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Friday, December 24, 2010

Shemot , The Messianic Israel Alliance

Can we do תפילות prayers for:

The Messianic Israel Alliance?

That also through them The האור Light, רפואה The Healing and The ואהבה Love of ישועת יהוהYeshuath YHWH may come back to הארץ The Land of Israel?

 



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Mark your calendars now for next summer's most worshipful and educational Messianic event! This year will feature a couple more casual events, an outdoor evening service, and our communal fellowship meal time in the school's amazing cafeteria! Online registration opens January 1!

Shemot
Exodus 1:1 to 6:1


Leadership Training


This interactive leadership workshop is geared for those currently leading congregations or fellowships. This will be a hands-on workshop involving the latest technology applications and other tools to help you stabilize and multiple your Kingdom efforts. Come and enjoy this awesome time of fellowship and mentoring with those who have walked a few miles in your shoes!


Shemot
Exodus 1:1 to 6:1

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About The Commentaries

Traditional Judaism follows a yearly Torah and Haftarah reading cycle in which the Torah (the First Five Books of Scripture) is divided into weekly portions that have an accompanying excerpt from one of the Prophetic books that relates to the theme being presented.
As Believers in Messiah Yeshua, we also include portions from the New Testament, so that we will be reading form the whole counsel of our Father's Holy Word.
Each of these portions contain several chapters. Since each parashah contains untold numbers of nuggets of truth, it is impossible for any one person to present all of the truths in one weekly volume. As we go through the annual cycle, we find new, encouraging, and inspiring bits of truth. Each commentator brings different aspects to light, and we encourage open discussion on biblical passages, and thus the views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Messianic Israel Alliance or its members and affiliates.

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SO WHAT DO WE DO WITH CHRISTMAS?

Can we do תפילות prayers for:

Messianic Temple Beth El?

That also through them The האור Light, רפואה The Healing and The ואהבה Love of ישועת יהוהYeshuath YHWH may come back to הארץ The Land of Israel?

 




                                                                                                                                                                   &nb sp;                             
                                                                                                                  December 24, 2010/Tevet 17, 5771
   
 
Multicultural Spirit-Filled Nazarene Synagogue proclaiming the restoration of the 12 Tribes of Yisra'El: Beit Yehudah/House of Judah and Beit Ephraim/House of Ephraim.
 
We welcome Jewish people and non-Jews to worship Yahshua HaMashiach, the Messiah of Yisra'El with us.
 
Our Weekly  Schedule:

Shabbat Service:
10:30 am on Saturday
 
   Yeshiva Classes:
Shabbat/Saturday 9:00 am
Wednesday 7:30 pm

 Warriors for Yisra'El intercessory warfare group:
Monday 7:30 pm
For members only
 
We minister Deliverance and Spiritual Warfare. We are Shomer Shabbat/ Shabbat keepers and we observe all HaMoedim/Feasts of Yahweh. Please refer to our website for the dress code.
 

 
 
 
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Messianic Temple Beth El
1641 76th St (corner of 76th Street & New Utrecht Avenue)
Brooklyn, NY 11214  USA
 
By Car: Take the Belt Parkway to exit 5, which is Bay Parkway. Stay on Bay Parkway to 76th St.Turn left onto 76th St. Keep straight to New Utrecht Ave. The Temple is on the corner.
 
By Train: Take the D train to 79th St. and walk to 76th St.      
 
By Bus: Take the B4 to New Utrecht Ave  and walk to 76th St.
 
 
 
 
 
  
SO WHAT DO WE DO WITH CHRISTMAS?
  
By Rabbi Hadassah Ryklin
 
 
There are many born from above believers (Yehudim/Jews and Ephraim/Christians) from all over the world who have come to the understanding that CHRISTMAS IS A PAGAN HOLIDAY. I pray that you, too, will be under the conviction of Ruach Elohim/Spirit of Elohim as you read this newsletter and you will turn away from this great evil of celebrating Christmas.
The Scriptures/Tanach/Old Covenant and B’rit Hadasha/Renewed Covenant do not indicate in any way that the Messiah of Yisra’El was born on December 25.
Well, if Adon/Master Yahshua was not born on December 25th, WHO WAS BORN ON DECEMBER 25th?
WHOSE BIRTHDAY DOES THE CHURCH CELEBRATE ON DECEMBER 25TH? WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF CHRISTMAS?
Catholic Encyclopedia:
 
“Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the Church. (ibid., vol.3, p.724)
Encyclopedia Britannica:
"The traditional customs connected with Christmas have developed from several sources as a result of the coincidence of the celebration of the birth of Christ with the pagan agricultural and solar observations at midwinter. In the Roman world the Saturnalia (December 17) was a time of merrymaking and exchange of gifts. December 25 was also regarded as the birth date of the Iranian mystery god Mithra, the Sun of Righteousness.
Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus. The English term Christmas (“mass on Christ’s day”) is of fairly recent origin. The earlier term Yule may have derived from the Germanic j?l or the Anglo-Saxon ge?l, which referred to the feast of the winter solstice. The corresponding terms in other languages - Navidad in SpanishNatale in Italian, Noël in French - all probably denote nativity. The German word Weihnachten denotes “hallowed night.”
Colliers Encyclopedia:
"After the triumph of Constantine, the church at Rome assigned December 25 as the date for the celebration of the feast, possibly about A.D. 320 or 353. By the end of the fourth century the whole Christian world was celebrating Christmas on that day, with the exception of the Eastern churches, where it was celebrated on January 6. The choice of December 25 was probably influenced by the fact that on this day the Romans celebrated the Mithraic feast of the Sun-god (natalis solis invicti), and that the Saturnalia also came at this time."
Sir James Frazer:
  
“The largest pagan religious cult which fostered the celebration of December 25 as a holiday…was the pagan sun-worship, MITHRAISM…This winter festival was called…”The Nativity of the SUN.” (Sir James Frazer, The Golden Bough, p.471)
What is MITHRAISM?
Catholic Encyclopedia:
 
"A pagan religion consisting mainly of the cult of the ancient Indo-Iranian Sun-god Mithra. It entered Europe from Asia Minor after Alexander's conquest and spread rapidly over the whole Roman Empire. Mithraism was the fastest growing cult just prior to the year 321 and was the major rival of Christianity."
  
Franz Cumont, the greatest scholar of Mithraism:
 
“The Mithraists also observed Sun-day and kept sacred the 25th of December as the birthday of the Sun.” (Franz Cumont, Textes et Monuments, 1, p.339)
  
C. J .Koster. Come out of her, My people:
 
“Mithraists, Manicheans and Christians were all syncretized and reconciled when Constantine led the take over by Christianity, even if it meant the latter’s surrender of most vital Scriptural truths, especially its Hebrew roots.” (Come out of her, My people, p.28)
  
Mario Righetti, renowned Catholic liturgist:
  
“The Church of Rome, to facilitate the acceptance of the faith by the pagan masses, found it convenient to institute the 25th December as the feast of the temporal birth of Christ, to divert them from the pagan feast, celebrated on the same day in honour of the “Invincible Sun”, Mithrah.” (quoted in: S. Bacchiocchi, from Sabbath to Sunday, p.260)
  
Sir James Frazer:
  
 "If the Mithraic mysteries were indeed a Satanic copy of a divine original, we are driven to conclude that Christianity took a leaf of the devil’s book when it fixed the birth of the Saviour on the 25th of December: for there can be no doubt that the day in question was celebrated as the birthday of the Sun by the heathen before the Church…transferred the Nativity…" (Sir James Frazer, The Worship of Nature, p.526)
  
Bar Salibi, Syrian scholar:
 
 “It was a custom of the heathen to celebrate on the same 25th of December the birthday of the sun, at which the kindled lights in token of festivity. In these solemnities and festivities the Christians also took part.” (H. Usener, Das Weinachtsfest, pp.349 seq.)
WHO WAS BORN ON DECEMBER 25TH?
December 25th is well known as the birthday of various pagan gods.
 
According to S.E. Titcomb, (Aryan Sun-myrths, the Origin of Religions, pp.37, 60, 62, 65, 68, 71, 84, 128) the following Sun-deities were all born  on 25th of December, according to their legends:                               
  
KRISHNA/VISHNU - Supreme god/deity of Hinduism
  
MITHRA/MITHRAS - Mithra had been worshipped by the Iranians for centuries. Mithra may also have been worshipped by the Mani, branches of Manicheism. In the Roman Empire this same deity was called Mithras.
 
OSIRIS -  Egyptian god/deity, usually called the god of the afterlife, underworld or dead.
 
HORUS - was often the ancient Egyptian's national patron god. He was usuallydepicted as a falcon-headed man wearing the pschent as a symbol of kingshipover the entire kingdom. Horus was the Sky God in Ancient Egypt.
  
HERCULES - was the Roman name for the mythical Greek god/deity, son of Zeus.
 
