Pharaoh, Power, and the Roots of Antisemitism
Watch a conversation exploring the biblical Pharaoh and the enduring patterns of antisemitism in the modern world. Saturday, January 24, (6 Shevat) at NOON ET on Zoom This Shabbat, as we read Parashat Bo, we reach the culmination of the Ten Plagues and the final confrontation between Pharaoh and the Israelites.
The Torah repeatedly emphasizes the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart. A reminder of how difficult it is to let go of destructive habits, entrenched fears, and corrupt uses of power.
With antisemitism once again on the rise, and synagogues increasingly targeted, we can trace the earliest expressions of this hatred back to ancient Egypt. Pharaoh is the first ruler to refer to the Israelites as a nation. But precisely because he recognizes them as such, he feels threatened.
From that fear emerges a calculated process of dehumanization, scapegoating, and ultimately a genocidal impulse for a “final solution.” We will explore how this Biblical pattern repeats itself across history, and how modern antisemitism follows the same familiar steps.
The Torah’s account is not only a story of the past, but a warning and a guide for understanding the present.
Rabbi Gadi Capela