Difference between revisions of "Who was Enslaved in Egypt/2"
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<point><b>Biblical parallels</b> – R"Y Bekhor Shor compares this labor tax to that of Shelomo when building the Beit HaMikdash where the people would work for one month and then return home for two,<fn>See <a href="MelakhimI5-27" data-aht="source">Melakhim I 5:27</a>.</fn>  while Ramban instead compares it to Shelomo's taxing of the foreigners in his land.<fn>See <a href="MelakhimI9-21" data-aht="source">Melakhim I 9:21</a>.</fn>  According to both, Paroh's actions were not all that different from that of other monarchs who forced certain segments of the population to work for them for set periods of time.</point> | <point><b>Biblical parallels</b> – R"Y Bekhor Shor compares this labor tax to that of Shelomo when building the Beit HaMikdash where the people would work for one month and then return home for two,<fn>See <a href="MelakhimI5-27" data-aht="source">Melakhim I 5:27</a>.</fn>  while Ramban instead compares it to Shelomo's taxing of the foreigners in his land.<fn>See <a href="MelakhimI9-21" data-aht="source">Melakhim I 9:21</a>.</fn>  According to both, Paroh's actions were not all that different from that of other monarchs who forced certain segments of the population to work for them for set periods of time.</point> | ||
<point><b>Were the Israelites the only ones taxed?</b> R"Y Bekhor Shor asserts that the rest of the Egyptians also paid a tax to Paroh, giving a fifth of their crops to the king.<fn>See <a href="Bereshit47-13-26" data-aht="source">Bereshit 47:13-26</a>.</fn>  Precisely because the Children of Israel were exempt from this, they were instead forced to build the storehouses for this wheat.<fn>R"Y Bekhor Shor implies that the labor tax came at the insistence of the Egyptian people who were upset about the Israelite's exemption.  This suggests that Yosef's nepotism to his family unwittingly later led to the enslavement.  See <a href="Yosef's Economic Policies" data-aht="page">Yosef's Economic Policies</a> for elaboration.</fn>  R"Y Bekhor Shor does posit, however, that with time the labor demands intensified and extended to other types of work including sowing and irrigation.</point> | <point><b>Were the Israelites the only ones taxed?</b> R"Y Bekhor Shor asserts that the rest of the Egyptians also paid a tax to Paroh, giving a fifth of their crops to the king.<fn>See <a href="Bereshit47-13-26" data-aht="source">Bereshit 47:13-26</a>.</fn>  Precisely because the Children of Israel were exempt from this, they were instead forced to build the storehouses for this wheat.<fn>R"Y Bekhor Shor implies that the labor tax came at the insistence of the Egyptian people who were upset about the Israelite's exemption.  This suggests that Yosef's nepotism to his family unwittingly later led to the enslavement.  See <a href="Yosef's Economic Policies" data-aht="page">Yosef's Economic Policies</a> for elaboration.</fn>  R"Y Bekhor Shor does posit, however, that with time the labor demands intensified and extended to other types of work including sowing and irrigation.</point> | ||
− | <point><b>Own homes and possessions</b> – This position easily explains the fact that the Israelites had their own homes and possessions,<fn>See Shemot 2:1-2, 9:6, 10:9 and | + | <point><b>Own homes and possessions</b> – This position easily explains the fact that the Israelites had their own homes and possessions,<fn>See Shemot 2:1-2, 9:6, 10:9 and 12:3-4 which speak of Israelite residences and cattle.</fn> as it assumes that any individual Israelite was not always working for Paroh, and had time to support his own family as well.<fn>R"Y Bekhor Shor actually points to this as proof that they must have only worked shifts, writing, "והא ליכא למימר שהיו תדיר בעבודה, דאם כן, מתי יעשו לביתם ומי יפרנסם."</fn>  In fact, Hashem's command that the Israelites request/borrow vessels "מִגָּרַת בֵּיתָהּ", suggests that they might even have had Egyptian tenants.<fn>See Ibn Kaspi Shemot 3:22.</fn></point> |
<point><b>Freedom of movement</b> – This position could explain that Aharon had the freedom to meet Moshe in the desert because he was not working at the time.  Aharon would not have been unique; many others at any given time might also have been able to leave the country for a short period.</point> | <point><b>Freedom of movement</b> – This position could explain that Aharon had the freedom to meet Moshe in the desert because he was not working at the time.  Aharon would not have been unique; many others at any given time might also have been able to leave the country for a short period.</point> | ||
<point><b>"לְכוּ לְסִבְלֹתֵיכֶם"</b> – Ramban explains that when Moshe and Aharon had come to Paroh, they were accompanied by some of the laboring Israelites, and it was to these that Paroh said to return to work.</point> | <point><b>"לְכוּ לְסִבְלֹתֵיכֶם"</b> – Ramban explains that when Moshe and Aharon had come to Paroh, they were accompanied by some of the laboring Israelites, and it was to these that Paroh said to return to work.</point> | ||
