A Memo to The Hague & Keyboard Warriors

Understanding the makos through the lens of Izhbitz with the help of current events.

The surreal events of the past few months seem like the Purim story on steroids. It's as if the world has turned upside down, presenting a bizarre scene where the extraordinary becomes ordinary, and what should be alarming is met with a collective shrug. This peculiar phase, I believe, will eventually find its place in the continuum of history, as have many such periods before it.

Our parashah primarily focuses on the plagues that Hashem inflicted upon the Egyptians. Extracting a distinct lesson or source of inspiration from the makos has often been a challenge for me.

While browsing through different sefarim, searching for something that may resonate with me, I found a fascinating idea in the writings of the Mei Hashiloach of Izhbitz. His explanation of the first seven makos, I believe, can help us understand the chaotic world in which we are privileged to live and our role within it.

He begins his remarks quoting Mishlei:

שש־הנה שנא ה’ ושבע תועבת נפשו. עינים רמות לשון שקר וידים שפכות דם־נקי. לב חרש מחשבות און רגלים ממהרות לרוץ לרעה. יפיח כזבים עד שקר ומשלח מדנים בין אחים

"There are six things which the Lord hates, and seven which are an abomination to Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked thoughts, feet that are swift in running to mischief, a false witness that breathes out lies, and one that sows discord among brethren."¹

The Izhbitzer Rebbe links these moral failings to the plagues. He extends this concept to the broader context of worldly events, such as political upheavals. He teaches that all punishment in this world is rooted in the corrupt attributes mentioned in the pasuk. He further clarifies that the severity of sins escalates with each item in the pasuk, and interestingly, the Egyptians were first punished for the gravest offenses.

Blood:
The first plague of blood corresponded to the sin of inciting discord among brethren. In the emotional spectrum, anger is perhaps the most divisive, capable of creating a more profound estrangement from God than even the pull of lust.

Frogs:
The second plague, frogs, corresponded to the sin of “a false witness who ‘blows’ lies”. The Egyptians were guilty not only of fabricating lies about the Bnei Yisrael but also of magnifying minor issues into serious allegations.

In Halacha, there is a principle that if one witnesses another's sin, and there are no other witnesses, it is impermissible to report it. The absence of witnesses in such cases is seen as a divine indication that the sin should remain concealed in this world. Consequently, broadcasting it is forbidden. (It's important to note that this likely doesn't apply in situations of abuse or similar crimes). However, the Egyptians violated this principle by publicizing every transgression, leading to the plague of frogs, who incessantly croaked and howled, drowning out all other sounds. This is not dissimilar to the spread of disinformation and propaganda in this current conflict, where truth is often obscured or overwhelmed by louder, misleading narratives.

Lice:
The plague of lice corresponds to “רגלים ממהרות לרוץ לרעה - legs hastening to do evil.” In contrast, about Bnei Yisrael, it is written, “צדק ילין בה - righteousness lodges in it.”² This means that they would delay the judgment, not carrying it out immediately. Even when they knew that the judgment was correct, still they would put it aside overnight (“ילין”) as perhaps someone would come forth with evidence for acquittal.

Conversely, the Egyptians were quick to harm the Jews, competing in their eagerness to inflict damage. Despite their hastiness, God's mercy shielded the Jews, rendering the Egyptians' efforts futile. This is mirrored in the plague of lice – tiny creatures that move swiftly but achieve very little. This behavior is parallel to our times, where countries, individuals, or media rush to pass judgment without fully considering the consequences or moral implications, echoing the actions of the Egyptians.

Wild beasts:
The plague of wild beasts is tied to “לב חרש מחשבות און - a heart which devises evil imaginations.” This plague was a direct response to the Egyptians’ intricate schemes to harm Bnei Yisrael. The wild beasts, representing a diverse mix of creatures, symbolized the variety and complexity of the Egyptians' malevolent plans. Furthermore, God used this plague to disrupt the Egyptians' thoughts, ensuring their preoccupation with their own distress rather than plotting against the Jews. This is reflected in the pasuk, “and I will divide the land of Goshen… and there will be no wild beasts there.” This distinction served to demonstrate that within Klal Yisrael, there was no mixture of evil intentions. At the end of days, God will acknowledge the righteousness of Klal Yisrael and manifestly show that there were no wicked thoughts in the hearts of the Jewish people.

Pestilence:
The plague of Dever, or pestilence, is associated with “hands shedding innocent blood.” This plague was a response to the Egyptians' acts of violence and murder against those who were guiltless, symbolically addressing the gravity of their bloodshed.

Boils:
The plague of boils is linked to “לשון שקר - a lying tongue.” The Egyptians, who were brazen in their dissemination of falsehoods, faced humiliation and shame as a consequence. This is exemplified by the situation of the Egyptian magicians, who, stricken by the plague, “could not stand before Moshe.” Their inability to confront Moshe highlighted the disgrace brought upon them for their deceitful actions.

Hail:
The plague of hail corresponds to “עינים רמות - arrogant eyes.” The Egyptians, who proudly claimed to be a positive influence, were instead met with hail. Rain typically symbolizes beneficial influence in the world, but for Egypt, steeped in arrogance, this nurturing rain transformed into destructive hail. This plague was particularly significant because it was brought about through the actions of Moshe Rabbeinu, a figure renowned for his humility. As the Torah tells us, “and the humility of the man Moshe was greater than all other men…³”, highlighting the stark contrast between Moshe's modesty and the Egyptians' arrogance. The hail, therefore, was not just a punishment but also a representation of the consequences of pride versus the virtue of humility.

On Pesach, when celebrating the redemption from Egypt we propose a toast to the enduring resilience of our people:

והיא שעמדה לאבותינו ולנו. שלא אחד בלבד עמד עלינו לכלותנו, אלא שבכל דור ודור עומדים עלינו לכלותנו, והקדוש ברוך הוא מצילנו מידם.

"And it is this that has stood for our ancestors and for us; for not only one has arisen against us to annihilate us, but in every generation, they rise against us to annihilate us, and the Holy One, blessed be He, delivers us from their hands."

Rabbi Sacks poignantly articulates this sentiment: “Today... as we stand as if on a mountain peak surveying the breathtaking landscape of Jewish history, we know this: that those who sought to destroy the people of the covenant gather dust in the museums of mankind while am Yisrael chai, the people Israel lives. Ancient Egypt is no more. The Moabites have long since disappeared. The Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans successively strode the stage of world dominion. Each empire played its part, said its lines, and each in turn has gone… But the Jews survive.”⁴

The Torah's recurrent reminder, “You shall remember that you were slaves in Egypt,” bears a profound lesson, as elucidated by Rabbi Sacks. He taught that this mitzvah is “never invoked as a reason for hatred, retaliation, or revenge. Always it appears as part of the logic of the just and compassionate society the Israelites are commanded to create: the alternative order, the antithesis of Egypt.”⁵

We must be careful not to emulate the Egyptians or our historical adversaries. Instead, we are guided to embody the opposite of the behaviors detested by God. We should strive to transform chaos into order. By doing so, we aspire to witness the Hand of Hashem once again relegating our current enemies to the annals of history, as we continue to elevate the honor of Hashem in this world, as we are meant to.

Have a wonderful Shabbos

1. Mishlei 10;16

2. Yeshaya 1:21

3. Bamidbar 12:3

4. Will we have Jewish Grandchildren? pp. 7-8

5. Covenant and Conversation: Deuteronomy, pp. 202-203