The Deal of the Century, Bo
After 120 years of cruel, tortuous slavery, and after Egypt experienced the wrath of the first seven plagues, it appears as if Pharoh is about ready to crack. He seems too ready to negotiate a plan with Moshe and he offers Moshe the “deal of the century”!
“You wish to serve Hashem,” says Pharoh, “that is something we can allow, if you only take the adults. Leave the children here in Egypt and you can salvage the strong, smart adults of Bnai Yisrael.”
One may think that Moshe had a dilemma. After all, how much more slavery and bondage can Bnai Yisrael withstand? They were already sunk to the 49th level of impurity, say Chazal, from which there is no return. We have Pharoh on the ropes, offering a deal which would save the bulk and perhaps the future of the nation. Alas, many children will remain in Egypt but these children can be replaced with a new generation of offspring who will grow up in physical and spiritual freedom. This is the “deal” on the table and with some sacrifice on our part, we can get out of this life of bondage and slavery. Perhaps, this was Moshe’s understandable dilemma.
To the contrary, Moshe quickly and utterly rejects the deal. This cannot be considered for even a moment. “When we leave Egypt,” replies Moshe, “we will go with our young and our old, with our sons and our daughters.” Our service and dedication to Hashem Whom we will serve is bound in the training and education of each child. Departing in freedom is not freedom at all without our children. The deal is not a deal without our ability to transmit our mesorah to the next generation. This IS the purpose of our becoming a nation!
The Kli Yakar adds that when Moshe responded to Pharoh, “for it is a festival for us” (Ki chag Hashem Lanu), Moshe was saying, how can we celebrate and rejoice in our service to Hashem without our children with us? Of what purpose will our G-dly service be without the opportunity to train, inspire, and educate our children? Perhaps, as well, this is why this plague of Arbeh is preceded by Hashem telling Moshe that the purpose of all the plagues is “L’maan tisaper….,” so that you can retell in the ears of your children and grandchildren that which I did to Egypt.
This idea underscores the necessity for us to zealously include our children in mitzvos and avodas Hashem. Do children belong in shul next to their fathers and mothers or at an outside play group? Do we include our children in the process of mitzvos like selecting arba minim, setting up the menorah, preparing the charoses, and setting the Shabbos table? Do we view the chinuch of our children and grandchildren as a privilege or a nuisance?
Just as Moshe rejected the “deal of the century,” placing the children in the inner circle of Mitzvos and service to Hashem, so too must we pick up that message, loud and clear, as it relates to our obligation and privilege to guide and inspire our children.
