Plague of Locusts, Jan Luyken (Dutch artist), 1703
(28) My soul weeps with a great heaviness; help me stand up, in accordance with your word. (my translation)
I recall sitting at Seder tables as a girl (many decades ago), as the Ten Plagues were recounted, wondering if there had been any little girls in Biblical Egypt, and if everything in their homes had been destroyed.
When I was very little, I once had a boil on my body, just one; I remembered how much it had hurt. Why had God sent boils all over the bodies of all of the little girls and everyone in Egypt?
Slightly older, I remember thinking: since it was Pharaoh whose decisions affected the Hebrews, why was everyone in Egypt affected by the plagues?
I remember wondering why the little Egyptian boys needed to be killed. What had they done?
Decades later, I still have these questions, which repeatedly and persistently arise, challenging me and inviting me to deeply consider ... so many things. I invite you to join me in this exploration.
As an educated adult, I have studied, and participate in the application of, ethics. (I am a member of the Ethics Committee and Ethics Consult Service of the county hospital here in San Francisco, where I live and work as a physician.) And studying the early Torah portions in the Book of Exodus, this year, 2025 / 5785, these questions about collective punishment are very much in the forefront of my attention.
{Please see my recent Sefaria sheet exploring collective punishment and Abraham's argument with God about God's plan to destroy Sodom:
"Vayera 5785 Abraham and Collective Punishment, The innocent along with the guilty"
https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/603263?lang=bi
Another domain of inquiry arises for me as I study Parashat Bo this year. In the course of my decades of work as a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, I am familiar with the phenomenon of "identification with the aggressor". This is a coping mechanism that occurs in situations of prolonged trauma and abuse. Identification with the aggressor is usually considered in the context of dyadic relationships. Today, I am interested in exploring the relevance of this phenomenon on a community level.
Identification with the aggressor is a psychoanalytic idea, describing a defense mechanism in which a victim of prolonged trauma or abuse assumes the role of the aggressor, enacting the aggressive behaviors of the aggressor. The concept was first introduced by Sándor Ferenczi (1873-1933), a Jewish Hungarian psychoanalyst who was a close associate of Freud's, in 1932.
This notion is generally applied in individual / personal situations; here, I am suggesting that we consider its applicability on a civic / collective scale. Can communities manifest this phenomenon? in other words, a group previously traumatized which goes on to act in a traumatizing way towards other communities?
Let's study some verses from Parashat Bo through the filter of identification with the aggressor, as well as considerations of collective punishment. The Hebrews are being oppressed in Egypt by Pharaoh's policies; God wreaks violent and traumatizing plagues on the entirety of the Egyptian people.
There are complex intertwining layers of aggression here: Pharaoh is oppressive toward the Hebrews; the God of the Hebrews enacts traumatizing and violent acts towards the entirety of the Egyptian people.
(ד) כִּ֛י אִם־מָאֵ֥ן אַתָּ֖ה לְשַׁלֵּ֣חַ אֶת־עַמִּ֑י הִנְנִ֨י מֵבִ֥יא מָחָ֛ר אַרְבֶּ֖ה בִּגְבֻלֶֽךָ׃ (ה) וְכִסָּה֙ אֶת־עֵ֣ין הָאָ֔רֶץ וְלֹ֥א יוּכַ֖ל לִרְאֹ֣ת אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְאָכַ֣ל ׀ אֶת־יֶ֣תֶר הַפְּלֵטָ֗ה הַנִּשְׁאֶ֤רֶת לָכֶם֙ מִן־הַבָּרָ֔ד וְאָכַל֙ אֶת־כׇּל־הָעֵ֔ץ הַצֹּמֵ֥חַ לָכֶ֖ם מִן־הַשָּׂדֶֽה׃ (ו) וּמָלְא֨וּ בָתֶּ֜יךָ וּבָתֵּ֣י כׇל־עֲבָדֶ֘יךָ֮ וּבָתֵּ֣י כׇל־מִצְרַ֒יִם֒ אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־רָא֤וּ אֲבֹתֶ֙יךָ֙ וַאֲב֣וֹת אֲבֹתֶ֔יךָ מִיּ֗וֹם הֱיוֹתָם֙ עַל־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה עַ֖ד הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה... ׃
(4) For if you refuse to let My people go, tomorrow I will bring will bring locusts [note that in the Hebrew this is a singular noun - a swarm of locusts] on your territory. (5) They shall cover [note that in the Hebrew this is a singular, not a plural, form of the verb - ie the swarm {a singular collective entity} is the subject here] the surface of the land, so that no one will be able to see the land. They shall devour [again, in the singular form in Hebrew] the surviving remnant that was left to you after the hail; and they shall eat away all your trees that grow in the field. (6) Moreover, your palaces and the houses of all your courtiers and of all the Egyptians will be filled —something that neither your fathers nor fathers’ fathers have seen from the day they appeared on earth to this day.’”...
