After experiencing 10 devastating makkot, Pharaoh finally sent Bnei Yisrael out of Mitzrayim. The midrash illustrates Pharaoh’s reaction after sending them out with a parable: A person found a bundle of pearls, but he did not realize that they were actually pearls. The finder sought to give them away and insisted to a passerby that he take them from him. The passerby took them, and when he reached civilization he got to work, making the pearls fit for jewelry, and then putting them up for sale.
Later on, the original finder of the bundle pearls entered that city and saw that the man whom he had given the bundle to was selling it, and that the bundle actually consisted of pearls, They were now being sold for a fortune. He tore his garments and exclaimed, “All this wealth was in my hand, and I let it go for free! Woe is to that man (i.e., himself) who let such [wealth] go!”
This was the case with Pharoah. The bundle of pearls are a reference to Bnei Yisrael who were in Pharaoh’s possession. And much like the finder of the pearls eagerly wished to discard the pearls (thus urging someone to take them from him), we find a parallel with Pharaoh who shouted at Bnei Yisrael to leave Mitzrayim, as he said, “Rise up, go out from among my people …!” Yet, after sending out Bnei Yisrael, and Moshe counted them, Pharaoh began to cry out, “Woe!” (see Shemot Rabbah 20:9).
From this comparison that the midrash relates, it seems to emerge that the same way the original finder of the pearls experienced sorrow upon realizing what he had lost, so did Pharaoh. At first glance however, the comparison might not seem completely parallel, for regarding the finder of the pearls, since he could have theoretically kept the pearls for himself, when he later learned of their great worth, it’s understandable why he was sorrowful that he had willingly and hastily given them away. However, in Pharaoh’s case, Pharoah ideally did not want to send out Bnei Yisrael, and in fact, it took quite a while until he was essentially forced to send them out of Mitzrayim due to the rampant destruction caused by the makkot! So why did Pharaoh seemingly experience sorrow over losing Bnei Yisrael if the decision to send them out was essentially taken under compulsion?
Rav Mordechai Druk quotes Rav Zevulun Groz who seems to explain that Pharaoh did not experience anguish and sorrow over the decision to send out Bnei Yisrael. Rather, the midrash means to teach us that, originally, Pharaoh never understood the tremendous value and potential of Bnei Yisrael. However, when Pharaoh told Bnei Yisrael to leave Mitzrayim, he saw them leaving gathered together, in a way that reflected how dignified and lofty of a people they were, and only then did Pharaoh realize their great worth and potential. Upon this new recognition of the true identity of Bnei Yisrael that he had failed to realize the entire time he had possession of them, Pharaoh was grief-stricken, realizing the following: He had had possession of a wise and intelligent nation, which he could have used for much more valuable purposes bringing more benefit to his country. With the skills, talents, and wisdom of Bnei Yisrael, they could have developed his country by introducing various inventions; and providing new ideas and sources of knowledge and wisdom. Essentially, Pharaoh realized he had held onto valuable “pearls,” yet, he failed to appreciate their worth and utilize them advantageously (see Drash Mordechai, Beshalach).
Based on this, to some degree, Pharoah perhaps reveals to us the human nature of truly appreciating something only when one no longer has it, for only once Bnei Yisrael left his control, did he then seemingly appreciate their value and worth. Thus, this can perhaps teach us the benefit of appreciating what we have while we have it, for by recognizing the value and worth in all the blessings and good we have, we might then gain the maximum enjoyment from them.
Additionally, Pharaoh did not seize the opportunity and utilize the “potential” he had—i.e., Bnei Yisrael—for things that could have brought vastly greater benefits and enhancements to his country; he squandered that potential by gearing it towards something of much less worth. Thus, this can perhaps teach us to strive to grab opportunities for growth, and to utilize our abilities to the fullest, instead of using and channeling them towards accomplishments of much less meaning and benefit.
We may be endowed with unique abilities, talents, skills, wisdom, etc, that can be used to benefit and enhance ourselves, others and the world. Yet, to fully utilize and actualize the potential we are gifted with hinges on the necessity to recognize and appreciate that potential. Indeed, the implication from Pharoah perhaps is that if he would have originally recognized and appreciated the worth and potential of the Jews, then he would have in fact used them for things that would have brought far more benefit and growth to his country.
Hence, if we would be cognizant of and truly appreciate the blessings and abilities we have, this may enable us to take advantage of all the good we have, to seize the opportunities for growth that come our way, and ultimately, actualize our potential for greatness.
Binyamin is a graduate of Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yitzchak Elchanan, and Wurzweiler School of Social Work.
