Don’t Rejoice at Your Enemies’ Suffering

We have diminished our cups of wine by ten drops at the mention of each of the plagues, lessening our joy at liberation to recall the humanity of all of God’s creatures, including the Egyptians who drowned.

"The natural response to suffering would seem to be revenge towards the oppressor, but the Torah instructs us to do just the opposite: to love and care for the stranger. We are even cautioned against hating the Egyptians. “It’s counterintuitive,” notes Rabbi Jill Jacobs, executive director of Rabbis for Human Rights - North America. “Instead, we are told, ‘You know how it feels, so don’t do it to others.’ The Jewish response is to take care of the most vulnerable among us.”

On a practical and personal level, how do we relate to those from whom we ourselves are being liberated?   An answer comes from Lisa Goldstein, executive director of The Institute for Jewish Spirituality.  "The Israelites left Egypt physically, but today, it’s much harder to completely separate from what has held us back. Learning to balance when we need more accountability, strength and separation, and when we need more softening and acceptance of imperfection, will help us move forward in more healthy and wholesome ways," she says.

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haggadah Section: -- Ten Plagues