One of the themes repeated concerning the Exodus, is that of the necessity of taking presents from the Egyptians. The Jews are to ask their neighbours for gifts, which they will then take with them. This is again emphasised in this week’s Parshah, as a prelude to the final plague. Rashi explains the importance of this action in order for G-d to fulfil his promise of the Jews ending their oppression with ‘great wealth’. G-d would have thus fulfilled both parts of his original promise to Abraham: exile and redemption. Hertz gives a different explanation, explaining the taking of gifts from the Egyptians as preventing long term enmity over the Egyptian’s treatment of the Jews. Because of this, forty years later, Moses could command the Israelites not to hate the Egyptians. A slightly different perspective can be understood by looking at a interesting midrash on the plague of darkness. One of the reasons for this plague, according to the midrash, was in order for the Jews to freely wander the Egyptian’s houses and see their valuables. They thus knew later exactly what to ask for. If we examine this midrash more closely we see how it amplifies and expands Hertz’s comment above. The Jews, who had been sorely oppressed by the Egyptian’s wander their houses while their oppressors sit helpless in darkness. Yet they take nothing. They see all their master’s riches but wait, in order to ask for these presents to be freely given. Not only does this action have a salutary moral effect on the Jews, teaching them to see the Egyptian’s as human beings and dampening feelings of revenge. It also served to undo the negative State propaganda about the Jews. These so called dangers to Egyptian society cannot be so bad, if they refuse to take advantage of their helpless fellow citizens. It is interesting that at the end of the plagues the Torah states that Moses was ‘great’ in the eyes of the Egyptian populace; not feared but respected. This enabled future relations to overcome the wounds of the past; as the mitzvah in Deuteronomy testifies. Here lies an important lesson in interpersonal relations. If one can show an adversary that you in fact do not wish to hurt them, or bear a grudge, it can often lead to a new relationship. Great is the one who turns an enemy into a friend.
ALIYAH BY ALIYAH SYNOPSIS
Rishon |
Even the threat of Locusts fails to move Pharaoh. |
Sheni |
Locusts destroy the crops and darkness covers the land but the Jews have light. |
|
Shelishi |
Moses is told to leave Pharaoh‘s presence on pain of death. He tells the Jews to ask for Egyptian presents. |
|
Revi’i |
G-d tells Moses of the last plague and instructs him about Pesach. |
|
Chamishi |
The Jews are told to prepare the Pesach sacrifice for the night of redemption. |
|
Shishi |
All Egypt‘s first born die and the Jews are thrown out of Egypt. |
|
Shevi’i |
The laws of Pesach and Tefilin for future generations. |
|
Haftorah |
Jeremiah: 46;13-28: the Babylonians destroy Egypt. |
Sidra Statistics
Parshat Bo
has 105 verses ;
· is the 3rd in Exodus, 15th in the Torah
· 9th longest in Exodus, 33rd longest in the Torah
· has 9 pos + 11 neg = 20 mitzvot.
