The ten makos served to break Pharoh and his misconceptions of “lo yadati es Hashem” and “mi Hashem sh-eshma bkolo- I do not recognize Hashem that I should listen to his voice”. They also served to teach that which is said in parshas Bo, “so that you should tell these things into the ears of your children, so that you should know Hashem” to strengthen our faith and knowledge of Hashem.
Pharoh’s chief decree was to throw the Jewish children into the Nile River. What lesson does the Torah teach by recording this point? It is to teach that he was sending a message to the Jews that he wanted them to “throw themselves” meaning fully involve themselves with the Nile, the Egyptian idol of their time. He wanted them to co opt his belief that the way to get ahead in Egyptian culture is to believe that the Nile is everything. Since the Nile serves as the source of Egyptian parnasa, their souce of water, therefore it is symbolized as the source of everything; exclusive to all else which are only distractions.
This timeless message is relevant to current events today. The Rebbe spoke about the greatness of America in that it was founded by those that believed in Hashem; that the motto “in G-d we trust” is printed right on the country’s currency; and an awareness of Hashem pervades throughout the systems and thinking of the country. The Rebbe recommended a moment of silence in the school system to send a message that belief not be limited to the house of worship but be incorporated into the daily life of everyone, Jew and non Jew alike.
Since the 1960s there has arisen politicians who have toiled to have mention of Hashem removed from the schools and the streets, and be quarantined to only the house of worship. Mention of Hashem is slowly being washed away from all public discourse. Hand in hand with these efforts has been a steep decline in the quality of education.
But today’s idol is not the Nile, it’s the field of science. Science and technology are held up as the singular thing that can change anything. They allow themselves to alter the genetic structure of many aspects of life without a true understanding or knowledge of the long term repercussions or of its sustainability. In today’s environment it’s ok to “play G-d”. Finding cures and innovations are wonderful, but it comes with awesome responsibility to safeguard its abuse.
A hospital’s ethics committee today allows itself to decide when to remove a patient’s basic nutrition based upon their decision of how long that person will live! The medical community has decided to offer a patient an option to “die in dignity”. This approach is diametrically opposed to a doctor’s job to do all he can to save the patient’s life. There is a slippery slope in this thinking. One may wonder how long it will just be an “option”...
Today, many government's believe that the main problem is "global warming”! They claim that it is they that have the remedy to change the natural outcomes of nature. That man can control if it is cold or hot not Hashem. In truth it is their brains that are warm, even fried with the notion that it is they that control our future, “lo yadati es Hashem” with no factoring of Hashem’s role in our lives and their responsibility need to safeguard basic values.
Therefore when we daven “Ashreinu mah tov chelkeinu- how fortunate we are” we need to rejoice and be proud that we are not under the control of Pharoh Melech Mitzrayim. We are guided by Hashem, and every solution to every detail of life can found in our Holy Torah. With it we learn and understand the proper use of all aspects of Hashem’s creation in the best possible way, using every detail to reveal the presence of Hashem. When we say “Asher Kidishanu” we think Asher- how delighted we are to have the “ner Mitzvah” and “Torah ohr” to guide our lives!
Nevertheless in such an environment we need special strength to overcome the daily onslaught to our sensibilities. We gain this strength by connecting to Moshe Rabbeinu. It was Moshe Rabbeinu alone, due to being so close and batul to Hashem, was able to enter to Pharoh to break the klipah of Mitzrayim. Through him Hashem systematically broke through Pharoh’s three misconceptions about Hashem mentioned above in front of the eyes of all of Mitzrayin and the entire world. As the Alter Rebbe says in Tanya, each one of us has a spark of Moshe Rabbeinu within us, and by connecting to the Ispashtusa d’Moshe, the Rebbe, the Moshe Rabbeinu of our generation and to his Torah and his minhagim takanas and Mivtzoyim we gain great strength to be firm and strong. Not only is there no reason to be effected by this environment, we can go out and successfully draw others close to the Torah and Mitzvos and bring moshiach now.