The Torah reading this week, and the broader theme of the Jews’ experiences leaving Egypt, provides insights into the modern world in some possibly unexpected ways.

One particularly notable point is one verse that is relevant in two contrasting directions: Exodus 12:22, addressing the night of the plague of the firstborn: “None of you shall go outside the door of your house until morning.”

One explanation of this is provided in the Talmud (Bava Kama 60a), in the name of Rav Yosef “Once permission is granted to the destroyer to kill, it does not distinguish between the righteous and the wicked.”

This difficult idea raises important questions regarding Divine morality: Does God actually endorse, and commit, an offensive that includes the unwarranted loss of innocents? This is surprising especially in light of Abraham’s argument regarding the destruction of Sedom (Gen. 18:25): “Far be it from You to do such a thing, to bring death upon the innocent as well as the guilty, so that innocent and guilty fare alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?” (see Torah Temimah to Gen.)

However, the two situations are not necessarily comparable. In Sedom, God planned on apparently punishing the innocent together with the guilty, prompting Abraham’s challenge. In Egypt, the concern was significantly different. The measure that needed to be taken against the Egyptians as a group was, by its nature, a blunt tool directed........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)