DIONYSUS/BACCHUSwas the god of wine and the inspirer of ritual madness and ecstasy. He was also known as Bacchus. In Greek mythology, Dionysus is made out to be a son of Zeus and Semele. He is described as being womanly or "man-womanish".
 
TAMMUZ - in Babylonia, the month Tammuz was established in honor of the eponymous god Tammuz, who originated as a Sumerian shepherd-god.
 
INDRA – a Hindu god called the King of the gods or Lord of Heaven. He is also known as the god of war, storms and rainfall.
 
BUDDHA - main god/deity of Buddhism.
 
FRIGGA - Scandinavian goddess, in whose honor a “Mother-night” - festival was held at the winter solstice (25 December) as well as similar great feast of Yule, where a boar was offered at the winter solstice in honour of Frey.  (ibid., p.74).  Frigg (sometimes anglicized as Frigga) is a major goddess in Norse paganisim a subset of Germanic paganism. She is also described as having the power of prophecy yet she does not reveal what she knows. The English term Friday derives from the Anglo- Saxon name for Frigg, Frigga.
  
  Jewish Prophet Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah describes a ‘CHRISTMAS TREEAS A PAGAN TRADITION.
  
 
 
Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 10:1-4
1.  Hear the word which Yahweh speaks to you, O house of Yisra’El.
2.  Thus said Yahweh, “Do not learn the way of the gentiles/hagoyim/ pagans/heathen, and do not be awed by the signs of the heavens, for the gentiles are awed by them.
3.  For the prescribed customs of these peoples are worthless, for ONE CUTS A TREE FROM THE FOREST, WORK FOR THE HANDS OF A CRAFTSMAN WITH A CUTTING TOOL.
4. THEY ADORN IT WITH SILVER AND GOLD; THEY FASTEN IT WITH NAILS AND HAMMERS SO THAT IT DOES NOT TOPPLE.
  
TO ALL OF THE BISHOPS, PASTORS, TEACHERS, EVANGELISTS AND ELDERS WHO PUT THE CHRISTMAS TREE IN THEIR CHURCHES!!!
LET IT BE KNOWN TO YOU THAT IT IS A PAGAN/HEATHEN TRADITION. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE BIRTH OF YAHSHUA FROM NATZERET/NAZARETH.
REPENT AND STOP LEADING YOUR SHEEP ASTRAY! REPENT OF YOUR EVIL OF CELEBRATING THE PAGAN HOLIDAY OF CHRISTMAS.
 
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Scary Day of Mithras

(the true meaning of the holidays...)
by Andrew Gabriel Roth


Joined To Hashem Newsletter, December 23, 2010

Can we do תפילות prayers for:

Mike Clayton and his ministery?

That also through them The האור Light, רפואה The Healing and The ואהבה Love of ישועת יהוהYeshuath YHWH may come back to הארץ The Land of Israel?

 

December 23, 2010
Joined To Hashem Newsletter
In this issue...
 

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TEACHING THE HEBRAIC PERSPECTIVE OF FAITH IN AND OBEDIENCE TO THE ONE TRUE GOD

Streaming Video
Shemot "Names"
Exodus 1:1-6:1
Isaiah 27:6-28:13; 29:22-23
Judges 13-15
*Archived teaching from 2009*

