Here begins our redemption. The final path to freedom, after more than 200 years of slavery, starts at the end of Parashat Bo and will be fully realized next week in Parashat Beshalach. This portion includes the last three plagues and the preparations for crossing the Yam Suf (Sea of Reeds). Undoubtedly, the central figure this week is once again Moses, along with his nemesis, Pharaoh of Egypt. This dramatic confrontation between the God of Israel and the Egyptian magicians dominates the narrative.
However, instead of focusing on one of the primary characters, I want to highlight a secondary group—the Egyptians. They endure each of the plagues and, in our parashah, the Israelites ask them for silver and gold before leaving Egypt (Exodus 11:2). Additionally, at one point, even Pharaoh’s own servants plead with him, saying: «Do you not yet realize that Egypt is lost?» (Exodus 10:7).
This «secondary group» is present throughout the text, yet, because we tend to focus on the dramatic tension between Moses and Pharaoh—or on the Israelites’ struggle for freedom—we often fail to ask: What about the Egyptians? Were they as guilty as Pharaoh for the Israelites’ enslavement? Were the plagues a collective punishment where both the guilty and the innocent suffered alike? Were they collateral damage? Were they complicit in their silence?
Divine Justice and the Fate of the Egyptians
A famous Midrash (Megillah 10b) teaches that when the Israelites were crossing the Sea of Reeds, the angels wanted to sing songs of joy in celebration. However, God silenced them, saying: «My creations (the Egyptians) are drowning in the sea, and you want to sing? Similarly, we have the custom during the Pesach Seder of removing a drop of wine from our second cup for each of the ten plagues, to diminish our joy because the Egyptians suffered so that we could be free (Pesachim 116b). These traditions challenge us to consider the Egyptians’ fate. Were they deserving of punishment, or were they collateral damage in a collective decree? To analyze this, let us examine two key verses from our parashah.
- The Israelites Taking Gold and Silver from the Egyptians
«Tell the people to borrow, each man from his neighbor and each woman from hers, objects of silver and gold.» (Exodus 11:2)
Before the final plague, God commands Moses to tell the Israelites to ask their Egyptian neighbors for silver and gold. The word «shaal» (שָׁאַל) normally means «to borrow», but here, it does not imply a loan—what was given would not be returned. The Egyptians, surprisingly, comply and give them many valuables.
For over 2,000 years, Jewish commentators have debated: Was this a gift? An act of extortion? A just reward for years of forced labor?
Various interpretations emerge:
- Shadal (Samuel David Luzzatto) sees it as a farewell gift from the Egyptians.
- Chizkuni suggests it was a fair exchange, as the Israelites left behind their homes and fields without compensation.
- Philo of Alexandria and Rabbeinu Bahya, among others, maintain that it was reparation for the centuries of slavery.
If we accept the majority view that this was compensation, it suggests that while not every Egyptian was a slave owner, the majority participated in, benefited from, or allowed slavery to persist for generations. Therefore, they bore moral responsibility for the plagues as divine punishment for their complicity.
- The Death of the Firstborn: A Collective Punishment?
«At midnight, the Lord struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the cattle.» (Exodus 12:29)
This final and most devastating plague did not spare anyone—not even the children of captives or innocent infants. How can we reconcile this with divine justice? The Sforno explains: «From the most guilty [Pharaoh] to the least guilty [the captive’s child], all suffered consequences.»
Even those not directly responsible for slavery were part of a society that allowed it to continue. The Midrash Tanhuma (Bo 7) expands on this idea: «Why were the firstborn of the captives punished? Because they rejoiced in the decrees against Israel.» Another Midrash (Shemot Rabbah 18) suggests that even some Egyptian prisoners preferred to remain in captivity rather than risk the possibility of the Israelites being freed along with them.
Measure for Measure: A Society’s Moral Corruption
Some Midrashim suggest that each plague was a direct punishment («Midah K’neged Midah»)—measure for measure—for the cruelty inflicted upon the Israelites.
For example:
- The Nile turned to blood because the Egyptians forced the Israelites to draw water for them.
- The plague of frogs mirrored the suffering of the Israelites, who were forced to wake at night for labor.
- The plague of lice reflected their denial of hygiene to the enslaved.
- Wild beasts plagued them, just as they sent the Israelites to capture dangerous animals for sport.
Each plague symbolized the injustice and suffering inflicted by the Egyptians on the Israelites.
Conclusion: Was This a Collective Punishment?
The Egyptians endured the plagues both as punishment and as a means of forcing Pharaoh to relent. As we see in our parashah, even Pharaoh’s own servants begged him to release the Israelites, saying, «Egypt is lost!» (Exodus 10:7). Jewish tradition paints a picture of a society that not only tolerated slavery but benefited from and even celebrated it. While not all were equally guilty, most were complicit—either actively participating or passively allowing it to continue. As Rabbi Akiva teach us: “And everything is in accordance with the preponderance of works.” (Pirkei Avot 3:15)
Just as Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because the vast majority of the society embraced moral corruption, so too did Egypt suffer as a whole for allowing slavery to persist. Yes, there were innocents who suffered. The Drashot HaRan (Rabbi Nissim of Gerona, 14th century) teaches that when plagues, wars, or disasters strike, both the righteous and the wicked are affected (However, there were some exceptions. Some Egyptians, such as the midwives Shifrah and Puah, stood against Pharaoh’s decrees and were saved). Just as a society benefits collectively from the good actions of some, it also bears collective responsibility for its moral failings.The Torah reminds us that individual righteousness matters, but when a society embraces injustice, the consequences are collective.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Uri