Have you ever wondered why the word for "locusts" in the above verses is in the singular?
אַרְבֶּ֖ה (arbeh) (a singular noun) translated as "locusts" [plural] and immediately following, the verb for their action of "covering the earth" - וְכִסָּה֙ (v'kisah) - translated as "they shall cover..." is actually in the singular form.
אַרְבֶּ֖ה (arbeh) (a singular noun) comes from the verbal root √רבה (rabah) - to be many. This is a familiar word in Biblical Hebrew. To enlarge, to multiply.
So, the words for "locusts" - אַרְבֶּה (arbeh) - is a collective noun: that is, a singular noun that denotes a group of individuals.
A swarm of locusts, a singular entity, acting in a blindly destructive manner, seeming to share a common purpose.
Today is marks one week since Donald Trump was inaugurated. One of his first acts was to pardon close to the entirety of those who were charged or convicted of actions on 6 January 2021. Those actions could be seen as actions of a mob, which resulted in many different types of destruction.
Swarms, mobs... a group of individuals that is drawn together to act in a unitary, if in some ways unconscious, manner.
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/06/14/876002404/locusts-are-a-plague-of-biblical-scope-in-2020-why-and-what-are-they-exactly
(יד) וַיַּ֣עַל הָֽאַרְבֶּ֗ה עַ֚ל כׇּל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיָּ֕נַח בְּכֹ֖ל גְּב֣וּל מִצְרָ֑יִם כָּבֵ֣ד מְאֹ֔ד לְ֠פָנָ֠יו לֹא־הָ֨יָה כֵ֤ן אַרְבֶּה֙ כָּמֹ֔הוּ וְאַחֲרָ֖יו לֹ֥א יִֽהְיֶה־כֵּֽן׃ (טו) וַיְכַ֞ס אֶת־עֵ֣ין כׇּל־הָאָ֘רֶץ֮ וַתֶּחְשַׁ֣ךְ הָאָ֒רֶץ֒ וַיֹּ֜אכַל אֶת־כׇּל־עֵ֣שֶׂב הָאָ֗רֶץ וְאֵת֙ כׇּל־פְּרִ֣י הָעֵ֔ץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הוֹתִ֖יר הַבָּרָ֑ד וְלֹא־נוֹתַ֨ר כׇּל־יֶ֧רֶק בָּעֵ֛ץ וּבְעֵ֥שֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה בְּכׇל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(14) Locusts invaded all the land of Egypt and settled within all the territory of Egypt in a thick mass; never before had there been so many, nor will there ever be so many again. (15) They hid all the land from view, and the land was darkened; and they ate up all the grasses of the field and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left, so that nothing green was left, of tree or grass of the field, in all the land of Egypt.
A field in Punjab, before and after a locust attack, 27 May 2020.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1559378
There are complex intertwining layers of aggression here: Pharaoh is oppressive toward the Hebrews; the God of the Hebrews enacts traumatizing and violent acts towards the entirety of the Egyptian people.
Most often, when we are in the grips of identifying with the aggressor, we are not aware of it; it is an unconscious phenomenon. Past experiences of trauma have resulted in internal mental structures that allow us - even, encourage us - to act cruelly, violently, destructively, toward others, in a tragic reenactment of traumas that have been inflicted on us. We are likely not aware of the historic roots of the aggressive acts that we perpetuate today.
There are many threads of violence and aggression in the Jewish origin story. And in Jewish history, many threads of violence experienced by Jews, and - if we are clear-eyed and honest with ourselves - perpetrated by Jews as well.
A recent courageous sermon by an Episcopalian bishop is ringing in my ears and in my heart as I write these words on Sunday 26 January 2025 and Monday 27 January 2025. Days ago, at the National Prayer Service in the Washington National Cathedral, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde preached about mercy and kindness, and directly besought the very recently inaugurated President Trump to be merciful.
Is our leader a new Pharaoh? The recently-inaugurated US President seems intent on being autocratic; deportations, threatened deportations, an intensification of bellicose rhetoric and promised bellicose actions at home and abroad; abrogation of many policies.
