Internet Comments and Slavery in Egypt 

Internet comments have become a hot topic. Some of the largest websites, such as Google and the Huffington Post, are toying with the idea of eliminating or minimizing Internet comments because of their often vile nature. Commenters often revert to stereotypes, racial and homophobic slurs and petty name calling. While comments help drive web traffic and keep readers on websites longer, they may be more trouble than their worth. Ironically, in the AP's story about this attempt to nix comments, the comments section is full of some of the very nasty comments websites are trying to expunge. Why have Internet comments become so vitriolic?  

At the end of Parshat Shemot, Moshe Rabbeinu and Aharon go to Paroah and demand he let the Jewish people free for a three-day journey. Paroah scoffs at them, and in response increases the burdens of his Jewish slaves. The Jewish people do not appreciate their efforts to free them, and instead blame Moshe and Aharon for their new hardship. They said:

The reaction of the Jewish people shows the frustration that comes with a lack of power and a lack of hope. When you don't see a way out and have lost hope that your life may improve, you simply try to make the best of a bad situation. Your goal isn't salvation, its survival. They figured Moshe and Aharon's attempts were futile, and only served to make their lives harder.  

Their approach was logical. Slaves don't get freed overnight. In the United States it took hundreds of years for slaves to turn into free men and women. In South Africa it took decades of persistence and sacrifice to end apartheid. Their frustration shows us the depth of their despair, and just how miraculous their salvation was.

Internet comments are often a voice of frustration. They are often the futile attempt to influence others' thinking, and the often anonymous comments are rarely taken seriously. When faced with the frustration that their opinion isn't being taken seriously, people often resort to screaming at the top of their lungs or using extreme language in a desperate attempt to attract attention to their comments. Of course, that only serves to delegitimize them further.

Ultimately our influence is not in going onto the Internet and calling people names, it's in doing all we can to strengthen the causes and organizations we feel are important. It's in making ourselves more educated and knowledgeable, and helping our children do the same. An educated opinion is a respected opinion. When that is our focus, we can leave the anonymous comments to others.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Joshua Strulowitz