Torah Commentary
Shemot "Names"
Exodus 1:1-6:1
Isaiah 27:6-28:13; 29:22-23
Judges 13-15
They Became Slaves
When we hear of the Hebrews in Egypt, we normally think of their time as slaves. We think of the stones they were making for the cities of Egypt and the forced labor they endured on a daily basis. But the life of slavery did not happen suddenly, but rather over time. Remember they had entered Egypt, not as slaves, but as the exalted family of the man who had saved Egypt from the famine. They began with hero status, but over the years, life changed and changed dramatically, even if gradually.
So, what happened to these people that caused such a change in life and lifestyle? Could the answer to this question unlock answers for us today? Let's examine it further and see.
The Hebrews entered into Egypt as shepards. They began their lives in the Land of Goshen and though they were respected for the sake of Joseph, they were not brought into the life and culture of Egypt because of their occupation. Scripture states that the job of a shepard was abhorrent to the Egyptians.
At first the lifestyle of the Egyptians was in turn abhorrent to the Hebrews. The life of outward appearance with bright fancy clothes, make up and worldly possessions were just not what the Hebrews had been accustomed to. During the first years of life in Goshen the cultural differences of a people called to be in Egypt, but not of Egypt, kept a relatively thick wall of division between these two people.
But with time and generations the Hebrews would begin to forget their life in Canaan. The life that was would be relegated to the older folks sharing memories of a past life. At first, younger people would listen intently, but as time went on their interest would wane. They would gradually begin to turn their eyes increasingly to Egypt and her ways. The casual looks toward Egypt would eventually lead to daydreams of what life would be like if they just did not have this stigma of Hebrew around their neck. They began to think that maybe being a Hebrew was not such a great thing after all. Maybe the Egyptians are right about this shepard thing. "They are a bit on the smelly side" would be among new thoughts that popped into their heads. One idea would lead to another as the culture and styles of Egypt crept into Goshen. At first the older generation put up a bit of a fight, but as time went on those things no longer looked as wrong as they once did. Seemingly overnight the older generation would be found no longer fighting Egypt, but rather embracing her.
We do not know how many years it took for the Hebrews to go from living in Egypt to Egypt living in them, but as we read, it did happen. They were now a people who were not only in the world, but they were of the world. What they did not realize during their downward spiral was that though they would accept Egypt, Egypt would never accept them. The call of HaShem inside them would mean they could never truly be Egyptians, no matter how hard they might try. The change would also cause them to forget that life in Egypt had numbered days. The call would not allow them to stay in a foreign land. One day they would be called home and Egypt would have to be left behind.
So how would Yah keep the Hebrews separate? How would He be faithful to them even if they were not faithful to Him? He would cause an Egyptian culture and leader to arise that would push the Hebrews away, even though they were trying with all their might to push their way in. He would make them slaves to that which they so desperately desired - Egypt. Since the Hebrews would not maintain the wall of division, He would. His plans, purposes and Word spoken to their fathers would not be thwarted because of their desires. Yes, they were in Egypt now, but only for a time, and during that time they were going to be made sick of what they had allowed themselves to swallow.
It is truly amazing how history repeats itself. The family of Yah is once again in Egypt and once again we find Egypt in us. How Egypt in us works in our lives is as individual as we are. Whether through entertainment, sports, fashion, pagan customs or any number of other areas, it seems like Egypt has a firm grip on most if not all of us. If you do not see this, then deliverance will come very hard for you. But if you can look into the mirror of your life and see that just like our ancestors, Egypt has become far too much of our lives and in fact has taken us into its hold, then there is hope. Coming to grips with Egypt's hold on our lives is part of the battle of breaking free. Coming to grips with the fact that we have been taken slaves is the key that will unlock the door to freedom.
The difference between most of our ancestors and many of us is that we are not only crying for deliverance, but we know Who we are crying to. We understand that we have inherited Egypt and are trying desperately to be free from her hold. We know we cannot break her hold on our own, but must do so with the power of the One who has called us to live not as slaves to Egypt, but rather as bondservants unto Him.
We cannot today take our bodies out of Egypt. Egypt covers the earth in every country including Israel. We can however ask that the work would begin in this Torah portion to take Egypt out of us, so when the final deliverance comes, we not look back in our journey as our ancestors did. The work of taking the slave out of Egypt will then be a bit easier, for Egypt will have already been taken out of the slave!
Shabbat Shalom,
Mike

phone: 405 257 6277

 

Olas Shabbos - Parshas Shemos

Can we do תפילות prayers for:

Rabbi Eliyahu Hoffmann and Torah.org?

That also through them The האור Light, רפואה The Healing and The ואהבה Love of ישועת יהוהYeshuath YHWH may come back to הארץ The Land of Israel?

 

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  Olas Shabbos
        by Rabbi Eliyahu Hoffmann
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Parshas Shemos


Sharing the Pain of Others
After telling the story of Moshe’s birth, the Torah skips over the details of his upbringing in the palace of Pharaoh, and jumps to a time during Moshe’s transition to adulthood, when he first came into contact with his Jewish brethren (2:11-13):

And it was in those times when Moshe grew up; he went out to his brothers, and observed their burden.

Moshe had grown up in great comfort as a member of Pharaoh’s household. Still, as soon as he came of age – and found out he was a Jew – he abandoned his position of comfort and stature, and chose to cast his lot with his brethren. (Ramban)

One might think that Moshe’s ‘observation’ of his brethren’s suffering was circumstantial; he happened to leave the palace, and happened to notice their situation. Rashi dispels this approach:

“And he observed their burden,” Moshe concentrated with his eyes and his heart to suffer together with them.

