Parsha Bo: A Study in Cause and Effect

Our Torah portion this week, Bo, Shemot(Exodus) 10:1 - 13:16, recounts the final three devastating plagues inflicted on Egypt. God personally orchestrates the 10th plague at the stroke of midnight, the death of every first born Egyptian person and every first born Egyptian owned animal. After this unimaginable debacle, Pharaoh recognizes an Authority greater than his and releases the Hebrews from bondage.

Reading this account of the purposeful slaughter of the Egyptian firstborn by God Himself, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, how can we designate Judaism as the Original Pro-Life Religion? If this designation is accurate, how can the God of the Jews heartlessly end the life of so many people and animals?

The designation as the Original Pro-Life Religion arises from the historic significance that Judaism was the first religion in human history to sanctify human life from conception and to prohibit child sacrifice. However, the spiritual law of cause and effect applies to subsequent events catalogued in the Bible. We read that God delivers the fatal blow, however, Pharoah starts the event into motion when he enslaves the Hebrews into harsh and merciless forced labor and orders the murder of all Hebrew male infants and the sex enslavement of all Hebrew female infants. The animals perish because the Egyptians worship them. Government sanctioned idolatry, torture and murder cause the ruin of the kingdom of Egypt.

References to the spiritual principle of cause and effect appear in Bamidbar (Numbers) 32:23, "But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out." and Kohelet(Ecclesiastes) 8:11-13, "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God."

The spiritual law of cause and effect can only be circumvented by God's mercy bestowed on the sincerely repentant. The reality of the life saving miracle of God's forgiveness appears in Jeremiah 3:22, “Turn back, unfaithful people and I’ll heal your unfaithfulness.” and in 2 Chronicles 7:14, "when my people humble themselves—the ones who are called by my name—and pray, seek me, and turn away from their evil practices, I myself will listen from heaven, I will pardon their sins, and I will restore their land."

The spiritual law of cause and effect applies to current events, too. Self reflection within a God consciousness reveals truths about how we cause our own problems. We need not continue blaming God and others for catastrophic events that we ourselves set in motion. Each of us can experience healing salvation and recompense when we acknowledge and renounce our assault against Divinely inspired laws. When achieved on a government level, national ruin can be averted. May we set this outcome in motion!

Cecily Routman

May there be abundant peace from Heaven, and good life upon us and upon all Israel. Amen.