According to the Legends of the Jews, as retold by Ginzberg, it wasn't all doom and gloom. Even in the depths of oppression, the children of Israel held onto certain virtues, sparks of light that perhaps caught the Divine Eye.
What were these virtues? Well, for one thing, incest was a no-no. In a world where such things happened, the Israelites maintained a moral code. They also weren't evil-tongued. Think about that for a second. In a pressure cooker like slavery, gossip and slander could easily run rampant. But the Israelites, by and large, resisted that temptation.
And here’s a fascinating detail: They didn't change their names. This might seem minor, but names carry power. They're tied to identity, to heritage. By keeping their Hebrew names, they maintained a connection to their past, to their ancestors, to their covenant with God. They also clung to the Hebrew language. Even when surrounded by another culture, another tongue, they held onto lashon hakodesh, the holy language.
But perhaps the most compelling virtue was their sense of community. The Legends tell us that great fraternal affection prevailed among them. And here's the kicker: if one Israelite finished making their quota of bricks before their neighbor, they helped the others.
Imagine that for a moment. Enslaved, beaten down, forced to build monuments to their own oppression... and still, they helped each other. They could have rested, conserved their energy. But they chose to ease the burden of their fellow Israelites.
Why is this so significant? Because, as God says, "They deserve that I should have mercy upon them, for if a man shows mercy unto another, I have mercy upon him." It's a beautiful idea, isn't it? That our actions, our kindness, our compassion, can actually influence the Divine.
Mercy begets mercy.
It's a powerful reminder that even in the darkest of times, even when we feel powerless, our choices matter. Our capacity for empathy, for solidarity, can create ripples of positive change. Maybe, just maybe, those ripples can even reach the heavens.