Pharaoh and the Egyptians were taking a beating. Plague after plague befell them, robbing them of their comfort, sanity, much of their property and their sense of security. The plagues served the dual purpose of breaking the Egyptians to the point that they would agree to release the Israelites from slavery and to strengthen the faith of the Israelites in G-d’s power in creation.
By the time Moses warned Pharaoh of plague number eight, his ministers and advisers had had enough and they convinced Pharaoh to negotiate. Pharaoh opened with the following question: Who will be joining you on this three-day journey to the desert to sacrifice to G-d? Moses responded: We will go with our young people, the elders, our sons, our daughters, the sheep and cattle.
Pharaoh refused to permit the youngsters to attend. Adults offer sacrifices. Children have no place at such events. Moses refused and that round of negotiations fell apart. In fact, Pharaoh was furious with Moses and he banished him from his presence.
On the surface, Pharaoh’s obstinance seems quite strange. Egypt was falling apart and he desperately needed to preserve what remained by staving off another devastating plague. Was control over a group of children joining their parents in the desert for a three-day service worth risking the well-being of the country?
For close to a century Pharaoh had been searching for the Final Solution to the Jewish Problem. Eighty years prior, he decreed all male babies be killed, forcing the girls to assimilate into Egyptian society. His plan failed and now one of the survivors of that plot was poised to redeem the Israelites from his servitude.
There was one last chance at success: Creating a culture that views prayer and religious participation exclusively for old timers and children stay away. If only retirees join the ceremonies Moses had in mind, the Jewish future would be doomed. Moses torpedoed his efforts by insisting on taking the children, dashing his hopes of cleansing the world of the family of Abraham.
This message resonates today more than ever. It is imperative to involve the youth in every aspect of Jewish life: Prayer, philanthropy, study, celebration and organization. Fusing the wisdom of the elderly and the energy of the young will ensure the eternity of our nation.