By Rabbi Moshe Pogrow
From the beginning of Jewish history, Egypt was a land of refuge for the people of Eretz Yisrael. Avraham went to Egypt to escape famine. Yitzchak was about to go there for the same reason, and was kept from doing so only by a command from G-d. The shevatim travel to Egypt repeatedly to buy food.
The natural richness of Egyptian soil gave it an advantage over other lands, and those lands—particularly Eretz Yisrael—became dependent on it.
This is the meaning of lo sosifun lashuv b’derech hazeh od: Do not go from Eretz Yisrael to Egypt as you did in the past, to get things that your nation needs but your own land does not have. Do not become dependent on Egypt.
A Jewish king who glories in building up a mighty military commits two sins. He sins directly, because his true calling is elsewhere, and he sins indirectly, by making his people dependent on Egypt, the supplier of battle horses. If Egypt does not sell him the horses, there will be no mounted troops—so he is forced to stay friendly with it. And so, along with Egyptian horses, Egyptian views are introduced to Israel.
The tochacha describes the misery that lies in store for the Jewish people if, while living in the land given to it for a mission, it should violate that mission. The picture concludes with a portrayal of utter forsakenness and despair: v’heshivcha Hashem Mitzrayim ba’aniyos, baderech asher amarti lecha “lo sosif od lirosah,” v’hismakartem sham l’oyvecha la’avadim v’lashefachos—v’ein koneh. G-d will make them travel to Egypt by ship, as a last refuge in order to survive, to offer themselves for sale as slaves—but there will be no buyers.
Had they been worthy, they would have lived contentedly in their land, independent, and would never have looked to Egypt for any of their needs. But since they were not, their own land will cease to support them. They will find themselves in such misery that the slavery of Egypt will begin to seem attractive. Centuries after G-d rescued them from servitude, they will offer themselves voluntarily!
Thus, the Torah prohibits going to Egypt in times when such travel attests to dependence on it.
As long as the Jewish state existed in Eretz Yisrael, emigration from there to Egypt was strictly prohibited. The settlement of Jews in Alexandria in the time of the Second Temple was in clear violation.
But with the downfall of the Jewish state, it was permissible for Jewish exiles to return to Egypt, and over the centuries many Jewish communities passed through Egypt and settled there.
Based on the commentary of Rav Shamshon Raphael Hirsch zt”l on Chumash, with permission from the publisher.
