Purposes of the Egyptian Bondage/2/he
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תרגום זה עדיין לא עבר ביקורת עורך
מטרות שעבוד מצרים
גישות פרשניות
סקירה
השעבוד המצרי הוא המקרה היחיד בתנ"ך של עם שסובל שאינו קשור מפורשות לשום חטא. פרשנים לכן נחלקים בין חיפוש אחר מועמדים לחטא שאולי היה ראוי לעונש כה חמור, או מנסים לחשוף מטרות מלבד הענשה להתנסות המצרית. בכך, פרשנים משתמשים בגלות המצרית ובאופי של בני ישראל במצרים כעדשה שדרכה הם רואים עניינים דומים שעלו בנוגע לתקופתם ולגלותם.
מה שמסבך את המשימה היא העובדה שתהליך הגלות והשעבוד היה ארוך שהשתרע על מספר דורות, כאשר לא כולם התנהגו באותו האופן או הושפעו באותה צורה. אלה שנוקטים בגישת העונש מוכרחים משום כך להחליט האם לחפש חטא של אברהם שהיה הראשון שהוזהר על העונש אך לא חווה את ההשלכות, חטא של יוסף ואחיו שהוגלו, או חטא של בני ישראל ששועבדו. בדומה, אלה שמאמצים את התיאוריות החינוכיות מוכרחים גם כן להתחבט בשאלה איזה דור היה זקוק להתנסות ביותר והאם המטרות הושגו באמצעות הגלות, שעבוד, או גאולה. לכן, השאלה המרכזית מסתבכת בפקעת של עניינים תיאולוגיים סבוכים כמו עונש קבוצתי, ייסורים של אהבה, דקדוק עם צדיקים כחוט השערה, בחירה חופשית, והשגחה אלוהית.
לכל גישה יתרונות וחסרונות, והם אינם בהכרח סותרים. יצירת שילוב של האפשרויות השונות שמאפשר הבנת מכלול הדורות והמטרות יכולה להביא לידי הבנה מלאה יותר של הדינמיקה של התהליך.
הענשה
גישה זו רואה בשהות במצרים עונש על חטא. היא מסתעפת בנוגע לשאלה איזה דור היה הצד האשם, ומדוע דורות אחרים גם נענשו או יודעו על העונש, ומהו טיב היחסים שבין הגלות והשעבוד:
אברהם (דור הנבואה)
אברהם, שהיה הראשון שנאמרה לו הגזירה מראש, הוא זה שחטא, אך הדורות המאוחרים יותר של הגלות והשעבוד היו אלה שסבלו מההשלכות.
מקורות:שלוש דעות של אמוראים בBavli Nedarim, ויקרא רבה, תרגום המיוחס ליונתן, תנחומא, ר' יוחנן בן זכאי בPirkei DeRabbi Eliezer (Higger), רמב"ן
זיהוי החטא – These sources all agree that the Egyptian experience was a punishment for Avraham, but they suggest various possibilities for what was his sin:
- In Bereshit 15, Avraham displayed a lack of faith in Hashem when he asked for a sign that he would inherit the land ("בַּמָּה אֵדַע כִּי אִירָשֶׁנָּה") – Shemuel in Bavli Nedarim, ויקרא רבה,1 תרגום המיוחס ליונתן, תנחומא, R. Yochanan b. Zakkai in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer (Higger).
- In Bereshit 14, Avraham acted inappropriately in drafting Torah scholars for battle – R. Elazar in Bavli Nedarim.2
- After his victory in the War of the Kings in Bereshit 14, Avraham squandered a golden opportunity to keep the people of Sedom3 as part of the spoils, absorb them into his household, and convert them4 – R. Yochanan in Bavli Nedarim.5
- During the famine in Bereshit 12, Avraham demonstrated a lack of faith in Hashem by leaving the land of Israel for Egypt and endangering Sarah6 – רמב"ן.7
האם אברהם חטא? The Torah itself does not identify any of these actions of Avraham as sins,8 leaving ample room for debate whether any should be regarded as sins.9 Ramban's view, in particular, aroused the ire of several commentators.10 Furthermore, the מעשי ה' points out that understanding the Covenant as a punishment would be incongruous with the festive context and atmosphere of the event.11
עונש מידתי? The עקדת יצחק and Ma'asei Hashem observe that even assuming that one or more of these actions could be considered a sin, the punishment would seem rather harsh and disproportionate.12 It is possible though that this approach could explain that the righteous are held to a higher standard.13 Alternatively, see below for the possibility that only the exile was a punishment for Avraham.
