Rabbi Rael Blumenthal

From the moment that Emily, Doron and Romi arrived home we have been overwhelmed with elation, joy, tears and fear; all of them mixed together.

But lurking behind these powerful emotions there is a deeply disturbing question. A question that our enemies are desperately hoping we will ask: How is it that after 15 months of relentless battle, Hamas has emerged to throngs of supporters and cheers of victory?

The world is looking on and challenging Israel. “How was any of this worth it? You’ve achieved nothing. For all your talk of destroying Hamas, you seem no closer to that goal than when the war began.”

It’s tempting to be drawn into these questions and doubts. We all saw the pictures. Once again, we find ourselves waiting at the mercy of a merciless enemy. Perhaps they will honor their ‘promise’ to release the men, women and children whom they have kidnapped and tortured.

But make no mistake, this is all a show. A very painful show, but it is all an illusion in every sense of the word. I know this, not from some insider military source, but from the wisdom of our Sages, and the history of our people. Right now, our enemies are following the same play-book written by Pharaoh, and practiced by anti-semites throughout the ages.

As the second plague ended, and Pharaoh had promised to release his Jewish prisoners, the Torah tells us:

וַיַּרְא פַּרְעֹה כִּי הָיְתָה הָרְוָחָה וְהַכְבֵּד אֶת־לִבּוֹ וְלֹא שָׁמַע אֲלֵהֶם

But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he became stubborn and would not heed them.

The moment that our enemies have room to breath, they revert back to their obstinance, torture and narcissism. This pattern continues throughout the ten plagues. Each time Pharaoh relents, and each time he renegs on his promises.

Of course, we know the end of the story. We know that there will be ten plagues, and a crossing of Yam Suf. But suspend that knowledge for a moment, and imagine that you’re a Jew living in Mitzraim.

You are witnessing first hand how Hashem is systematically dismantling the Egyptian society, theology and economy. But you still wake up from every noise in the night; terrified that the miracles will soon end, and you will still be a slave.

To the Jews of ancient Egypt, they simply did not know how far their story would go. Despite everything that Hashem, Moshe and Aharon have thrown at Pharaoh, he still appears to be in control. It is Pharaoh who hold the keys to Jewish freedom, and you are still at his mercy.

Chazal tell us that many Jews lost hope and lost faith in those trying months. They saw Pharoah’s will, strength and cries of victory; and they concluded that not even God Almighty could defeat him. These were the Jew who perished in the darkness of Egypt.

Behind the scenes, however, much is was changing. Unbeknownst to the Mitzrim, Pharaoh is slowly falling apart. His soothsayers have conceded defeat, physically unable to stand before Moshe during the plague of boils. By the time Moshe threatens to bring the plague of hail, the Torah tells us that even some of Pharoah’s servants had become believers: הַיָּרֵא אֶת־דְּבַר ה’ מֵעַבְדֵי פַּרְעֹה – those who feared God took their cattle indoors.

All of this, however, raises a troubling question. Why doesn’t Pharaoh relent himself? Of course, we know that Hashem is hardening his heart. But what does that mean? Doesn’t Hashem want Pharaoh to free His nation?

The Seforno explains: Hashem did not remove Pharoah’s freedom to choose, indeed, the opposite is true. “Hardening his heart” means “strengthening his resolve.” Pharaoh was gifted a supernatural capacity to maintain his position despite the pain and destruction. Hashem ensured that if/when Pharaoh freed his slaves, it would be a total surrender; voluntary, without any Divine coercion.

But this also ensured that if Pharaoh did not choose to surrender, there would be no half measures in his eventual defeat.

When Egypt is finally destroyed, there was no “cease-fire”: וַיַּרְא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־מִצְרַיִם מֵת עַל־שְׂפַת הַיָּם – And the Jewish people saw Egypt; dead on the shores of the sea. The Egypt that has enslaved them and murdered their children was gone. Never again would those Jews be subjected to such pain and torture.

What emerges from this understanding, is that in the absence of true strength, the nature of evil is to project the illusion of power. All this is a last ditch attempt to break our spirits.

The Shem Mishmuel (סוכות תרפ”א) explain that this national phenomenon exists in our personal lives as well. At the point when we are closest to conquering a bad habit, overcoming a negative middah, or correcting a failure in our Avodas Hashem, the Yetzer Hara will make its last stand.

It will temp, challenge and distract us in order to stay alive; that moment is all it has left. In those painful minutes, we feel as if we still have so far to go. “How could I still feel this way after working so hard, after sacrificing so much..” But it is that self doubt which is the real test.

The job of every Jew is to stare down their Yetzer Hara and declare “I have already beaten you; and I’ll do it again.” Or, as Rebbe Nachman said ניצחתי ואנצח!

This is confidence and conviction that Hashem is asking from us in these frightening days.

Shlomo Hamelech tells us בנפול אויבך אל תשמח – When your enemy falls, do not rejoice. Perhaps it is time for us to add the corollary: בשמח אויבך אל תפול – When your enemy rejoices, do not fall. As the illusions are ending, Hashem should help us to hold on just a little tighter.