Thoughts on parashat Bo 5785
There is a talmudic story about a Rabbi who traveled to a foreign city, and asked a little boy what’s the best way to enter that city.
“Which is the road leading to the city?” asked Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya of a youngster sitting at a crossroads. “This is the shorter one,” replied the lad while pointing to the road on the left, “but it is longer. On the other hand – pointing to the road on the right, the lad said “The other road is longer but shorter.” Rabbi Yehoshua decided to take the first road on the left, which had been described as the shorter one, but when he approached the city he found access to it blocked by gardens and orchards. He returned to the crossroads and challenged his young guide for suggesting the shorter road that had turned out to be the wrong one. “But I told you,” replied the boy, “that although it is shorter in distance, it is longer in reaching your goal.” (Eruvin 53b)
This story reminds us that if we truly desire lasting, positive transformation, shortcuts simply do not work. Anyone who’s tried a radical crash diet knows that the promise of quick results can quickly backfire, with any progress undone even faster- as all the pounds piling back on. Similarly, with spiritual growth, those who decide to become “super observant” overnight often face setbacks, disillusionment and unyielding rigidity rather than genuine growth.
The history of our people has demonstrated this from the very beginning, particularly in our liberation from Egyptian slavery. In Parashat Bo, we read about the final three plagues, a sequence that starkly reveals the desperate state of affairs. Despite Egypt already being devastated by earlier nightmares, Pharaoh stubbornly refused to free our people. It was only after this defiance that God, speaking through Moses, issued a grave and uncompromising warning before the onset of the eighth plague.
How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go so that they may worship Me. For if you refuse to let My people go, tomorrow I will bring locusts on your territory. (Exodus 10:3-4)
Pharaoh seems humiliated and admits his own guilt:
Pharaoh hurriedly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “I stand guilty before your God יהוה and before you. Forgive my offense just this once, and plead with your God יהוה that this death but be removed from me.” (Exodus 10:16-17)
But as we know, “God hardened his heart yet again” and sure enough, Pharaoh remained unyielding. Nevertheless, the dynamic has changed; Pharaoh’s pride appears to be unraveling, and his courtiers are gradually withdrawing their support.
Pharaoh’s courtiers said to him, “How long shall this one be a snare to us? Let a delegation go to worship their God יהוה ! Are you not yet aware that Egypt is lost?” (Exodus 10:7)
Everyone was filled with distress—even Moses and Aaron. They spoke with God consistently, followed every divine instruction, and returned to Pharaoh time and again, yet nothing seemed to change. After the ninth plague, Moses stormed out of Pharaoh’s court in anger. In such a situation, it’s natural for anyone to question whether their efforts are worth it. Likewise, when we face setbacks and feel that nothing is working, we may find ourselves asking: should we press on or give up? Ironically, it is precisely in these pivotal moments of doubt that we must hold fast, for our victory and the overcoming of our obstacles may be just around the corner.
According to the Chassidic Masters, Moses was deeply troubled by the determination of these evil forces. God reassured him, explaining that these adversaries do not wield such power on their own—it is only through My hardening of their hearts that they appear so formidable. This reveals an important and encouraging lesson: neither Pharaoh nor our modern-day adversaries possess the intrinsic power we often ascribe to them, let alone any kind of divine authority.
The story of Pharaoh and the plagues teaches us that perseverance is essential for achieving anything truly significant and meaningful. Here, we witness an extreme scenario: an authoritarian ruler, a god in his own eyes and those of his followers, stands against a people oppressed yet determined to claim their fundamental rights- to be free. Despite the overwhelming imbalance, hope endures.
Ultimately, this story shows us that breaking through resistance is possible, even against staggering odds. It underscores the truth that perseverance is indispensable, adversity is inevitable—and sometimes, our greatest challenge comes from within ourselves.
There’s another key lesson here: the arrogance of power is actually its greatest weakness. If you want to challenge an entrenched system, you have to expose that very arrogance. God’s actions weren’t just about humbling Pharaoh in our eyes—they were meant to bring about his public humiliation before the Egyptians, his own people. This idea is echoed by our biblical commentators. For instance, one midrash tells us that after the Egyptian army was engulfed by the sea, Pharaoh, who trailed behind, survived, even his horse drowned. In the end, he had to return to Egypt on foot, forced to confront the disastrous outcome of his campaign and forced to relay the humiliating loss to the Egyptians.
We all know that creating lasting, meaningful change isn’t easy—it’s a challenging road filled with obstacles. But it’s exactly our determination and creative problem-solving that help us overcome these hurdles and move toward the brighter future we all long for.
Let’s face it: there are no magic shortcuts. Real, impactful change demands our full commitment and the willingness to keep pushing forward even when the path seems overwhelming and the goal feels out of reach. If we stick with it, the journey itself can give us a deep sense of purpose and the excitement of small victories along the way. In overcoming life’s toughest tests, we discover the true strength within us and just how much we can achieve. So, let’s move ahead with unwavering confidence, knowing that our steadfast spirit is the foundation upon which we build a better world. The road might be hard, but a truly meaningful and brighter future awaits those who never give up.
Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Mirski
