Pharoah’s Advisors

Shavua Tov. The Midrash teaches that Pharoah had three primary advisers in Egypt. They were Yitro, Iyov, and Bilaam.

These advisors were consulted as to what to do about the “Jewish problem.” The Torah tells us ויקצו מפני בני ישראל. Most interpret ויקצו, as they were afraid of בני ישראל, because they saw how quickly they multiplied, and how powerful they were becoming.

There is another translation of ויקצו, as, they detested the Jewish people. This was our first confrontation with anti-Semitism.

We are taught that Iyov remained silent when asked for a solution to the Jewish problem. Yitro ran away and later converted to Judaism. It was Bilaam who advised the drowning of Jewish babies in the Nile.

Already in Israel’s young history they were confronted with the reality that we were destined to either being admired or despised by the nations around us.

We are meant to remain separate and accept our role as being the moral compass of the world. Our comfort comes with the knowledge that the the day is approaching where the haters will disappear and the whole world will admire the Jewish people and accept Hashem as the One and only true G-d.