Yirmiyaha 46:13–28
Improving Our Core Essence
We are familiar with the unfortunate reality that, as a rule, people do not truly change. Although, they may improve some of their behavior patterns, they rarely change their core essence. They therefore often find themselves repeating life experiences and their painful, corrective lessons. This week’s Haftarah is a profound example of that pattern.
Egypt Never Learns.
The setting is the Babylonian destruction of Egypt. Yirmiyahu Hanavi stated in Hashem’s name, “I shall focus on the massive Alexandria and on Pharaoh and all of Egypt…I shall deliver them into the hands of their killers and into the hands of Nevuchadnetzar, king of Bavel, and his servants.” (46:25-26 acc. to Mahari Kra ibid.) Radak interprets these verses to refer to a massive massacre awaiting Egypt for its
hostile policy towards the Jewish people. After the total destruction of Egypt in the Torah’s times, a long peaceful period existed between Egypt and the Jewish People. But once Egypt rebuilt its empire, it resumed its hostile policy towards its Jewish neighbors. That hatred severely expressed itself when Egypt’s king, Shishak, invaded Eretz Yisrael shortly after the passing of Shlomo Hamelech. During the Jewish Nation’s subsequent vulnerable years, Shishak forced his way into Eretz Yisrael and cleared out the king’s treasury. Chazal relate that Shishak even stole Shlomo’s magnificent world-famous throne. (Rashi to Melachim I 14:26) Egypt continued its hostility and betrayed its Jewish ally after collecting a heavy sum in exchange for military protection. It committed its final offense when Pharaoh N’cho murdered the pious Jewish King Yoshiyahu after he refused to allow Egypt to cross Eretz Yisrael en route to its war on Assyria. At that point, Hashem reviewed Egypt’s records and declared its bitter end. Although Egypt had already suffered forty years of exile and desolation, that “mild” response was insufficient to affect Egypt’s stubborn nature. Hashem, therefore, declared a massive massacre on Egypt including the execution of its Pharaoh. That final blow reminded Egypt of the Jewish nation’s endearment to Hashem. The Torah records that Hashem
sent Moshe to the Pharaoh of his times with a proclamation about Hashem’s people that they are, “My son, My first-born.” (Shemos 4:24). Those words forewarned Egypt and its king that Hashem would harshly respond to all hostility shown towards His precious children. Pharaoh stubbornly and consistently ignored Hashem’s warning and Hashem brought on his land the world famous ten plagues. After nearly one thousand years, the time had come for Egypt to review its painful lesson. Once again, it received a massive massacre in response to its cruelty and hostility towards Hashem’s first-born, the Jewish people.
The Locusts and the Babylonians
It is worthwhile to note the analogy Yirmiyahu used here when predicting the Babylonian massacre of Egypt. He said, “They cut down its forest… for the enemy could not be counted; they exceeded the locusts, and they could not be counted.” (46:23) Yirmiyahu chose here to compare the Babylonian invasion to a massive plague of locusts. In fact, he described the totality of the massacre to be even greater than the
work of locusts. His analogy seems to be reminiscent of the plague of locusts in this week’s Parsha. It suggests a direct corollary between the eighth of the ten plagues and the invasion of Egypt by Nevuchadnetzar in later times. We can appreciate Yirmiyahu’s message through the K’li Yakar’s insightful words at the beginning of our Parsha. He notes the Torah’s encompassing introduction to the plague of locusts and explains it in light of a shocking historic phenomenon. The Torah introduces the eighth plague and stated, “I hardened the heart of Pharaoh and the heart of his servants to place My signs in his midst and for you to tell your children and grandchildren how I humiliated Egypt.” (Shemos 10:1-2) K’li Yakar wonders why Hashem introduced the plague of locusts in its unique fashion. He answers and quotes Rabbeinu Chananel’s testimony regarding locusts and Egypt. He relates that since the plague of locusts in Biblical times , those devouring creatures
generally do not invade Egypt’s borders. In fact, even when Eretz Yisrael is infested with locusts, and they remotely filter into Egypt, they do not destroy much existing crop.
The Testimonial Locusts
Rabbeinu Chananel explains that Hashem arranged this unprecedented phenomenon as an everlasting testimony to Egypt’s ancient plague of locusts. The Torah records Hashem’s response to Moshe Rabbeinu’s plea for the removal of the locusts from Egypt and states, “And there did not remain one locust within the entire Egyptian border.” (Shemos 10:19) Rabbeinu Chananel explains that this passage predicted an
everlasting phenomenon that after the Biblical plague of locusts consumed virtually every existing herb and fruit, they do not eat from the crop of Egypt. This indisputable fact reflects Providential intervention and reminds the world of Moshe Rabbeinu’s plea to Hashem on behalf of Pharaoh who feared that the locusts would devour the roots of the herbs and grains, (comment of Seforno) to remove the locusts from his land. Hashem responded favorably and permanently removed locusts from Egyptian boarders. K’li Yakar explains with this, why Hashem introduced the eighth plague in its unique form. In essence, Hashem’s introduction declared the purpose of all nine plagues [aside
from the plage of the first-borns]. Hashem told Moshe that He hardened Pharaoh’s heart so that the Jewish people will tell their offspring how Hashem humiliated Egypt. But that He chose the plague of locusts to express the purpose of all the plagues because the
mysterious absence of locusts from Egypt would forever attest to their Biblical plague and to Pharaoh’s plea through Moshe to Hashem to spare his land and remove the massive “army” of locusts from his land. (K’li Yakar ad loc.)
History Repeats Itself
In view of this everlasting phenomenon, we can appreciate Yirmiyahu’s analogy to the locusts during the Babylonian invasion. His words alluded to the fact that Egypt’s hostile attitude towards the Jewish people would never be condoned. Egypt, more than anyone, fully recognized the consequence of their cruelty. The consistent absence of locusts in its land should have amply reminded it of Hashem’s harsh response to those who mistreat His people. Egypt certainly could not claim that it was not fairly warned about Hashem’s reaction to cruelty. But, generally speaking, people and nations do not change their core essence and therefore history must be repeated. If the Biblical plague
of the locusts lost its effect on Egypt, then the Babylonian “locusts” would drive home the message. Hashem, therefore, ordered a full-scale massacre for Egypt, a total repeat of its ancient experience. Through this, Hashem reminded Egypt how dear the Jewish people were to Him and of the response He makes towards those who are hostile to His first-born. Hashem initially awaited for Egypt’s turnabout, but, after it proved unwilling to change its ways, Hashem defended His chosen people and responded to their terrible pain in a most befitting way.
Let us learn from Egypt’s stubbornness not to follow its path but instead to do our utmost to improve our core-essence. Let us not wait for our life’s experiences to repeat themselves for us to understand their lessons, but instead to faithfully respond to Hashem early subtle life lessons to help us refine our character into a perfect reflection of Hashem’s kind and compassionate ways.