<point><b>Did women work as well?</b> Though these sources do not address the question, they would likely posit that the building was limited to men as in other cases of conscripted labor.  This would explain how Yocheved and Miriam<fn>It is not clear how old Miriam is at this stage in the story,  If she was but a youngster, she would presumably not have been working regardless.</fn> seem to be unoccupied In Shemot 2.</point> | <point><b>Did women work as well?</b> Though these sources do not address the question, they would likely posit that the building was limited to men as in other cases of conscripted labor.  This would explain how Yocheved and Miriam<fn>It is not clear how old Miriam is at this stage in the story,  If she was but a youngster, she would presumably not have been working regardless.</fn> seem to be unoccupied In Shemot 2.</point> | ||
<point><b>Payment to Yocheved</b> – According to this position many Israelites might have worked when not laboring for Paroh so Paroh's daughter's offering of money to Yocheved for nursing was simply a  normal transaction made between free citizens.</point> | <point><b>Payment to Yocheved</b> – According to this position many Israelites might have worked when not laboring for Paroh so Paroh's daughter's offering of money to Yocheved for nursing was simply a  normal transaction made between free citizens.</point> | ||
− | <point><b>Relations with other Egyptians</b> – This position allows for the possibility that some lay Egyptians and Israelites might have been on neighborly terms as the Israelites were not necessarily viewed as particularly degraded members of society.<fn>Nonetheless, as some apparently heeded Paroh's decree to throw Israelite babies into the Nile, there must have been a significant number who | + | <point><b>Relations with other Egyptians</b> – This position allows for the possibility that some lay Egyptians and Israelites might have been on neighborly terms as the Israelites were not necessarily viewed as particularly degraded members of society.<fn>Nonetheless, as some apparently heeded Paroh's decree to throw Israelite babies into the Nile, there must have been a significant number who viewed the Israelites negatively.  Ramban presents this as the result of Paroh's process of progressively harsh decrees, but also suggests that the decree of genocide only lasted for a short time</fn>  As such, this position might explain that the word "רֵעֵהוּ" in Hashem's command "יִשְׁאֲלוּ אִישׁ מֵאֵת רֵעֵהוּ וְאִשָּׁה מֵאֵת רְעוּתָהּ" refers to friends.<fn>See Josephus in <a href="Reparations and Despoiling Egypt" data-aht="page">Reparations and Despoiling Egypt</a> who explains that the Egyptians did in fact willingly give gifts to the Egyptians out of friendship.</fn></point> |
<point><b>Harshness of the enslavement</b> – R"Y Bekhor Shor and Ramban learn from the phrase, "וַיַּעֲבִדוּ מִצְרַיִם אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּפָרֶךְ" that the conditions during the periods of forced labor were unusually harsh and that the slaves were given no time to rest.  Ramban also posits that in a second stage of the bondage, Paroh allowed individual Egyptians to enslave Israelites to work for them personally when desired.</point> | <point><b>Harshness of the enslavement</b> – R"Y Bekhor Shor and Ramban learn from the phrase, "וַיַּעֲבִדוּ מִצְרַיִם אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּפָרֶךְ" that the conditions during the periods of forced labor were unusually harsh and that the slaves were given no time to rest.  Ramban also posits that in a second stage of the bondage, Paroh allowed individual Egyptians to enslave Israelites to work for them personally when desired.</point> | ||
− | <point><b>How did rotating laborers accomplish Paroh's goal?</b> R"Y Bekhor Shor claims that Paroh hoped to tire out the people so they would not have the energy at night to have relations and reproduce.<fn>In | + | <point><b>How did rotating laborers accomplish Paroh's goal?</b> R"Y Bekhor Shor claims that Paroh hoped to tire out the people so they would not have the energy at night to have relations and reproduce.<fn>In R"Y Bekhor Shor's comments to verse 11, he implies that during the periods of forced labor the enslaved did not return home at all, let alone come home tired at night.</fn>  This, however, is difficult, considering that they could do so during the months that they were free from work totally.  One might explain instead that Paroh was not mainly concerned about the size of the Israelite population, but about the potential that they would fight against him in periods of war.  Having a decent portion of the nation enslaved at any one time reduced this concern.</point> |
<point><b>Purpose of punishment</b><ul> | <point><b>Purpose of punishment</b><ul> | ||
<li>This depiction of the slavery raises the possibility that Paroh was not being punished for extremely cruel treatment of the Israelites but rather for not recognizing Hashem and granting the Israelites leave to worship Him. </li> | <li>This depiction of the slavery raises the possibility that Paroh was not being punished for extremely cruel treatment of the Israelites but rather for not recognizing Hashem and granting the Israelites leave to worship Him. </li> | ||
