The articles in this column are transcriptions and adaptations of shiurim by Rav Joseph Ber Soloveitchik, zt”l. The Rav’s unique perspective on Chumash permeated many of the shiurim and lectures he presented at various venues over a 40-plus-year period. His words add an important perspective that makes the Chumash in particular, and our tradition in general, vibrant and relevant to our generation.
“And each woman shall ask from her neighbor and house mate silver vessels and gold vessels (V’sha’ala isha m’shchenta u’migras beissa)” (Shemos 3:22). “Please speak to the people that each man should ask from his friend… (‘Vyishalu ish mei’eis rei’eihu)” (Shemos 11:2-3).
Why did the Torah use different terms, in the first verse, neighbors and house mates, and in the other, a person should request from his friends?
The term she’ayla throughout Tanach means to request or to demand something, not (in the simple definition) to borrow. When Hashem tells Moshe that a woman should request from her neighbors and a man should request from his friend, the connotation is to demand and take something away from them. When the Torah discusses the laws of a borrower (sho’el in Parshas Mishpatim) the term mei’im (from with) is used. This connotes borrowing with an obligation to repay or return the item as the original owner retains his rights to the object.
Apparently the intent of Hashem was that the objects taken by Bnei Yisrael should be given to them without reservation (matanah gemurah, see Rashbam, Shemos 11:2). Why was it necessary for Bnei Yisrael to demand these things? Another obvious question is why did Hashem have to bring the 10 plagues on Egypt and Pharaoh when He could easily have forced Pharaoh to let Bnei Yisrael go much more readily and quickly?
Apparently, Hashem was manifesting the concept of kophin oso ad sheyomar rotzeh ani, we apply force to someone until the individual in question comes to the self-realization that what is demanded of him is correct and he expresses his desire to comply. Hashem wanted Pharaoh to recognize on his own the need to send the Jews out of Egypt and to comply with the demand of Hashem. As Pharaoh said, “Arise and leave from among my people, also you and also all of Bnei Yisrael” (Shemos 12:31). However the question remains: why did Hashem prolong the stay of Bnei Yisrael? Could Pharaoh not have been made to realize this in a shorter interval?
Hashem wanted Pharaoh not only to allow Bnei Yisrael to leave Egypt, but to come to respect them as well. As long as they were slaves, Pharaoh thought of them as sub-human.Chazal say on the verse of “Who is Hashem that I shall listen to him” (Shemos 5:2) that Pharaoh searched through his chronicles and was not able to find the name of Hashem, the God of Israel, mentioned anywhere. What Chazal intended to indicate was that Pharaoh did not consider Bnei Yisrael a bona fide nation, therefore he saw fit to enslave them. The 10 plagues were intended to show Pharaoh that Bnei Yisrael were a great nation, not just to punish him and Egypt. Pharaoh was made to realize that they were not a bunch of insignificant Hebrews, rather they were a great national entity. As the Torah says “And afterwards he shall send you out” (Shemos 11:1). It does not say I will take you out, rather Pharaoh will realize that you are a great nation and a significant entity and he will send you out.
Property ownership is an extremely important and fundamental right and principle according to the Torah. This is best illustrated by the law that one may defend his home and property from clandestine thieves (the case of ba b’machteres), and to struggle to protect them even to the extent of taking the life of the thief. Property, material possessions, gives man self-esteem and self-value. It also commands respect from others. On the other hand, a slave has no property of his own, for whatever he acquires belongs to his master. Hashem told Moshe that “When you shall leave, you shall not leave empty handed” (Shemos 3:21). Had Bnei Yisrael left Egypt without material possessions and wealth, they would have still been looked on as slaves. Therefore Hashem asked them to demand from the Egyptians items of value as payment for their years of service. These items were to be taken from their neighbors and house mates, for they were the ones who had taken away their property and self-dignity in the first place. (The Rav noted that when the Jews were liberated form the concentration camps after the Second World War, they went to the surrounding towns to retrieve their stolen property from the local populace who so eagerly took it from them.)