The More Things Change, The More They Stay the Same
After suffering as slaves in Egypt, the Nation of Israel was privileged to witness the ten plagues that broke Egypt’s will. The Jews were now free from physical bondage. However, just as they began to taste this newfound freedom, Pharaoh and his army — with horses and chariots — pursued them. Pharaoh was like a bully who, after being knocked down, licks his wounds and returns for one last attempt to destroy his enemy.
The Jewish people became terrified as they approached the Red Sea with the powerful Egyptian army closing in. They said to Moses, “Did you bring us out to the desert to die because there were no graves in Egypt? It would have been better for us to continue serving the Egyptians than to die here in the wilderness!”
Putting this into perspective: didn’t the ten plagues prove that G-d was on their side?
The issue was simple — while the Jews were physically free, their mindset remained that of slaves. They had left Egypt, but Egypt had not yet left them.
Fast forward to today. Haven’t we seen miraculous victories over numerous Arab armies? Remember the days leading up to the Six-Day War in 1967? The so-called experts predicted disaster. Yet, with G-d’s help and a determined Israeli army, we liberated Judea, Samaria, East Jerusalem, the Golan, and the Sinai.
And yet, over time, successive Israeli governments — lacking faith and clarity — have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, giving up sovereignty over more and more land. Now, once again, the Israel Defense Forces are not being allowed to finish the job.
Hamas is Gaza, and Gaza is Hamas. Their aim is simple: to murder Jews — in Israel and everywhere. And yet, today, the IDF brought in more trucks filled with supplies for the so-called “poor civilians” of Gaza. Were all of our hostages released in return? No. Did at least ten rockets rain down on Israeli cities again last night? Yes.
So, what is the official line from the government about feeding those who openly seek to kill us? They’re afraid of what the Nations will say. They’re afraid of negative headlines from those who hate us anyway. The result? Needless deaths of brave Israeli soldiers and billions of shekels spent on an endless, directionless war.
Had the Allies fought World War II this way, there would be no Jews left today — and most of the world would be speaking German.
You see, the mindset from so long ago hasn’t really changed. Back then, it was the legacy of generational slavery. Now, it’s 1,800 years of Diaspora — the ghetto mentality. Once again, G-d has delivered. In the time of the Maccabees, the few defeated the many. In 1948, a ragtag army of farmers and Holocaust survivors outlasted seven Arab armies. In 1967, Nasser, Assad, and Hussein promised to “wash the streets of Tel Aviv with Jewish blood.” But we won. Big.
Still, today, the fear of what the gentile world will say controls the decisions of our faithless leaders.
As you sit at the Seder table this Pesach with family and friends, ask yourself honestly:
Are we truly free? Not really.
Has the G-d of Israel granted us miracles and victory against impossible odds? Absolutely.
But we forget.
We revert to the slavery of needing to be loved and accepted by the world.
Much of the world is going mad with hatred for Jews and Israel, while many remain silent in the face of butchery by the likes of Hamas and Hezbollah.
But the message is becoming crystal clear:
It is time to come home.
It is time to come home while you still can.
It is time to come home while you can still bring your assets.
Enough with worrying about what the world thinks.
Imagine:
Imagine there’s no terror
I wonder if you can
No one to shoot or stab us
Around us only Jewish land
Imagine Am Yisrael living ba’Aretz in peace
You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
Why don’t you come home and join us
And the Nation will live as one
Real faith means trusting in G-d — and being in the Land.
At the end of the Seder, we say: “Next year in Jerusalem.”
This year — for a change — let’s mean it.