Americans think of themselves as liberators. Can it happen that people liberated from oppression become oppressors?
Similarly nearly a week ago a "fragile ceasefire" seems to have gone into effect between the State of Israel and Hamas. However, simultaneously, the State of Israel has commenced an intensification of its military actions in the West Bank, and violence continues in Gaza.
Tens of thousands of Palestinians are attempting to return to their homes in Gaza and finding that there is nothing left.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-770199
Less than 48 hours ago, as of this writing, "President Trump [aboard Air Force One] said he told King Abdullah II of Jordan during a phone call that he would like Jordan to take in more Palestinians from Gaza. 'You’re talking about probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing,' Trump told reporters of Gaza. 'I don’t know. Something has to happen, but it’s literally a demolition site right now.' He added he would also like Egypt to take in more Palestinians and will speak to President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi Sunday." (emphasis added)
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01/25/us/trump-administration-news#trump-palestinians-jordan-egypt-refugees
(כא) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ה׳ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה נְטֵ֤ה יָֽדְךָ֙ עַל־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וִ֥יהִי חֹ֖שֶׁךְ עַל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְיָמֵ֖שׁ חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃ (כב) וַיֵּ֥ט מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶת־יָד֖וֹ עַל־הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וַיְהִ֧י חֹֽשֶׁךְ־אֲפֵלָ֛ה בְּכׇל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת יָמִֽים׃ (כג) לֹֽא־רָא֞וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־אָחִ֗יו וְלֹא־קָ֛מוּ אִ֥ישׁ מִתַּחְתָּ֖יו שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֑ים וּֽלְכׇל־בְּנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל הָ֥יָה א֖וֹר בְּמוֹשְׁבֹתָֽם׃
(21) Then ה׳ said to Moses, “Hold out your arm toward the sky that there may be darkness upon the land of Egypt, a darkness that can be touched.” (22) Moses held out his arm toward the sky and thick darkness descended upon all the land of Egypt for three days. (23) People could not see one another, and for three days no one could move about; but all the Israelites enjoyed light in their dwellings.
Today is the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. Today there are violent and traumatizing conflicts occurring in nearly all corners of the world. I suggest that we are deceiving ourselves if we think it is possible that a plague such as darkness that cannot be touched could selectively impact some, but not others. How can there be light in our houses when we have caused such darkness to others?
Surely, plagues continue.
How can we as educated and literate Jews cultivate clarity of mind about collective violence and collective punishment?
More than two hundred years ago, Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, in commentary on Parashat Bo:
And this is: Moshe [and Aharon] went to Pharaoh… tomorrow I will bring locusts into your borders—“Tomorrow” is the aspect of the Future, because “tomorrow is for receiving [their] reward” (Eruvin 22a), the aspect of “Tomorrow, my righteousness will bear witness for me” (Genesis 30:33)—i.e., the aspect of receiving reward in the Future. Then, they will understand the aspect of the Vacated Space produced by the contraction: how it is possible that in fact there is Godliness there and even so it is the Vacated Space, as explained above. This in itself is the receiving of reward, since the main receiving of reward in the Future is their comprehending deeply and understanding that which was impossible for them to understand in this world.
In this teaching from Rabbi Nachman, I see an invitation - and a warning - to consider the consequentiality of our actions. We can strive to comprehend and understand.
(ד) וְשָׁפַט֙ בֵּ֣ין הַגּוֹיִ֔ם וְהוֹכִ֖יחַ לְעַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וְכִתְּת֨וּ חַרְבוֹתָ֜ם לְאִתִּ֗ים וַחֲנִיתֽוֹתֵיהֶם֙ לְמַזְמֵר֔וֹת לֹא־יִשָּׂ֨א ג֤וֹי אֶל־גּוֹי֙ חֶ֔רֶב וְלֹֽא־יִלְמְד֥וּ ע֖וֹד מִלְחָמָֽה׃ {פ}
(ה) בֵּ֖ית יַעֲקֹ֑ב לְכ֥וּ וְנֵלְכָ֖ה בְּא֥וֹר ה׳׃
(4) Thus [God] will judge among the nations and arbitrate for the many peoples,
And they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks:
Nation shall not take up sword against nation; they shall never again know war.
(5) O House of Jacob! Come, let us walk by the light of God.
We need not be in darkness. Let us walk by the light of God.