Anti-Semitism is not only senseless, but it is self-destructive, wreaking havoc not only upon its victims, but upon its perpetrators as well. Has any empire or nation ever benefited from persecuting its Jews? Expulsions and pogroms have only served to weaken those nations that enforced such heinous practices. They all have had their moments - Babylonia, Greece, Rome, Spain, Portugal, Russia, Germany, etc. They rise, they persecute and then they eventually fall.
The anti-Semites of the world are not only doomed to failure, but their policies will inevitably cause their own downfall. HaShem told Abram that He would bless those who bless them (the Jews) and curse those who curse them. (Genesis 12:3) That promise has been an immutable law of history. The anti-Semites should have learned from observing the events of history that the Jews will endure, but they don't get the message.
One can surmise that the paradigm of antagonism toward Israel, Pharaoh, should have learned from the devastation of the plagues that befell Egypt and realized that pursuing the Israelites at the Reed Sea was a futile act that would only bear disastrous results. But his heart was again hardened.
The Torah states, "And Moshe stretched out his hand over the sea, and HaShem caused the sea to go back with a strong east wind all that night, which made the sea become dry land and the waters were parted." (Exodus 14:21) The commentator Ramban explains that when seeing the strong winds against the waters of the sea, Pharaoh perceived it as the wind and not HaShem's Hand acting on behalf of the Israelites. Despite the remote possibility of the waters of the sea being separated by the wind as a natural occurrence, Pharaoh, with his hardened heart, reached this conclusion and surmised that the Israelites could be successfully attacked. He thought that the same G-d who performed the wonders and miracles that caused the Israelite exodus was somehow absent at that moment. This surely fueled his desire and that of his horsemen to pursue them.
Pharaoh had stubbornly chosen not to connect the events of the recent past with those transpiring at the Reed Sea, and he figured to himself that this time there would be no savior of the Jews, and that he would be indeed able to defeat them.
Throughout history, many anti-Semites followed the path of Pharaoh. They sought to destroy the Jews, knowing full well that many such prior attempts have failed. They no doubt were also aware of the Jews' longevity as an eternal people, and yet so many have sought to defy history. As Pharaoh, who saw his approach to the Reed Sea as his chance, these anti-Semites look at their predecessors who have failed and, with their hardened hearts, they think to themselves that somehow they are the ones who will succeed. In their maniacal scheming, they consider their goals attainable, but, as at the Reed Sea, their efforts will ultimately cause them and their adherents to fail and face the consequences of their own evil, unattainable designs. The waters of the Reed Sea remain a potent reminder of this.
The anti-Semites of the world are not only doomed to failure, but their policies will inevitably cause their own downfall. HaShem told Abram that He would bless those who bless them (the Jews) and curse those who curse them. (Genesis 12:3) That promise has been an immutable law of history. The anti-Semites should have learned from observing the events of history that the Jews will endure, but they don't get the message.
One can surmise that the paradigm of antagonism toward Israel, Pharaoh, should have learned from the devastation of the plagues that befell Egypt and realized that pursuing the Israelites at the Reed Sea was a futile act that would only bear disastrous results. But his heart was again hardened.
The Torah states, "And Moshe stretched out his hand over the sea, and HaShem caused the sea to go back with a strong east wind all that night, which made the sea become dry land and the waters were parted." (Exodus 14:21) The commentator Ramban explains that when seeing the strong winds against the waters of the sea, Pharaoh perceived it as the wind and not HaShem's Hand acting on behalf of the Israelites. Despite the remote possibility of the waters of the sea being separated by the wind as a natural occurrence, Pharaoh, with his hardened heart, reached this conclusion and surmised that the Israelites could be successfully attacked. He thought that the same G-d who performed the wonders and miracles that caused the Israelite exodus was somehow absent at that moment. This surely fueled his desire and that of his horsemen to pursue them.
Pharaoh had stubbornly chosen not to connect the events of the recent past with those transpiring at the Reed Sea, and he figured to himself that this time there would be no savior of the Jews, and that he would be indeed able to defeat them.
Throughout history, many anti-Semites followed the path of Pharaoh. They sought to destroy the Jews, knowing full well that many such prior attempts have failed. They no doubt were also aware of the Jews' longevity as an eternal people, and yet so many have sought to defy history. As Pharaoh, who saw his approach to the Reed Sea as his chance, these anti-Semites look at their predecessors who have failed and, with their hardened hearts, they think to themselves that somehow they are the ones who will succeed. In their maniacal scheming, they consider their goals attainable, but, as at the Reed Sea, their efforts will ultimately cause them and their adherents to fail and face the consequences of their own evil, unattainable designs. The waters of the Reed Sea remain a potent reminder of this.