The Midrash (Shemos Rabbah 1:27) expands on this:

Seeing their anguish, Moshe too would cry, saying, “My brothers – I can’t bear to see you like this. Would that I would die for you.” And he would bend down, and help everyone with their loads.

Chazal, our Sages in the Mishnah (Avos 6), would later describe the process of sharing other people’s pain (and their joy) as, “Carrying the burden together with one’s friend,” a clear allusion to Moshe.

This period – with the exception of Moshe’s marriage (which incidentally also came about as a result of his desire to help others) – is all we hear about his life until the age of eighty, when Hashem instructs him, from a bush, to redeem the Jews from Egypt. Clearly this incident, which describes how Moshe nurtured his deep attachment to his people, is a seminal moment in Moshe’s path to becoming a leader.

Rav Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman, the Ponevizher Rav zt”l, was in his youth one of the brilliant young students of the famous Yeshiva of Telz. At some point, he decided to transfer from Telz to the fabled yeshiva of Novardok. On his way, he passed through the town of Radin, where the renowned tzaddik the Chafetz Chaim lived, and decided to visit the elderly sage.

He entered the Chafetz Chaim’s home during the early evening, and the rebbitzen told him to take a seat, saying the Rav would be with him shortly. Suddenly, there was a great cry and screaming. R’ Yosef Shlomo bolted from his seat to see what had happened. “Don’t be alarmed,” the rebbitzen said. “Someone just came to tell my husband that his wife is going through a difficult childbirth. He is praying for her.” On the spot, the Ponevizher Rav made up his mind to remain in Radin and study under the Chafetz Chaim.

Suffering together with one’s friends, emotionally and physically, is obviously a noble trait. But why is it the defining characteristic which led to Moshe guiding the Jews out of slavery and giving them the Torah? And why is it one of the 48 critical character traits without which one cannot properly study Torah?

In its essence, the Torah is not a collection of laws and stories. It is the light of the Infinite One, constricted through prism after prism. While anyone can read the Torah and study its words at a very basic level, tapping the infinite light requires that man, somehow, shed his corporeal existence.

This sounds very lofty. One would think it would require living a life of abstinence atop high mountains, separated from anything physical. Nothing could be further from the truth.

We are commanded, to the extent we can express it, to “cleave” to Hashem (“u-Vo tidbak”). This is accomplished, Chazal explain, by cleaving to His ways: He is kind, so you be kind. He is compassionate, so you be compassionate.

Likewise, Meshech Chochma explains, Hashem is described as “suffering together with man.” Moshe understood that emulating Hashem must include bearing the pain of his fellow Jew, emotionally and physically. It was this, more than all his other positive traits, that made Moshe worthy of leading Hashem’s nation and giving them the Torah.

Tomer Devorah notes that we’re called She’eris Nachlaso, the last remainder of Hashem’s inheritance. The term She’eris also means “relative” – meaning that Hashem treats us like family. Am Kerovo – each Jew is Hashem’s close relative.

This is why the Torah refers to Moshe going out to “his brothers.” The expression is often thought of as a colloquialism, but it is not. If one were to hear about a terrible calamity that happened to someone he does not know, he might still be terribly upset. Who was not horrified when imagining the plight of the cadets trapped on the fiery bus in the Carmel a few weeks ago? But now imagine you knew someone on the bus – perhaps a business associate, or a close friend. And what if – G-d forbid – your brother, or your son, or father had been on the bus? Might your reaction have been different?

Moshe teaches us the true meaning of “bearing the load together with our friends.” He saw their burden – not like a person looking at a display in a museum. Not a groan or a perfunctory “tsk tsk.” Moshe cried with his brothers. He bent down and bore their load with them, literally. It is this, and no less, that the Torah expects of us. Have a good Shabbos.
   
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The Timeless Rav Hirsch - Parshas Shemos

Can we do תפילות prayers for:

Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein and Torah.org?

That also through them The האור Light, רפואה The Healing and The ואהבה Love of ישועת יהוהYeshuath YHWH may come back to הארץ The Land of Israel?

 

Torah.org Home
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  The Timeless Rav Hirsch
        by Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein
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Parshas Shemos
The Origins of State Anti-Semitism1
He said to his people, “The…children of Israel are more numerous and stronger than we. Come, let us deal wisely with it, lest it become numerous and it may be that if a war will occur, it, too, may join our enemies, and wage war against us, and go up from the land. So the appointed taskmasters over it...

