Ezras Avoseinu #7: A Nation of Firstborns

כל בכוריהם הרגת

All their firstborn You slew,…

This week’s tefilah segment is based on Rav Schwab on Prayer as well as on his sefer Maayan Beis HaSho’eivah on Parshas Bo.

The concept of “בכור–b’chor (firstborn)” began with Adam HaRishon.  Adam, who was the b’chor of the world, brought the first korban, which was an ox, which was a b’chor created during the Six Days of Creation (Gemara, Avodah Zarah 8).  Later in history, in the generation of Enosh, the b’chorim began serving idols and became the leaders in serving them.  The Egyptian b’chorim, as well, were designated to serve their false gods.

The Torah, in Parshas Bo (Sh’mos 12:12) tells us that Hashem Himself smote the b’chorim and destroyed the false Egyptian gods.  The connection between the b’chorim and the false gods is that it was the b’chorim who were groomed to lead in serving their false gods.  Hashem Himself destroyed both at the same time, without any messengers, to demonstrate that He alone is G-d and there is no other (“Ani Hu v’lo acheir”).

When Hashem killed the Egyptian b’chorim, He “exchanged” them for his own nation, am Yisrael, who are called the firstborn of Hashem.  When Hashem first instructed Moshe Rabbeinu to go to Par’oh, Hashem told him to declare to Par’oh that the Jewish People are His firstborn, “B’ni b’chori Yisrael.”  This declaration is contained in Sh’mos 4:22-23:

וְאָמַרְתָּ, אֶל-פַּרְעֹה:  כֹּה אָמַר ה', בְּנִי בְכֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל.

You shall say to Pharaoh, “So said Hashem, ‘My firstborn son is Yisrael.

וָאֹמַר אֵלֶיךָ, שַׁלַּח אֶת-בְּנִי וְיַעַבְדֵנִי, וַתְּמָאֵן, לְשַׁלְּחוֹ--הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי הֹרֵג, אֶת-בִּנְךָ בְּכֹרֶךָ.

‘So I say to you, Send out my son that he may serve me – but you have refused to send him out; behold, I shall kill your firstborn son.’”

Hashem killed the b’chorim of Mitzrayim and “exchanged” them for us.  At that moment, we were given the mission to publicize and spread the worship of the One and Only G-d.  The sanctity of Jewish b’chorim and firstborn animals acts as a symbol of the status of the entire nation of klal Yisrael being Hashem’s b’chor.

“Rav Samson R. Hirsch explains that the role of a firstborn son is that of a leader.  He is to set the example for the other children to follow.  Similarly, the Jewish nation is called “B’ni b’chori Yisrael” because they were the first people to recognize the existence of HaKadosh Baruch Hu.  Eventually, b’acharis ha’yamim, all of humanity will follow their lead and recognize and worship the One and Only G-d, HaKadosh Baruch Hu.  This is also the focus of the tefilah of על כן נקוה לך–Al Kein N’kaveh L’cha, in which we pray יכירו וידעו כל יושבי תבל–Yakiru v’yeid’u kol yoshvei seivel (All the world’s inhabitants will recognize and know).” [Rav Schwab on Prayer]

Integrating Mitzvos into Our Daily Lives

Others who want to spread their ideals and religious beliefs do so in a very different manner than do we, who were actually given the mission to spread knowledge of truth, i.e., Hashem is the One and Only G-d.  They publicly attempt, in any way they can, to persuade others to believe in their beliefs.  They take to the streets, subways, and airwaves, and utilize any other forms of media and publicity that they can.  They spend fortunes of money and time in their efforts.

If this is truly our mission, why aren’t we doing the same thing they are doing?

In fact, we behave in an opposite manner.  The Torah teaches us to act with modesty.  The Torah does not encourage us to go out and convert others.  To the contrary, when someone comes to us and wants to convert, we actually try to discourage him at first.  Why?  Isn’t all this contrary to our mission?

Most parents eventually learn the crucial lesson that children, for the most part, are not inspired to long-term growth by our Shabbos table drashos or by constantly telling them what is right and what is wrong and how they should be acting.  It is not the preaching, demanding, punishing, rewarding, or disciplining that inspires children and others to grow.  What ultimately inspires children is when they see parents living what they speak about.  When parents emulate Hashem’s midos, fulfilling the mitzvah of V’halachta Bi’Drachav, thereby modeling behavior that is befitting of Hashem’s firstborn nation – and do so with satisfaction and joy – then children, too, will wish to live that way.

A simple but unfortunate example sometimes occurs in shul.  One sees a father disciplining his son and reprimanding him about talking in shul.  When the parent is finished, he turns around to continue his conversation with his friend.  What will that child learn?  At best, we hope and pray that he learns nothing.

Our mission is to live Torah every day in every facet of our lives.  We do not believe in living one way in shul and another way in business.  Only by living Torah 24/7 can we fulfill our mission of spreading “Hashem Hu HaElokim” and “Hashem Echad” to those around us and to the world.  May we be zochehb’ezras Hashem, to do so.