This week we find ourselves inundated with accusations of dishonesty. One step away from ultimate victory, and our critics are scrutinizing our every step, claiming deception and trickery. Luckily at the helm we have a Jew we can trust... Moshe Rabbeinu.
Upon careful examination of the text, it seems that Moshe Rabbeinu never told Pharaoh that the Jews intended to leave Egypt for good. Their recurring demand over the last three parshiyot was to send the nation to worship Hashem in the desert for 3 days. The back-and-forth negotiations over the course of the 10 makot revolved around where they would go, and primarily focused on identifying who were the eligible worshippers. Leaving Egypt for good was never on the table.
The deception continues as we read that Bnei Yisrael are commanded to "borrow" items from their Egyptian neighbors, consistent with their stated intent of returning after their three-day holiday -- but that also was never really part of the plan. It is upon the realization that he has been duped that Pharaoh chases Bnei Yisrael in next week's parsha.
The mefarshim are clearly troubled by this, wondering why Hashem would command these actions of Moshe and Bnei Yisrael. The mefarshim approach the question in a number of ways.
Some deflate the question by saying that, in fact, it was not deceptive. That Moshe did tell Pharaoh that they intended to leave for good (which requires some creative reading of the text), and that the word shaal does not always mean "borrowed," as evidenced from other parts of Tanach.
Some say the truth is that the intent was to return and continue negotiations, until Pharaoh declared war by chasing Bnei Yisrael to the Yam Suf, thereby surrendering rights to the Egyptians' possessions to the victors, as per the rules of war (Abarbanel 3:16 and Sforno 3:22).
Others maintain that this was in fact deceptive, and it was justified given the torture and torment the Egyptians were inflicting on the Jews. The Ohr Hachaim (3:18) explains the motivation for the deception was to get Pharaoh to chase them and meet his ultimate demise at the Yam Suf -- to draw him out of Egypt so that the final blow to the Mitzrim could be delivered.
The Ohr Hachaim adds that this was a middah keneged middah -- a punishment which fit the crime. As chazal tell us, "The Mitzrim 'outsmarted' the Jews. At first with a pheh rach -- soft words -- and then eventually with pha-rech -- crushing labor." So too Hashem ultimately punished the Mitzrim with soft words, leading to a final blow. In other words, it was a play straight out of the Mitzri playbook.
Speaking of playbooks, we are in the midst of an amazing community-building basketball tournament. Maimo boys and girls took the first wins last night. This amazing event would not be possible without the vision, devotion, and hard work of the Tournament Committee Chairs, Ahron and Sheera Solomont. We thank them for their fierce commitment to our school, our community, and our students.
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