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 ד…