After nine plagues which disrupted and devastated Egyptian society it is a fair question what did the Egyptians think of Bene Yisrael? Left to one’s own experience it would be reasonable to believe the Egyptians looked upon Bene Yisrael with a mixture of contempt, loathing and fear. Pharaoh’s defiance could be seen as being recklessly obstinate and thereby earning his nation’s scorn for squandering its resources for his own purpose. Or will Pharaoh be seen as fearless ready to defend Egypt’s…

The Exodus encompasses the total experience including the the Ten Plagues G-D visited upon Egypt . The Torah’s introduction to these events is fascinating. “And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh shall not listen to you, that I may lay My hand upon Egypt, and bring forth My hosts, My people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch…

The night of the historic Passover the contrast between the Egyptians and Bene Yisrael was remarkable.  Shemoth 11:4-7 describes that the night of Israel’s redemption will be when the first born of Egypt would perish. 11:6 proclaims the Egyptians will experience an un paralleled commotion. Whereas 11:7 describes the Bene Yisrael in their houses…

The origins of the Egyptian servitude are fascinating as they are frightening. Shemoth 1:6-13 sees Bene Yisrael transition from the family of Yossef under whose guidance the country emerged from a famine which engulfed the region more prosperous than before to slaves tasked with sprit breaking labor. The Torah relates Pharaoh seeking counsel as to how to deal with his Jewish Problem and chooses to enslave…

Dear Yishai AMUSH,

Best wishes to Malkah, Leah Bat Zion and your cohort at INR/A7. Hope all is well and pre-Pesach preparations are going well. The Pesach Cleaning show was a great idea and worthy of taking credit for as a…