Simcha's Torah Stories

Parshat Bo

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

"Do you hear something?"

"It sounds like someone is screaming."

"There is another scream, another, and another one. Can you make out what they are saying?"

Off in the distance they hear ...

"My dear son. My dear firstborn son. He is not breathing. Help me someone!"

More screams and wails. They are everywhere. Egypt is in chaos. The plague strikes every home.

"It is really happening. Makas Bechoros, the plague of the first born. Let us go out to see."

"It is forbidden. Moshe commanded us not to leave the house all night. Death is in the streets."

"What shall we do?"

"We only do as G-d says. Let us shecht our Korbon Pesach, smear its blood on the doorposts, and roast the meat. Mix the flour and water and start kneading the dough. Sing Hallel, praises to G-d."

"That's all? We don't have to fight the Egyptians?"

"G-d is fighting for us. We've suffered long enough. Stand back and watch His miracles."

Suddenly, there is a knock at the door. An Egyptian lady is standing there holding her infant baby boy.

"This is my firstborn son. May he stay in your home tonight? There is a terrible plague and I do not want him to die. The firstborn in the Jewish homes are not dying. I hope he will be safe here."

"We will take your son, but it will not help. He will die wherever he is. G-d Himself is killing the firstborn. He is everywhere and knows everything. You cannot hide from Him."

They take the baby and put him in the same bed with their own son. In the morning, the Egyptian boy is dead, and their son is alive.

PAROH IN PAJAMAS ...

"Look who is that walking around?"

"I cannot see clearly. He is knocking on our neighbor's door."

A solitary figure approaches the neighbor's home.

"Yes, can I help you?"

The residents of the house are shocked to see Paroh, the King of Egypt, standing at their door.

"Where are Moshe and Aharon? I need to fond Moshe and Aharon quickly. There is something urgent that I must tell them. Can you tell me where they are?"

The children begin to chuckle. This is the mighty Paroh? King of Egypt? Wandering around the streets looking for Moshe and Aharon? What a humiliation.

"Moshe doesn't live here. Try looking on a different street."

Paroh turns quickly away and moves on to the next house, knocking at the door.

"Yes, can we help you? Why, it's Paroh!"

The same scene is repeated, and Paroh is sent wandering again. He becomes the laughingstock of Egypt. Finally, he comes upon Moshe and Aharon.

"Get up and go. Take your people out of here."

"Paroh, are we thieves that we have to leave in the middle of the night? G-d told us not to leave our homes until the morning."

"I am begging you. Please get up and go."

"Why are you pressing us Paroh? We will leave when G-d tells us to leave."

"I am a firstborn and am afraid that I will die."

"Don't worry Paroh, G-d has a much worse fate in store for you."

"As long as you are here in Egypt, we are dying in great numbers. If you wait until tomorrow morning to leave, we will all be dead."

"If you want the plague to stop, Paroh, here is what you must do . . ."

THE PROCLAMATION ...

"Who is that walking around?"

"It looks like the same man who knocked earlier this evening. It is. It is none other that Paroh himself."

"What is he doing this time?"

"He is shouting something. Let's be quiet so we can hear."

"You Jews are now an independent people. You are servants of G-d. Until now, you were slaves. From now on, you are free men. You have no ruler over you, not small or big, because you are servants of G-d."

The people in the home are ecstatic.

"That's it! We are free! This miserable slavery is over. The King himself is going around the streets proclaiming our freedom!"

"Can it really be?"

"You heard it straight from the King's mouth. That is part of his punishment for treating us so cruelly. He must humiliate himself to go around personally, shouting out that we are free."

"G-d's kindness is endless."

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