David Lemmer

Parshat Bo: Plagues to Purpose

Plagues to Purpose - XAI
Plagues to Purpose - XAI

Many of us wonder why Hashem chose to devastate Egypt with ten plagues instead of simply obliterating them with one massive strike. Why endure a year-long display of power, toying with Pharaoh and his people for so long? Naturally, we might feel a sense of satisfaction in watching their downfall, given their merciless rule over us, the killing of our boys out of superstition, the degradation of our women and daughters to make them feel worthless, and the murder of our innocent for entertainment. These Egyptians were worse than the Spanish in 1492, Hitler in 1939, and the devils of Gaza in 2023.

Consider this parallel: the Biden family, corrupt as can be, had their entire business exposed on a laptop that seemed straight out of science fiction. The story was more captivating than any scriptwriter could imagine. Yet, the world covered it up, allowing them to steal the 2020 election because treason was trivial compared to stopping the individual who could expose their schemes. The media and agencies colluded in this cover-up, each possibly blackmailed or implicated, and all these swamp creatures banded together to suppress freedom in order to protect their own interests.

We could choose to bury this in the past, drop a single bomb on them, and move on until they become irrelevant. However, after blanket preemptive pardons for these creatures were issued, we can’t just let them off the hook. We must dismantle their corruption piece by piece, much like the ten plagues, even if the outcome is that they won’t be indicted. The truth must come to light for the sake of history.

This mirrors what happened with Egypt. Remember Yosef, who saved their economy and made Egypt the richest nation of its time? After his death, they turned on the very people who had built them up, choosing enslavement over gratitude. Isn’t this a recurring theme throughout history? Nations use Jews when convenient, often unaware of how much they depend on us. Jews have contributed significantly to culture, architecture, technology, and medicine, yet once these nations prosper, they conveniently forget those who helped them.

Imagine having a neighbor who suddenly claims not to know you after twenty years of closeness. When you remind them of your shared history, they look at you like you’re mad. “Who are you? Do I know you?” This is how the world has treated us for years. Is it amnesia caused by some spell or is it an inherent ‘Esau’ nature that subconsciously hates Jacob, seizing the opportunity to distance itself from us?

The Torah’s narrative largely concerns the exile and journey of our nation, never even reaching the Promised Land in its text. We needed these lessons for thousands of years of exile because when Mashiach comes, we’ll have a new Torah, the Torah of Geulah (see Isaiah 51:4). As we walk through the Torah’s script through the horrors of Egyptian labor camps, we see clear connections from our birth as a nation to the present.

Some argue that Jews today are not direct descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Well, how then to explain the European Holocaust? It’s an irrelevant argument; we are, and always will be, the sons of Israel, dedicated to our holy scriptures, which will lead us to redemption. We’ve risen from every disaster, maintaining the faith of our ancestors, proving our righteousness to Hashem by constantly striving to improve.

Yes, we might dress differently and have unique accents, but we observe Shabbat the same way. Throughout history, we’ve built up nations only to be pushed out once they no longer needed us. Now, we are regrouping, reviving our brotherhood as in days of old, sharing the same faith, and feeling the same pain for our hostages. It’s time to build our nation back to its glory days by pursuing physical, intellectual, and spiritual goals, strengthening our borders, and embracing every Jew in the Mashiach mindset because we need everyone to succeed. Am Yisrael Chai; we are marching toward redemption.

We must document their crimes for the sake of history, much like the story in the Parsha. We should constantly review these with our children so they too understand our history and how to deal with such pain. We teach them Emunah, for them to learn how to face the wind and endure exile. Since our lives on earth are an exile of our souls from heaven; recognizing this truth makes life easier and lighter, like a breeze, embodying true presence.

Imagine a giant walking through the city, shaking blocks with each step. People throw chains at his legs, hands, shoulders, and neck, trying to stop him with three hundred men pulling back. This giant represents our soul, our will. When our body agrees with our will, like seeking food when hungry, it moves to fulfill that will. But when the body isn’t interested, it becomes a lazy dummy. As Jewish people, aligning our will with God’s, as stated in Mishnah Avot 2:4, “Make His will, yours,” our body won’t resist this giant; instead, it will join in. Our body, made of sand, would remain static without the soul, which gives it life and the ability to experience. With this belief and will to live, we raise the next generations, as we are told in Exodus 10:2, “For the sake that you tell this story in the ears of your sons and grandsons.”

 

David Lemmer is an Orthodox Jewish Writer and Hypnotherapist. He can be reached at LemmerHypno@gmail.com

About the Author
David Lemmer, is a hypnotherapist based out of Lakewood NJ. He has a couple of books relating to hypnotherapy of a journey through the body and soul of the person to discover their inner meaning. Another book with a beautiful poetic translation of all of Tehillim.
Comments