Moshe, Aharon and Pharaoh. The story of the slavery and subsequent redemption of the Jewish people focuses on these three individuals. The thoughts feelings and actions of both the Egyptian and Jewish people are barely noted. Strangely while we are privy to the suggestions of Pharoah advisors throughout the plagues we hear nothing of the reaction of the Egyptian people. Did they support Pharaoh's intransigence, did they see the plagues as the hand of G-d, and did they even know that Moshe had forewarned them about the plagues? All we need to know about the Egyptian people is encapsulated in the verse "The Egyptians started to make the Israelites do labor designated to break their bodies (1:13)." The Torah thus passes its moral judgement on the Egyptian people. All else is superfluous. It is only by the last plague that we see the reaction of the people; "there was a great outcry since there was no house where there were no dead" (12:30). Moral lapses often bring severe consequences.
Similarly we are told very little about the reaction of the Jewish people to the negotiations between Moshe, Aharon and Pharaoh. Did they see the hand of G-d and realize their redemption was near or did they just want to be left alone? Were they even aware of the ongoing talks between Moshe and Pharaoh?
The Torah subtly points at a fundamental change that overtook the Jewish people. When G-d first appeared unto Moshe and appointed him His messenger to redeem the Jewish people Moshe doubted the willingness of the Jewish people to follow him on such a historic mission. "But they will not believe me, they will not listen to me, they will say G-d did not appear to you (4:1)." Moshe however had underestimated the pure faith of the Jewish people. "The people believed. They accepted the message that G-d had granted special providence to the Israelites and that He had seen their misery. They bowed their heads and prostrated themselves (4:31)." After 210 years in Egypt the Jews could feel the end of the exile and looked forward to being able to "celebrate a feast unto Me in the wilderness" (5:1). Yet this initial wave of hope soon dissipated. After Moshe's initial, unproductive meeting with Pharaoh, G-d tells Moshe to relay to the Jewish people that they will soon leave Egypt , receive the Torah and settle in Israel . When Moshe did so, hope had turned to despair. "Moses related this to the Israelites but because of their short spirit and hard work they would no longer listen to him (6:9)." What had happened? After Moshe and Aharon made their request that the Egyptians should end their subjugation of another nation, Pharaoh ordered "make the work heavier for the men and make sure they do it. Then they will stop paying attention to false ideas" (5:9). A little set back, a few hardships and suddenly their hopes were dashed. No further effort would be made to ameliorate their situation. They had, like many in difficult situations, learned how to cope and were unwilling to challenge the status quo lest their conditions deteriorate.
Tragically this inability to see beyond the problems of today became the norm of the Jewish people. In fact the next time we hear the collective voice of the Jewish people it was at the shores of the Red Sea when instead of acknowledging the great miracles wrought on their behalf they proclaimed "Weren't their enough graves in Egypt ? Why did you have to bring us out here to die in the desert?" (14:11). Unfortunately Moshe was now correct in stating "even the Israelites will not listen to me, How can I expect Pharaoh to listen to me" (6:12).
Such an attitude is perhaps understandable for a group of slaves. In essence it is the definition of slavery. People robbed of their dignity and freedom to choose can not be expected to see beyond the problems of today. What is tragic is that people who are physically free exhibit the same tendencies. So often plans of great vision are shelved because of a few setbacks. Worse yet, some are not even attempted due to fear of failure or general apathy. Our spirits are broken much too easily. Yet truly free people know that "the only free person is one who engages in Torah". Difficulties, obstacles, naysayers, lack of funds are challenges but must not serve as barriers to implementing our Divine mission. After all they are no match for Torah. Shabbat Shalom!
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