הענשת בנים על חטאי אבות – The Akeidat Yitzchak and אברבנאל reject this approach as being antithetical to the Torah's doctrine that only the sinner himself is punished. If Avraham sinned, why did he deserve to live out his life in peace, while his descendants suffered the consequences of his actions?14 שמות רבה places a similar argument in the mouth of Moshe, with Moshe asking Hashem why the descendants of Yishmael and Esav were not also punished, and why specifically the generation of the slavery suffered more than their ancestors. For more on this issue, see Punishing Children for their Parent's Sins.
למה במצרים? Abarbanel notes that the opinions in the Bavli do not provide an answer to this question. In contrast, Ramban's approach notes that the exile to Egypt paralleled Avraham's going down to Egypt ("במקום המשפט שמה הרשע והחטא").15
למה סוּפַּר מראש לאברהם? The advantage of these approaches is that, according to them, the prophecy predicting the exile occurred after the sin which caused it.16 Since Avraham's transgression was the cause of the exile, it was only appropriate that he receive the prophecy, and once the decree was in place, subsequent generations could do nothing to commute the sentence.17 According to Shemuel's opinion, the punishment is decreed immediately following the purported sin,18 while according to R. Elazar and R. Yochanan it comes in the very next story.19
אחי יוסף (דור הגלות)
אחי יוסף, שבזמנם הגלות התממשה, היו האשמים, אך האירועים נובאו זמן ארוך קודם לכן, ועקר נטל השעבוד הורגש רק בידי הדורות המאוחרים יותר.
מקורות:Mishnat Rabbi Eliezer,25 Opinion cited (and rejected) by עקדת יצחק, but developed by Abarbanel (Approach #1)26
החטא – Abarbanel says that Yosef's brothers committed a threefold sin in plotting to kill Yosef, throwing him into the pit, and then selling him.27
עונש מידתי? The Torah legislates death as the punishment for kidnapping and selling a person,28 and a number of Rabbinic Midrashim discuss the gravity of the brothers' sin and its lasting consequences.29
ענישה קיבוצית? Although Yosef and Binyamin were not involved in the sale,30 their descendants were still exiled and enslaved in Egypt. The Akeidat Yitzchak views this as a fatal flaw in the logic of this approach.31 Abarbanel, though, attempts to explain why the punishment affected each and every member of Yaakov's family:
- Yosef – According to Abarbanel, Yosef sinned (albeit unintentionally) by boasting about his dreams.32
- Binyamin – Abarbanel posits that Binyamin was punished even though he did not sin because the principle of collective punishment applies when the majority sins.33
- Yaakov – Abarbanel explains that Yaakov sinned in giving a special tunic to Yosef and thereby provoking the jealousy of the brothers.34
- Reuven – Abarbanel suggests that Reuven was involved in the hatred of Yosef,35 even though he did not participate in the sale.
יחס בין גלות לשעבוד – According to this approach of Abarbanel, the exile and slavery were both stages of the same punishment. Alternatively, only the exile was the punishment for the brothers, and the slavery was an additional punishment for the sins of later generations.36
הענשת בנים על חטאי אבותיהם? This approach must grapple with the question of why the generation which sinned got off relatively easy, while the subsequent generations endured the harsher stages of the punishment. Abarbanel adopts רלב"ג's position that sometimes children continue to suffer the natural consequences of the punishment which their parents received.37 Abarbanel notes that Shemot 20:5 limits this collateral punishment to four generations, and thus Hashem promises Avraham that the fourth generation will return to the land of Israel. Alternatively, the slavery was an additional punishment given to the later generations for their own severe sins – see below.
למה במצרים? Abarbanel explains that since Yosef's brothers sold him to be a slave in Egypt, their descendants were punished measure for measure38 in becoming slaves in Egypt.39
גזירות א-לוהיות מול בחירה חופשית – The Akeidat Yitzchak and מהר"ל reject this approach on the grounds that the decree of the exile preceded the sin of the sale of Yosef. Hence, they contend that Hashem arranged for the sale in order to facilitate the fulfillment of the earlier decree, rather than the earlier decree being a punishment for the later sale.40 Abarbanel, however, points to Devarim 4:25-26 as an analogous case of a punishment being predicted before the sin occurred.41
למה סוּפַּר מראש לאברהם? Abarbanel explains that the prophecy about the Egyptian Exile was a parenthetical comment, necessary only in order to explain to Avraham the delay in the inheritance of the land. Thus, Hashem mentioned only the punishment and not the sin.
