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Why were the Jews punished in the later plagues when they kept Shabbos (שבת), Jewish names, language, and clothing? The shiur reveals that true assimilation is not external markers but internalizing secular values—when birthdays eclipse siyumim and sports dominate conversation. The final plagues targeted idolatry; 80% of Jews died because absorbing Egyptian culture made them "Egyptians" despite their observance.
Rabbi Zweig addresses a fundamental shift in the purpose of the plagues beginning with Parshas Bo. He opens with two textual difficulties: the Midrash states that both the frogs and the locusts served to define Egypt's borders, which seems redundant; and the Torah (תורה) introduces a new preamble before the eighth plague explaining the purpose of the makos, which should have appeared at the beginning. The core insight is that the first seven plagues were pressure tactics to force Pharaoh to release the Jews. From the eighth plague onward, the plagues became mishpat—punishment for the Egyptians' idolatry and wickedness. This categorical shift creates a fundamental problem: when God punishes idolaters, selective enforcement is unjust. The Midrash states "halo ovdei avodah zarah, halo ovdei avodah zarah"—these are idolaters (Egyptians) and these are idolaters (Jews). If punishment targets avodah zarah, Jews who absorbed Egyptian culture must also be punished.
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Parshas Bo
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