(1) Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh. For I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his courtiers, in order that I may display these My signs among them, (2) and that you may recount in the hearing of your sons and of your sons’ sons how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and how I displayed My signs among them—in order that you may know that I am the LORD.”
Parshat Bo contains the last three plagues: Locusts, Darkness, and the dying of the First Born. In what ways do they represent a turning point in the Exodus story? What do they have in common? Why might these plagues have been different?
Abravanel's first questions on parshat Bo relate to the parsha division and to the opening divine command to Moshe: Go to Pharoah, for I have hardened his heart, and the added purpose clauses "in order that I may display these My signs among them," and "that you may recount in the hearing of your sons and of your sons’ sons". (Exod 10:1-2; Mental note: incorporate discussion of ch. 10 into Pesach seder).
I learned from my chevruta about an alternative rabbinic reading tradition in place up to a millennium ago, which had a parsha break before makkat Barad, rather than after it: Parshat Hashkem, rather than our Parshat Bo.
Whether Abravenel knew of this tradition or not, he sees a narrative continuity that is disrupted, as well as a break in the simanim of דצ״ח עד״ש באח״ב.
Abravanel notes that the juncture between Barad and Arbeh is a major turning-point: it marks the first time that Pharoah begins to talk about releasing the Israelites. Up to the devastating and lethal plague of Barad, there was no consideration of acceding to Moshe's demands in the name of Hashem. In Exod 9:28, to get relief from the hail, Pharoah said he will do it, but then immediately retracted upon relief. When he is warned about the locusts in our parshat Bo, Pharoah begins to bargain (10:10)-- who will go. There is no longer a non-negotiable defiant No, or silence, on the question of "whether" but a discourse about the "how", however sincere or otherwise that discourse might be.
" A related point: Hashem's command to Moshe seems almost cruel to Moshe on the face of it. If Avodat Perech is useless work, then surely it must be devastating to Moshe to be sent back to Pharoah again and again, with no results, and no indication that this process will ever end. (Only before the last plague does Hashem tell him that there's just one left: עוד נגע אחד)."
Contrast to Pharaoh's Reaction to the Earlier Plagues:
Dr. Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg, in The Particulars of Rapture. “To hear is to open oneself up to vulnerability, change, contingency.” Pharoah the hard-hearted cannot consider even the idea of change, so he refuses to hear out Moses. Pharoah afflicts his Israelite slaves with the same deafness, by making their lives so hard that they cannot stop and listen to any revolutionary ideas. Thus Egypt, which in Hebrew is called Mitzrayim, “Narrow Places”, is the place of constriction for both master and slave. It is the place where people are stunted, cut short—“kotzer”—from the freedom of thought that make us human.
“The Language of the Unheard” Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, "The Other America,' April 1967
"I think America must see that riots do not develop out of thin air. Certain conditions continue to exist in our society which must be condemned as vigorously as we condemn riots. But in the final analysis, a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it that America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the Negro poor has worsened over the last few years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice, equality, and humanity. And so in a real sense our nation’s summers of riots are caused by our nation’s winters of delay. And as long as America postpones justice, we stand in the position of having these recurrences of violence and riots over and over again. Social justice and progress are the absolute guarantors of riot prevention".
How do we open to change, and be persistent in pursuing justice for all?
(9) You shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the feelings of the stranger, having yourselves been strangers in the land of Egypt.
“God spoke to Moses and Aaron and commanded the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt, instructing them to deliver the Israelites from the land of Egypt.”
The Talmud Yerushalmi (Rosh Hashana 1) notes that both the Egyptians and the Israelites are given instruction here. The command to Pharaoh is clear - let my people go. But what mitzvah is God giving to the enslaved Israelites?
The Yerushalmi answers: the first mitzvah given to the Jewish people is the mitzvah to release slaves….- how fascinating! Just as Pharaoh is commanded to release slaves SO ARE WE, and not just at one moment in history but forever forwards. The message to the enslaved Israelites: Just as God has heard your cry and will release you from bondage - so must you for others."
Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!
--Martin Luther King, "I Have a Dream" (1963)
שִׂנְאוּ־רָע֙ וְאֶ֣הֱבוּ ט֔וֹב וְהַצִּ֥יגוּ בַשַּׁ֖עַר מִשְׁפָּ֑ט אוּלַ֗י יֶֽחֱנַ֛ן יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽי־צְבָא֖וֹת שְׁאֵרִ֥ית יוֹסֵֽף׃ ... שָׂנֵ֥אתִי מָאַ֖סְתִּי חַגֵּיכֶ֑ם וְלֹ֥א אָרִ֖יחַ בְּעַצְּרֹֽתֵיכֶֽם׃ כִּ֣י אִם־תַּעֲלוּ־לִ֥י עֹל֛וֹת וּמִנְחֹתֵיכֶ֖ם לֹ֣א אֶרְצֶ֑ה וְשֶׁ֥לֶם מְרִיאֵיכֶ֖ם לֹ֥א אַבִּֽיט׃ הָסֵ֥ר מֵעָלַ֖י הֲמ֣וֹן שִׁרֶ֑יךָ וְזִמְרַ֥ת נְבָלֶ֖יךָ לֹ֥א אֶשְׁמָֽע׃ וְיִגַּ֥ל כַּמַּ֖יִם מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּצְדָקָ֖ה כְּנַ֥חַל אֵיתָֽן׃
Hate evil and love good, And establish justice in the gate; Perhaps the LORD, the God of Hosts, Will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph...I loathe, I spurn your festivals, I am not appeased by your solemn assemblies. If you offer Me burnt offerings—or your meal offerings— I will not accept them; I will pay no heed To your gifts of fatlings. Spare Me the sound of your hymns, And let Me not hear the music of your lutes. But let justice well up like water, Righteousness like an unfailing stream.
Let justice well up like water, as it is written "the acts of justice and righteousness are more treasured to God than the offerings." Justice refers to the manner with which humans interact with one another, righteousness refers to the manner with which humans interact with God.
Justice is implanted within the mindset of every human being. Knowing that humans seek justice by their very nature, it is an essential ingredient in the sustainability of every moral society. Therefore, justice is compared to a well of water, whose source is internal and whose impact on the surroundings is incredible. Likewise, the source of justice is within each of us and we are meant to radiate that justice outwards.
Righteousness, in contrast, is not ingrained within every human, rather we nurture and develop that trait through our experience and relationship with God. This is similar to a stream, whose waters are not internal in nature, but rather gather there from the mountains and other external sources. Likewise, the source of righteousness is from without. Additionally, the waters of a stream are not expected to be the source for other bodies of water, rather they remain internally focused. Similarly, righteousness is meant to be developed and expressed as a form of ones personal religious journey...
In this light, the true purpose of the festival pilgrimage and offerings are the development and strengthening of justice and righteousness, not the offerings.
Rabbi Tarfon and some elders were reclining in an upper chamber in the house of Nitza in Lod when this question came up: Which is greater, study or action? Rabbi Tarfon spoke up and said: Action is greater. Rabbi Akiva spoke up and said: Study is greater. The others then spoke up and said: Study is greater because it leads to action.
(A. J. Heschel, "The Eternal Light" interview excerpts can be found at:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/2008/01/18/january-18-2008-abraham-joshua-heschel/1789/)