האחים לא מקבלים תוכחה מפורשת בתורה – אברבנאל, in a different passage, suggests that the fact that the Torah doesn't explicitly criticize the brothers' actions argues against the possibility of attributing sin to them.42 However, one can respond that the Torah renders its moral judgment in a more subtle way by showing how the brothers (and their descendants) were punished for their actions.
בני ישראל במצרים (דור השעבוד)
הדור שבמהלכו החל השעבוד היה זה שחטא ומשום כל אחראי על מצבו שלו. אך הגלות קדמה לחטא במצרים ולכן הגיעה לא בתור חלק מהעונש, אלא מסיבה שונה.
זיהוי החטא – Many of these sources attempt to find a textual hook for a ritual prohibition or obligation which was violated, while others attribute the punishment to problematic interpersonal behavior:
- Eating blood – ברית דמשק. The prohibition of eating blood dates back to Noachide law46 and is one of the most often repeated prohibitions in the Torah.47
- Ceased performing circumcision – תנחומא,48 שמות רבה.49 Circumcision was an extremely logical candidate as it was the only commandment given as a covenant with Avraham's descendants.50 For discussion of the various opinions as to whether the Israelites practiced circumcision in Egypt, see Israelites' Religious Identity.
- Idolatry – רד"ק,51 נימוקי יוסף,52 and ספורנו53 develop this approach based on the explicit verses in Yechezkel 20. It is unclear though whether this idolatry preceded the bondage.54
- Tale-bearing and informing – תנחומא,55 תנחומא (בובר), שמות רבה,56 רש"י, רלב"ג.57 These sources learn from the story of Moshe's killing of the Egyptian taskmaster that informants existed among the Israelites.58
עונש מידתי? The sins listed are serious ones, but textual evidence for their prevalence amongst the Israelites exists only for idolatry.
גזירות א-לוהיות מול בחירה חופשית – This approach must explain how the prophecy to Avraham could precede the sin. Radak states that Hashem knew the people would sin, and he points to Devarim 31-32 as an analogous case of a punishment being predicted before the sin occurred.59 Ralbag goes a step further and maintains that had the Israelites exercised their free will and not sinned, the exile would not have been so harsh.60
מדוע חטאי בני ישראל לא נזכרו בתורה? This approach, in particular, must address why the Torah does not mention the sins,61 despite their resulting in a very significant punishment.62 It is possible that the Torah's silence results from its not wanting to mitigate the responsibility of the Egyptians in enslaving the Israelites.63
למה סוּפַּר לאברהם מראש על העונש של בניו? Seforno suggests that Hashem wanted Avraham's descendants in Egypt to know that their trials and tribulations were all coming from Him (to punish them for their sins).64
יחס בין גלות לשעבוד – As the exile preceded the Israelites' sins in Egypt, this approach must come up with a different explanation for the purpose of the exile (and why it was in Egypt). Ralbag explains that the exile was needed so that the Israelites' faith could be strengthened by seeing Hashem's miracles. On the other hand, Seforno proposes that the exile in Egypt facilitated growth into a large nation without the risk of losing their national identity.65 Alternatively, one could posit that the exile was a punishment for the sin of Yosef's brothers, while the bondage was a punishment for the Israelites' sins in Egypt.66
מה בסופו של דבר הביא את הגאולה? According to Seforno, a portion of the Israelites repented.
הכרת הטוב על הגאולה – Since Hashem saved the Israelites despite their sins, gratitude is the obvious response.67
חינוכית
קטגוריה זו נחלקת חלוקת משנה בנוגע לשאלה האם המטרה החינוכית היתה בתחום התיאולוגי או מוסרי-אתי, והאם היעד הושג דרך הסבל או הגאולה
התפשטות המונותיאיזם
הגאולה הפגינה את כוחו של ה', והגלות והשעבוד היו רק הקדמה נחוצה למטרה זו.
קהל יעד – The Sifre speaks of promulgating God's glory throughout the world,69 Ralbag focuses on strengthening the Israelites' belief in Hashem and preparing them to receive the Torah,70 and the Ma'asei Hashem combines both themes.