The storm clouds that form over the Jewish people at the beginning of Chumash Shemos have not dissipated in over three millennia. We find in Paroh’s treatment of the Jews parallels to the methods and attitudes that would be applied to us during the centuries of our exile under the thumb of similar despots. Within the space of a few pesukim, we see treachery, cunning, avarice and ambivalence – items that would mark our bitter galus.

The first thing we notice is how contrived was the campaign against the Jews was! Paroh had no substantive complaint about Jewish conduct; if he had, he would not have to urge dealing covertly with the Jews. He could have encouraged or simply allowed the Egyptians to act on their hatred of the detested foreigners. In fact, they did not hate them, because the Jews gave them no reason to. Paroh had to incite hatred. Moreover, he had to find a pretext, and the best that he could find was that they were having too many children.

It is not hard to understand his thinking. The Parohs had subjugated the entire Egyptian populace into oppressive serfdom. It takes diabolical cleverness to keep a nation subjugated. Paroh hit upon a way to get downtrodden Egyptians to feel good about themselves. He created an under-class of people whom Egyptians could look upon with contempt, rather than look upon them themselves with self-loathing. When a population sees itself as having hit bottom, of having no options and nothing to lose, its monarch is in danger of looking at a popular insurrection or palace revolt. Giving them a scapegoat for their anger conveniently deflects their anger from royal heads.

What we see is anti-Semitism elevated to a tool of the power elite to maintain their own authority. The masses are deliberately incited from on high to find a whipping boy in a Jewish people whose real conduct was beyond reproach.

What was Paroh’s plan? Did Paroh want to be rid of the Jews, or to keep them? Is the going up from the land the desired consequence of dealing wisely with the Jews? Or is departing from Egypt one of the calamitous effects of not dealing wisely with the Jews that Paroh is attempting to thwart? The difficulty we have in parsing the first pasuk may suggest that he meant a bit of both.

We would have had an easier time making up our minds, had the internal punctuation of the pasuk been different. If the esnachta, the pause that divides a pasuk into two distinct phrases, come after the word “numerous,” we would have understood Paroh to have feared a Jewish demographic bomb. Worried about the explosive growth of this colony of foreigners in Egypt’s midst, Paroh proposed severe, repressive measures. If the Jews could be made to feel uncomfortable enough, they would surely seize the first opportunity – such as provided by the all-too-common outbreaks of war – to ally themselves with Egypt’s enemies, and flee her borders. Paroh would bid them a good riddance!

The Torah, however, does not make things so simple for us. The esnachta comes earlier in the verse, in a way that leaves room to see the going up from the land as something Paroh wanted to avoid, rather than encourage. He urged his subjects to deal craftily with the Jews. Failing to do that might mean that the Jews would emigrate – and that would be intolerable! The pasuk quite possibly indicates that his plan was to stave off emigration, rather than stimulate it.

We do not immediately understand why this concern loomed large on Paroh’s mind. They had not yet become his chattel, his slaves? Why should their loss be of any consequence? We must conclude that the Jews had already established themselves as useful and beneficial to Egypt. If their numbers could be kept in check – manageable and reasonable – it paid for Egypt to use them for their own interests. They chafed at the idea of their becoming too numerous and visible. It is likely, then, that going up from the land did not mean leaving Egypt. Rather, it meant leaving the Jewish enclaves that contained them, and spilling out into proper Egyptian neighborhoods. The Egyptians wished to make use of the Jews from a distance – but not to have them as neighbors. Jews are good to have around – to a point.

(If this is what Paroh meant, however, the reference to war makes little sense. The Egyptians would protest the flooding of Egypt with Jewish undesirables no matter when or how that occurred! Probably, Paroh meant both. He projected upon the Jews the same loathing for the other that he encouraged the Egyptians to feel for the Jews. Since the Jews were clearly the enemy, they represented an unreliable fifth column in Egypt’s midst, poised to join with any foe that would wage war against her. Should that not happen, they still needed to be dealt with, lest their growing numbers pose a “Jewish problem,” a threat against the purity of Egyptian culture. )

Beyond the campaign to “educate” the Egyptians about the evils of the Jews, the first concrete step that Paroh took against them was predictable. By appointing taskmasters over them, he turned the Jews into cash cows, sources of revenue who could be made to pay for the very air they breathed. The Jews would be suffered the right to live – so long as they could be squeezed to enrich the coffers of the State.

How familiar all of this became in the course of our wandering from country to country! How little has changed since the time Hashem first introduced us to the harsh realities of Jewish history, and gave us the tools with which to endure them.
   

1. Based on the Hirsch Chumash, Shemos 1:9-11
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