Modern plagues and pharaoh.

This week's parsha, parshat va'eira, includes the first seven of the ten plagues intended as proof to Pharaoh that God and therefore the children of Israel are determined to escape the despicable conditions they face in Egypt. Moses approaches Pharaoh again and again requesting that he let the Israelites leave for a brief sojourn to sacrifice to their God in the desert. Each time, the request is denied (or permitted but then recanted once the plague subsides).

Moses sometimes makes entreaties to Pharaoh, but almost as often simply casts the plague onto the Egyptians and waits for the response Pharaoh will give. Each time, the response is the same: ויחזק ה׳ את-לב פרעה ולא שמע אלכם, and God hardened Pharaoh's heart and he did not hear them (Shemot 9:12). Even when pharaoh agrees out of fear to let the Israelites escape, he again becomes stubborn and another plague falls upon Egypt. 

Take in our 21st century world, one is easily reminded of the current situation with the refugees from Africa. After a recent court decision, the anti-migration bill, claimed that holding refugees in closed detention centers was illegal, the refugees were sent to an open detention center in Holot. They were faced with thrice daily check-ins and distinct curfews, meaning little to no opportunity to work. When the completely absurdity of the situation was brought to light in op-eds and other media, comments were made that at least they people had better living conditions; food, water, health care, shelter. My response: that isn't a life, it's being held in transit without a chance to progress. 

When a group of refugees left the prison to march to Jerusalem to get their case heard, many came out to support them. However, 48 hours later they were buses back to the detention center. The next time they tried to leave, they were stopped within hours.

Pharoah didn't just live thousands of years ago. It seems that the Israeli government is forgetting the plagues that still impacted us, and acting as a modern day pharoah, demanding the movement of bricks from point a to point b without purpose and inflicting on these refugees terror after terror. We must remember that although we were not inflicted with the plagues, they still exist. And that the plagues started from somewhere. They began with Pharaoh's despicable behavior. That in and of itself is a plague, even if it is not included in the ten we hear of so often.

We must not stand by and simply allow these modern day plagues to continue destroying the lives of innocent individuals, simply come to Israel for freedom from persecution. We, as concerned human beings must take a stand and support human rights, holding humanity to a universal standard, as demonstrated with the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We cannot wait for Israel to come around. We must not enslave people and be the incarnation of pharaoh we worked so hard to escape!