למה סוּפַּר מראש לאברהם? According to Ralbag, Hashem explains the process through which Avraham's descendants would become prepared to inherit the land, in response to Avraham's concern that they would not be worthy. The Ma'asei Hashem adds that Avraham was thrilled by the news that his descendants would be the vehicle through which the wonders of Hashem would be proclaimed to the world.71
יחס בין גלות לשעבוד – This approach could view both the exile and bondage as merely a means to achieving the goals of the redemption stage. Ralbag, though, views the slavery as a punishment for the sins of the Israelites in Egypt.72
Historical parallels – R. Eliezer Ashkenazi claims that the purpose of the current exile, like the Egyptian Exile, is to allow for the dissemination of monotheism to the entire world.
ייסורים של אהבה
הגלות והשעבוד היו הגשמה של אהבת ה', מכיוון שהם העלו את הרמה הרוחנית של בני ישראל, קירבה אותם לה', והכינה אותם לקבל את התורה ואת ארץ ישראל.
סבל ללא חטא – The concept of "afflictions of love" ("ייסורין של אהבה") appears already in Amoraic literature,77 but commentators disagree as to whether these afflictions sometimes come even without there being any sin whatsoever.78 The Ran79 and R. Chasdai maintain that they come even without sin,80 and that this was the case in Egypt.81
זהות דתית במצרים – This approach views the Israelites in Egypt as a completely righteous nation.82 As Abarbanel points out, though, this portrait appears to be at odds with the text of Yechezkel 20.83 Abarbanel also argues that the Israelites' subsequent behavior in the desert would seem to indicate that the "afflictions of love" in Egypt were a complete educational failure.84
מטרת הייסורים – While R. Chananel and R. Bachya propose that the afflictions increase the reward of the righteous and the punishment of the sinner, the Ran explains that afflictions humble a person and distance him from the physical desires of this world, thus preparing him for spiritual closeness to Hashem.85 In the case of the Israelites in Egypt, the Ran cites Rashbi's statement from Bavli Berakhot 5a that afflictions prepared the Children of Israel to receive the Torah and the land of Israel.86 Abarbanel, though, rejects the Ran's understanding, noting that while the Torah describes the events of the forty years in the desert as an educational process,87 it never does the same regarding the Egyptian bondage. Furthermore, Abarbanel questions why the same goals could not have been achieved without such a harsh persecution, and why the Torah views the Exodus as the ultimate act of Divine kindness if the Israelites had done nothing to deserve to be enslaved in the first place.
למה במצרים? Abarbanel cites R. Chasdai Crescas88 as saying that Hashem chose Egypt because it was the world's leading center of black magic, and thus He could better demonstrate His supremacy over all forms of sorcery.
גזירות א-לוהיות מול בחירה חופשית – According to the Ran, the Egyptians exercised free choice in enslaving the Israelites, and Hashem merely did not intercede because of the benefits from the slavery which the Israelites accrued. For more, see Exile and Enslavement – Divine Design? and Divine Plans and Egyptian Free Choice.
למה סוּפַּר מראש לאברהם? The Ran explains that the prophecy is Hashem's response to Avraham's concern that his descendants would be unworthy of inheriting the land. In it, Hashem explains how the trials and tribulations the people will undergo will prepare them to love and fear Him.89 The Tzeror HaMor adds that the prophecy was Avraham's reward for his righteousness.90
יחס בין גלות לשעבוד – According to the Ran and R. Chasdai Crescas, both were part of the afflictions of love.91
"כּוּר הַבַּרְזֶל" – This expression appears three times in Tanakh,92 and all of the cases describe the slavery in Egypt. While in earlier exegesis93 this phrase is understood as merely a reference to the harsh labor conditions in Egypt, the Tzeror HaMor is one of the first to focus on the use of a smelting furnace for refining metals94 and to understand the phrase as a metaphor for the refining of the Israelites' spiritual character in Egypt.95
הכרת הטוב על הגאולה – According to this approach, we feel gratitude because the entire process was for our benefit.
מקבילות היסטוריות – R. Bachya says that the delayed redemption and intensification of the persecution toward the end of each of the Egyptian and current exiles is intended to increase both our reward and the punishment of our tormentors.96 R. Chasdai Crescas adds that the excessive length of the current exile is not the result of sin, just as the Egyptian Exile was not a punishment for sins. Rather, he says, it is a manifestation of Hashem's kindness and is designed to bring us closer to him.97
A Crucible
The purpose of the exile and bondage was to purge the Israelites from all of their impure elements.98
The situation before the descent to Egypt – Abarbanel depicts Yaakov's family in Canaan as having begun to mingle with the Canaanites and absorb their practices, and being unprepared to receive the Torah.100
Religious identity in Egypt – Abarbanel cites the verses from Yechezkel 20 as proof that the Israelites worshiped idolatry in Egypt.
