Vayarei’u otanu ha’mitzrim, The Egyptians dealt harshly with us: It seems strange that the Torah blames Egypt and not Pharaoh for the enslavement of Israel. Elsewhere we are told, “They built garrison cities for Pharaoh,” implying that it was through the advice of Pharaoh that the Israelites were enslaved. Prior to this verse we see that it was the Egyptians who actually came up with the plan to enslave Israel. Pharaoh told the Egyptians: “Behold, the Israelites are greater and mightier than us, ” and that he was afraid that they would increase and fight against the Egyptians. He then said to the Egyptians, “Let us deal wisely with them;” and asked them to come up with an appropriate plan to decrease the number of Israelites. The people then came up with the plan to subjugate the people of Israel by forcing them to build and through hard labor. Even though Pharaoh instigated the discussion, it was the Egyptians who actually came up with the plan. This servitude was to be constant so that it depleted their strength and they would be unable to cohabit with their wives; in that way the Israelites would decrease in number. We also learn that Egyptians forced the Israelites to work day and night (for the same reason). The Torah suggests that it was the Egyptians who enslaved Israel. The Torah says, vayseemu otam saray missim, “They placed upon them task masters. ” and not vaysaym, “He placed upon them,” implying that it was the Egyptians and not just Pharaoh who subjugated the Israelites. The idea of enslaving the Israelites belonged to the entire Egyptian people.