Of all the Ten Plagues, I find Darkness (Choshech) the most intriguing. After all, we experience darkness every night (or during our periodic power outages). So, while locusts or fiery hail or giant frogs may be quite shocking, what is all that terrifying about darkness?
There are two aspects to the Darkness we read about in our sedra that stand out. First, this was a palpable darkness one could actually feel. Chazal comment that the darkness had the thickness "of a dinar" (an ancient coin).
Second, it was during these three days of darkness, says Rashi, that the evil Jews who refused to leave Egypt perished. By being killed under the cover of darkness, the Egyptians would not see their demise and (falsely) conclude that this plague was a universal one, affecting the Jews as well.
It seems puzzling that Rashi would call the Jews who did not want to leave Egypt "evil." Foolish, yes. Stubborn, unseeing, faithless, yes. But evil?
Rabbi Simon Dolgin - may he have a refua shlema - remarks that there are some types of spiritual and intellectual darkness so thick they can actually be felt. Some individuals suffer from an inner darkness that it is palpable, pervasive and powerful. Think about it: Here is a people enslaved for generations, brutalized and tortured for decades, and yet they are so full of trepidation, so lacking in vision (or "light") that they are paralyzed into immobility.
Such behavior, says Rashi, is not just ignorant or self-destructive, it is downright evil! If you have the chance to follow Hashem, to liberate your soul, to reach Israel and perform the mitzvot as your ancestors did, and still you refuse - then you are not dumb; you are wicked. Quite a stern message.
Now, do you think only the Jews of long-ago Egypt suffered from this myopia? Well, think again.
Hashem has performed countless miracles in our own generation, allowing us to rebuild our homeland and return to Jerusalem. All the Jews who desire to leave the manifold countries of the Galut - most of which are now sending clear signals of anti-Semitism - have the chance to do so. But how many respond to G-d's call? And how many dwell in darkness with dinars - or dollars, to be more contemporary - over their eyes?
Rashi indicates that Hashem will harshly judge those who had the chance to bask in light and yet preferred to sit in the dark. But he will surely bless all those who overcome their "dark side," surmount their fear and apprehension, and finally, fearlessly, see the light.
There are two aspects to the Darkness we read about in our sedra that stand out. First, this was a palpable darkness one could actually feel. Chazal comment that the darkness had the thickness "of a dinar" (an ancient coin).
Second, it was during these three days of darkness, says Rashi, that the evil Jews who refused to leave Egypt perished. By being killed under the cover of darkness, the Egyptians would not see their demise and (falsely) conclude that this plague was a universal one, affecting the Jews as well.
It seems puzzling that Rashi would call the Jews who did not want to leave Egypt "evil." Foolish, yes. Stubborn, unseeing, faithless, yes. But evil?
Rabbi Simon Dolgin - may he have a refua shlema - remarks that there are some types of spiritual and intellectual darkness so thick they can actually be felt. Some individuals suffer from an inner darkness that it is palpable, pervasive and powerful. Think about it: Here is a people enslaved for generations, brutalized and tortured for decades, and yet they are so full of trepidation, so lacking in vision (or "light") that they are paralyzed into immobility.
Such behavior, says Rashi, is not just ignorant or self-destructive, it is downright evil! If you have the chance to follow Hashem, to liberate your soul, to reach Israel and perform the mitzvot as your ancestors did, and still you refuse - then you are not dumb; you are wicked. Quite a stern message.
Now, do you think only the Jews of long-ago Egypt suffered from this myopia? Well, think again.
Hashem has performed countless miracles in our own generation, allowing us to rebuild our homeland and return to Jerusalem. All the Jews who desire to leave the manifold countries of the Galut - most of which are now sending clear signals of anti-Semitism - have the chance to do so. But how many respond to G-d's call? And how many dwell in darkness with dinars - or dollars, to be more contemporary - over their eyes?
Rashi indicates that Hashem will harshly judge those who had the chance to bask in light and yet preferred to sit in the dark. But he will surely bless all those who overcome their "dark side," surmount their fear and apprehension, and finally, fearlessly, see the light.