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<point><b>"וַיָּשִׂימוּ עָלָיו שָׂרֵי מִסִּים"</b> – These sources split with some suggesting that this refers to a labor tax<fn>See Rashi, Ibn Kaspi, Seforno, Or HaChayyim, Shadal, and R. D"Z Hoffmann. Or HaChayyim uniquely understands the "שָׂרֵ֣י מִסִּ֔ים" to refer to the Israelites themselves, rather than officers who were in charge of them.  Originally, the Israelites were put in charge of other laborers who were similarly taxed to work for the king.  This, though, was a  ruse, to ensure that whatever work was not complete would be completed by the Israelite "officers" who slowly found themselves burdened with more and more work until they became not officers but simply slaves.</fn> and others claiming it points a monetary one.<fn>See R. Bachya, Abarbanel and Rav Hirsch.</fn>  The former understand the phrase "וַיִּבֶן עָרֵי מִסְכְּנוֹת לְפַרְעֹה" to be  a description of the labor tax, while the latter assumes it refers either to a second stage of the oppression<fn>See R. Bachya and Abarbanel.</fn> or to the work which the people's monies were funding.<fn>See R. Hirsch.  He does agree that eventually the people were enslaved to do hard labor as well, as seen in the verse, "וַיַּעֲבִדוּ מִצְרַיִם אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּפָרֶךְ".</fn></point> | <point><b>"וַיָּשִׂימוּ עָלָיו שָׂרֵי מִסִּים"</b> – These sources split with some suggesting that this refers to a labor tax<fn>See Rashi, Ibn Kaspi, Seforno, Or HaChayyim, Shadal, and R. D"Z Hoffmann. Or HaChayyim uniquely understands the "שָׂרֵ֣י מִסִּ֔ים" to refer to the Israelites themselves, rather than officers who were in charge of them.  Originally, the Israelites were put in charge of other laborers who were similarly taxed to work for the king.  This, though, was a  ruse, to ensure that whatever work was not complete would be completed by the Israelite "officers" who slowly found themselves burdened with more and more work until they became not officers but simply slaves.</fn> and others claiming it points a monetary one.<fn>See R. Bachya, Abarbanel and Rav Hirsch.</fn>  The former understand the phrase "וַיִּבֶן עָרֵי מִסְכְּנוֹת לְפַרְעֹה" to be  a description of the labor tax, while the latter assumes it refers either to a second stage of the oppression<fn>See R. Bachya and Abarbanel.</fn> or to the work which the people's monies were funding.<fn>See R. Hirsch.  He does agree that eventually the people were enslaved to do hard labor as well, as seen in the verse, "וַיַּעֲבִדוּ מִצְרַיִם אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּפָרֶךְ".</fn></point> | ||
<point><b>Were the Israelites the only ones taxed?</b> This position assumes that the Israelites were singled out to be oppressed.<fn>See, however, Or HaChayyim in the above note who suggests that originally they were not all that different from others who were taxed to work for the state, but eventually they found themselves with a much larger work burden.</fn>  This works with the fact that the verses present the oppression as a solution to the demographic problem presented by the Israelites in particular.  See also R. Hirsch<fn>See also Ibn Kaspi.</fn> who asserts that the root "פרך" means to separate<fn>He points to the shared root with the word "פָרֹכֶת" whose function is to separate.</fn> and that through the bondage, Paroh separated the Israelites from the rest of Egyptian citizens who still had personal rights.</point> | <point><b>Were the Israelites the only ones taxed?</b> This position assumes that the Israelites were singled out to be oppressed.<fn>See, however, Or HaChayyim in the above note who suggests that originally they were not all that different from others who were taxed to work for the state, but eventually they found themselves with a much larger work burden.</fn>  This works with the fact that the verses present the oppression as a solution to the demographic problem presented by the Israelites in particular.  See also R. Hirsch<fn>See also Ibn Kaspi.</fn> who asserts that the root "פרך" means to separate<fn>He points to the shared root with the word "פָרֹכֶת" whose function is to separate.</fn> and that through the bondage, Paroh separated the Israelites from the rest of Egyptian citizens who still had personal rights.</point> | ||
− | <point><b>Freedom of movement</b> – Rashi, following <a href="ShemotRabbah5-16" data-aht="source">R. Yehoshua b. Levi</a>, | + | <point><b>Freedom of movement</b> – Rashi, following <a href="ShemotRabbah5-16" data-aht="source">R. Yehoshua b. Levi</a>, explains that Aharon had freedom of movement since the tribe of Levi were not included in the bondage.  The other commentators might explain that the elderly (Aharon was over 80) were exempt from the work tax.<fn>This might be different form other models of slavery where one is enslaved until death.</fn></point> |
