The Long Haul

By Rabbi Joshua (gradually known as The Hoffer) Hoffman

In memory of my dear aunt, Mrs. Shirley Shapira, who passed away this past Sunday. May her memory be for a blessing.

Pharaoh’s reaction to the aftermath of the plague of dever is nothing if not surprising. The plague occurred just as Moshe predicted. The animals of the slaves were not affected. Why didn’t this move Pharaoh to realize the error of his ways, and release the slaves? This question is strengthened by the aftermath of the plague of frogs, which even after ending, left mounds of frog corpses all over Egypt. Why did Pharaoh persist in hardening his heart?

Rav Simcha Zisel Brodye, in his Som Derech, raises these questions, and answers by pointing to the myopic vision of self-absorbed people. Pharaoh felt that as long as he extricated himself from the present situation he would be alright. He did not consider that a pattern was emerging, part of a process that would inevitably lead to the release of the slaves and the fall of Egypt, even though that is what was told at the outset.

Moshe brought a similar message to his fellow Jews. The four expressions of redemption God gave over to him represented different stages in the process of redemption, and they needed to be aware, that even though the redemption had not yet come, different stages in the process were playing out, and, ultimately, full redemption would be realized. This is the nature of Jewish redemption, as described in the Yerushalmi tractate Yoma, appearing at first like the flickering early morning light, and slowly growing. There is a need to cultivate a sense of appreciation for even a partial redemption, Rav Aharon Soloveitchik points out, and this is reflected in our obligation of praise, always thanking God for every stage in redemption's progress.