Section: Galus & Geula Category: Galus Paroh Declares Victory | Moshe suddenly arrives on the scene after
decades of bitter slavery and declares he will take Bnei Yisroel out of
Mitzrayim. Paroh for one is not impressed. After Moshe's first
audience with Paroh, the Bnei Yisroel are hit with a much heavier
workload and not the respite that they were hoping to be granted.
Paroh announces that among the many Deities in his Rolodex, he doesn't
recognize anyone called Hashem. There is some grumbling among Bnei
Yisroel but things go on and Moshe, despite being very disappointed
with the mission, continues.
Next up comes Makas Dam. Sure it's
frightening for the Mitzrim and water is in short supply, but they very
quickly learn to circumvent this by digging along the sides of the
Nilus. Anyway after a week things are back to normal. Worst of all
Bnei Yisroel is still enslaved. After that comes the frogs. Boy were
they scary and deadly as well. Not too mention the horrible noise
keeping the Mitzrim up at night. Surely Bnei Yisroel greatly enjoyed
the scene. Better yet Paroh promises to send them out, so the Maka
ends. Rather than sending them out, Paroh toughens up and declares
victory. Surely he sent images around the globe of the horrible mess
caused by the frogs garnering sympathy and probably plenty of funds and
volunteers for the cleanup.
Then comes Kinim. This is
admittedly the hand of Hashem but nevertheless Paroh remains stubborn
declaring Mitzrayim's resolve, not recognizing Hashem, and boasting of
victory after each passing Maka. Meanwhile the Bnei Yisroel are still
enslaved. The events, on the face of it, make you wonder why Hashem
didn't "finish the job". Why did he let the Mitzrim off the hook each
time he had them on the run? Why were we still enslaved if our all
powerful Hashem was fully in control and toying with the enemy?
As
the Makos progressed, life did get easier for the Bnei Yisroel. Their
political fortunes even started to take a turn for the better. Now
they were becoming stars in Mitzrayim and their Mitzri neighbors
suddenly even started to like them. So much so that most of them
wondered if it was even worth leaving Mitzrayim. Life was pretty good
right where they were. Unfortunately for them, they never saw the
light, perishing in the darkness of Choshech just before the final
conclusion.
Raboisai, the hour of history is late. All the
signs point to the final redemption. There is nary a single nevua
about the galus left from Tanach that hasn't either already occurred or
is unfolding right now before our eyes. Make no mistake about it, if
Moshiach doesn't come today, then he will come tomorrow or the day
after. Past events are the best guides for the future. As we read the
Parshios of the ending of Galus Mitzrayim, it would be foolish of us
not to take note and learn the many lessons that can be gleaned from
that ordeal, both the positive and negative.
It is up to us to
make it happen sooner or later. We can determine how painful the birth
of the geula will be. Now, if ever, is the time to live Yetzias
Mitzrayim and not just have the weeks fly by, going unnoticed while we
miss the whole point and forget whose hand is directing the unfolding
events and shaping our ever changing world today. Let's all daven and
improve our ways so that Hashem will for once and for all "finish the
job" and we will be zocheh to see the incredible light of the Shechina
shine on this world.
| RELATED ARTICLES:Paroh Parshas Bo Yetzias Mitzrayim Other articles in this category |
|