Bs”s
Parshas Bo (5767)
by Mordechai Dolinsky
Among the awesome lessons we learn from the “shibud” and the “yetzia” from Egypt is the extreme degree of wickedness that single human beings and for that matter a whole nation can degenerate to. Just the most basic idea of forcing slavery on humans is despicable. The masses joining hands, going along with mass wickedness; what a lesson of how individuals can blindly be committed to evil, swept along by the masses.
This can likewise happen to shomrei Torah u’mitzvos, and loyal followers of Hashem; to become blinded to mistakes, blemishes and wrong committed by many among us.
However, the worst factor of the Egyptians enslaving and torturing Klal Yisroel was that we were the nation of Yosef Hatzadik who was solely responsible for the survival of this wicked nation. It was due to him that they were not totally annihilated by the ferocious, devastating famine. The Jewish nation should have been eternally revered and honored by the Egyptians. They should have showered our nation with graciousness and willingness to serve us in every way.
As the wise saying goes—when someone gives you a firm kick try to remember the great favor or service you did for them. Perhaps we are witnessing in the Egyptians a reflection of this irrational human weakness.
We are constantly the recipients of goodness from individuals that surround us; our parents, spouses and from HASHEM!! Let us learn from these low Egyptians to subdue and overcome this weakness and shower our benefactors with the greatest of gratitude.
Have a wonderful Shabbos.