The battle in Egypt was not a political battle over tyranny but a spiritual battle over the destiny, nitzotzot, Divine sparks, that had fallen there at the time of creation. Pharaoh understood that Israel’s liberation would result only when the sparks had been redeemed. It was necessary, therefore to oppress the Israelites both body and soul to trap the divine sparks in Egypt. As long as the Israelites worshipped false gods they would be unworthy of redemption and the divine presence would remain in exile with them. Avodah kashah, was taken to mean not only hard labor but the worship of false gods. It was only when Israel completed the allotted years of exile or through mitzvot that made them worthy of redemption that Israelthat the sparks would be freed from Egypt. They placed hard labor (avodah) upon us: The Midrash⁷⁴ explains that Israel refused to listen to Moses because of “shortness of spirit,”⁷⁵ to mean that they could not separate themselves from idolatry.⁷⁶ means both slavery and worship. The Egyptians forced the Israelites to not only serve them but to serve their gods as well. Initially the expression avodah kashah, hard labor, would seem to refer to physical labor. Pharaoh increases Israel’s labor in response to Moses” first request to allow the Israelites to worship their God. So why does the Midrash conclude that avodah kashah refers to idolatry? The subjugation of the Israelites in Egypt was both physical and spiritual as we see in a number of places. When Moses complains to God, he says “Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has dealt worse with this people; and you have not delivered Your people.”⁷⁷ “Dealt ill” refers to their souls and “not delivered” refers to their bodies. Similarly, when the people tell Moses, “May the Adonai look upon you and punish you for making us loathsome to Pharaoh and his courtiers – putting a sword in their hands to slay us,” “making us loathsome” is connected to their spiritual wellbeing (and connected to the expression “shortness of spirit”).⁷⁸ By increasing their labors Pharaoh made it hard for them to separate themselves from idolatry as well. Furthermore, Pharaoh was particularly hard on the young children because he knew that as long as they could not leave Egypt, neither could the Shekhinah, the Divine Presence. We see this in the following verse: “May the Lord be with you the same as I mean to be with you! Clearly you are bent on mischief. NO! Your men folk may go (and not the children) and worship the Lord⁷⁹.” Pharaoh wished to prevent the Shekhinah from leaving Egypt and so he refuse to allow the youngsters from going with Moses and the people to worship. Pharaoh was also aware of the prophecy to Abraham, “And they shall return here in the fourth generation;⁸⁰” he also knew that Abraham’s descendant’s sojourn in Egypt was supposed to last 400 years. He was afraid that since the children were the “fourth generation,” Moses was really planning to return to the land of Canaan. Having completed the allotted years, however, did not guarantee redemption; Israel could only be redeemed though an act of repentance. Rather it was through acts of charity as well as the severity of their suffering that Israel became worthy of redemption. Israel’s redemption then was dependent on two things that were difficult for them: repentance on their part and bearing the suffering of slavery.

footnotes: ⁷⁴ The Hafla’ah quotes this statement in the name of Rashi which does not appear to be correct. ⁷⁵ Exodus 6:9 ⁷⁶ Exodus Rabbah 6:6; the word avodah ⁷⁷ Exodus 5:23 ⁷⁸ The second half of the verse then is a reference to Israel’s physical wellbeing, “Putting a sword in their hands.” ⁷⁹ Exodus 10:10 ⁸⁰ Genesis 15:16