Parshas Shemos
Selective Memory
The Torah in this week’s parsha informs us that there "arose a new king –
a Pharaoh that knew not of Yosef." The Talmud advances two opinions as to
who this new king was. One opinion is that he was truly a new king, who
out of ignorance and prejudice knew not of Yosef and how he saved Egypt in
its darkest days of famine and depression. The other opinion advanced
there in the Talmud is that it was the same old Pharaoh that had been
blessed by Yaakov and saved by Yosef but that now he chose not to remember
Yosef and his past grand achievements. Rashi here in this parsha quotes
both opinions of the Talmud. This second opinion implies somehow that this
Pharaoh must have lived a very long life since the enslavement of the Jews
by the Egyptians did not begin until well over a century after the death
of Yosef and his brothers. It is therefore reasonable to see in these
seemingly contradictory opinions of the Talmud a lesson and perspective on
Jewish history and current events. The two opinions are in reality but two
sides of the same coin – the coin of ingratitude, hatred of the "other"
and selective historical memory. The new Pharaoh and the old Pharaoh are
really the same type of historical tyrant and hater. And they are both to
be considered very dangerous to Jewish survival and to civilization
generally. And in every generation they arise once again to threaten us
and all of humanity.
There are those who are truly ignorant of the contributions of the Jewish
people to the general welfare of humanity and civilization. Inundated with
false indoctrinations and malicious conspiracy theories, overwhelmed by
religious or secular fanaticism, seeking instant utopia whose pursuit
justifies the most murderous means imaginable, this new king knows not
Yosef and also sees the Jews as a mortal threat. The new king in the past
century was mainly represented by the Communist movement, by the Soviet
Union. The poison of anti-Semitism which the Soviet Union disseminated
throughout the world has survived the fall of that evil empire itself. It
haunts us to this very day. But there was also the old king who knew not
Yosef. Jewish contributions to the development of Wilhelminian Germany and
to the Weimar republic were purposely forgotten by the German people in
World War II. The twelve thousand Jews who died in World War I fighting
for German victory were willfully expunged from the German mindset. The
old king was ungrateful and immoral. The contributions of the Jews to
Moslem society have been great and long-lasting. Yet, the old kings and
the new kings that govern much of that society today choose to forget and
not know and now demand the extinction of the Jewish state and people. The
narrative of Shemot repeats itself today in Europe and Africa and here in
the Middle East. The world needs a good lesson of teaching in the parsha
of Shemot. So too do the Jewish people. It will make us wiser and more
realistic about our present and future course as a people and as a country.
Shabat Shalom
Rabbi Berel Wein
Text Copyright © 2006 by Rabbi Berel Wein and Torah.org
Visit www.rabbiwein.com for a complete selection of Rabbi Wein's books and tapes.