"כּוּר הַבַּרְזֶל" and the purgatory process – The Alshikh merges the Midrashic motif of "Only 1/5" ("וַחֲמֻשִׁים")101 with the metaphor of the smelting furnace and explains that the wicked part of the nation died off in Egypt.102 The righteous portion which remained could then proceed to Mt. Sinai for the revelation.103
למה במצרים? Abarbanel posits that Egypt was chosen because it was the world's leading center of idolatry, and the miracles of the Exodus could thus have a greater impact in spreading monotheism.104
מה בסופו של דבר הביא את הגאולה? According to this approach, the redemption came about after all of the impure elements were removed.
Instill Empathy for Less Fortunate
By experiencing exile and slavery themselves, the Children of Israel learned to feel empathy and care for the downtrodden and less fortunate members of society.
מקורות:נחמה ליבוביץ
Social justice and the Egyptian experience – The Torah references the Egyptian exile and redemption in numerous commandments which deal with social justice,105 and the Exodus has become a global symbol of liberty, justice, and human rights.
Purpose or result? It is unclear whether the Torah is implying that this was the purpose of the exile and slavery, or merely a lesson that can be derived in retrospect.
Forging a National Identity
Egypt was an incubator in which Yaakov's family could overcome both the internal and external challenges it faced on the road to developing into a nation with its own unique identity.
A Melting Pot
The shared suffering of the entire nation in Egypt was intended to eliminate class distinctions and foster unity.
The situation before the descent to Egypt – Before the Egyptian Exile, Yaakov favors Yosef and also distinguishes between the sons of his wives and the sons of his maidservants.108 After the Exodus, though, all twelve tribes have equal status.
Shared experiences – The Pesikta Chadta speaks of the Egyptian experience being a great equalizer, as the entire nation participated together in both the slavery and in the commandments of the Paschal sacrifice.
"כּוּר הַבַּרְזֶל" – R. Hirsch emphasizes the fusing property of the blast furnace.
Historical parallels – R. Hirsch notes that both the Egyptian Exile and the current exile were caused by jealousy and internecine strife.109
Preventing Assimilation
Yaakov's family needed to leave Canaan to stem the tide of intermarriage. Once their population had grown into a nation,110 they could then return and conquer Canaan.
The situation before the descent to Egypt – R. Hirsch asserts that had Yaakov's family remained in Canaan they would have been assimilated into the surrounding nations. Immanueli adds that the sons of Yaakov had already begun to intermarry with the Canaanites.113
למה במצרים? The Zohar and Seforno note that since the Egyptians were xenophobic and would not even eat with the Hebrews, let alone marry them, the chances of assimilation were much smaller in Egypt than in Canaan.114
יחס בין גלות לשעבוד – According to Seforno, only the exile was intended to prevent intermarriage, but the bondage was a punishment for sins in Egypt. The Netziv, though, contends that the need for the bondage arose because the Israelites did not remain in Goshen115 and attempted to assimilate into general Egyptian society.116 Combining Seforno and the Netziv would thus create a position that each of the exile and slavery were designed to combat assimilation.117
Historical parallels – The Netziv draws historical parallels to his own day, and concludes that the root cause of anti-semitism throughout the generations is the Jewish desire to assimilate and be accepted in non-Jewish society. Similarly, R. Hirsch and Immanueli view Goshen as the prototype for Jewish ghettoes throughout history.
מה בסופו של דבר הביא את הגאולה? According to this approach, the nation was able to be redeemed when it had achieved critical mass.
No Purpose
This option challenges the assumption of the previous approaches that the bondage was Divinely planned and therefore must have had a purpose. It contends that the exile and bondage were purely the result of natural processes and human choices.
גזירות א-לוהיות מול בחירה חופשית – The Akeidah and Abarbanel view the Covenant as merely a foretelling of the future and not as a decree which obligated or compelled.118 For more, see Divine Plans and Israelite Free Choice.119
Why did Hashem not prevent the Egyptians from enslaving the Israelites? This approach does not address why Hashem waited for centuries on the sidelines before finally coming to the rescue of His chosen nation.
הכרת הטוב על הגאולה – According to this approach, we feel gratitude because Hashem redeemed the Israelites from the situation into which they got themselves.
