The lopsided hostage deal is a terrible shame. A more appropriate way of ending this captivity would be for our enemies to admit, as Pharaoh did in Mitzrayim, that he and his nation were wicked. Also, recall that Moshe told Pharaoh to pay for his crimes: “You will even give us livestock to schecht to Hashem.”

The terrorists should be forced to admit their evil instead of declaring their victory. They should also have to pay the costs of war they inflicted on the Jews.

Even so, I am hopeful that the new Trump presidency will bring peace to the world, just as his first term did, and that the many wars and aggressions that the Biden administration brought to the world will dissipate.

Rabbi Eli Reit
Lakewood