<point><b>Did women work as well?</b> This position might suggest that even women were enslaved.  See R. Shemuel b. Nachmani in <multilink><a href="BavliSotah11b" data-aht="source">Bavli Sotah</a><a href="BavliSotah11b" data-aht="source">Sotah 11b</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink> who suggests that "עבודת פרך" refers to the switching of male and female labor roles.<fn>See also Tanchuma.</fn>  If so, it is not clear how Yocheved was free to nurse Moshe for the daughter of Paroh.  This position might suggest that the princess simply took her from a different task to work for her.  The fact that she paid her, rather than simply assuming that the work was expected of a slave, might relate to the princess' own personal conscience and not be indicative of how the larger Egyptian populace would have acted.</point> | <point><b>Did women work as well?</b> This position might suggest that even women were enslaved.  See R. Shemuel b. Nachmani in <multilink><a href="BavliSotah11b" data-aht="source">Bavli Sotah</a><a href="BavliSotah11b" data-aht="source">Sotah 11b</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink> who suggests that "עבודת פרך" refers to the switching of male and female labor roles.<fn>See also Tanchuma.</fn>  If so, it is not clear how Yocheved was free to nurse Moshe for the daughter of Paroh.  This position might suggest that the princess simply took her from a different task to work for her.  The fact that she paid her, rather than simply assuming that the work was expected of a slave, might relate to the princess' own personal conscience and not be indicative of how the larger Egyptian populace would have acted.</point> | ||
<point><b>Own homes and possessions</b> – If the Israelites were slaves to the State rather than to individuals,<fn>R. Bachya, Abarbanel and R. Hirsch disagree and opine that they were also allowed to be taken as slaves by individual Egyptians.  See <a href="Nature of the Bondage" data-aht="page">Nature of the Bondage</a> for more.</fn> it is possible that they daily returned to their own homes.  It is not clear, however, how they would have had time or money to amass and care for individual possessions or cattle.  If the enslavement was a gradually worsening process, it is possible that they still owned possessions from the time that they were free or partially free. In addition, it is possible that Paroh's work ended at nightfall, and the Israelites tended to their own after dark.</point> | <point><b>Own homes and possessions</b> – If the Israelites were slaves to the State rather than to individuals,<fn>R. Bachya, Abarbanel and R. Hirsch disagree and opine that they were also allowed to be taken as slaves by individual Egyptians.  See <a href="Nature of the Bondage" data-aht="page">Nature of the Bondage</a> for more.</fn> it is possible that they daily returned to their own homes.  It is not clear, however, how they would have had time or money to amass and care for individual possessions or cattle.  If the enslavement was a gradually worsening process, it is possible that they still owned possessions from the time that they were free or partially free. In addition, it is possible that Paroh's work ended at nightfall, and the Israelites tended to their own after dark.</point> |
Version as of 05:20, 25 April 2016
Who was Enslaved in Egypt?
Exegetical Approaches
Overview
Commentators disagree regarding who was enslaved in Egypt and thus regarding the nature of the bondage as a whole. While the majority of commentators assume that the entire nation were slaves and view the experience as being extremely oppressive in both scope and intensity, not all agree. R"Y Bekhor Shor asserts that the Israelites worked in shifts. Each worked for Paroh for a period of weeks and then returned home. As such, individual Israelites were not always enslaved and had time for themselves and their families. Ralbag presents a third possibility, that Paroh had instituted a monetary tax and only those who could not pay it labored for Paroh instead. Thus, someone rich enough might not have ever worked for Paroh.
Rotation
The Israelites worked for Paroh in a rotation. Each labored for several weeks or months at a time and then was free to go home until the next shift.
- This depiction of the slavery raises the possibility that Paroh was not being punished for extremely cruel treatment of the Israelites but rather for not recognizing Hashem and granting the Israelites leave to worship Him.
- Ramban might suggest that it was not the State sponsored slavery that was being punished but the expanding of the bondage to individuals.
Needy
The Israelites were expected to pay a monetary tax to Paroh; only those who could not afford it worked instead.
- The concept that a foreign minority might have to pay a tribute to the controlling majority occurs often when one country subdues another. In Egypt, however, the Israelites had not been conquered by Egypt but rather come to live peacefully.
- The idea that a person without monetary means might substitute work for payment, finds its parallel in the laws of slaves, where a person can sell himself if he finds himself in debt. In Egypt, however, the Israelites had no real control over being in "debt", as the tax stemmed from Paroh as well.
Everyone
The entire Israelite nation was enslaved.