I keep promising that I'll do more of this...here's some thoughts on this week's parsha, Bo.

Perhaps it comes from watching The Ten Commandments too many times, but I always thought that when Moses said, "Let my people go", he was speaking on his own behalf. Apparently, this is not the case. The follwing is from Exodus 10:3 -

So Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh and said to him, "So said the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, and they will worship Me.

I realize that G-d promised Moses that He would tell him what to say when he confronted the Egyptians, but I didn't realize that Moses was speaking as if he were G-d himself. When he says "My people" it's with a capital "M".

Another very important concept of Jewish law is found in Exodus 12:49 -

There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who resides in your midst.

Of course, simple human nature and the backdrop of war prevents a utopia in Israel today where everyone under Jewish rule is treated fairly. However, there is no concept like dhimmi in Judaism, nor as far as I know has a non-Jewish population ever been forced to live in a ghetto or wear different clothing as has been done with Jews in Christian cultures. No one should be looked upon as inferior simply becuase of their religion or race. After all, just like all Americans are immigrants (even the Native Americans came from other continents), all Jews are descended from converts, as will be the Moshiach who is supposed to be descended from Ruth.